What a busy time its been with the start of spring/summer just so much to prepare and the spring cleaning has been a massive task. Whilst clearing some of the cupboards i had the pleasure of discovering ,once again,some weird items that i have held onto for years. Reason i have none but then its brought back a flood of memories and funny ones at that.

The first story and goodies i would like to share is of a set by Michael Meier for Christian Dior the stunning paste broach and drop earings sparkle like the best Bling Bling one can buy. Called out to a house clearance many years ago i stumbled across these in a large clear rubbish bag on her terrace ready to be dumped. The bag was loaded with costume jewellery that was so intertwined that it took three lady friends many hours to sort out and the laughs just kept on coming. Screams and howls filled the room and of course the best was ...“it must have been a collection of a drag queen“ little did they know where the jewels came from. I passed on the lot, some 300 pieces and kept these knowing that in years to come some lady would just love them ,being now up for sale.

The second piece which is a screaming green paste necklace which i purchased from a tall elegant lady who had a head of rich red hair. I did notice at the time that her hands were amazing with long elegant fingers and nails well manicured and painted red as were her toes.She was rather deaf i discovered later as she kept on letting these little sharp "farts" fly. This i had to buy as i had a dealer friend from Durban who would just love this neck piece. After putting it aside i totally forgot about trying to sell it on and hey presto i still have it.

The next piece came from an elderly couple who were emigrating and they had so many great items it was hard to choose as they had had every article evaluated before hand. This pin is stamped 14ct gold and the bonnet of the lady has an emerald/ruby and diamond with her face painted in flesh tones. I tried real hard to purchase a photograph showing her wearing it some 70 years ago standing next to her husband to be. He then asked me whether i was interested in photographs,she was in the kitchen making tea,and i said yes please. Well he dragged me to his den/workshop and there under the lathe bench he hauled out some photographs of naked/semi ladies as well as some early French magazines showing various ways of having extreme kinky sex. My mouth dropped some 10 feet having no idea at the time that people performed like that...extreme to say the least. Oh yes please i would like to purchase these....!!¨Just then the wife walked in and that was that,she blushed and told him that she was aware of the mags and he had no right in selling them to such a nice young man. Ok if i had my friends standing around they would have belly laughed and that was the end of a great purchase...ho hum.

The other piece featured here came from a Scottish household with all the trappings of back home.
There was a kilt and sporran that i passed up as the man was real big....could have made kitchen curtains...just thinking about it, and well who would wear a sporran. The pin grabbed my interest with the Celtic design and it being fully hallmarked silver for Edinburgh with the makers name.
Spring cleaning is great after discovering these pieces i went searching for some other jewels that i had“hidden“ just like we all do and then try and find them...aargh! Well i did just that,I found them and they are all from 1950/60 big chunky jewels with Citrine/aquamarine/diamonds/garnets/rubies and the list goes on with these large stones that would wear well as knuckle dusters.
The things we keep makes the mind boggle but now its time that i sell all these wonderful memories and there are plenty more stories hidden. Holy moses i thought that was it...but here i found this unique little gold pendant...of baby Moses in a basket...lovely enamel work.

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Switzerland has over the years crossed the lines on international buying in the porcelain field with a good selection of antique as well as modern designs. Over the years i have found numerous pieces that seem to pop out of the woodwork and with great surprise a whole lot of fab English porcelain and pottery.
Wedgwood was far far the more popular factory with a large range of 18/19thc pieces including a whole lot of Jasper ware...although be it small modern pieces, they were very popular in Switzerland.
Blue and white was the order of the day and seldom found are the Basalt pieces that are extremely collectible. Amongst the unusual pieces i have found a good number of early cream ware which have survived surprisingly well. The European pieces are a lot more difficult to find as these seem to have landed up in the local museums and if the truth be known old goodies are tossed aside in the local dumps.
With the warmer season around the corner it is that time of the year where households are allowed to place all their unwanted items on the walkway outside their homes. A large truck comes by and collects all the goodies and takes them to be trashed. Persian carpets are readily found and in pretty good condition so is a lot of furniture and should you be lucky enough a great piece could be picked up for free. Glass and porcelain is usually smashed and placed in special bins provided by the local councils.
Featured here is a wonderful designer piece by Keith Murray that was found lying on top of a rubble pile just waiting for a beady eye to spot its value. The vase is fully signed in red script and has a small base chip but still being a great piece.

