PLACE REPRESENTED: Ireland
ITEM: Ornament
NOTES: “Natural Irish Crafts”. Only the Irish could get away with sculpting something (here a Celtic harp) out of turf, or rather peat bog, and selling it to tourists.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s
MADE FROM: turf
MADE IN: Ireland
MANUFACTURER: Samhain Turf
DIMENSIONS: 19cm high x 13cm wide
ITEM: Mouse Pad
NOTES: A humorous leprechaun on a bannister … I’m not sure where the market is for this. But, there is nothing like a contemporary item with some 19th century stereotypes.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000
MADE FROM: plastic
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: Kiddiefun
DIMENSIONS: 22.5cm x 18.5cm
PLACE REPRESENTED: Ireland
ITEM: Ornament
NOTES: A ornamental Irish Harp. The Irish Harp is one of the most famous of all Irish instruments. The sticker on the back reads “The history of the Irish Harp is carved into the standing stones of Celtic Ireland. Immortalised in bardic poetry and manuscripts dating back to 540AD. Island Turf Crafts have recreated the harp in turf cut from Irish boglands”. Island Turf Crafts gifts are hand crafted using 5,000 year old Irish peat from some of Europe’s oldest bog lands.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s
MADE FROM: Peat
MADE IN: Ireland
MANUFACTURER: http://www.islandturfcrafts.com
DIMENSIONS: 18cm high x 10cm at it’s widest
PLACE REPRESENTED: Ireland
ITEM: Trivet or Plate place mats.
NOTES: Beautiful plate place mats (they are not big enough for plate and cutlery), trivet or pot stands depicting Ireland in all it’s 1960s beauty.
Was Ireland ever like this? Of course it was and is … you just have to look a little harder sometimes.
Made in England though!
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1960s
MADE FROM: wood, cork, material
MADE IN: England
MANUFACTURER: Win-El-Ware
DIMENSIONS: 15cm x 15cm (each)
PLACE REPRESENTED: Ireland
ITEM: Religious Ornament
NOTES: St Brigid’s cross specific to Ireland.
It is traditionally made from rushes or straw and it is believed that a Brigid’s Cross protects the house from fire and evil. Accordingly, it is hung in many Irish and Irish-American kitchens for this purpose.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigid’s_cross
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2004
MADE FROM: ceramic material
MADE IN: Ireland
MANUFACTURER: Knock Pottery
DIMENSIONS: 17cm by 17cm
PLACE REPRESENTED: Antrim Coast , Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann)
ITEM: Tea Pot Stand or Rest
NOTES: I know it’s a “tea pot stand” because it’s shaped like a tea pot and has “tea pot stand” written on it.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: cork
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 21cm across
PLACE REPRESENTED: Ireland
ITEM: Doll
NOTES: Doll in traditional Irish dress. Ahh, to be sure.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: plastic , material
MADE IN: Hong Kong
MANUFACTURER: Eagleton Toys
DIMENSIONS: 25cm tall (doll)
PLACE REPRESENTED: Ireland
ITEM: Key Chain
NOTES: Ha, the Irish are funny and clearly don’t forget easily. The sentiment is succinct and perfect…and on both sides of the key chain, just in case you forget.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2004
MADE FROM: plastic
MADE IN: ?
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 4cm x 6cm
PLACE REPRESENTED: Ireland
ITEM: Ornament
NOTES: A mini Irish cottage. Very mini despite the beauties of digital photography.
Do these cottages still exist? Yes, but mainly in re-runs of “The Quiet Man”. Still when you do see them they are special.
This is handmade, apparently. Well, handmade in a sweatshop, perhaps.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s
MADE FROM: Resin
MADE IN: ?
MANUFACTURER: Elgate
DIMENSIONS: 7cm long , 4cm wide
