Inspired By . . . Vintage Doggies

Wandering down the aisles of an antiques and vintage venue, I have my laser focus on. I’m scanning the shelves, tabletops and random piles for “my” things. As I’ve touched on before — this is a pretty broad category. But one of my all time favorites, sure to spark joy, is a sweet little doggie statue. They might be tiny Wade pottery “whimsies” or crude bisque figures of unknown provenance whose paint has all but worn away. I’m looking for a figure that tells me a story, that when I look at it I can immediately picture a setting, maybe a title, the kinds of adventures and misadventures this particular little charmer might have once and could still get up to.

Not Staffordshire Spaniels . . . this little box is simply stamped “Made in Japan” on the bottom and I would guess dates to the 1930’s or mid 1940’s.

Dogs seem to be as popular in replica as they are as pets. Potteries have been producing dog figurines since the 18th century. Staffordshire Spaniel pairs, de rigueur on the Victorian mantelpiece, are one example of how highly collectible dog figurines can be; a matched pair in good condition from the early 19th century is going to be pricey. Not the kinds of doggies I’m looking for. A much more affordable but still sought after collectible are figurines made in occupied Japan. 

A Little History . . .

Japanese imports of ceramics (as opposed to fine china) began flooding the emerging mass market in the second half of the 19th century. In 1891 the McKinley Tariff Act required all imports to be marked in English spelling with the country of origin, in 1921 a new customs law required those marks to be in actual English. So items imported between 1891 and 1921 were  stamped “Nippon” (Japanese for Japan). After 1921 and up until exporting ceased due to WWII in 1941, items were simply marked “Japan” or “Made in Japan”.

When the Allies defeated the Axis in 1945, General Douglas MacArthur was entrusted with reviving the Japanese economy. MacArthur focused on ramping up industry and mass-market exports were key to this effort. But the US market was not very receptive to items made by their former enemies, so the word “occupied” was added to the stamp. The occupation period extended from 1945 until 1952. While some figurines stamped simply  “made in Japan” slipped through customs during this time, collectors are adamant about the “Occupied Japan” designation. It’s the stamp mark, not the figure itself that is collectible. But these collectibles tend to be very moderately priced, especially if they are under 8” tall — the most common size. In the picture below, the figure marked “Made in Occupied Japan” (actually a musician, another popular motif, not a dog) was $8.00 at an antique fair. Without the “Occupied” mark, it might have been $2 or $3.

Terriers were very popular breeds in the mid-twentieth century, both as pets and ceramic knick-knacks. This little decorative holder for — cards? a small plant? would probably have sold for under $1 at a five and dime.

Neither of these two figures has any kind of identifying mark, so it’s impossible to know when and where they were manufactured. The poodle (who is missing a paw) is made of a resin-like material. The puppy is ceramic, and given its scale, may have been marketed as a dollhouse miniature.

Low price points are very good news to me, since I’m gathering these little characters to play starring roles in mixed-media assemblage art, not as collectibles. I also pick up dog-themed ephemera (postcards, dye cuts) and embroidery to play supporting roles.  This wool little boy’s suit is a good example. You can see in the picture that moths have done some damage, so it was only a few dollars. But the puppy dog-embroidered felt pockets and matching collar, too cute! I’m not sure yet exactly how I will use the fabric and embroidery in an assemblage, but it fit my theme too perfectly to pass up.

This series has been on my mind for so long, I’m very eager but also a little nervous to get started. Will the completed projects even come close to realizing my lively and abundant ideas? I’ve chosen seven figurines — well, one is a mother and puppies, so technically 11, for this first series. Each one will be placed in a three-dimensional, box-type assemblage. I’m making this my focus project for March. But given how long it’s taking me to complete the Sanibel-themed projects I started in January . . . well, fingers crossed this group will be done by June. Look for an update at the end of March, and wish me great productivity!

Gifts from the Sea

Do you find it hard to walk across a beach and not look for shells? I do. They are so alluring with their soft colors and curving shapes — little bits of sculpture that the sea just tosses nonchalantly up on the shore.

Souvenir shell box from the late 19th or early 20th century that (I believe) belonged to my great grandmother.

Since before our girls were born we have spent many if not most of our vacations on Sanibel Island, FL.  Sanibel is famous for its amazing shells. The way shells collect on the beaches has something to do with how the island is positioned— like a boomerang, off the south west coast of Florida. While I’m not totally clear on the oceanography behind it, the gulf waters spit up shells by the bucketful on Sanibel’s beaches and shelling is a very popular activity. I’m kind of obsessed; I sometimes have to forcefully remind myself to look at the beautiful water, the sky . . . but it’s so meditative to gather shells.  Each little gem I pick up, from the teeny, tiny perfect Murex to the random rectangular fragment with edges worn as smooth as glass — tells me something about what it could be.

The pieces in the photo collage above are examples of Victorian and early 20th century shellwork. It’s interesting to me that my great grandmother had one of these souvenir boxes — very similar to the ebay listings shown in the bottom left corner of the collage. Where did this wife of a small-time farmer in southern Indiana get one of these? I can’t imagine she ever took a sea-side vacation; maybe someone brought it to her.

Shells make intriguing frames for photos, prints and mirrors, particularly if the pictures are nautical-themed. The antique example here (bottom) features a print of a ship. I made a piece with a similar look (top) for a sea-themed mantel arrangement. I cut a picture from an old art book and adhered it to canvas board, then glued the shells directly on the print. I used a dark glaze to give the piece an aged look.

It seems we have always felt drawn to shells, given that shells have been used to decorate people, objects and spaces since ancient times. Increasing openness to scientific curiosity led to shell collecting becoming popular among the aristocracy in the 16th century; by the 17th and 18th century the swirling lines and curves of the popular Rococo style made shells one of the most common decorative motifs.  Everything from tables and chandeliers to the walls of elaborate grottos and follies got the shell treatment. The sailors manning ships on the trade routes of the early 19th century bought shell-encrusted boxes and pictures in the Caribbean and took them home as gifts to their sweethearts. These souvenirs, often heart-shaped or featuring heart-shaped designs, came to be known as Sailor’s Valentines. By the second half of the 19th century, better transportation created more opportunities for the average person to travel, and a very large market for souvenir sellers. In the late Victorian era shellwork boxes, frames and “valentines” were made in large numbers — both for the souvenir trade and by ladies who found that covering small boxes, bottles, and such with artistic arrangements of shells made a satisfying pastime.

If you’d like to see more examples of shell art, decorating and craft ideas, check out my Shellwork Pinterest board. For lots of information and inspiration, Shell Chic by Marlene Hurley Marshall is a gorgeous coffee-table book covering both history of the craft and how to’s for simple to complex projects.

There are artists today making traditional Sailor’s Valentines, which typically consists of a very precise, detailed design within a hinged wooden box. They are particularly popular in New England, where artists often use nautical-themed scrimshaw on ivory as the focal point of their design. Many of these artists exhibit and compete at the annual Sanibel Shell Show. 

So I’m in good company in my shell obsession. I think about this when I find I’ve spent an hour or more on the beach with my eyes cast down searching for an irresistible glimmer in the sand. But here in Raleigh, I need to get going on actually producing some of the many projects I dreamed up on the beach. I feel like I owe it to the shells.

I was so pleased to get my latest copy of Somerset Studio magazine and see that they included my submission for their “artwork incorporating stitching” theme in the Spring issue.