Thursday, February 2, 2017

Kassandra's Victorian hobbies

One of the things that I admire most about Kassandra is that her mind is always open to learn or explore new things.  Or sometimes, to rekindle some old interest of her and give it an space in her life again.

One of the things that has called my attention is that the console she keeps in the parlor is constantly changing in decorations.  What started simply as a piece of forniture to decorate, now is a cabinet of curiosities - or, as she calls it, a table of curiosities:


I asked her what a cabinet of curiosities was, and she explained that they were collection of objects that did not have their categorical boundaries defined when they were found.  Now we would place them in natural history, geology, archeology, relics, antiquities... The people who could afford to buy them and store them, made them into collections that were the precursors of modern museums.  They would put them into cabinets to show their friends, and they were a kind of stentation and status symbol.

She has been acquiring some objects that she displays proudly in her table:



The two domes with taxonomy items, as well as the bats and butterflies posters, the bat in the shadow box and the paperweights come from Easy Print and Cut; Kassandra says the lady that makes them, Ana, is very talented and oh so lovely.  The paperweights feature flowers and an Ammonites fossil.


The shadow box with the strange skeletons comes from Ever After Miniatures.  The dollhouse she made herself with a kit from Miniaturas M y E, and the tiny furniture is from SDK Miniatures.


The two shadow boxes with strange animals' fossils also come from Ever After Miniatures; and remember the papyrus collection she got and the Anubis statue?  She says she is wating for an Egyptian mural to be delivered to her; I can't wait to see it.

She also confided in me that she has recently acquired an stereoscope and it is due to arrive soon. Where  does she find all these things I do not know...

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