MOUNTAIN ANIMALS
Himalayan tahr
SILVER LURE
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ANTIQUE rocking DOLL CRADLE, chippy green over OLD RED PAINT/turned c 1890- $36
If I weren’t so lazy, and it wasn’t a ninety-five mile drive, I’d go over to a friend’s house and take a picture of a cradle she has that’s almost identical to this one. Her home is a showplace of “what someone with an artistic, primitive eye” can do. Sitting on a table in front of a sun-drenching window, she has her cradle filled with vines of some sort. They hang out all around, and it’s quite a sight. One day, I asked, “Anne, who made that tin liner for you? It’s great, and I want them to make me one.”
She said, “There is a guy down in Salem, Indiana who’ll make any size you want, but it costs a fortune. Why don’t you do what I did? Go to the thrift store and buy two 8” baking pans?”
Dang it! I looked closely, and that’s exactly what she’d used. It just goes to show you how some folks see things as a whole lot less complicated than others. Two of the 8” baking pans would fit perfectly in this cradle. All you’ll need is a few hands full of soil and a couple vines.
Someone cut up a quilt for this one. It’s ok, but I like the “plant idea” much better.
SATURDAY INQUISITION BLOGGING
"darbies" 1750-1900
PIMPED CAR
59 dodge corone
SATURN'S DAY SUGAR-SIFTER BLOGGING
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FINE OLD HAND TOOLED blck leather TRAIN CASE w/ CHAC-MOOL azrec & eagle MEXICO- $134
This is just me talkin’, but I think this is the most attractive, eye-catching and nicely done train case I’ve seen. First of all, it’s black! Most I’ve slipped up on over the years have been brown, and we all know black trumps brown in most everybody’s book.
I have no idea of age, but it’s been here on the planet for quite some time. Even so, it has remained in fine condition with only a couple minor scuffs.
The following is true. It actually happened to us in 1978 or ’79. (I don’t have much of a sense of time, so I had to look it up.) Don’t get too excited since it isn’t anything earthshaking. Itwas simply one of those memorable moments in life - right time/right place things.
That little laid-back guy reminded me of the experience. She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed and I had just sold a substantial pair of paintings, so we decided to take a few months off and go visit some of our favorite places. Our first stop is always Mexico City. Don’t ask me why it’s our favorite city in the world. It’s too difficult to explain.
We always stay at a little rundown hotel on Reforma because it’s an easy walk to the places we love, and it’s well out of the Zona Rosa. Anyhow – We grabbed some street vendor food and noshed as we walked to the National Palace. After an hour or so drooling over Diego Rivera’s murals, we slipped into the Cathedral across the street. Back then, it was about to fall apart, but they worked on it now.
I suggested we slip out the back door because I wanted to explore the area north and east of the cathedral. We hadn’t gone more than a few feet when we found ourselves in the midst of some sort of big hubbub. They had orange highway cones everywhere – up and down the street around a couple old buildings, and a crowd had gathered. I asked a guy wearing a hardhat what was going on. He went on and on and on. . . really excited, I could tell. However, since he was talking Mexican, I had no idea what he said.
We elbowed our closer to whatever it was that had everyone so worked up, and there stood a couple police officers. One of them blocked our path with his arm, so I asked him what was up. He told me these construction guys had just dug up a big carved rock; “very, very old,” he said.
Personally, I’ve never met an Aztec I didn’t like, but even though this little Chac-Mool looks friendly and cool, he is often associated with human sacrifice, so I kinda steer clear of him whenever possible.
Back in those days, a few bucks would gain you access to most anything, so when the officer refused the offer, I knew this must be big. And it was.
They’d found what is now known as “Templo Mayor,” an archeological site of utmost importance, especially to Aztec buffs.. They even found one of those Chac-Mools with the paint still intact.
Dang! I wasted a lot of time on that ramble. You should probably go back and look at the pictures. It’s a wonderful old case – it truly is.
The key is still in there – the exterior is hand tooled on all sides, including the bottom – and the removable tray is completely covered in red leather. It’s quite a piece of work.
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The key is still in there – the exterior is hand tooled on all sides, including the bottom – and the removable tray is completely covered in red leather. It’s quite a piece of work.
