After skipping going to the Jazz festival last year due to the big increase in ticket prices,this year i wanted to experience Miss Grace Jones live and off we went.The cost per ticket being Sfr90.00 per person which i thought ok ......a special treat.
Why a disaster u may ask....let me describe what we had experienced...on arrival in the main entrance a change from previous vists there was a live show right there which certainly did give an instant atmosphere and lots of people standing listening...first get your bangle so that there is no long wait at the last moment and i must say that the group of young people this year were proficient and polite.
Next to have a quick smoke we went out on the terrace and that had also changed having seating to the right filled with bodies and to the left a narrow run also fitted with seating and every available seat occupied...looking over the terrace there we saw a sea of people and we thought oh this is going to be hell even to get a drink let alone something to eat.Down the many wooden steps we went and just there was a pancake stand doing large pancakes stuffed with various delicious goodies...so we stood and waited to be served and lo and behold we experienced excellent service and great ...once again...young staff.There was no going further as the mass of people was too much of an effort and besides the concert would start at 8pm with a supporting group who always open for Miss Jones.
Friends had taken up positions at 7.30 and were right in front and we ambled in at 8.10 where we found the room ¾ full and the stage set at an odd angle with two screens on either side.
Miss Jones was to take to the stage at 10.pm so just before that we went in search for a drink and a smoke although smoking was allowed inside the venue we rather went outside as my friend had his T-Shirt burnt and i had a burn on the arm.
On returning to the room we noticed that there were so many more people and we squeezed our way to more or less the middle and that seemed very rude to those who stood their ground...well we all paid the same price so make best of whats there.The star was due at 10pm and at 20 mins past Miss Jones,who is famous for keeping here paying guests waiting made her appearance dressed in a somewhat revealing outfit with what one has been come to expect space age hat.
Her voice was great and the music as one knows of Miss Jones.Second song came with a black out first and a few words from her in the dark and voila there she was changed into another outfit with a different hat.The outfit looked like a g-string covering her cabbage patch which i thought was a disappointment for me as i was experiencing an older woman...sure she must be 60 something and then when she turned around we saw her bare butt!!Why with the great voice and music all this.
Each song brought on a new outfit with a hat...fashion show...waiting to see what she would be wearing next.The mirror ball hat was a sensation but after that we decided that was enough as by this time we were being shoved by the hundreds more pushing to get in and the room was full of smoke.It was at this stage that i said i am out of here as should there be a fire we are toast.
Why so many people ,well all those that have special passes as they work for little apparently and may visit any event free of charge and this bore out the fact that there were a LOT of people wearing their special badges.
As one exists the double doors u are faced with ...what looks like..cattle rails which stand on four protruding feet...i happened to trip over the second one...what a laugh!We took up a position on the staircase to the left with many others sitting on the same and watched as more people squeezed into the venue with space left for another 30 .This is where i become rather concerned and ahead of us was and exit door with a step up..the first rather deep and then a smaller one and this led onto the balcony and here people were coming and going in both directions.We ventured to the balcony to get a drink and what a shock there were thousands of people everywhere and as we proceeded down the narrow passage the girls ahead of us fell and when we got to that spot we noticed that there were three large plastic dustbins which caused the trip...here the coming and going was restricted to one way traffic so we had to wait our turn to pass this deadly trap.Drink in hand we went back to the inside staircase as there was just no room outside...unless of course we went down to the bottom where a stream of people were milling about.
Then we waited for the concert to finish as we wanted to chat to friends and merely watched how this room would empty .They came out rather ark like two by two.....so imagine if there was a stampede...with only one personnel on the gate!In the case of emergence exit up those dangerous stairs to the balcony or up the stairs to the main exit and this is where i thought enough people on that staircase in a panic and we would have a picture of...Dante`s Inferno.Mangled bodies as each trampled the next.
So after 30 mins we left and at the top of the staircase there was the fire department kiosk with three personel.I decided to ask(do u speak English and he replied also French and what ever language) why so many people were allowed to cram into the venue and at what risk should there be a fire.
He simply looked at me and said ...Yes..i then said should i write to someone and he said....Yes write.Should he care........ there was no fire!
So this will be my last visit to a wonderful Festival as why should i pay for high risk with little control as to how many people are allowed in the venue.I guess they will tell me to read the small print:HUH!!!
This would have made some reporter very famous with true Pictures not only of the crush possibilties but the amazing collage of a colorful people at their best...buzzed up to have a good time dressed in what every which way and those falling about from whatever and with wide glazed over eyes.Best seller headed....A Day in the Life Of the Jazz Festival.

Jazz Fesitval

This particular plate design caught my fancy when i first saw it in The Book..see link right.
On my travels far and wide i found everything else bar for this plate and that annoyed me as i had thought well it was only 1990...not so long ago...so there should be one around.
The first one in colorless glass was found in a shop that i frequent weekly and i was rather delighted...then on my way the following week at another far out place was a super light blue one starring me in the face and i could just not believe the good fortunes and had a rather special feeling as all those that collect donot have examples...that i know of.Three weeks later lo and behold i find a striking electric blue one on the bottom shelf of the shop where by the way i bought my first piece of designer Sklo Union....and a whoop of delight i had it tucked under my arm and could not wait to get home and give it a good wash.
This last week i took some time off to rest and had quite a lot on my mind not to mention that i did not go out shopping the whole week....torture...so today i had a feeling to visit a store that i seldom drive past but had this feeling of finding something special...perhaps a little intuition one could say....and there again on the bottom shelf under a pile of three plates this one jumped out at me....and with a whoop of delight i snatched it up...such a reasonable price on top of it...and made my way home with a broad grin.


