2nd Hand Christmas Shopping

This trip was very spur of the moment stop at the 2nd hand shop. Happily I found a few nice things to share with you today.

When I saw this piece on the shelf, I couldn't grab it fast enough. I knew at once it was a hand blown piece, so when I turned it over and saw that it was also signed, I was forced to stop and take some slow breaths to calm my pounding heart. Masks are a good thing for helping hide excitement, I can tell you. Besides you can't do a lot of heavy breathing in them, I've noticed, unless of course you want to pass out. Anyway, this leaped into the cart lickity split. Research at home revealed this was a piece done by Martini Glass Autralia - aka Martini Glass Studio in New South Wales, Australia. This studio was a partnership between Mark Galton and Tina Cooper. They opened in 1990, but closed the studio in 1995 to pursue their own directions.  Mark had trained Tina well, and she went on to become a well known Australian glass artist in her own rite. Sadly Mark was killed in an industrial accident in 2014 while working for the mining industry. What a sad loss to the Australian art glass community, for Mark was a glass blower of some renown. As you can see by the date above, this was one of the last pieces Martini Australia made before it closed in 1995. I am so grateful for such talented artists, that make such beautiful things. There memory lives on through their art. I thought $13 a small price to pay for such a lovely piece of art.

This piece just had all the right things that I like in a piece of stoneware pottery. Not too large, but with a nice shape. The goose reminded me of all the Canada geese we have here, and the tree's our wonderful forests. I thought it such a well made piece, I could use it for utensils in my kitchen. To my surprise research revealed this is a jug for wild rice storage and would have come with a large cork. ...ha ha ha... The joke was on me of course, because it plainly says WILD RICE on the front of it. Now someone had put a piece of brown felt on the bottom, but it peeled right off, revealing this interesting mark on the bottom. If Worthpoint is correct, this is a symbol for a company called Minnesota Wild Rice, or at least that's what it said. I could find nothing on a company of this name, but did find numerous pots with Minnesota Wild Rice on them, with raised medallions, tho not of my goose. I can only think the pot at least came from the state of Minnesota, for the storage of their wonderful dark wild rice, which is readily available for purchase online. In the meantime I was happy this pot only cost $3.99, as it was a far cry cheaper than those online.

This beautiful owl called too me when I saw it on the shelf, and I just had to have it. I was delighted it had nothing wrong. Not a chip, crack, or blemish. Is it just a coincidence that this is a great horned owl?! They certainly couldn't have named it any more appropriately, for the great horned owls have been visiting us nightly and hooting their heads off, for weeks now. Tho not at midnight, more like three or four in the morning. Just try going back to sleep after being startled awake by that sound in the dark of night. It was a bit of money at $10, but so well done I thought it a bargain. I looked them up online when I got home, and they are far more expensive it would seem. Glad things can still be had for less at the 2nd hand shops.

This adorable little mouse ornament sitting on his Swiss cheese, was just so sweet I couldn't pass him up. I don't know who made him, or if he was mass produced in China. Frankly if a thing is well made and cute, I don't care who made it. Talent is talent the world over, and someone somewhere certainly had some making this. His normal price was $1.99 but he had a red tag so was 50% off, thus I paid but 99 cents for this cute little fellow. He is truly the mouse who got the cheese, and shall now happily swing from a branch of my Christmas tree.

When I was over in the wood aisle I had seen some other Oaxacan, Mexican folk art ornaments, but none of them were as pretty as this bird, and some were even broken, so I had passed them up. This bird is made by the same tribe as those who made my Zapotec rugs, and I do love how they make such colorful handmade pieces of art. I thought this carving nicely done, and as as you can see from the card above, the sale of these birds and other art go to help support rural Mexican peoples needs. Of course buying it here in the 2nd hand shop doesn't, but I like to think it helped a little when it first sold. I know these can sell online for a much larger amount, but I paid just $2.99. I shall hang it on my Christmas tree, (along with my handmade ornaments), in honor and celebration of all folks everywhere who like to be creative.