Below is a collectible vintage Cinzano ashtray like one seen in the Ricardo’s hotel room in the screen capture above. At that time Cinzano was still a family run business based in Turin Italy that had been in business since the 1700’s. The I Love Lucy set dresser added well chosen European pieces to evoke a sense of place for the Ricardo’s trip to Europe, in this instance to decorate the set of Lucy and Ricky’s Monte Carlo hotel room.
Seen in the Mertzes Monte Carlo room are framed cameo miniatures on the wall. Similar miniatures are seen in the Mertz living room and in the Ricardo’s apartment in the window alcove on either side of the piano following their return from the trip.
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This gilt framed cameo miniature portrait by A Cameo Creation is similar to the one seen in the screenshot above. ‘A Cameo Creation’ miniatures were inspired by the more expensive Victorian originals and were sold in the home decor sections of department stores at affordable prices.
Cameo miniatures are also seen in the Mertz apartment, seen here in a scene from the episode Little Ricky Learns to Play the Drums after they return from the trip.
An ornate framed print of The Feast (or Festival) of Love by Jean-Antoine Watteau is seen in the set of the Monte Carlo hotel on I Love Lucy.
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On the wall of the Mertzes Monte Carlo hotel room is a well known Nicholas Lancret framed print called La Camargo Dancing. Also seen on the chest of drawers beside the door is a figurine we saw in the Mertzes Connecticut home in another I Love Lucy episode. A figurine of a colonial lady, Florence Ceramics “Charmaine”.
The woman dancing in the painting is Marie Anne de Cupis de Camargo a famous French/Belgian ballet dancer known as La Camargo. She was first woman to execute the entrechat quatre, the first dancer to wear slippers instead of heeled shoes, and also first to wear the shorter calf-length ballet skirt and the now standard ballet tights.
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On the wall of the Ricardo’s Monte Carlo hotel room is a framed print of an antique song sheet.
The sheet music is reproduced from an original copper plate print by engraver George Bickham. The sheet of music entitled “Reason for Loving” is from an antique song book The Musical Entertainer circa 1737 and 1739 Vol II. The book in two volumes can be viewed or downloaded at: http://imslp.org/wiki/The_Musical_Entertainer_(Bickham_Jr.,_George)
Similar framed vintage prints can be found on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=George+Bickham+Musical+Entertainer+&_sacat=0