White Elephant Gifts, 2008: Part 1
We had our family’s annual white elephant gift party this last week and the treasures bestowed this year were absolutely (and sometimes literally) breathtaking. I dare say it was even better than last year. But don’t take my word for it. Over the next few days, I’ll post pictures of some of the unique gems that were (sometimes literally) unearthed this year.
“It’s a Cat and Mouse Game” Découpage Clock
When the night was over, I walked away with this beauty. Yes, I know! I can hardly believe it myself! It’s a wall-mounted découpage clock that uses chess as a metaphor for the natural enmity that exists between cats and mice. (Think Tom and Jerry as Kasparov and Karpov.)
Aficionados of the art of découpage (a name derived from the French “découper,” or “cut out”) will recognize the signs of quality workmanship right away. For instance, rather than being constructed of a single piece of wood, the base is made of “plywood” which consists of a number of thin layers of wood called “veneers.” (“Veneers” were also used on 18th-century neoclassical mahogany furniture and Hilary Duff’s teeth.)
It’s sure to keep very accurate time since its “genuine quartz” movement uses the same technology that is found in many of the clocks that hang on the walls of some of the offices that reside in the basement of the Smithsonian Institution. And the clock mechanism itself is actually mounted behind the wood, so only the hands of the clock are visible. Brilliant!
In a classic example of design restraint, the clock face only has digits in the 12, 3, 6, and 9 positions. The other numbers (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11) are merely implied by the lines radiating out from the center. And I don’t know about you, but nothing screams “small mammals playing board games” like Engravers Old English MT.
And you probably noticed this right away, but this exquisite example of American craftsmanship also features an anomaly that is sure to increase its value in the future. Much like the famous “Inverted Jenny,” the image of the cat and mouse has been reversed. Chess boards traditionally start with a black square on the left.
I still need to have it appraised for insurance purposes, but once that’s taken care of, the “It’s a Cat and Mouse Game” Découpage Clock will enjoy pride of place on the wall of Emma’s and Zoe’s bedroom. At least, it will if I can somehow get rid of the persistent musty odor of damp plywood that emanates from the piece even though the wood is bone dry.
Eyeless Plastic Figurine in Geographically Indeterminate Native Dress
Yes, this precious figurine of a young boy from Bulgaria, Greece, Iran, Italy, and/or the United Arab Emirates is in need of repair, but that’s no reason not to place it on your mantle…where it will wait, silent and still, until the first moonless night when it will climb down from its decorative perch and go room to room, visiting each sleeping inhabitant and scooping out each of their eyeballs with its tiny, cold, plastic hand.
