Sentuh Hatiku
Matters from the heart today...
I received a lovely email last night from a sweet and very talented fellow blogger and friend: Ismoyo. We met up earlier this year when she came to London to work on her book and we spent a wonderful day chatting and walking around Chinatown, Soho and Covent Garden looking for all things Asian: I guess because it's in our genes, as we're both Eurasian Indos *hehe*. I love Asian design, especially package design and I have a super soft spot for Sanrio characters.
Ismoyo posted her 500+ post last week and organised a 'Times Five Giveaway' to thank her readers and guess what? I'm the extremely lucky winner of her extremely kawaii package #2 chock-full of wonderful Sanrio goodies *YAY!* Such a sweet gesture, I'm looking forward to receiving her beautiful gift! Like I said earlier: she is a very talented designer based in New York, so do go over and have a look at all her wonderful things!
When I moved to London I had to give up on most of my personal things, I've given away or thrown out furniture, crockery, treasures, books etc. etc. These days my whole life fits in about 30 cardboard removal boxes. I don't have any crockery of my own anymore, it ended up near the garbage for someone to take. So I've decided to collect some treasures over time, that way I won't have to spend money on it all at once. A treat to myself and my Kekasih.
Since there is no Hema here I have to find things online and I'm getting good at it... Last week some of my treasures arrived in the mail and I've been extremely happy with it. I've paid a decent price [eBay]: compared to shop prices my things are cheap. I collect Chinese plates and bowls and I found a beautiful toast rack which is exceptional and I wonder about its history. I've never seen anything like it here in the UK and I suspect it's a valuable antique.
The Chinese bowls are the same as the ones I used to eat from when I was a kid: I love the pattern and the dragon. So if you have these still, please please please don't throw them out! Plates, bowls, spoons, tea cups with the rice grain and dragon... anything is welcome! I will keep them safe till the day my Kekasih will be sitting at the same table as me, enjoying a meal together and using these treasures for the first time. That's the stuff that Dreams are made of...
Sentuh hatiku [touch my heart].
Wow!! Those are really beautiful treasures!!
Congrats on getting the gift from your friend :)
I know what you mean: I also had to give most of my books to an ex-colleague who likes to read a lot. He told me that he would keep them for me but deep down I knew that I won't see them again and even if I do, how could I possibly bring them back if I go on holiday to El Salvador? :)
I also have a little box with treasures :) I have seen a couple of "potential" treasures :) to decorate the house but not yet...too broke after the home loan/insurance first months :)
Have a wonderful week amiga,
Wen: hi Wen, thank you! It's kinda hard to let go of things isn't it? I just realised that it's easier to me since I could still bring stuff over from NL to the UK. You would have to ship your things over from one end to the other. Must have been tough for you?!
Nice that you have treasures too :) You will find your potential treasures: I feel that when the time is right they will find you! ;)
Hope you had a lovely weekend!
I just loved these photos. I remember in the past I was given two or three different "mamori" as they are called in Japanese used for protection like an amulet. These plates reminded me of that past. These days treasures seem to have changed however when i look back at those simple things like a wind chime or a paper holder that remind me of special times.
Reuben: hiya, I'm happy you like the pictures! Your mamori sound wonderful, do you still have them? I think treasures change with age but I've always loved antiques. And I also believe that treasures are linked to memories, you'll learn to appreciate those things that you took for granted when you were younger. You're right it's in the simple things...
The dishes look even better then before!!
Because you have given them a new home where they will be appreciated, I'm sure :-)
I'm curious. . . how did you know the other is a toast rack?
And I agree it's not "just", but forgive me for this, I could imagine walking through an antique shop and seeing this and wondering what it was for (I won't say).
I know one day it will hold more the "just" any toast :-)
Jim: hey stranger ;)
I'm happy you like the bowls and I'm eager to use them but for now they'll be neatly packed in a box waiting for that special day! :)
Toast rack: it is a toast rack and not a letter holder [yes I can read minds *hehe*] because of the shape and design. Original letter holders in those days were made of wood and in a box shape with two or three partitions different in height to hold the letters, often accompanied by a pen and ink holder.
The toast rack is a typical traditional British thing and originates from the 1770's, the spaces between the partitions are wide enough to hold a slice of toasted bread to cool off but would be too wide to hold a letter ;)
Although it could be used as a letter holder it's just not practical compared with the original wooden designs where letters are contained on all sides. I guess people who are not familiar with the British way of having breakfast would most likely use it as a letter holder simply because they have no other purpose for it than that. Hope that answers your curiosity ;)
You'll find out... ;)
Busted :-O
But it reminded me of going to the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit. There's a section of all kinds of gadgets and odd little machines for use in the home or in manufacturing.
Walking through there it's hard to imagine what function some of those truly strange objects were intended to perform.
But as your treasure would be in the kitchen exhibit, I would assume it to be a napkin holder. . . until you set me straight of course :-)
Did a bit of poking around on the web after looking at your link, and I didn't see any racks that even come close to being as nice as yours. . . you found a treasure!
Oh, the museum site led me to the dress archives ;-)
Jim: Nah not busted... I can read remember? ;)
That museum sounds really interesting, I would love to see all the gadgets and machines, what period would that be? If 50's I would sure be in my element! ;)
I noticed other racks don't come close, mine seems to be some exceptional design so I truly wonder about its history... There are these antique shows on TV where you can bring an item which the experts then will value, perhaps I should go there to see if they can trace back origin. On the other hand, stuff seems to have vanished from Buckingham Palace: what if I find out it's one of theirs and I would have to give it back? *hehe*
Dress is beautiful, the 'bodice built over corselette with attached garters' caught my attention, oh those wonderful 50's... ;)