Horse Netsuke

Funny inlaid teeth and eyes. Pocket humour!

Don't Tap

"Respect the silence... do not tapez (tap?) thanks"
A very unexpected habitation in Beynac, next to a graveyard and castle. Cool fish chimney completes
the whole aquarium vibe.

Cobblestone skatepark

Where can you skate in Lacoste, which is completely paved with cobblestone?
I don't know, but judging by the de-laminations on this board, there has been some shredding!

Quanto Costa Questa?

I love old jeweller's tools, especially hammers, and I hoped to find some in Italy somewhere!
At a huge flea market in Chiavari I asked a few vendors:
"Avete... strumenti di oreficeria?" ( have... tools of goldsmith?)
One gentleman mocked me;
"Che cosa!?? Ora?! Ora?! Ha ha ha! I no speak inglese!!!"
I guess my Italian is unintelligible!
He was adamant that this hammer was a only a cobbler's hammer, (but it is certainly a silversmithing hammer!) so he made it 13 Euro and threw the small one in free.
Ha ha HA!

Elevator Grilles

These grilles were designed by Louis Henry Sullivan in 1893, for the Chicago Stock Exchange Building. Sort of proto-proto-Modern, but embracing ornament? I think I have already mentioned these awhile back, but anyway, I was recently saw them 'for real' in the V&A Museum, and took my very own photos (crumby as they may be!). Its curious for a building to be demolished, then the bits end up in museums across the world. I like them. Perhaps I will make a version of my Ulno Bangle that 'tips the hat' to this design- the way the spheres join the strip.

Whale For Sale

Ive put Whale Ring up on The Golden Smith Shop, along with some other variants, such as Leaf Ring in platinum and fine silver. Enjoy!

My Italian Homework

Tools and their proper use

I spied these juicy beauties out the window of the villa, but they were just out of reach!

Always the man-of-action, I remembered seeing an ice-pick in the umbrella stand...

Snagged me some fine tangerine!

Coming Up

e

"Its driving me crackers- I cant get it out of my head"- John Lennon, about this song.
Me neither!
Its like... a flower...
Plus, Paul as younger self in this clip is awesome.

Rie

A pleasure to see these 'in the flesh'- there aren't too many where I come from.

As a teenager, I had picked out Rie as my favourite potter, after seeing the one in the NGV- it seemed so quiet and considered. The lines... the lines...

Tuscan Bumblebee

She was lazy...
and so was I...

Happy Snaps

Most of us take photos of our travels, but Tsar Nicholas had a more spectacular 'happy snap'.This micro-mosaic table-top records the sights of Italy he visited. It was made by Michelangelo Barberi, c.1851. The micro-mosaic is an appealing medium because it is clever, but also because it has a luminous depth of colour. The light bounces back out of translucent glass material, and the purity of colour fields are modulated by the mortar gaps- making an intense, rich image.
"Whoa whoa whoa! Use a coaster whydoncha!?"

French Bee Hives

Bee hives in the Jardin du Luxembourg Apiary, Paris.
Super-fancy, as you might expect.
The bees even have a little private fountain to drink from. 

I Dont Live On Bread Alone

...but I'm so glad Alice dragged us over to the famous Poilane!

The bread is great!

The iconic wall-friezery is definitely warranted.

I've also had great bread from little boulangeries every day;

Pain je taime

(bread! I love you!)

Stealthy

Jizai Okimono at the V&A. This is a fully articulated, hand-forged iron snake.

I think this was made by Myochin Munerobu (?), mid~late 1700's

Post Card from Jardin De Marqueyssac

Hi! There's me, waving to you.
Love
David

Belly Buttons

Micro Mosaic

This whole picture is about the size of an iPad. (V&A Museum)

Blown Away

Hi, this is a photo of me, after having visited the British and Victoria & Albert Museums.
As you can see I have been mostly BLOWN AWAY.
( I don't even have a belly-button any more!)
I will post pictures of various things -that interested me particularly- over the next little while, Im still on the road just now.