In the mountainous regions a great selection of real quality goods are simply dumped without any regard to research of the item and possible value. That is Swiss life I guess just too busy to bother about these items that have been in the family for many years and having no direct link to Swiss heritage. Quality Swiss porcelain and pottery has a great following and these seem to hold a special place and therefore they are not readily thrown away.
Keith Murray was trained as an architect but found that his interest lie elsewhere and soon found a designing postion with the now famous Wedgwood factory where he produced great designs that were totally new to the public of the time.He was also awarded the „Royal Designer For Industry“ award in 1936....
The color range being matt glazes in green,grey,torquoise,white and straw. His designs can be found in the Victoria Albert Museum as well as the Wedgwood Museum. In addition to ceramics he also designed a lot of glass as well as being commissioned by Mappin & Webb for silver table ware.
Museum
Google Keith Murray and here you will find indepth information on this great designer.

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So its that time of the year again with the sun making the days seem brighter and a more relaxed outlook here high up in the Swiss mountains. Of late i have been busy chopping and piling next winters supply of wood and am delighted I did it early this year so that later I would not be sweating my pants off. Then of to manage the garden which was in serious need of attention, new bulbs,shrubs and veggies hoping for once again a great harvest. It gives me great pleasure to grow my own favourites being sweeter and filled with flavour.
Taking a break i settled down to a "who donnit" novel sitting on the terrace with the early spring sunshine beating down only to realise that evening iI was as red as a lobster. Lucky me I have one of those skins that turns brown the next day and without peeling.
Know who wil lbe delighted that i sat down to a novel...at long last.

Out the corner of my left eye i spotted three little movements and lo and behold there they were already....snails! Eating their way through what i had just planted. One by one i plucked those suckers from their slimy grip and tossed them far in the direction of my neighbours, there is an empty field between us, the reason being i was not about to squash them but as my neighbours are French I thought well they would be in good hands.

Time for a refreshing shower and a late lunch , Swiss traditional, I fould myself at a loose end and then got the bug to get going and venture into the local junk shops to see what had turned up. No rest for the wicked and just cant help myself,sitting still.
Quite glad i had made that decision as pictured below is a rather rare piece, not knowing much about it before hand. Seen mostly on Antiques Roadshow their great vases...but this little thing i had though would be worth a couple of Pounds.
Snatched it up for the asking price....dont ask, after all its a junk shop! All the years i have been told/advised that knowledge is power and power is money....if well handled.
Chris a good friend of mine in the U.K. would say,,,,Norman you are rambling...get on with the story.
So here is my find............
Troika Love Plaque one of the rare items to be found from this factory signed St Ives. To my amazement on googling Troika i discovered that it is indeed a rare item and all i was hoping for was those vases i had seen. Never knew these other items existed and after all who in Switzerland would be buying just that.
I have just informed myself on this factory and feel ready to hit road again but i guess i should not think that another lays waiting for me so soon if at all in the future. Once again never say never...LOL.
Here is a link that you may find interesting......TROIKA

So i am off to BurkliPlatz tomorrow to see what i may find....also selling there so come and visit.
Yes i will be selling the Troika Love Plaque at a later stage...all the friends have claimed drinks...aargh! they are big drinkers at that. Damn!
Please visit our shop for a wonderful collecting of interesting items...prices ? talk to me.
SHOP

Marcello Fantoni and the Italian Magic from the 50s to the 70s


It has been some time since i last went searching through the large number of boxes filled with items that i had purchased 5 years ago. At that time i decided that most of the Italian ceramics to be found were ignored by the public so i went ahead and bought all that was available.
Today there is so little on offer in our regular shops and if so then its small or damaged pieces with little merit. Browsing through some sites i was delighted in spotting some items that i had no idea were of real value,as I have been rather concentrated on putting together a comprehensive collection of Sklo Union designer glass by such notable artists, Schrötter,Vizner,Matura,Panek,Jurnikl and Brabec to mention but a few. Then of course there is a whole lot more to Czech glass and so little known about it that my time has been fully consumed......Sklo Union Reference Guide
So i thought it would be a good idea to change track for awhile and have a fresh outlook to what i have been collecting. I guess the main reason is that items in the glass category are getting harder to find and a whole lot more expensive. Unpacking the boxes and noting that the paper had gone rather yellow i wondered whether now was a good time to repack and take stock also allowing me time to educate myself in the world of Italian Designer Ceramics.

