Antique of the Month

D Home scout: Gustav Schmiege

The Mission: Find and photograph an antique that speaks to you.

The Find: Fiberglass female diver and former department store display rumored to be modeled after Esther Williams. ($2,250/Lost Antiques)

What was the draw? Her form, color, and design set her apart from everything else in the store. I was worried I was going to knock her off her perch, but she’s almost perfectly balanced on a very small piece of metal. She was very inspiring. I knew right away exactly how I wanted to shoot her.