There are collectors and there are Collectors with a capital C. Peter Adler, the man behind Pebble which specialises in natural jewelry, tribal art and objets d’art, definitely falls under the latter category. Adler, who works from his home in Sussex Gardens, is such a keen collector that he’s gotten rid of the burners in his kitchen to allow for more counter space. If he gets really hungry he can escape to his palatial pad in Ibiza. Here’s Adler’s front hall, or as he puts it, ‘my tribute to minalism’.
And his treasure trove of a kitchen…
Adler is terrific, a really funny and entertaining man, with so many stories about his colourful life that I hated to leave. He counts wildlife explorer David Attenborough , 97 year-old American fashion doyenne Iris Apfel and the late Alistair McAlpine as friends.
Adler started out as a musician and formed Ireland’s first R&B band, ‘Bluesville’ in the sixties. Modest Adler never mentioned that he’s the son of Larry Adler, widely acknowledged as one of the world’s top harmonica players. Adler’s love for tribal art started when he was on tour with Bluesville and discovered American Indian craft. Since then he has gone global, collecting stunning pieces from India, Thailand, Indonesia, Bali, Afghanistan, Nepal, Africa and South America. He travels half the year scouring the planet for treasures. Don’t miss his annual Christmas party.
Or failing that, drop in to his beautifully cluttered home Monday to Friday, 10am-6pm. However, I strongly recommend booking an appointment to ensure that you get to meet the talented man himself. Prices range from £15 to about £4,000. I loved this sliced shell neck piece from Bali so much that I bought it. Don’t know how I could have lived without it.
Adler’s philosophy of design is keep it simple, ‘let the materials breathe.’ He has worked with several of the truly great designers, such as Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Issey Miyake, Mathew Williamson and countless others. Tory Burch loved this emerald green beetle-back necklace from northern Thailand.
Victoria’s Secret’s first-ever London fashion show takes place on December 2nd with Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran. Pebble is providing headdresses, bangles and earrings. Maggie Smith and Judi Dench are wearing some Pebble’s pieces for the 2015 release of “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’. His gems have played a supporting role in ‘Game of Thrones’, ‘Harry Potter’, and ‘Star Wars’ to name a few.
I won’t be blogging for the next few week as I have to focus on work for my Masters, but I hope to be back with a bang after Christmas with a blog from (please) sunny Thailand. Have a great December.
November, 2014
