Luis found there more of these rarities that I have never seen in flea markets (I think I have more

This blog is to serve to exchange eggshell foam views on pottery, antiques and bric. I do not know if anyone will see, but it certainly will serve me to fix ideas about buying eggshell foam pieces that will or that I like.
Recently, I made a little more crazy and bought a Madonna in sea foam. It is literally a little crazy because it measures only 11.5 x 9.5 cm, incidentally my house is so cochichosa and is so overwhelmed that I can put there only parts with these dimensions.
Charmed me with the detailed work of Our Lady with flowers in cloth surrounding it and the oval frame very nineteenth century and there could pluck it at the hands of the seller for a good price, after some haggling. eggshell foam It was also freezing cold and marketer wanted go away as quickly as possible and with some money in his pockets. There is nothing like the very cold or drizzle to buy bargains in flea markets days. By contrast, on sunny days when the turistada invades the fairs are the worst. eggshell foam Any old tareco is presented as very old, Pombal, or Miragaia India Company brand and worth a lot of money. But back to me Our Lady, she will make a Santa Ana company Mistress, I already have at home, made of the same material, sea foam.
The sea foam is the common name given to a mineral called magnesium Hidrogenosilicato, which is common in Turkey. It is a very lightweight and light-colored material, which often appears to float in the waters of the Black Sea and therefore became known as the foam of the sea, that the English and Germans designate by meerschaum and écume French mer. As it is a very soft mineral lends itself to carving very delicate and the most famous plays in sea foam are undoubtedly the pipes, eggshell foam but not only.
In France, in the second half of the nineteenth century, developed a small industry devoted to objects made of meerschaum, usually framed in these black oval frames and sold pilgrimage centers like Lourdes. eggshell foam I did a few internet searches on these devout images in sea foam and interestingly in France you do not care much. In the French antiquarians ask on average 50 euros for them, and I imagine that it will sell at fairs cheaper. By contrast, in the United States are very expensive if they sell it one hundred and fifty and two hundred dollars. I think that the French eggshell foam have such good antiques that will not care much these devout sculptures in the foam in the sea.
I personally eggshell foam charming me with these oval frames and their very pious nineteenth-century eggshell foam images that should have adorned many Portuguese houses in the past. Perhaps the richest ladies brought from France when they went to visit the places where poor Bernadette Soubirous saw the Virgin or perhaps eggshell foam were imported by houses of religious articles in Braga, Oporto or Lisbon.
Hello, Luis As always, more a little wonder in your collection This Our Lady of sea foam and very beautiful Indeed as all its ancient Luis has very good taste and eye for antiques :) Cheers As always another to Manel Reply eliminate
Hello Luis, How Art Sacred makes me wonder in any of its expressions, sculpture, woodcarving, painting, printmaking, etc. ... I am always curious about the news, I have never seen a job on this material and I'm very interested eggshell foam in looking for sculpture materials and techniques. A hug, good week! Delete Reply
Luis found there more of these rarities that I have never seen in flea markets (I think I have more vision formatted for other things ... :)) you know that I found at the Trocadero one-piece with figure very similar to this and also show the back, that Luis can compare with her. Was: http://www.trocadero.com/cgi-bin/search1.cgi by searching for "meerschaum" And just look at the price! Kisses Delete Reply
As always, these pieces exert a great fascination, perhaps his frailty and the whiteness of the material, which, I noticed, stands of black / blue with that usual surround. And because the material is very fragile and easy to work, allows a difficult detail to find except in ivory, also with whitish shades. The surfaces of this material is that it does not acquire the patina ivory own after many years become yellowish-brown, sometimes with reddish tinge, which put me in awe. Neither the brightness of this material is as deep as ivory, when it is working with virtuosity. But each material its features! That is what differentiates them and gives them their individual beauty. The piece you present is indeed very beautiful and the name of the material will beautifully poetic part. Manel Delete Reply
Dear José Oliveira Indeed these images of devotion in sea foam does not appear much in flea markets