Quirky Pieces Too

This sculpture caught my eye and I took it home from a thrift store for a few dollars. Why did it catch my eye? Parts of it were clearly old, it was one of a kind, handmade, and a little bit quirky.

How did I sense the wood was old? As a child I would go to flea markets of varying types with my mom in CT in the 1970s. These were very primitive outdoor sales compared to what we attend now a days. I recall one day she bought a long piece of wood. Seemed odd to me – about as long as my arm and as thick as my thigh (stop the jokes – not listening). It had a bunch of metal embedded in it, especially a band at the top and bottom. Mom explained it was a very old (this was in the 1970s so we’re talking mid 1800s) printing roll for fabric or wallpaper. The raised designs would press against the fabric with dye and create a repeat pattern. Obviously they would wear out, or be made obsolete by industrial improvement. Mom had it wired into a lamp, which was in their home for many years. The wood on this sculpture has the very same feel, with the bands and the nailed design.

The clock baffles me though. The original timepiece could not be repaired and I replaced it. Based on the age of the (very yellow) original one, the entire thing is likely 1970s. But back to the clock – just why? Was there a hole in the wood that needed to be filled and the timepiece fit the bill? Or was the idea to make a very quirky clock? Got me.

The top wired structure is rather industrious. Have you ever tried to bend wire into a pleasing shape? Good luck to you. How this was done is a mystery, though I suspect there were structures involved to wrap around. The two birds in the trees are adorable. Wooden carved one and wire built one. And not just a tree or two, a veritable forest, complete with small toadstools.

The charm of these silly items never ceases to make me smile. Love all the quirky pieces out there. People too.