In keeping with the tradition of the interwebs being the repository of all things pussy, here are another couple of shots of Tilly the Kitten. (Not so much kitten now, actually, as she’s approaching 7 months old.)
Quinquereme
An ancient Roman or Carthaginian galley with five banks of oars on each side.
Perhaps the most famous of the Hellenistic-era warships, because of its extensive use by the Carthaginians and Romans, the quinquereme was invented by Dionysius I of Syracuse in 399 BC as part of a major naval armament programme directed against the Carthaginians. During most of the 4th century, the “fives” were the heaviest type of warship, and often used as flagships of fleets.
Another in our occasional series of curious and/or amusing items from the catalogues of our local saleroom. As usual it is the strange things, and the strange combinations of things, which people sell that I find so compelling.
A carton containing various Ward Locke & Co. county guides, a quantity of memorial cards, old Valentine cards, early town pamphlets, cartes de visite, and a small quantity of matchbox covers, a Victorian scarp album, full, and a carton of interesting advertising items, incl. old cigarette boxes, a quantity of Green Line coach routes, etc.
Three Victorian brass oil lamps, one Corinthian column with etched glass bowl, another cranberry glass.
Two metal figured lamps of cherubs riding goats, on marble bases, a pair of brass and marble lamps, a Roamer brass and glass bull’s-eye clock and compass, pair of large clown figures playing instruments and a GSD football-shaped alarm clock.
Two cased decanters, a brass blowtorch, brass miner’s lamp, Hennessy (sic> cognac decanter, silver plated topped glass perfume bottle, cased carpet bowls set, quantity of tea wares including plates, cress dish on stand, oriental part tea service, commemorative mugs, decorative plate on stand, Royal Worcester coffee cup on saucer, Delft flask and stopper, French wine decanter, and a cognac football decanter and stopper, cow creamer, etc.
It was the blowtorch and miner’s lamp that did it for me!
A gentleman’s cased travelling set, quantity of old wooden rules, quantity compasses, some cased, cased Rolls Razor, Wilkinson Sword cased razor, cased folding opera glasses, Schotts boxed descant recorder, oak barrel, quantity ashtrays, china thimbles, oak boxes and other interesting items.
I always worry when I see things like “and other interesting items”.
A quantity of Masonic regalia.
Two stained glass windows.
Two hunting whips, one with silver mount.
That could perhaps have been expressed a little better!
A vintage Salvation Army bonnet in case, a writing slope, and an oak cutlery box.
Approximately 350 porcelain mugs to commemorate the marriage of Prince William and Katherine Middleton.
And if that isn’t enough the next lot is …
Approximately 600 porcelain mugs commemorating the marriage of Prince William and Katherine Middleton.
A mixed lot containing buttons, button hooks, cotton and other sewing paraphernalia, also cameras, binoculars, glassware, figurines, wine, photograph frames, soldier’s WWII tin helmet, blue and white china, etc.
You mean there is an “etc.” after that collection?
Stainless steel door handles, a pair of binoculars and an old hot water bottle an a framed montage of dried fungi.
A collection of old tins and tools.
A metal fire surround and two slabs of green marble.
A mixed lot of tools, old rope, kitchen equipment, two old Telecom telephones, children’s books, machinery magazines, etc.
Now who the hell would want to buy “old rope”?
Next something for the transvestites out there …
Two gent’s black evening suits and a 1960s sequinned lace dress.
A very heavy cast brass standard lamp styled as a Corinthian column wrapped with vine, on scrolling (sic) feet.
And the pièce de résistance is …
An unusual lot including a stuffed iguana, treen – both Oriental and South American, china ware, an old record player, an old radio and a picnic basket, sheepskin rugs, etc.
Every home really should have a stuffed iguana!
Yet another collection of interesting and/or curios items you may have missed, starting as usual with the more scientific stuff.
I’m trained as a chemist, so chemicals have meanings for me. But most people hate the word “chemical”. Why? Everything is “chemical”!
And here’s some news about real chemicals, as dispersed in the Fukushima disaster. First there’s a scientific piece showing the truth about the ocean radiation from Fukushima – nothing like what most are saying with false images. Secondly a forthright and slightly worrying piece about the challenges of sorting out the stricken Fukushima reactors — yes it’s a daunting task, but one that should be perfectly achievable. But in all this let’s remember that (a) this was an accident born not of poor planning rather than technological failure in which no-one was killed by radiation and (b) there real disaster is the humanitarian one of people killed and displaced by the tsunami itself and those who are worrying themselves sick about a relatively tiny radiation risk. Which is not to say it isn’t a pretty mess!
After which shit in space seems quite tame!
This week’s photograph is one I took just over three years ago, on a November early evening. We were driving south down the A11, across Thetford Chase and looking almost directly into the sunset. As I wasn’t driving I had my camera at the ready, especially as I know this little group of trees often stands out and I always seem to take shots of them. As luck would have it I managed to get this shot as we drove past — quite tricky; it’s really a question of putting the camera on “burst” and keeping your finger down while driving on by. I’m not sure if this shot will even be possible now as this is the last single carriageway stretch of the A11 between London and Norwich and is currently in the process of being upgraded — the new road line may not work as well photographically.
