I collect a strange mixture of objects and ephemera: vintage and antique tea tins (especially WWII era, preferably Meinl & some Russian brands), watercolor paintings of circus freaks, vintage and antique illustrated copies of Arabian Nights Entertainments and related books, porcelain from West Germany and Czechoslovakia, vintage and antique Asian jewelry boxes, black & white photographs of servicemen from any army, and odd cultural bits and pieces that I feel particularly drawn to, like a painted brass camel from the 1930s, a Polish mid-century mod wooden St. Francis figure, and now my latest addition, this 1940’s-era Chinese papier-mache bobble head Budai figure.
He was on Etsy, priced at a very appealing $8. He looked so cheery and fetching online, and I happen to love papier-mache items. I just knew he needed to come home to live at my house…or really, to live on my desk at work. He definitely livens the place up a bit, and as his character represents contentment and a mindful understanding of plenitude, I’m very happy to share my space with him.
Fascinating stories about these unusual objects. Makes me want to have a closer look on Etsy to find something great!
It always surprises me to see the monetary values that people place on random objects. It really is “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Wow – so cute! We’ve never used etsy before… but we collect three wise monkeys so maybe we can find novel versions of them on there too….
It’s a great place to find deals, if you have a little time. There’s a handy way to search for just vintage, vs. handmade that should be helpful for you. I love the 3 wise monkeys a lot, too. In college, my two best friends and I always joked that I was “speak no” (I’m pretty quiet in person, and I tend to be nice), and they, of course, were the other two.
How adorable is that? I love the little red cheeks. 🙂
Me too – he’s just so damn jolly that I can’t help but smile when I look up to see him nodding along during the work day!