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Shades of Max
Headroom...Vintage French Mannikin Head
Reminiscent of Max Headroom...the 80s
science fiction character credited as being the first cyberpunk character
presented on American broadcast television ...
...he takes his name seriously with that haircut! (Supposedly the
character's name comes from the last thing he saw as a normal
earthling...a low clearance warning sign in a parking garage).
Crafted of genuine plastic...he's been in a few scrapes here or there as
it looks like someone nibbled at his right ear...
...and tried some off-brand hair tonic!
But measuring 12.375 inches high, 8 inches wide, and 9 inches deep , he still displays his winning wit!
Clasped Hands
Motif Embroidered Appliqué
This three-dimensional cloth appliqué
is in
the form of clasped hands, a symbol that originated centuries ago and that
can often be found on old tombstones. In that context, the clasped hands
symbolize unity and affection that continues after death. The depiction of
a right hand gripping another hand that is relatively open signifies a
close bond between the individuals...typically a marriage. The partner who
dies first holds the other's hand, guiding the spouse to Heaven. In
this particular example, the frilly cuff on the right represents the hand
of a woman...symbolic of a last good-bye or farewell to those who remain
behind, she is welcoming the
resumption of their eternal relationship.
The motif of clasped hands is
also used to represent peace and friendship and in some cultures is used
as a symbol for a union of two people about to embark on a trial marriage.
Definitely unique, it measures 9.675 inches wide by 3.375 inches high and features gold buillion thread accents.
Vintage Bottle Cap
Purse
Bottle cap art makes an instant
statement...both as outsider art and as an ecological message.
Row upon row of disgarded
Tusker beer caps...
...were ingeniously joined to fashion...
...a functioning purse.
The choice of caps...
...graphically adds to its interest.
Tusker beer had its beginnings in Kenya in 1922 when
George and Charles Hurst formally registered the firm then known as Kenya Breweries. Their first beer was brewed in small
copper vessels heated over burning kuni wood. It was bottled by hand and the
first order of ten cases was personally delivered to the
Stanley Hotel of Nairobi, which, over the years, has hosted
kings, queens, movie stars such as Clark Gable and Grace
Kelly, plus international adventurers like William Holden and Ernest
Hemingway. Tusker beer is reputed
to have been Hemingway's favorite beer.
The Snows of Kilimanjaro and The Green Hills of
Africa are just two of the stories reputedly written by Hemingway
while under the sway of a Tusker beer.
The purse measures 7.375
inches wide, 5.5 inches deep and is 9.75 inches high, including the
handles. It is in great vintage condition with just some of the caps
having reasonable surface wear.
Appealing to fashionistas, literary fans, as well as
ecologists....this example of vintage bottle cap art is great on its own displayed on a shelf or
when used to
uniquely hold some of that stuff in your life that needs to be contained.
Girouettes...Weathervanes...Windvanes
Decorative Ways to Know Which Way the Wind Blows
Typically called a weathervane, or more precisely a
windvane, in France this type of object is known as a girouette...the
name coming from a word in the dialect used in the Normandy region
centuries ago that meant "show the weather". What they actually do is
point to the origin of the wind. The oldest example of a weathervane is
said to have existed in Athens in 1 B.C….a bronze figure
of a triton that sat atop the
structure known as the Tower of the Winds. In France,
prior to the French Revolution, their use was reserved strictly to members
of royalty. Given their long history, it is
not surprising that they come in many shapes and forms…some are three
dimensional, others are only slightly rounded, and the
flat versions…known as
silhouettes…often doubled in duty as signs for businesses and trade
guilds.
Generally crafted by the village
blacksmith, here are some examples of their clever handiwork that we have
available for purchase...
Soldier Lighting
a Three-Dimensional Cannon...
Highly unusual girouette featuring a soldier lighting the fuse of a cannon...20.75 inches high, 13.5 inches
wide...there is one spot with a minimal amount of loss to the metal;
overall condition is very good.
Trotting Horse...
A true classic...a weathervane in the form of a trotting horse...
...16 inches high, 23.25 inches wide...with
the support, the height is 22.5 inches...the rear view shows how well it
was made...
...this example was originally used atop
a haras or stud farm in the Loire Valley.
Condition...heavily-patinaed original green paint...no holes or
repairs...patina as expected with its age and use.
Fanciful Horn Blower...
20.75 inches wide, 9.75 inches high...
...we found this fanciful version of a weathervane in Belgium...it's in
excellent condition...an unretouched mottled surface with original
polychrome paint!
Still a Weathervane, but more precisely a Coq de Clocher or
Belltower Rooster
The
rooster is one of the unofficial symbols of France. But that isn’t the
reason why you see so many rooster figures…full bodied or
flat...representational or styized...in wood, in copper,
or in
zinc…above French churches. Known as a coq de clocher...meaning
belltower rooster...or coq d'église...church rooster, their symbolism actually pre-dates the
geographical creation of France as a nation and the
practice is thought to have originated elsewhere. The earliest record of a
coq de clocher comes from the town of Brescia in the Lombardy region of
Italy, where, circa 820, a gilded copper version surveyed the surrounding
area.
