Early Calif.

California beach scene

waves, children, rocks

(original photo 3in x 5in)

probably going to the beach today!

Post Thanksgiving

Purchased for the graphics.  When I opened the pamphlet, I discovered an article about Thanksgiving.  Though it was written in 1934, there are hauntingly familiar similarities to contemporary times.

The celebration of the Feast of Thanksgiving to many of our countrymen in this year 1934 may seem a little misplaced.  Those who have come into the world since the beginning of the present century naturally feel that the turbulent times through which we have been passing were the worst our country has seen and find little cause for thanksgiving and little hope of economic peace and security...

Turquoise Black White

train station Malmo

1522 Grant Ave SF

ARIA 

A favorite antique oddity shoppe in North Beach.

Nice to peak at the window or stop inside.

Dome

Buckminster Fuller

Dome over Manhattan

Malmo Sweden waterfront

 Turning Torso Building in foreground.

Inside dome there are tropical plants.

Historic Fraternal Sword Belts

I've been watching belts like these.

Yes, they are adjustable.

Images from past Ebay auctions.

Probably should have bought one.

Anyone want to purchase one for me as a gift... 

Materials Monday

Viking Cruise Part I Buffet

The luxurious Viking Cruise Buffet from Stockholm to Helsinki.  An "all you can eat" 2-hour experience on an overnight trip.  Wine is included in the fee and it is self-serve out of a tap.  A real touch of class on the Baltic Sea.  Some photo documentation of the experience below.  More about the cruise to follow. 

Looking forward to Thanksgiving!

Academy of Science 2

Historic bronze seahorse fence surronding the "Swamp" exhibit at the new Academy of Sciences SF. Designed by  Edgar Walters and bronze produced by C.J. Hillard Company.

So Much Larger Than Life

BIG TIME

Left watch = black, white silver, Big Time,  senior font, the wrong band looks so right, big style. The replacement battery cost more than the watch.

Middle Watch = brown to balance silver.  

Last Watch = I went to Europe once and wanted dual time zones, date, day of the week, alarm clock, stopwatch, illuminator. Casio $13.31 on Amazon.

18thC Porcelain Hydropwer

The Big Five hunting trophy collection

The Safari collection

From the Sacred Figures collection

Skull

Design:  Franz Ignaz Günther, approx 1756

Product no. 01327

Height: 4 cm

  All images are from the company's website www.nyphenburg.com

Nymphenburg Porcelain at the Nyphenburg Palace outside of Munich. 18thC hand-made porcelain. All mechanical equipment is powered by the water (wasserkraft) running through the property. They have an amazing website featuring their manufacturing process, their diverse line of products and a video of how they utilize hydropower.

Refined by Bobbie Burns

Boots by Bobbie Burns.  Swedish shoes.  Check out the collection here at Refined by Bobbie Burns. http://www.refined-by-bb.com/ref-flier/collections.html  I do not think there is an outlet for them in the United States.

Spacer Woman

Money is Dirty...Old or New

1935 Silver Certificate Back

(found in circulation in Connecticut 10/10/08)

2006 Contemporary Note

(borrowed from sister for this post 11/18/08)

I noticed the old money instantly.  It stood out from the other bills sitting on the desk in Sarah's room.  We were staying at an Inn in Conn. for a wedding.  I wanted a canopy bed, but room no. 10 was furnished with a twin bed, a single pillow, a toile bedspread, and Ethan Allen furniture.  The toil bedspread made up for the lack of a canopy and the pillow was down.  So I picked up the bill and I asked Sarah if I could trade a contemporary one for her antiquated note.  She said, "yes."  

(1935 Note front)

You used to be able to trade your Silver Certificate for a silver dollar, but the price of silver increased and the government was giving away more value than the worth of the dollar note.  Notice the differences in ornamentation and decoration.  Particularly around the '1' in the corners.  The word 'one' is used 10 times on the front of the older bill.  

The Hermes 3000

I bought this Hermes 3000 typewriter and a pile of vintage office supplies (from previous posts) and a lamp for $8.  Not only was the Hermes name hilarious, it was followed by 3000! I was SOLD on it! 

This typewriter came out of a time-warp-office in a mid century home.  It was made in Switzerland and inside of the case I found 2 brushes, an owners manual, a warranty certificate, and 5 carbon copies of letters typewritten in the 1970's.  I will try to translate these encrypted carbon copies for a future post. Every typewriter has a serial no. and you can look at the typewriter index to determine its age.  This typewriter is from 1964 or 1965 and is a seafoam green color.  So if you own an vintage typewriter, I suggest you find the serial no. and cruise the index.  

