PLACE REPRESENTED: Jordan
ITEM: Paperweight
NOTES: Sand art is found wherever there is a lot of sand. Jordan has a lot of sand. Jordan is also famous for the street sand art bottles like this one. It is simple and quite the talking piece (Jordan is written on the inside of the bottle and the rest is layers of sand poked into shapes).
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s
MADE FROM: sand , glass
MADE IN: Jordan
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 13cm high X 5.5cm across
PLACE REPRESENTED: Fiji
ITEM: Paper Weight
NOTES: A paperweight that is also a water globe, a thermometer and a pen holder. There is a decal at the bottom that exclaims “Bula” (which means “hello” amongst other things) and “Fiji”. The wind surfers bopping around inside the hexagon “globe” could be from anywhere of course. When mass production comes to town all identity is lost. Buy something local, it may cost more but it will mean more. Of course if you need a a water globe, thermometer or a pen holder then ….
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s
MADE FROM: plastic
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 10cm high x 7.5cm across
PLACE REPRESENTED: Papua New Guinea
ITEM: Paper Weight
NOTES: Papua New Guinea and a shell. Simple and effective.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: resin , shell
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 6cm across , 3cm high
PLACE REPRESENTED: Brisbane , Australia
ITEM: Paperweight
NOTES: A lump of marble in the shape of Australia celebrating World Expo 88 in Brisbane.
An event that (arguably) with the Commonwealth Games of 1982 put Brisbane on the map … though it led to a lot of forced evictions, and dodgy dealings for land along the Brisbane river.
The stone depicts amongst other things a monorail, which, much like the monorail in “The Simpsons”, has not been seen since.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1988
MADE FROM: marble
MADE IN: Australia
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 15cm long x 12cm top to bottom x 2cm thick