AUSTRALIA – Souvenir Spoon

Posted on December 24, 2017 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Australia

ITEM: Souvenir Spoon

NOTES: The Eureka flag depicting the Southern Cross constellation. Hoisted first in Victoria in 1854 as the war flag of the Eureka Rebellion against English tyranny it is the unofficial symbol of the Australian Republican movement. It has over the years become the symbol for Australian rebellion generally and has been used by the political left extensively. Unions like the Builders Labourer Federation, parties like The Australian Communist Party, The Australian Labour Party and the Labour movement generally have all waved the flag officially or unofficially. Oddly, the same flag has more recently been used by racist groups, the far right and the Australian neo-Nazis as well as bikers and bogans (a common unsophisticated person), the latter two by way of tattoos.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: steel

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 11cm length

NEW YORK CITY, USA – Display Plate

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: New York City , USA

ITEM: Display Plate

NOTES: Plate of NYC depicting various icons: the Empire State Building, the United Nations Building, the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, the RCA Building, Madison Square Garden, the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 20cm diameter

MALTA – Ashtray

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Frankie

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 .

INGHAM, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Bottle Opener

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Frankie

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

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – Wall Ornament

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Frankie

PLACE 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

HUNGARY – Coasters

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Frankie

PLACE 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.

CASTIGLIONE, ITALY – Ashtray

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Frankie

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

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Frankie

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

NORFOLK ISLAND, AUSTRALIA – Key Holder

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Norfolk Island , Australia

ITEM: Key Holder

NOTES: Rustic, locally made (by P. Christian according to the back. No doubt a descendant of Fletcher?) pyrography piece depicting the ubiquitous Norfolk Island pine tree.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: wood , steel

MADE IN: Norfolk Island

MANUFACTURER: P. Christian

DIMENSIONS: 11cm wide x 11cm high

RIJEKA, CROATIA – Pennant

Posted on July 16, 2017 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Rijeka , Croatia

ITEM: Pennant

NOTES: A pennant from Rijeka, Croatia (then Yugoslavia) depicting two scenes from the city: The old town and the harbour. This is quite stylish in its own way.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1972

MADE FROM: cloth

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 21cm long x 13cm wide

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TRAVEL TRINKETS

Tourist souvenirs from around the world

Tag Archives: 1970s

AUSTRALIA – Souvenir Spoon

NEW YORK CITY, USA – Display Plate

MALTA – Ashtray

INGHAM, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Bottle Opener

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – Wall Ornament

HUNGARY – Coasters

CASTIGLIONE, ITALY – Ashtray

RIJEKA, CROATIA – Wall Ornament

NORFOLK ISLAND, AUSTRALIA – Key Holder

RIJEKA, CROATIA – Pennant