CANUNGRA, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Hand Towel

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canungra - hand towelPLACE REPRESENTED: Canungra, Queensland , Australia

ITEM: Hand Towel

NOTES: Canungra, is derived from the local Aboriginal word “gungunga” which means “a long flat or clearing” or  “caningera” after a small owl, or “coonoongra” meaning “the small grey owl that has its home along the creek” or, perhaps, “good place with plenty of game”. Either way, Canungra, is also called the “Valley of the Owls” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canungra,_Queensland

This is hand stitched onto a normal hand towel. This sort of Nana (grandmother) embroidery still exists. Perhaps it’s a dying art as more women flock to careers in the post-feminist world – do people sing the praises of knitting, quilting and home crafts? They should … the arts / crafts are evocative as expressions of identity, both individual and group.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2017

MADE FROM: Cotton

MADE IN:  Australia

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 41cm x 64cm

 

FREMANTLE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA – Wall Ornament

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Fremantle - Wall Ornament (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Fremantle, Western Australia , Australia

ITEM: Wall ornament

NOTES: A vivid wall ornament (or trivet) which captures the bright colours of a sunny beach going Australia. Kitschy and contemporary but quite nice … just like Fremantle, perhaps.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s

MADE FROM: Tile

MADE IN:  Australia

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 15.5cm x  15.5cm

MALTA – Ashtray

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Malta - Ashtray (1)PLACE REPRESENTED:   Malta

ITEM: Ashtray

NOTES: Small ashtray depicting Malta and its towns, though you would need a magnifying glass to read the same. This is quite vivid and nicely rustic for a small mass produced ceramic piece.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 9cm diameter      .

Malta - Ashtray (3)

HOLLAND – Ornamental Miniature

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holland-souvenir-minature-clogs-in-pink-1PLACE REPRESENTED:   Holland

ITEM: ornament

NOTES: Miniature clogs from Holland … naturally enough. Or maybe they are clogs for hamsters or mice? The Dutch are nothing if not efficient.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: wood

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 3cm across , 7cm long each

               holland-souvenir-minature-clogs-in-pink-2          holland-souvenir-minature-clogs-in-pink-3

AUSTRALIA – Oven Mitt

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australia - oven mit (1)PLACE REPRESENTED:   Australia

ITEM: Oven mitt aka oven glove

NOTES: An oven mitt with a map of Australia and some of the flora and fauna associated with it. Perhaps an oven mitt is appropriate … flora, fauna, global warming.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 2000s

MADE FROM: cotton

MADE IN:  China

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 30cm long x 15cm wide

INGHAM, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Bottle Opener

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Ingham - Bottle Opener (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Ingham, Queensland , Australia

ITEM: Bottle Opener

NOTES: Ingham, Queensland. Famous for its sugar cane. Many a migrant spent their time cutting cane thereabouts. Well, many a non-English speaking migrant, to be specific. Well, many a Italian, Croatian, Hungarian, etc etc. So many Italians worked and settled in the area during the last century, but especially during the 1950s and 1960s that Ingham is known as “Little Italy” and has an “Italian-Australian” festival. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingham,_Queensland

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: steel

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 12cm long

Ingham - Bottle Opener (2)

NORFOLK ISLAND, AUSTRALIA – Salt & Pepper Shakers

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norfolk island - s&p shakers (1)PLACE REPRESENTED: Norfolk Island , Australia

ITEM: Salt & Pepper Shakers

NOTES: Norfolk Island depicted by the (I assume) Norfolk Pine and (I assume) the Bounty sailing ship (the one famed for the mutiny) which never actually went to Norfolk though some of its mutineers did or, it could be the HMS Resolution the ship Captain Cook commanded when he first discovered (White European discovery) the island in 1774.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN:  unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

 DIMENSIONS: 8cm  high x 4.5cm diameter (at largest)

HUDSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, USA – Trivet

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hudson-new-hampshire-trviet-crab-1PLACE REPRESENTED: Hudson, New Hampshire , USA

ITEM: Trivet

NOTES: Hudson, New Hampshire on the Merrimack River is famous for its crabs … or rather crab meals. You can put a pot of that on this handy trivet.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1990s

MADE FROM: tile, wood

MADE IN:  USA

MANUFACTURER: Besheer Art Tile

DIMENSIONS: 15cm  x , 15cm.

hudson-new-hampshire-trviet-crab-3

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – Wall Ornament

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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

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