Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Staffordshire Figure of Charity




I picked up this Staffordshire figure of Charity over the weekend at one of my favorite Goodwill stores. It's a bit out of the way so I don't get there too often. I think this one has a bit of age, particularly as there are a couple of hairline cracks which show some discoloration. I would venture to say that it's early 20th century but almost definitely not older than that. I don't know much about them but am looking forward to learning more.

The research part is always so much fun for me. But after that last sale of the monkey bottle I'm finding that parting is not such sweet sorrow after all.

Stay tuned for more phenomenal phinds!

Charity sold for $39.00 - not as much as I'd hoped but more than than the $2.99 I paid for her at the Goodwill store. Next...

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Oaxacan Monkey Mezcal Bottle


I found this interesting bottle last weekend at a yard sale. At first I thought it was African and made for the tourist trade. I was right about its purpose but a little off on the country of origin. A little bit of web research and I learned that it is a mezcal bottle made in Oaxaca, Mexico most likely during the middle part of the 20th century. It was part of a Mexican folk art tradition that is now a dying art. I've reached out to two Mexican folk art dealers on the west coast and there is real interest. I'll keep you posted on the outcome after I've finished negotiating a sale. Hold onto your tits!

**UPDATE** I've just shipped off the monkey to a folk art dealer in San Francisco. She was hard to part with but I was able to get 100x what I paid for her. I'm using the money to finance a weekend in San Fran. Some people leave their hearts there; I left my monkey!