What is it that delights me so much with this design i really have no idea....until later i smiled to myself and thought perhaps its the knot...being tied up...fantasy perhaps but never been down that road although it has had a twinge of interest of late.
So here i present my latest find a Rose Pink String plate giving me four examples in four different colors...just great.Would love to find one in a striking green but not sure whether that exists....only time will tell.
As the site is growing daily there is a lot to be seen and these are all the examples i have found thus far..Reference Guide

Yes its that time of the year where i get strangely excited as it allows me to dig in the earth and plant plant plant one of my favourite fruits...the Pumpkin.The one i truly love is a South African brand...Flat White Boer A....they are large white pumkins with a very fleshy yellow fruit full of taste and really they make the words best Pumpkin fritters.Now that takes me to winter time when my dear mother took out the super saved pumpkin and turned them into fritters...rolled in sugar and cinnamon... which we gobbled down before she could say Jack Sprat.
My sister in law...Seattle USA::.brought along a pumpkin pie receipe and used these local fruits and was stunned by the full taste and rich smell.Guess who wolfed down virtually the whole pie...hehe!
So i have 7 plants growing and hoping to have at least 10 fruits...not much u may say but then i have a small garden and these do need space.To get to know about pumpkins here is a great site and its full of fun as well with pics and videos...it is funny.But then also if u google Pumpkins u will be so surprised by the nutritional values that makes one to want to rush out and buy loads.
Link extreme pumpkins
From the humble pumpkin we find that designers used that stunning shape to recreate the look in ceramics and porcelain...teapots and tureens are to be found and i have noticed that the Italians have a lot more fun with fruit and veg designs for their tableware.Well they also use the fruit in their pastas...great stuff.
The Americans are big on carving these and displaying them on their front portals...and its interesting to note the the whole fruit can be eaten ...right down to the leaves(china)
the pips are roasted and full of vitamins...who needs to buy expensive nuts?
Looking forward to inviting u to have some fritters with me later!

This one i have dug out of the infamous back cupboard along with 5 coffee cans showing different views of cities around the world.Rather a stunning set infact and reminds me of the first time i had taken it in to an auction house to be valued.The dizzy blonde in charge at the time sauntered up and said oh nice...Paris porcelain.Even after seeing the mark she stuck to the Paris porcelain story so i promptly packed it up and walked.So much so for a renowned auction house!
Each piece is hand painted with a different scene dipicting ancient ruins bridges and farmers tending their cattle and sheep.Such fine small detail brings each piece alive and the gilding is of a high standard.
Here is a link to the manufactory...............Ludwigsburg and then a link to the marks....Marks
The marks that are on this set are that of the King Freidrich Rex period...1806/1816
and they appear in red and gold script.There were quite a few imitators of the mark so one should be more than careful when paying a high price to ensure that the source knows what they are about and have first hand knowledge of the manufacturer as Ludwigsburg calls a handsome price and most of the early figures are mostly in museums.Should u have a figure group it would be best if u call in an insurance agent straight away!!!
Have fun hunting.

Jo man looks at this stunning pressed glass vase in amber by that master Frantisek Vizner for the Sklo Union group.He worked and designed for several glass companies producing loads of stunning designs.
Each time i handle this vase it shows another side and as the photograph suggests its full of movement and seems to twist and turn showing off its unusual design.Certainly one of my favorites and have several in two different colors....amber and clear glass with different sizes.Zurich was top of the list in Switzerland in buying Sklo Union designs and are rather prolifically found in the city and the reason why i state this is that after a years of travelling around Switzerland i have only ever found one outside Zurich.
Now get this as this piece can weigh up to 1.8kg so many dealers or simply those who lay their hands on this piece call it Murano or second guess at Scandinavian and accordingly ask a hefty price.Is it worth that price....oh for sure but they are getting a price for two years hence and donot know the real source.One chap that i had told that it was Czech pressed glass told me that i was totally wrong as 30 years ago when he was in Murano and he had purchased it from the glass factory there.Each one of them swear blind that their mothers or they had purchased these items at the source....whats wrong with these people.So now i walk around with my favorite book tucked under my arm and ready to pounce on those misguided people and actualy show them that they are talking nonsense.
Some how i have become so enfatuated with the Sklo Union designs and would love all that want to learn and find examples to get a copy of this book.......New Book
I have the new guide to Sklo Union up and running and show all the examples i have found thus far which by the way has been great fun....so i have paid a heavy price for some and others at a next to nothing price....thats what happens when u get in on the act on the bottom of the rung.As this experience grows there is always something to buy and one never gets bored as there are so many designs out there....have a look at the guide.....

The next passion is hot worked pieces by some of the great designers and these tend to be quite expensive as once again their attribution is totally wrong and carries a Murano price tag and a designer on top of that....aargh!!Later on i will be cataloging these which are an absolute delight...so stay tuned as it takes a lot of time and hard work....but hey i am loving it....every moment of it.
Wishing u all the fun in a new search!
Visit the shop-..............[url=http://www.antiques-international.ch/ new=true]Shopping
New guide Sklo Union.....New Guide