cider-press screw

Jim Ede bought this wooden cider press screw in Tangiers, Morocco, where he lived with his family between 1936 and 1952. The piece, made in Normandy (France) between the 18th and 19th century, was purchased from two English artists who held a sale of their effects before returning to Britain.

This was one of Ede's favourite possessions: its careful positioning at the entrance of the sitting room and its use as a base for two glass decanters underlines Jim's interest in the interaction between objects, natural light and architecture. This is particularly apparent in the way in which the screw's tight spiral prepares the eye for the spiral of the staircase leading to the first floor.

The piece is reminiscent of some of the wooden bases used by the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi for his works. The atmosphere of Brancusi's Parisian studio, which Ede visited on numerous occasions during the 1920s, was one of the formative influences on Kettle's Yard. Jim wrote about it: "all the elements were there collected in his studio, almost as though it were nature's workshop. There I found air and light, and the poise and rhythm of his carving . . . I pulled a string outside the door and a hammer hit upon a disc of brass within, making a lovely echoing sound. When Brancusi opened the door it was still vibrating. 'People bring me music while they wait' he said."

material - carved wood
location - cottages, downstairs sitting room