A Louis Vuitton Aston Martin? Not so fast...

No, I don't mean the car is not so fast, I mean don't get too excited about this news. Yet.

Three of my favorite blogs,Luxist, High Snobiety and NOTCOT reported today the exciting news that LVMH (the parent company of Louis Vuitton) had purchased Ford's Aston Martin Company.

This, of course, sent visions of LV leather-clad Aston Martins touring around in our heads.



But according to Motor Trend, the reports are a bit premature. Can't blame these bloggers, they report the latest news and as of yesterday, that was the latest. However, the sale is now in question according to the latest from Motor Trend.

Read on:

Motor Trend: Aston Martin sold, but maybe not to LVMH

Posted Feb 2nd 2007 7:25PM by Alex Nunez

Motor Trend is disputing yesterday's published reports that Brit luxury/sports car manufacturer Aston Martin will be sold to Louis Vuitton. According to MT, which cites "well-placed" UK sources, Aston's bags are packed and ready to leave Ford, but they do not have that iconic "LV" logo on them. Apparently the buyer is a group of high-finance types we've never heard of. They're set to pony up around $1 billion for the storied automaker.

The sale is said to include the factory, and Ford is still expected to retain a stake in the company. Motor Trend can't resist needling Autobild and the blogosphere for (supposedly) getting the buyer wrong. (Marketwatch, the major outlet that ran the story yesterday, gets a pass.) Somewhat ironically, MT uses its own blog to get its version of the Aston saga out to the public.

UPDATE: MT has updated their post to reference the Marketwatch story that many outlets (including Autoblog) picked up on and reported.

[Source: Motor Trend]

But it does look as if an Aston sale is pending. The buyer will be a private investment firm with no names familiar to anybody outside the high-finance banking community. Rumored price is just a tad less than $1 billion.

LVMH did take a look at Aston late last year, but passed. One problem with a non-automotive buyer is that there’s a lot of cost and potential liability associated with purchasing a small automaker based in England. The Aston deal will include the factory, good news for the buyer, but that also includes the workers, which may not be.

As mentioned in the LVMH rumor, Ford should retain some interest in the sport-luxury brand, if for no other reason than to provide parts and components that could be shared with Jaguar and Land Rover.

The bottom line is the rumors of Ford selling Aston look solid. It’s the buyer that Autobild (picked up by Marketwatch and our friends in auto blogosphere) has wrong. Stay tuned for the latest on the Aston Martin sale drama from Motor Trend as the story develops.

Listen and Learn: The Art of Making Music. Luxury Music Boxes By Reuge.

above:the Reuge factory in Switzerland


NOTE: Since this post was written, Reuge has dramatically changed their website. And to one I find difficult to navigate and inexpensive looking. Therefore my following comments about the informative and well-designed site are no longer applicable.
I came across this company's site awhile ago. I can't recall what I was searching for, but I can assure you it wasn't music boxes. I've never fancied myself a music box sort of girl. Although I enjoy classical music (which most music boxes play) I've never considered buying myself a music box, let alone invest in one. But Reuge and their informative and impressive website has changed my mind. Once I landed on their page with it's austere and mechanical logo and the clean layout, I started clicking around.

Much to my enjoyment I found that I had stumbled upon not only 'art' but 'music'. Their music boxes (and that word does not do them justice) range from the traditional, elegant bird-in-the-cage-a-la-french-antiques type to black carbon and stainless steel music boxes that would make any modern maven sing with delight.

Magic Forest Singing Bird Automaton Music Box:

Volière de la Cour Singing Bird Automaton Music Box:

Singing Bird Alarm clock:

The Reverse Music Box in Mahogany:

The Reverse in white:


And their lovely melodies are there for you to listen on their site! Multiple options for each piece are playable with just the click of a mouse.

The Arche music box:

Burl wood music box with drawer to hold pens:

The Francastel music box:


They use every material you can imagine, from exotic woods to glass and enamels, and each is crafted by hand.

With music boxes containing sets of 16, 36 and 72 notes as well as ones that double as candle holders and incense burners.


The Music Box votive holder, Ambiente:

Music Box incense holder


Okay, so I was really impressed with their designs and array of offerings. But that was only half of it. Reuge (whose tagline is appropriately 'the art of mechanical music') has developed an unusually informative website. They have a time line of the history of music boxes, written in a digestible manner and not overwhelmingly pedantic.

They go into intense detail of every step of production (a lot goes into a music box!). They make it easy to browse through their products with rollover titles and nice large clean imagery. They have a wonderful section on craftsmanship with detailed images, down to applying a feather on a bird.

It's a rare product inventory indeed, but equally rare is a site that's such a pleasure to explore.

Singing Bird Poem music box:

Singing bird Sweetheart music box:

Singing Bird Black Tie Music Box:

Wood art deco music box:


Wanna really be impressed? Check out the FAQ link and you'll not only see every question a possible interested party or owner could have, but the numbers of people who have accessed that very question.

Suffice it to say, these products aren't cheap. And, as one would expect from master craftsmen they offer owner upkeep and a two year guarantee (with limitations). Even limited editions and custom designs are available. It is truly an art.

Which is why, at the beginning of this article, I said 'invest' in a music box. But from what I see and hear, it's a pretty wise investment.



Click here and see for yourself.

Funky Find If The Week: The Cow Bookcase

click on the above picture for details

The Mooj Cow Case from New Zealand.

A Bovine bookcase.

What fun.

mooooooo

Karin Jurick, Feb. 3rd, Cohen Rese Gallery

Tomorrow is the opening of Karin Jurick's solo art show at the Cohen Rese Gallery on Sutter in San Francisco.

If you're not familiar with her work yet, you probably will be soon.

She has already pre-sold over half the paintings in her upcoming show and opening night has yet to occur.

Her vibrant and loose brushstrokes recreate places with which we are all familiar. Urban street scenes and beach venues as well as museums, libraries and restaurants. Yet she somehow takes these very public places and creates very private moments. Her work places the viewer in a voyeuristic position, peering in on people as they are caught in some very ordinary experiences having an extraordinary moment of reflection or privacy. In most cases, we can hardly see their faces.

Whether the subject is window shopping, reading or observing a piece of art on a museum wall, we get the sense that they are very engaged in what they are doing as we, simultaneously are engaged in watching them do this. The viewer doesn't feel like an 'intruder' however, because the composition and perspective are such that we are there, in the room with these subjects.

One feels a sense of quiet and calm when experiencing her painting which ironically are full of emotion. Making it very easy to look at these paintings for a long time.

Which is why I own four of hers. And hope to own more in the future.

The paintings above are a small preview of the show, but you can see more of her work on her site.

And if you're anywhere near San Francisco tomorrow night,
stop by the gallery on Sutter and tell her Laura Sweet sent you.

Sutter Street Gallery
Cohen Rese Gallery
432 & 420 Sutter Street
San Francisco


Located between Stockton Street and Powell Street,
in downtown San Francisco.

Parking is available at the Sutter-Stockton Garage which is 1/2 block away.