What a pleasure it has been and my mind flashes back to the time when friends laughed at me for buy such crazy items made in Italy. I have since discovered that they are now quite to very desirable appearing far and wide on collectors sites as well as a well know online auction.
So unpacking my little treasures i was more than delighted to find this stunning and rare vase by Marcello Fantoni with full signature and Italy. In such good condition and holding its bright colors reminds me that i am rather drawn to bright colors and also the techniques employed in the manufacture thereof. One wonders what it would cost should a piece like this be commissioned by the still living artist.

Here is a link that fills in very nicely the history of the man and also a link showing a spectacular gallery of items designed and made by the master himself...............Fantoni. A real pleasure in seeing what was on offer when i was a youngster still in shorts and barefoot. I have always been a great fan of early twentieth century up to the 60s with the 50s being the period where designs were bright and stylish with a new direction in what the public really wanted to experience at the time.
Anyone wishing to learn a whole lot more then pop over to Ebay and buy a book covering Marcello Fantoni and his designs, very informative.
Here is a link to a bottle vase that was sold recently...what a price!!.....Bottle Vase.
Another link to the Roadshow where a lady brought in an amazing figure in bright enamels...similar technique to my vase.......Roadshow...
There are a good number of other Italian designers that feature on this site..Artists........and it does not all end there as i have recently found out. By simply educating myself with hours of searching the net i have turned up quite a few treasures even to the more modern day designs. May i suggest that you visit a Forum where you may inquire of a very knowledgeable man where ..when and how...your piece was made. No prices will be given but great links and suggestions as to where one may be directed in discovering what your treasure may be worth.Forum

I have also set up a new shop and invite all to visit and browse ...buy as well...with the new items i have just loaded. In the near future i will be adding a whole lot more Scandinavian collectibles covering Ceramics-Glass-Wood by some of the most famous designers. Yeah they are also being unpacked from a 5 year rest period.
Please do visit our shop.......SHOP
Have fun in the hunt.....Till later...cherrio.

The last blog was all about the quaint villiage Pany a mere 15mins from Saas and this is where i live...Saas.Places to go
A small village set upon the top of the hill over looking the valley with the huge mountains at our back.Stats tell us that there are approx.792 people living in this small yet beautiful village and here is a link .....stats
Saas in in the centre of left and right ,great holidaying places....Klosters ...famous skiing resort to the rich and famous (10mins by car or train) and then there are the fabulous tobogganing trails stretching on either side of Saas and these are long runs packed with thrills and spills.
Once at the top of the run (costs a few Francs by lift) one finds reataurants packed with people out for the thrills or just a lazy day in the sun on the huge terraces...sun glasses ofcourse and a wooly cap.Popular are the fondue`s and a quick schnapps before one lets rip down the mountain on your sledge.It is rather a great way of meeting people on the way down as there are numerous tumbles and loads of laughs....camera always at hand.
So how does one get there and back from your hotel....simple...there are buses and trains running ever so frequently....great thing about getting about in Switzerland one does not have too long a wait before the next transport arrives.
Then there is that magic walk that one can plan with all the trails set out by the local tourist office...ending where perhaps you would like to spend a late lunch with the hoi polloi decked out in their furs and dripping with gold....or...one can head in the other direction and land up at a mountain top restaurant where the locals serve up their delicious
concoctions.No furs or loincloths but rather thick wollies and caps ...just so colorful great fun and very laid back.
The local hotels are surprisingly, relatively cheap...for Switzerland.(Sfr55,pp)..and the menus are well set out with reasonable prices and great fare....LARGE portions.Wines tend to be on the expensive side but if one likes wines for later then pop off to the local store and a great variety available at the most resaonable prices. Link hotelsHotel bookings...further info on Saas will appear in the next blog...as there is so much to be said for this quiet romantic village...which is really dead centre of all the wonderful places to go... a short train ride through the mountains across the many bridges and rivers...just so scenic and a trip one will never forget.
Here i must point out that the rates charged are really resonable and a stones throw away from all the luxury resorts at double the price.
So why come to Saas...well its simple...nobody here will know u and the likelyhood of you bumping into friends and the like are real remote.Ofcourse u can bring all the friends and family as well as there is plenty of room at our inns and hotels.
Easter around the corner and the mountains will be covered in their exoctic flowers and the shops filled with mouth watering chocolate bunnies....and even a place for your PET...
The locals farm sheep..(and cows...ofcourse).. hmmm did not stay too long to study what that bladder thing was....lol...but being penned up gave off a heavy heavy stench.
Hope to see you all in Saas soon and drop by for a cuppa!!

