Somebody’s Souvenirs
A book I have suggests that an affordable way to decorate with folk art is to collect items crafted to be sold as souvenirs. Lately, I’ve definitely found that to be the case. I’ve always loved the Chinese silk “lucky baby” or Baizi pincushions, so I snapped up this little box for $3.00 when I found it at a secondhand store in Columbia. Symbolizing good fortune, harmony, abundance, and prosperity it’s a perfect box to store my needles.
I found this vintage Japanese Kokeshi (doll) at the Mount Sinai Resale Shop marked “as is” for $1.00. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with it except for a little glue residue on the little ledge. I thought that maybe something used to be there and had come off but, after I reverse googled it, that doesn’t seem to be the case. It does turn out to be one of a four part series called Shiki (four seasons) designed by Okamota Usaburo, so perhaps the “as is” refers to the fact that there is only one of them.
It is the Fuyu or Winter doll and after removing the glue residue with Goo Gone, I found the perfect place for it on the Alexander Girard shelf.
My latest find from Brown Elephant was this U.S.S.R. souvenier wooden figurine for $2.50.
The hand carved and hand painted boy is holding a balalaika – a traditional Russian stringed instrument. The label dates it to 1982.
He found a home on the white shelves near the other Russian dolls.
I’m looking forward to my next finds!
