Quondo

Quondo omni

flunkus mortati!

(When all else fails

play dead!)

good solution  for now

P is for Petalware

Macbeth-Evans Glass Company was established in 1899 upon the merger of the Thomas Evans Company of Pittsburgh and the George A. MacBeth Company of Charleroi.

In 1929, MacBeth-Evans produced several types of opalescent glass known as Monax and Ivrene.

Though quite delicate looking, the glass was exceptionally durable and heat resistant - with a lovely translucency and clear white color.  Ivrene was a beige version of Monax, resembling a clambroth color.  Petalware was the popular pattern produced from 1929 through 1936.

MacBeth-Evans merged with Corning Glass Works of NY, producing Cremax and Chinex to take the place of the Monax line thus reflecting changing tastes from the delicate glass look to opaque porcelain.

Petalware was produced in great numbers.  As such it remains prevalent as an affordable indulgence to your vintage collection.  Its beauty is truly timeless.

Happy Hunting!

Prisons Take on Many Forms

Prisons take on many forms as elements identifying parts of ones life.

The crystal clarity of the view is impossible to avoid as it explodes in sharp and ominous shards. Like a tapestry intricately woven with threads that appear intertwined in a seemingly chaotic way the discerning eye reveals a pattern.  Photographs resemble a yellowed brittle newspaper,  fading fast with yesterdays news.  It is the happy times gone by that reside only in our memories, gently comforting like a down pillow providing shelter from the brewing storm.   

In the haze of dust the truth is revealed: prisons take on many forms and everything in life has its price - no expense spared.  One pays dearly with the sacrifice of identity, self respect and the passing of precious time.  There is something profound in good bye; the paradox of an ending leading to a beginning.                                                                                                                         

Contentment is the promise of a new life well lived.

 

1 july, 1978-2013

Ode to Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii. A Long Farewell

Lonesome George was a Galaplagos Giant Tortoise subspecies that inhabited Pinta Island off the coast of Ecuador.  He was significant in that one year ago today- June 24, 2012 - his death resulted in the extinction of his kind on the planet earth.

The subspecies Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii was discovered by British herpetologist Albert Gunther in 1877.  The tortoises inhabited this section of the world for centuries until hunting during the latter half of the 19th C virtually eradicated them.  The introduction of goats in the mid 1950's also denuded the island's vegetation to the detriment of the species. Efforts to exterminate the goats were successful in returning the ecosystem to health.  It was believed that the tortoises were extinct until a single male was discovered in 1971.  Aptly named Lonesome George,  attempts to mate him with other subspecies failed and he lived the remainder of his 40 years... alone.

Lonesome George died from heart failure due to natural causes, at the incredible age of 100!

A sad so long and good bye George.  

                                                         Mourning our loss -  extinction is forever

O is for Oil Lamps

What is it about the oil lamp's appeal?  Beyond just providing light, these lovely vintage items are a testament to the ingenuity of a time gone by.  All standing oil lamps consist of a pedestal with stem and base,  a hollow font (oil vessel), a burner and chimney. Beyond their utilitarian purpose, they draw the eye to the beauty of ordinary objects that have been decorated and designed to be cherished.

Emerging during the 'kerosene era',  oil lamps came into being during the late 1850's when petroleum fuel was introduced as an affordable alternative to whale oil.  Glassmakers at the time produced literally thousands of beautifully detailed lamps, including artful shades with elegant wick raisers gracing unique patterned glass designs.  These lamps represent a quality and variety that has been unparalleled in glassware produced in America.  The lamps were a staple in US households through the 1940's and still serve as source of light in remote rural areas.  Amish continue to use oil lamps as do others who appreciate the lamp's distinctive glow - softly luminous and steady;  a comforting symbol of family and friendship from days gone by.  

Vintage oil lamps are easily found and range from $75 to $300, with some rare patterns topping $1000.

Happy Hunting!

Oh the difference

Oh, the difference between 

nearly right

and 

exactly right.

                                                   - H. Jackson Brown, Jr., American Author

you know it when you see it !

Nice things

Nice things come in small packages here at simplycoolstuff summer sale