Early yesterday afternoon a silence fell over our small village as darkness started falling and a light fall of gentle snowflakes filled the sky. The roads were soon blanketed with that white powder throwing the area into a strange eerie light, no more tweeting of the birds and the silent passing of cars as they went their way. The roofs of the houses seemed to be instantly dusted with snow icing that glistened in the light of motor vehicles streaming by.
At home and watching the Olympics on TV from my Buffalo hide armchair, seeing the snow falling ...firstly like small down feathers wafting down and finally gently settling on the ground, falling upon each other to form a dense base, I had the urge to venture out for a long walk in the fresh cold air. So the decision was made.... a long walk tomorrow will do the trick.

The mere fact of seeing the langlaufers doing their thing straining muscle upon muscle and the tightening of those butt muscles made me want to get up and do some serious exercise. To fit into a tight outfit like they wear would only show the bulge and here i am not eluding to the cod piece but rather that of my waist which over the months has grown...moan.!
Always enjoyed seeing these men strain and push to the limits and especially from behind showing off those butts from small to large hard formed muscle...hmmm always had a thing with this image as another favorite is that of cricketers, bowlers running up to bowl the ball...hehe what a view.
My least favorite being that of Shane Warne (Australian) who has a huge butt and after all with that display of ...Hehaw...donkey laugh...i rather turned from being a supporter.
Where was i..? Ok so the day has dawned for a long walk in the mountains to a great mountain resort that is rather family orientated, understated and quiet but has all the amenities for the family
where parents do not have to watch the crazies that abound elsewhere.
The first picture shows the swimming pool ( village Pany).....
that overlooks the valley, being a great pool in the summer. Link Pany...snow mountain
Sitting there, our neighbours, munching away at fresh fruits , from our village...SAAS.....link SAAS...Village Saas.

Presented with an apple i declined, as I rather liked mine peeled, hate that skin thing on my teeth, but then he politely offered to peel it for me with his swiss knife. Yeah well i had no intention of trekking with a backpack and half the kitchen but i accept those that do just that.
The next couple of pictures show us on the way to the very top of the mountain and taking a heavy toll on the leg and butt muscles....and the Olympics came to mind once again as i pushed on up the steep slopes. The distant picture shows Klosters(skiing resort for the rich and famous) well really for anyone, far down in the valley showing a clear bright blue sky.
Not a squirrel in sight only the squawks of the large black birds,breaking the tranquility, that chase after anything thrown to them. Heavy foot prints show the way where many have walked this far and there we see these tiny foot prints left by some small bird that hopped part of the way.

Through the archway formed by the large old pine trees we passed in the shade where one feels that real cold of the snow below. Stripped of heavy clothing due to the bright warm sunlight I slog on taking the path that twists and turns bringing stunning views at each turn.

Finally we see bright clear blue sky showing on the other side of the tress that are laden with snow.

There we finally come to rest at a old working barn, now closed up for the winter period. A drinking fountain and a seat to rest and take in the wonderful landscape.


A couple came into sight and the usual greeting of gruetzi rather a greeting used by the locals. Zurich people do not use this term, I think that has to do with the snob aspect. Anyway i rather like it and there are several ways to use this greeting....can be more sung...Gruet...zi ...the zi.. is a light sing away line. So want to greet like the butch farmers do...then be sure to say Salue. Some may greet with Grüss Gott then u will surely know that they are from outside the country.
A great venue for walks snow boarding skiing spas and just resting up. There are special rates for groups and little hide away places for runaway lovers, lovers and those that have those secret affairs. A great hideaway for golfers.!
Who knows we may see u on the peaks one of these days -have fun.