1936 On the Continent

the West End, and in Old Bond Street, a stone’s throw away, the famous
Elizabeth Arden
gives to visitors to London all that they could hope from her New York or Paris establishments.
Josephine Kell
has made a speciality of electric massage and other treatments of the sort; and the foam baths at the
Maison Blanche
in Dover Street have been arranged under the supervision of the highest hygienic and medical authorities.
Soignée
, in Old Bond Street, cares for the whole person.
Children
    Grandparents, parents, and collaterals having been considered, we come to the question of children. Beginning with the babies there is the
Precious-Baby
bath, and the
Treasure Cot
, to be bought at any good house, like
Hamley’s. Hamley’s
also give you all the toys there are, in a general way. If you want something individual you should go to the
Abbatts
’ new house in Wimpole Street, where their graded toys, covering the child’s enjoyment from two years upwards, and the books that the older child wants to read, are all on show.
    Mothers and Nannies will approve the
Kamella
baby bags, which allow the child full kicking-freedom, with nodraught-inlet.
Viyella
nursery wear, to be had at all big shops, tries to give to hurried mothers and Nannies the same loving touch which in quieter times they achieved for themselves. For instance, you can have a mass production garment of the finest material, with real handwork to make the smockings elastic.
    For perambulators there are still two kings:
Hitching’s
, at the corner of Bond Street and Oxford Street, and
Dunkley’s
in Queen Victoria Street.
Golf, Guns, Horses and Cars
    Golf Clubs are supplied by
Lillywhite’s
, or
Spalding’s
or
Slazenger’s;
and
Luckford Brown
appeals to the pundits of the game.
    Those who need a gunsmith, and all that he can add to the pleasure of life, go to
Cogswell & Harrison
in Piccadilly or
Greener
in Pall Mall.
    Go to
Tattersall’s
still if you want to round Tattenham Corner and lead your horse into the paddock; or even if you want to ride down Rotten Row.
    If you want a car you had better walk along Long Acre, and down St. James’s Street. and then go and look at
Roote’s
in Piccadilly.
Gifts for People and Houses
    There are certain categories of merchandise which fall under the heading of gifts, even if you buy them for yourself. Here are some of the places where you will get them at their very best, selected for you by experts at least as well informed as yourself, and possibly even more so.
    B OOKS: for rare editions of the rarest books and the most luxurious reprintings of the classics try
Quaritch, Maggs
, or
Sotheran
.
    For ordinary books, new or old, or certain rarities not falling under the cases above, go every time to
Foyle’s
in Charing Cross Road. If you want anything special good work will be done for you if you go to the
Cheyne Book Shop
in King’s Road, Chelsea.
    P ICTURES: Old masters,
Agnew
and
Colnaghi
. New masters,
Wildenstein
and
Lefevre
. Flower-prints,
Dulau
, Bond Street;
Michael Williams
, Curzon Street. Sporting prints,
Ellis & Smith
, Grafton Street.
    P ORCELAIN, H ARD-STONE, ETC.: For Chinese jade and similar wonderful things go to
John Sparks
in Mount Street. For old Chinese ceramics you will get what modern phraseology calls “the goods” in Duke Street, St. James’s, from
Bluett
. Rather newer Chinese ceramics are sold by
Handcock
of Vigo Street.
    Do not overlook the possibilities, if they appeal to you, of
Copenhagen
china, in their shop in Bond Street.
    G LASS: There is good glass in Marylebone High Street. For modern glass come back a hundred yards or so to Wigmore Street and see the
Powell
windows, where everything from a cocktail glass to a great jar carries an individual countenance. Czechoslovak glass is dealt in by
Leander
in Jermyn Street. Just before you turn off for the Albany from Bond Street,
Lalique
has a collection of stuff in which he shows you what he thinks a dessert plate should be, and without taking breath also shows you what an altar should be.
    For silver one goes to
Mappin’s
, or to
Elkington’s
, or to the
Goldsmiths and Silversmiths
in Regent Street. These are the firms which, dealing with metal at its best and precious metals at their finest, will give you anything from a mug to a piece of fine jewellery.
    F LOWERS:
Goodyear
in Bond Street is an old-established firm with modern ideas—a good mixture.
Moyses Stevens
, outside Victoria, and in Berkeley Square,
Robert Green
of