PLACE REPRESENTED: Tasmania , Australia
ITEM: Wall Ornament
NOTES: A giant novelty spoon depicting “Tasmania”. I like the double entendre on “The World’s Greatest Stirrer”, the spoon or Tasmania? It can’t be Tasmania.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: wood
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 55cm x 12cm
PLACE REPRESENTED: Vallorbe , Switzerland
ITEM: Miniature Ornament
NOTES: A miniature pitcher depicting Vallorbe in Western Switzerland. Alpine mountains, pines, green fields, and the wooden hut are all depicted. Nice, but odd. Vallorbe is on the Orbe river and is quite middle European in architecture. In protest against cynicism and the thought that this is produced for many towns and “insert name here” applies I will suggest that the depiction is from outside the town, somewhere else in the municipality.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vallorbe
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: potter
y MADE IN: Switzerland probably
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 8cm across x 7cm high x 6cm diameter (at its widest)
PLACE REPRESENTED: Edinburgh , Scotland
ITEM: Ni Nac Bowl
NOTES: The capital of Scotland and the national flower of Scotland, the thistle, remembered in this simple though quite stylish and nicely glazed piece of pottery.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: pottery
MADE IN: Scotland probably
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 8cm diameter
PLACE REPRESENTED: Hohenschwangau (specifically Neuschwanstein Castle) , Germany
ITEM: Bottle
NOTES: The famous Neuschwanstein Castle on a hill above the village of Hohenschwangau in southwest Bavaria, Germany depicted in nice colour on this miniature pinch bottle. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II, the King of Bavaria. Construction started 1869 and was completed the year of Ludwig’s death 1886 (he spent only eleven nights in the castle). As one who has gone through renovations over a lengthy period my advice is to borrow all the money at once and do it in one hit rather than over a long length of time. Apparently, “more than 1.3 million people visit annually, with as many as 6,000 per day in the summer”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuschwanstein_Castle
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: glass
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 11.5cm tall x 7cm wide
PLACE REPRESENTED: Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia
ITEM: Bottle Opener
NOTES: The bottle opener, sold in the millions and perhaps the most useful travel souvenir (at least until screw top bottles and pull tab cans came along).. Here we have vibrant colours showing off the Great Barrier Reef.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: steel, plastic.
MADE IN: Japan
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 12cm long
PLACE REPRESENTED: Sydney, New South Wales (specifically the Sydney Tower) , Australia
ITEM: Drinks Tray
NOTES: A drinks tray depicting Sydney’s third most identifiable feature (the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge probably beat it, if for no other reason than it seems to subject to frequent name changes. As wikipedia says “The name Sydney Tower has become common in daily usage; however, the tower has been known as the Sydney Tower Eye, AMP Tower, Flower Tower, Glower Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower, Big Poke, Centrepoint Tower or just Centrepoint”. The Sydney Tower is Sydney’s tallest structure and the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere, and was opened to the public in 1981. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Tower
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: metal
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 32cm diameter
PLACE REPRESENTED: Rüdesheim (specifically Drosselgasse) , Germany
ITEM: Trivet
NOTES: Rüdesheim am Rhein is a German winemaking town in the west of the country. Drosselgasse is a lane in the heart of Rüdesheim’s Old Town (built in the 15th century). Music and taverns are everywhere along the 144-metre-long narrow cobblestone pedestrian street. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%BCdesheim_am_Rhein
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: steel, tile .
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 17cm x 16cm
PLACE REPRESENTED: Alice Springs, Northern Territory , Australia
ITEM: Coffee Mug
NOTES: A coffee mug, or, rather, half a coffee mug. Has anyone ever asked for half a cup of coffee? Perhaps in pre barista instant coffee days in Australia.
“Central Australia” is often equated with “Northern Territory”. Either way Alice Springs in in its centre and the camel lounging under an umbrella, with an esky and a cool drink is apt. … ie: it’s hot.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: ceramic material
MADE IN: unknown
MANUFACTURER: unknown
DIMENSIONS: 9cm high x a 10cm semi circle
PLACE REPRESENTED: Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
ITEM: Wall Plate
NOTES: Adelaide with all its sites in wonderful 70s colours. In case you didn’t know the flower depicted is Sturt’s Desert Pea, which is floral emblem of South Australia and the bird is the Piping Shrike the State bird and on the State’s coat of arms.
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: ceramic material
MADE IN: Japan
MANUFACTURER: Rex
DIMENSIONS: 19cm diameter
PLACE REPRESENTED: Cyprus
ITEM: Copper Art Wall Ornament
NOTES: I love these copper art wall pictures. The copper art depicts the Kamares Aqueduct near Larnaca, Cyprus. Built in 1747 and in use until 19396. The doves in the foreground must refer to the peace that all Cypriots hope for and don’t always have. Bottom left proudly states “Handmade” in Cyprus … and rightly they should. I love the handmade travel trinkets. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamares_Aqueduct
YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s
MADE FROM: copper
MADE IN: Cyprus
MANUFACTURER: Adonis Copper Art
DIMENSIONS: 30cm x 23cm