ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA – Wall Ornament

adelaide - small wall ornament (1)

PLACE REPRESENTED: Adelaide, South Australia , Australia

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: A small wall ornament depicting St Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral or St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral or, perhaps, another denomination. Well, Adelaide is known as the “City Of Churches”. The Adelaide tram at the front is less ambiguous.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s

MADE FROM: resin

MADE IN:  China

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 11cm x 8cm

ATHENS, GREECE – Wall Ornament

athens - acropolis - wall plate (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Athens (specifically the Temple of Zeus)  Greece

ITEM: Wall ornament

NOTES: A vividly coloured plate depicting (what’s left of) the Temple of Zeus in Athens … it is 2000+ years old. The Acropolis and Parthenon are in the background. http://www.greeka.com/attica/athens/athens-excursions/athens-olympian-zeus.htm

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1960s

MADE FROM: porcelain

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 21.5cm diameter

MALTA – Wall Ornament

malta - airport - wall ornament (1)PLACE REPRESENTED:   Malta

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: A wall ornament depicting the airport at Malta. Airports are always a double edged sword on souvenirs … are you celebrating coming or leaving? This is a nice snapshot of a small European airport circa 1970s.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: wood

MADE IN:   Malta probably

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 15cm wide x 14.5cm

AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND – Key Ring

amsterdam - key chain (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Amsterdam , Holland

ITEM: Key Ring

NOTES: A small key ring with a lot of sites crammed into its frame: Dam Square with Royal Palace,  Oude Kerk, the National Monument, the Magere Brug (bridge) and probably a few other things.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2017

MADE FROM: plastic , steel

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 9cm  (with chain) , 4cm x 3cm medallion

TRIESTE, ITALY – Wall Ornament

Trieste Miramare - Wall Plate (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Trieste , Italy

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: An elaborate (as you would expect from the Italians) wall ornament depicting Miramare castle 8 km north-west of Trieste (or Trst as it is known to Croatians, well, it was an Illyrian settlement a long, long time ago). Castello di Miramare (or the Castle of Miramare), located about 8 km north-west of Trieste, with a commanding presence over the Gulf of Trieste, is a majestic castle (with a surrounding park, the Park of Miramare) built from 1856 to 1860 for Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte (the Austrian Habsburgs controlled the early 1500s until after World War 1). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miramare_Castle 

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1960s

MADE FROM: steel , ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 29cm diameter

Trieste Miramare - Wall Plate (2)

INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA – Wall Ornament

innsbruck - wall plate (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Innsbruck , Austria

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: The famous town of Innsbruck in Austria dates back to the 4th century. Depicted is the Goldenes Dachl building (which dates back to 1500) in the old town of Innsbruck. A perfect plate to capture the Alpine nature of the town. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldenes_Dachl 

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1960s

MADE FROM: wood

MADE IN:   Austria probably

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 18cm diameter

CHILE – Trivet

Chile - Wall Ornament (1)PLACE REPRESENTED:   Chile

ITEM: Trivet

NOTES: Simple and vivid. A painted tin relief glued to a piece of masonite. The images depicted, the map of Chile, the Cathedral of Chillan (with monumental cross in memory of the victims of the earthquake in January 1939 that devastated the city of Chillan), the Parinacota volcano, the Chilean Huaso or baqueano (cowboy), the native Chilean in traditional dress are vivid. And quite appropriately, so are the materials, copper tin and wood … two of the largest industries in chile: copper mining and forestry.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: steel , wood

MADE IN:   Chile probably

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 19cm diameter

Chile - Wall Ornament (3)

SWEDEN – Tea Bag Holder

Sweden - tea bag holder (1)PLACE REPRESENTED:   Sweden

ITEM: Tea Bag Holder

NOTES: I’m not sure if tea is big in Sweden. It must be, otherwise why the tea bag holder (or spoon rest). Depicted is the traditional Dalecarlian horse or Dala horse  from Sweden. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalecarlian_horse

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 12cm across x 9cm top to bottom.

CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Key Chain

Cairns - Keychain - VW - 2014 (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Cairns, Queensland , Australia

ITEM: Key Chain

NOTES: The Volkswagen Camper Van is hardly Australian. But, with a surf board on top, and a couple of blokes inside looking for the perfect wave in the endless summer it becomes Australian … and you do see them around Cairns (no surf there though)

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2014

MADE FROM: steel

MADE IN:  Australia

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 4cm across x 4cm high (van)(7cm including chain)

Cairns - Keychain - VW - 2014 (2)