JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – Wall Ornament

jerusalem-wall-plate-1PLACE REPRESENTED:   Israel

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: As I have said before, “I doubt this blog will create an international incident but in all fairness have decided to enter Jerusalem in as a “state” unto itself even though technically it is the capital of both Israel and Palestine. Two separate entries would throw out the neat order of my tables. So deal with it. Now, if only the middle east problem was as easy to solve”. This is a wonderful earthenware wall plate recognizes the duality (or triality if you are talking about religions and add in Christianity). At the front there seems to be an Orthodox Jew (wearing a traditional “Shtreimel” (or “Spodik”) hat on his head, playing a Jewish clarinet or flute which would have been typical in Klezmer bands. But, in the background amongst the other building there appear to be the traditional Muslim minarets (the slim towers attached to a mosque).

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 24cm diameter

jerusalem-wall-plate-2

SAIGON, VIETNAM – Figurine

Saigon - Vietnam - figurine (2)PLACE REPRESENTED: Saigon , Vietnam

ITEM: Figurine

NOTES: A cute figurine of a Vietnamese girl. I have no idea if the clothing is traditional but she is certainly stylish.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2001

MADE FROM: material , wood

MADE IN:   Vietnam no doubt

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 18cm tall , 4.5cm diameter base

Saigon - Vietnam - figurine (3)     Saigon - Vietnam - figurine (4)

HUNGARY – Coasters

hungary-coasters-and-holder-red-2PLACE REPRESENTED:   Hungary

ITEM: Coasters

NOTES: Great  machine woven coasters from Hungary. This replicates the folk art / craft of years past. The familiar chili, used in so many Hungarian dishes is present. The coaster holder is quite nifty and very functional and you could see it sitting around a bottle of pálinka (a traditional fruit brandy). It never caught on with the Anglo’s.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: cotton

MADE IN:   Hungary (probably)

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 16cm wide x 24cm high (holder), 9cm diameter for the coasters.

               hungary-coasters-and-holder-red-4          hungary-coasters-and-holder-red-5

               hungary-coasters-and-holder-red-6          hungary-coasters-and-holder-blue-1

 

CASINO, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA – Ashtray

Casino - Ashtray (1)     Casino - Ashtray (7)

PLACE REPRESENTED: Casino, New South Wales , Australia

ITEM: Ashtray

NOTES: An old ashtray with the coat of arms for the town of Casino in northern New South Wales. Neither of the animals on the coat of arms looks like a cow … and they should be given Casino is the beef capital of Australia*.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1960s

MADE FROM: steel

MADE IN:  Australia

MANUFACTURER: Daramount by KC Luke, Melbourne

DIMENSIONS: 11cm x , 11cm

* although the town of Rockhampton in Queensland also claims this title

AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND – Cap

Amsterdam - Cap (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Amsterdam , Holland

ITEM: Cap

NOTES: A cap depicting the shield of Amsterdam … no drugs, no prostitues, no freewheelin times.  Of course you could wear the cap, pulled down, over you face when indulging in any of those activities.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1990s

MADE FROM: 100% cotton

MADE IN:  China

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: Head size.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA – Jigsaw

Canberra - Telstra Tower - Jigsaw (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Canberra, Australian Capital Territory , Australia

ITEM: Jigsaw

NOTES: The Telstra Tower in Canberra. Well it’s a nice change from the Houses of Parliament or the Australian War Memorial. It is only a small jigsaw … no doubt the houses of Parliament would be the 10000 piece one where the pieces don’t fit and, inevitably, the final piece is missing.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: cardboard

MADE IN:  China (very little in Canberra seems to be made in Australia)

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 17cm  x 25cm

CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Water Cube

Cairns - Water Cube - paper Weights - 2014 (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Cairns, Queensland , Australia

ITEM: Paperweight Water Cube

NOTES: Two water cubes. One with fish and one with crocodiles. It’s a good thing they are not in the same cube.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2014

MADE FROM: plastic

MADE IN:  China

MANUFACTURER: Wilmot Harvey

DIMENSIONS: 5cm x 5cm x 5cm

Cairns - Water Cube - paper Weights - 2014 (7)     Cairns - Water Cube - paper Weights - 2014 (10)     Cairns - Water Cube - paper Weights - 2014 (4)

CASTIGLIONE, ITALY – Ashtray

Castiglione, Sicily - Ashtray (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Castiglione di Sicilia , Italy

ITEM: Ashtray

NOTES: Castiglione di Sicilia is a small municipality 160 km east of Palermo in Sicily. The structure depected is Cannizzu (XII century), a cylindrical tower, which is the symbol of the town of Castiglione.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 14cm  diameter x 4cm high

RIJEKA, CROATIA – Wall Ornament

Rijeka - Wooden Wall Plate (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Rijeka , Croatia

ITEM: Wall Plate

NOTES: The Kapucinska crkva Gospe Lurdske or The Capuchin Church of Our Lady of Lourdes located on Žabica Square in Rijeka. Built between 1904 – 1929 by the Capuchin nuns this is an impressive red and white Catholic church with a neo-Gothic facade. http://www.kvarner.hr/hodocastiti-svetistima/en/lady-lourd.html

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1973

MADE FROM: wood

MADE IN: Croatia  (probably) (or the then Yugoslavia)

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 27cm diameter