two of my favorite things...

Many years ago, my mother inherited this bird sculpture from friends of her parents. They had no children of their own, loved my mom, (who didn't?!) and left her several interesting treasures. She always had a pothos in a terracotta pot nestled into the cracked egg, and it never failed to attract attention. Now I have it in my own home, with my own plant tucked inside, and it still is a conversation starter! The detail on this piece is amazing - a grasshopper and spider crawl up the back, and the bird is incredibly life-like.It was made from quadruple silver plate by the Meriden Co. but that was as much as I had ever known about this unusual treasure. Years later I was in Nashville at an antique mall, and lo and behold I spotted another silver cracked egg, but this time it was a"basket". It looked a lot like my bird, so I snapped it up. The dealer knew nothing about it except that it was made by the James W. Tufts Silver Co. and it was also made from quadruple silver plate. I have since done a little research, and learned that both of these were made in the late 19th century, and were perfect examples of the Aesthetics Movement at that time.

The Aesthetic Movement in America lasted just a few decades (1870-1900), and served mainly as a bridge between the high Victorian sensibility and the radical shift to the Arts & Crafts style. This movement helped to popularize the idea that everyone should be able to enjoy beautiful, well-made homes and furnishings - not just the very wealthy. Artful homes could be composed from brilliant antique store finds, discriminating department store purchases, and gems hand-made by the ladies of the house. The term "art for art’s sake" was born, and followers of this movement thought that a beautiful environment could actually enhance one’s quality of life - that if they make their homes more artful, their lives would be better. I love that! The most creative women I know and admire embrace this philosophy wholeheartedly, and you feel it the moment you step into their homes - they can take any garage sale or thrift store find and turn it into a masterpiece.... No wonder I love these odd pieces so much. They were designed with no real purpose in mind - just for me to enjoy! Now it's off to Goodwill for me....

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm linking to Gypsy Fish Journal for January Silver Sunday!!!

PammyJ