SIENA, ITALY – Wall Plate

Siena - Cathedral - Display Plate (1) PLACE REPRESENTED: Siena , Italy

ITEM: Wall Plate

NOTES: This wall plate depicts the old cathedral in the heart of Siena, Tuscany. The plate is nicely detailed and has a border in gold, as it probably should, given that Siena has been declared by  UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

I loved the Stewart Granger film “Swordsman of Siena” (1962) as a kid … I have no idea if it was filmed there.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 19.5cm diameter

Siena - Cathedral - Display Plate (2)

SALISBURY, ENGLAND – Ornamental Miniature

Salisbury - Minature four flute vase (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Salisbury , England

ITEM: Four finger bud vase

NOTES: Nifty and slightly  surreal bud vase depicting the coat of arms for Salisbury in the south of England.

Salisbury was called “New Sarum” at one stage, hence the Latin on the coat of arms.

What would I do without wikipedia?

A bud vase is a small vase which is designed to held several cut flowers, especially young flowers and buds.

What would I do without google?

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1930s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  England

MANUFACTURER: unknown (It says “British Manufacture” on the bottom but it looks very much like a Victoria ceramic piece made by Schmidt & Company (Czechoslovakia)).

DIMENSIONS: 6cm  high x 6.5cm across top.

salisbury - bud vase (1)                    salisbury - bud vase (3)

VICTOR HARBOUR, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA – Salt & Pepper Shakers

Vitor harbour - sp shakers (1)      Vitor harbour - sp shakers (2)

PLACE REPRESENTED: Victor Harbour, South Australia , Australia

ITEM: Salt & Pepper Shakers

NOTES: The salt and pepper shakers clearly state “Vitor Harbour” not “Victor Harbour”. If you google “Vitor Harbour” or “Vitor Harbor” you will get nothing apart from a number of suggestions that perhaps you mean “Victor Harbour”, a seaside town 80 km south of Adelaide, South Australia. Interestingly there are organisations (sailing clubs, swimming clubs)  in the same place that use “Vitor” (or, they don’t spell check when putting themselves on-line). “Victor” and “Vitor” may be different places or the same place but they are both on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia.

I’m confused. Fleurieu Peninsula residents where are you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleurieu_Peninsula

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1950s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 9cm high , 6cm wide each

TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA – Salt & Pepper Shakers

Tasmania - Salt & Pepper Shakers - ceramic (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Tasmania, Australia

ITEM: Salt & Pepper Shakers

NOTES: Apples and Tasmania … a very familiar motif. Apples and salt and pepper, of course, don’t go together or do they?

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): circa 1960

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  Australia

MANUFACTURER: Westminster Fine China

DIMENSIONS: 7cm high x 5.5cm wide

HOLLAND – Ornamental Clog

Holland - Large wooden clog (1)     Holland - Large wooden clog (3)PLACE REPRESENTED:   Holland

ITEM: Clog

NOTES: A wooden clog from Holland. I’ve met a few clogs from Holland. This one is personalised with “Josh” on one side and “Holland” on the other. “Josh” doesn’t sound particularly Dutch and he may be quite forgetful as he has lost this clog or, maybe, he has one leg.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: wood

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 15.5cm long , 7cm high

BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Dinner Bell

Brisbane - Expo 88 - Dinner Bell - ceramic (1)      Brisbane - Expo 88 - Dinner Bell - ceramic (4)PLACE REPRESENTED: Brisbane, Queensland , Australia

ITEM: Dinner Bell

NOTES: A large ceramic dinner bell celebrating that ode to middle brow banality, the State sponsored World Fair … in this case the World Expo 88 held in Brisbane.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1988

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 13.5cm high x 8.5cm diameter

CROATIA – Keychain

Croatia - - Keychain - Steel - Flag

PLACE REPRESENTED:   Croatia

ITEM: Key Chain

NOTES: Croat colours and coat of arms. As most Europeans know “Hrvatska” is Croatian for “Croatia”.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2004

MADE FROM: steel

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 4.5cm x  3cm  (the coat of arms part)

 

IRELAND – Place Mats

Ireland - Placemats (16)

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)

Ireland - Placemats (10)  Ireland - Placemats (9)  Ireland - Placemats (8)Ireland - Placemats (7)  Ireland - Placemats (6)  Ireland - Placemats (5)

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC – Dinner Bell

Pargue - Dinner Bell - Ceramic (1)

PLACE REPRESENTED: Prague , Czech Republic

ITEM: Dinner Bell

NOTES: A (ornamental) little dinner bell depicting Prague’s Charles Bridge over the river Vltava with the Prague castle in the background.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 5cm diameter x 8.5cm high

Pargue - Dinner Bell - Ceramic (5)     Pargue - Dinner Bell - Ceramic (3)