Materials Monday

5 different textures/ materials from various paver sizes to smooth concrete and wood.

Maria

We all wanted to stop when we passed the flea market.  I almost didn't purchase her, but the $5 price was right.  I brought her home with me in my carry-on bag.  The flight was leaving La Guardia traveling to D.C. and continuing on to Buenos Aires.  I was returning to San Francisco.  I wanted the airline to search my bag so everyone on my flight could see what was inside my bag.  They probably would have made me buy her a seat.

13.5 x 17.5 inches

White Horse

Simple wood frame, sepia brown tones, horses, Indians, feathers, statuary!

Keep Smiling Postcard March 10, 1950

Found under the seat of an old dining table chair.  Notice the typewritten address. The front of the postcard is actually purple. Apparently Mrs. W. N. Ritts is cordially invited to listen to Dr. John W. Wehinger Chiropractor Psychologist Metaphysician discuss "Health Topics" on Radio K E E N (1370 on your dial) Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:55 A.M. Tuesday and Thursday at 7:35 P.M. Learn How to Get Well and Keep Well!  

Albino

"Claude" the resident albino alligator at San Francisco's New Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.  Imagine surviving in the wild without pigmentation.   

Motorin'

About 3 years ago, I purchased a vintage set of coasters.  I was captivated by the graphics, which depicted vignettes of the Cruise Line experience. 
From skeet shooting off the deck, to shuffleboard, to lounging by the pool, to enjoying beverages at the bar, to cutting a rug on the dance floor, to fine dinning, cruising is still the only way to travel.
Above we have a set of coasters from the S.S. Homeric.  Below we have the illustrious theme night.  This rambunctious group of Francophiles are celebrating none other than...

"French Night" on the S.S. Homeric, October 1959. A future post will feature my 

Viking cruise line experience.

Materials Monday

Fundació Joan Miró Garden

Barcelona, Spain

Black Gold White

On top of vintage marble coffee table: 

1) Catherineholm Norway lotus design 9 inch pan

2) Bennington Potters Vermont 9 cups and saucers 

3) Heath Ceramics bowl

Bird

Horse

Bear

The Calif. State Flag.  Originally was raised by settlers at Sonoma in 1846 in revolt against Mexican Rule.  In 1911 the flag was adopted by state legislature as Calif. State flag.

above flag: 10.5 in x 17 in.

Detritus of Suburban California

Metal Globe: $2.50

with a small indentation over Spain!

Mid century hand-painted lidded jars: $10

signed Italy on the bottom

Mid century hand-painted striped plates: $1 each!

signed Italy with numbers on bottom

Follies Sacro Bosco dei Mostri 1552

I went to Italy once, and I wanted to see some villa gardens.  I was staying in Rome and took a train to the small town of Bormarzo.  Actually, I took the train to the town closest to Bomarzo which is Attigliano (7 kilometers away) .  

The trip took more than a 2.5 hours and included a transfer. When I arrived at the station, no one was on the platform.  I walked inside to an espresso bar and asked directions.  

I had brought a book with me about Villa Gardens from the public library in Calif.  

In bad Spantalian, I asked about the monster garden, while I pointed at a picture of it in the book.  The Espresso man behind the espresso bar laughed at me.  

He told me that the garden was 8 km away.  I asked, "Taxi?"  He replied, "No Taxi!" I asked "Autobus?"  He replied, "No Autobus!"  I asked, "bicicleta?"  He replied, "No Bicicleta... a pie 8km!" while he walked his fingers across the counter.  

Apparently, I had misread a website that said the park was 500m from the train station.  Having traveled so far, I decided to continue... a pie (on foot)!  

So, I walked the 8km along the narrow shoulder of a highway.  At about 5km, the road began to climb uphill in a series of switchbacks.  

I decided to try my hand at hitch-hiking.  I found a piece of cardboard and I wrote Bomarzo on it.   Sweaty and with broken character, I sat on a guardrail at the hairpin turn of a switchback with my sign.  

Cars flew by me.  No one stopped to pick me up.  Not even the tractor driving uphill at 3mph.  Must have been mistaken for a gypsy!  So I walked the entire 8km to the garden.  As I approached the entrance to the garden, I looked up at the sky and it looked like rain.  The Gods were obviously smiling upon me.  How was I going to get back to Rome?  A pie...on foot!