Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether summer clothe the general earth
With greeness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.



Friday, June 01, 2007

Show and Tell Friday


This is my little Staffordshire cockerel ( Staffordshire as in the pottery not a type of poultry). He dates from around 1900 and I fell in love with him in an antique shop in Bakewell in 1999. He was rather (OK very!) expensive but I've never regretted buying him. The photo has faded his colour, he's a deeper shade of yellow than he appears to be.


He sits on top of the dresser in the dining room just in front of this photograph of L's great-grandmother Eliza Harrison, his colour blends beautifully with the wood frame and sepia photograph. I had to take them down to photograph because of the light.

23 comments:

Clare and Mike said...

Lovely composition! Your cockerel is charming and the framed photo is brilliant!

Mary said...

I love your little Staffordshire cockerel, a collector's item I'm certain. Ms. Eliza looked to be a typical British lady of her era - hope you are privy to her history.

Rowan, French Country Decorating I mentioned in the post on beds, is more of a soft cover book than a mag. Pub. over here by Meredith Specials - Spring/Summer 2007 issue - and with only only three ads on the cover (2 are Pierre Deux). Don't know if it will be available in the UK but there is an e-mail address for queries - www.countryfrench@meredith.com
It has some beautiful French style homes - some in France others here - excellent photography.

Have a wonderful weekend - we are desperate for cooler weather (90+ degrees for 8 straight days) and some rain - the drought is getting severe.

Kim said...

Neat, Neat, Neat!!!

Anonymous said...

What a fun find. My husband, daughter and I were in Bakewell in 2004 after visiting Chatsworth house. We l-o-v-e Great Britain. Blessings!

Myrna said...

Wonderful.I like the color--or colour! Thank you so much for sharing you treasure.

LBP said...

I love your rooster! I don't know how much you paid but if it brings you joy, it's worth it!

Linda

Trudi said...

Very nice.

Kelli said...

So sweet! He looks wonderful next to the picture of L's great-grandmother!
Kelli

Lyndy said...

How lovely. I love roosters.

Have a blessed weekend.

Lyndy

Sheila said...

I imagined your rooster much larger until I saw him next to the photo. The photo is wonderful, what a great outfit L's great grandmother is wearing..

PAT said...

Rowan...I thought your rooster was larger, too! He's beautiful! That's a wonderful photo, I love her name!

I like the dresser scarf, very pretty.

Pat
Back Porch Musings

Rowan said...

Sheila and Pat,
My little cockerel is actually just over 31/2 inches high. Photographs can be very misleading sometimes as far as size and colour are concerned.

AC said...

What a lovely combination. My mum has a photo like that of my great gran.
Take care,

Alison x.

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

I love it! And the photo is great-you have lots of interesting things too!

Anonymous said...

Rowan,
You have such a talent to put beautiful things in evidence ! Thanks for showing !

Hugs & smiles,
NADINE

Shropshire Girl said...

Beautiful cockeral Rowan, I can see why you felt you had to have him.
Sandra.x.

Tea said...

Such a pretty cockeral and what an interesting picture of L`s great grandmother. Old pictures are always so interesting.

tea
xo

Marilyn in NM said...

Rowan, I love the cockerel. What a beautiful show & tell!

smilnsigh said...

What a lovely grouping they must make.

Mari-Nanci

Ragged Roses said...

I love that cockerel. He really has character. So has the beautiful photo!
Kim x

Anonymous said...

Very sweet cockerel - you had me thinking for a moment, that you'd invested in a *live* cockerel!

Beautiful photo, too. Why is it that old photographs seem to hold so many unsaid words?

kate said...

I love this - he looks most splendid sitting in front of the lovely sepia photo. Gorgeous!

rel said...

Rowan,
Neat little Rooster, ;-) Having raised chickens for a bit (Rhode Islend Reds) I suppose I should purchase a porcelain replica for my curio cabinet. I don't think I need to profer a lg. amount though.
The photo is delightful. It gives a nostalgic look back at the dress of the time as well as a reminder of a cherished loved one.
I too have on display a number of ancesteral photos placed throughout my "library".
rel