Since ancient times, the rooster has
been a symbol of vigilance, virility, courage, and pride…early pagan
rituals included roosters as part of the worship of the rising sun. This
symbolism was Christianized in Ireland by Saint Patrick, who, although
born in fourth century Britain, became the patron saint of Ireland. Saint
Patrick preached that the rooster should be revered as the soleil de justice…the
sun of justice.
The pride of the village
blacksmith, coqs de clochers were often the unwilling target when festivities became a
bit raucus.
Some of the embossed-form coqs de clochers held
bits of bones or relics...there are two theories for that custom. One
notes that it was a way for that particular saint
to look over the parish and another claims it was a way to protect the
relics themselves from vandals.
They were considered to be a lucky
charm and, in some cases, the rooster
motif was installed on the roof of a house as part of an epi de faîtage...an
item that was used to secure the connection of the roofing
materials to the peak of the roof. Useful and decorative, they also came to denote the completion
of the building's construction and served as a symbol of the blessing for its future.
Our featured coq de clocher was crafted of copper and and has fabulous
original and undisturbed patina. It measures 18.5
inches high, 16.5 inches wide and 2.5 inches deep.
It has wonderful hand-wrought detailing...using construction techniques
and details dating from the nineteenth century...
Condition is excellent...his tail feathers are all there...
His comb has experienced some bending, but is intact, and one side of his
waddle is missing. The short copper tube below the body appears to be a
well-done later addition...we added a black wooden stand so it
can be displayed to perfection!
Raseur...Soyeu...Zager
As explained on our home page,
a raseur or raseuse is the French term for someone who is a bore. In
nineteenth century French and Flemish taverns, cafés, bars
and bistrots, these
tôle-peint ...painted
sheetmetal or
zinc...raseurs sat on the counter of the bar ready to be set in motion by the
owner or bartender should a customer become a bit too inebriated or
obnoxious. When the raseur stopped moving, it signified that it was time
to head home. They were also set in motion to let the
patrons know that closing time was approaching and when it stopped, it
meant it was
time to pay the tab and call it a night. Some were intended to sit
directly on the counter of the establishment, while others were
perched on separate stands.
Depending upon the area, these staples of le style
bistrot were also called a
soyeu or a zager.
Since we feature a raseur as
our logo, we always try to have some interesting versions in our
inventory. Here's a sampling:
Zinc
Red Parrot Raseur
We found this cheerful raseur in
Belgium; it is 16.5 inches high and 4 inches
wide...crafted of zinc, the same material used to make the traditional bar
counters on which it once signaled closing time.
Wonderful old, original paint and great detail...
...to both sides...
...unretouched polychrome with wear consistent with age and use...a great example of art populaire!
French
Tôle-Peint Alsace Couple
Raseur
This raseur features a
man and a woman dressed in one of the traditional costumes of the Alsace region of
eastern France...she wears a cap or coiffe topped with a large
black bow...
...and he dons a jaunty knit cap....
They are holding a sheet or banner between
them but never seem to be able to fold it as they move back and forth on
the wooden stand.
It is finished on both
sides...
The man on this side...
...having a fine set of whiskers...
...while the woman...
...seems to have a bit of a double chin.
This style of raseur
was placed on a stand rather than directly on the bar counter. The
stand has a metal ornament...
...that reads ALDA Saint Maure Cher around a rather imposing griffin. The town of
Saint Maure in the Cher region of France is quite a distance from Alsace,
so one can surmise that perhaps this was used in a bistrot owned by an
expatriate Alsacien or Alsacienne. What the ALDA stands for
is anyone's guess...although it's a good bet that one of those A's stands
for "Alsace". There is a group with those initials that works
against discrimination...Association de Lutte contre les
Discriminations Alsace, but unless they also operate a bistrot, that's
probably not related.
On the stand, it measures
10.675 inches high, 8.5 inches wide, and 4.75 inches deep. The raseur
itself measures 8.25 inches high. It is painted on both
sides...a bit of surface-only oxidation, a slight bend to the metal here
or there...and its whimsical design and wonderful old paint combine to make this a
great piece!
French Tôle Mickey Mouse
Raseur
With some oxidation (to the surface
only)...luckily no one has disturbed the original polychrome paint...and with a bit of a nibble to his tail, this marvelous raseur in
the form of Mickey Mouse stands vigilant to protect you from boring
people.
Dating from the 1920s, it is painted on one side only
and
measures 13.5 inches high and 3.8125 inches wide including the counterbalance.
Adorable!
Cross-collectibles, these
raseurs are also featured in our link for Wine and Vine Antiques.
Click Here
for more Folk Art and Curiosities
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