Nicely constructed, though certainly not the most comfortable place to lounge around:
Tag: antiques
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The Japan Society in NYC is currently showing Graphic Heroes, Magic Monsters: Japanese Prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi from the Arthur R. Miller Collection
Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s vivid scenes from history and legend, wildly popular 150 years ago, are a major influence on the work of today’s manga and anime artists. This exhibition features over 130 dramatic depictions of giant spiders, skeletons and toads; Chinese ruffians; women warriors; haggard ghosts; and desperate samurai combat.
And my favorite:
See more here.
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I love this page on The Selby (a showcase of inspiring personal spaces), featuring Jessica Grindstaff and Erik Sanko. Amazing handcrafted marionettes, sculptures, displays…all around fun oddities to gaze at.
See the rest of the collection here.
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This post is really just a photo and my reaction to it: this piece of furniture looks hungry.
Despite my love of Victorian style, I’d be afraid this thing would devour and digest me. There’s no shortage of “artistic” furniture design aimed at looking menacing, but this one has unintentional sinister appeal.
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Morbid Anatomy recently posted about this amazing collection of antique European mannequins, covered and forgotten for decades in a Detroit warehouse until recently.
They are made of wax, like the expressive anatomical models made centuries ago to aid in medical education.
Most of these figured were modeled after specific women, aiming for a true likeness.
Made with human hair, each strand inserted with a hot needle, teeth made from denture material, glass eyes, and realistic expressions, these figures possess a haunting, enigmatic aura. Indeed, without their facial imperfections caused by heat and jostling, many of these ethereal beauties could be mistaken for their real counterparts.
See more in the collection here.
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I would love a chance to view the Victorian Blood Book in person at the University of Texas. This decoupage project was assembled from hundreds of engravings, accented by red India ink.
View the slideshow and hear descriptive commentary here.
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I must thank my dear friend Skye for reminding me about these. Collector’s Quest has a feature on antique vampire killing kits.
Inside the beautiful Rosewood case with mother of pearl cross inlay there’s an assortment of items to deal with the undead, including a cleaver, prayer book, Holy water vials, looking glass, silver occult dagger, candles, what looks like some wooden stakes, and a pistol with silver bullets in an ornate coffin case.
These items were made to address deep, dark, primal fears. And then, like our fears often are, they were not thrown away but stored in equally dark and out of the way places… Antique wooden killing kits in the attics of old houses, just waiting for the day when the creatures creep from the attics of our minds.
The craftsmanship and detail that went into creating these kits is astonishing. This is luxurious highbrow undead protection. Definitely design inspiration for next year’s Halloween decorations (I’d need a bit more time than I have this year to put together something so lovely).
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Every now and then I pop back on Luminous Lint to browse their fantastic photography exhibitions. Here are a few selections from the skull collection.
Some are actual medical images, quite disturbing (such as this 1966 Vietnam War X-ray of a grenade implanted in a man’s forehead):
Some are art photography…
(Look at the gentle detail of color in the eye of the feather!More skulls here
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The New York Times recently featured an article on The New Antiquarians; collectors of 19th century oddities.
The accompanying New Vintage Life slideshow features some great personal collection photos:
Taxidermy, clubby insignia and ancestral portraits have been decorative staples at trendy Lower East Side restaurants and clothing stores for a while, but now they are catching on at home.
I find this an interesting trend and a refreshing break from standard modern personal art collections.
See the rest here.
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These Tibetan anatomical prints bring a kind of…for lack of a better word…FUN to medical illustration. Look at how happy these human diagrams appear to be!
This reminds me of eggs and bacon for some reason. With a side of joy.
If these are anatomically correct, our culture is entirely populated with miserable bastards. That skull alone has more charisma than 90% of humans.
One word: DANCE.
I’m in a good mood now.
More at Ephemera Assemblyman.
SheWalksSoftly 