YANDINA (specifically the Ginger Factory), QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIUA – Tray

PLACE REPRESENTED: Yandina (specifically The Ginger Factory), Queensland , Australia

ITEM: Tray

NOTES: Every kid in the 1980s had to go visit the Ginger Factory at Yandina, didn’t they? Well, every kid in south east Queensland had to. It was much better than the box factory from The Simpsons as they had activities, a train ride and err ginger products! https://www.gingerfactory.com.au/

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: bamboo

MADE IN: Taiwan

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 30.5cm diameter

NEW CALEDONIA – Wall Plate

PLACE REPRESENTED: New Caledonia, France

ITEM: Wall Plate

NOTES: New Caledonia, or more appropriately, Nouvelle Caledonie, is an archipelago in the south pacific popular with tourists. This everyone knows. It was colonised by the French. This everyone may know. It is still a dependent territory of France. This everyone should know. It has had political power since 1998 and the Nouméa Accord which was “a promise by the French Republic to grant political power to New Caledonia and its original population, the Kanaks, until the territory decides whether to remain a special collectivity of France or become an independent state in a referendum to be held in November 2018” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noumea_Accord) That everyone probably does not know.

The referendum was held in 2018, then another 2020 and 2021. On each occasion New Caledonia voted against independence.

They are , however, sufficiently devolved, though, to have their own nation entry here.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: plastic (melamine by the looks of it)

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 15cm diameter

CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO – Ashtray

PLACE REPRESENTED: Chihuahua , Mexico

ITEM: Ashtray

NOTES: A wonderful Mexican made ashtray in earthy light sand coloured pottery with sparse but vivid glazing. All the stereotypes (though not necessarily negative, so perhaps “symbols” would be a better word) are here … the cactus, the agave, the lagenaria siceraria (Mexican Water Bottle Gourd), and the local in traditional clothing and sombrero having a siesta.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: pottery

MADE IN: Mexico

MANUFACTURER: Mexico Co

DIMENSIONS: 10.5cm diameter

 

ZANZIBAR – Coasters

PLACE REPRESENTED: Zanzibar

ITEM: Coasters

NOTES: Zanzibar is an island archipelago and an autonomous region of Tanzania on Africa’s west coast. Jambo is a Swahili greeting and similar to “Hello”. Most of the most famous African fauna are depicted on these sturdy and evocative stone tiles.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: stone

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: Coaster holder : 9cm diameter, 5cm high. Coasters: 7cm diameter.

 

SYDNEY (specifically Sydney Tower), NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA – Vase

PLACE REPRESENTED: Sydney (specifically the Sydney Tower), New South Wales , Australia

ITEM: Vase

NOTES: A small vase depicting the Sydney Tower, the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere, which opened in 1981. The Sky Tower in Auckland is taller.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 10cm tall

VATICAN CITY – Wall Ornament

PLACE REPRESENTED: The Basilica of St Peter , Vatican City

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: The Basilica of St Peter (S Pietro) done in thin tile mosaic on wood. This is small, but in its own way, quite striking. The mentioning of Rome as the location of the Basilica (and Vatican City) is probably superfluous.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: wood , tile

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 17cm x 12cm

UKRAINE – Kiev – Wall Plate

UKRAINE – Kiev – Wall Plate

PLACE REPRESENTED: Kiev , Ukraine

ITEM: Wall Plate

NOTES: Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is commonly known as the “City of Domes”. In the foreground is the Great Lavra Bell Tower and behind it are the domes of St. Sophia Cathedral or maybe St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral or maybe Kyiv Pechersk Lava Monastery … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lavra_Bell_Tower

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN: Germany

MANUFACTURER: Rosenheim Porzellan

DIMENSIONS: 19cm diameter

GOA, INDIA – Wall Plate

goa - wall plate (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Goa , India

ITEM: Wall Plate

NOTES: A cartoonish plate depicting a not very Indian looking scene. Goa was a Portuguese territory for 450 years (it was annexed by India in 1961) which explains all the Catholic churches and western architecture and the acoustic guitar.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 20.5cm diameter

TOKYO, JAPAN – Wall Ornament

Tokyo - wall ornament (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Tokyo (specifically Tokyo Tower) , Japan

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: Tokyo Tower specifically celebrated on this wall ornament. Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower and the second-tallest structure in Japan. I assume the mountain in the background is Mount Takao.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 16cm diameter