PLACE REPRESENTED: Sydney, New South Wales , Australia
ITEM: Snow Globe
NOTES: Ahhh, the Opera House (and Harbour Bridge) in a snow globe. Perfectly identifiable and quite the piece of kitsch. But does it ever snow in Sydney? No cocaine related jokes necessary.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1990s
MADE FROM: plastic
MADE IN: China
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 5cm high , 7cm long
PLACE REPRESENTED: Brisbane, Queensland , Australia
ITEM: Ashtray
NOTES: Brisbane’s freeway system is depicted here. The inside of the ashtray is glass and the picture can be removed. The picture is a postcard which leads me to believe that it may not have been the original, given the plaster ashtray was made in England …but who knows. Anything is possible in Brisbane.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: glass
MADE IN: England
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 9cm x 9cm
PLACE REPRESENTED: Magnific Rock, Popoyo , Nicaragua
ITEM: Hat
NOTES: Magnific Rock is a point located in Popoyo, Nicaragua. Popoyo is a small beach town in the Tola municipality of the Rivas district of Nicaragua. On top of Magnific Rock is perched the Magnific Rock Hotel which overlooks Nicaragua’s premier surf break and one Central America’s top surfing destinations, hence the depiction of the hotel, the seabirds, the beach and the lonely(?) surfer. It is sunny, you will probably need a hat. The hotel link is here: http://magnificrockpopoyo.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/MagnificRock/
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2016
MADE FROM: plastic
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: adult .
PLACE REPRESENTED: Split , Croatia
ITEM: Plate
NOTES: A nice plate showing one of the stone lions guarding the entrance to the belfry and the adjoining Cathedral of Saint Domnius in Split’s beautiful old town.
The plate has an artist mentioned which looks to be “R. Joanovic” and “75”. This is a cut above your average tourist souvenir and appears to be made by the Stonehenge Pottery in England.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1975
MADE FROM: ceramic material
MADE IN: England
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 19cm diameter.
PLACE REPRESENTED: Los Angeles, specifically Hollywood, California , USA
ITEM: Key Chain
NOTES: Vivid and incredibly kitsch (just like Hollywood today?) key ring in the letter of someone you love …
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s
MADE FROM: steel
MADE IN: China
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 3.5cm x 3.5cm long (7.5cm long with the ring)
PLACE REPRESENTED: Tasmania , Australia
ITEM: Cap
NOTES: Tasmania, Australia, ’nuff said.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s
MADE FROM: cotton
MADE IN: China
MANUFACTURER: The Tasmanian Tops Co
DIMENSIONS: adult adjustable size.
PLACE REPRESENTED: Nambour, specifically the Sunshine Plantation, Nambour, Queensland , Australia.
ITEM: Plate
NOTES: The Big Pineapple just north of Brisbane, depicted in all its spledour. A State treasure.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: wood (bamboo?)
MADE IN: Taiwan
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 20cm across, 30cm high
PLACE REPRESENTED: Singapore
ITEM: Wall Ornament / Small Display Plate
NOTES: Small pewter plate-let depicting Singapore. Clean and well delineated, just like Singapore.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s
MADE FROM: pewter (98% tin)
MADE IN: Kuala Lumpur
MANUFACTURER: Selwin Pewter
DIMENSIONS: 8cm diameter FOR
PLACE REPRESENTED: Pattaya , Thailand
ITEM: Keychain
NOTES: A memento of the Holiday Inn Sands Hotel at Pattaya. If you google Pattay don’t do it with the “images” tab on, well, not with kids around.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s
MADE FROM: plastic and steel.
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 10cm long (including chain)
PLACE REPRESENTED: Gold Coast, Queensland , Australia
ITEM: Coin Wallet
NOTES: Cute retro coin wallet from the days before Australia had $1 and $2 coins which is why it is quite small, perhaps. In any event, it’s not an issue for a tourist as you aren’t likely to come out of the Gold Coast with any change.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: vinyl , steel (springback)
MADE IN: Hong Kong
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 8.5cm across , 7.5cm high