Orgue de Barbarie

I'll stick to French for this one. In my opinion it sounds much better than street organ or crank organ.
And, by the way, this one belongs to French gypsies on their way to the Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer.
In the same spirit than the gypsy vardo... but with different colours.

Much of the design is inspired by a French manufacturer "Le Ludion" who makes a variety of organs and of decorations. It's a street organ working with punch card books. There are other manufacturers like the ancient Limonaire.

I bought the monkey a long time ago, he is from Annie Willis- UK  and  was in my voodoo boat. Now that the boat is dry-docked, he has moved in the gypsy vardo.

 

 

The beginnings...part 1

The beginnings...part 2

 

Blue painting

 

 

 

Final results

 

Minerals, shells and fossils

I had a lot of shells, crystals and minerals in my drawers. I began to collect them a year ago, with my Curiosities Cabinet in mind.
Last week I bought two very nice fossils from https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Lilliputstreasures. They are very finely painted and such a finding for my cabinet.
It was time to organise a new display and to add the few pieces I collected for the room during the summer.

In addition to the fossils - dinosaurs - I set in the layout a turtle shell, an amethyst geode, trays full of shells, antique bones and minerals : a tiny piece of meteorite, dravite, tourmaline and kunzite. There is more to come, I'm waiting for some crystals shaped in pyramids.

 

 

I found an old furniture kit in my shelves, it's a Shenandoah Designs  Tiered Server that I completely forgot. It would be perfect for more minerals display.

 

With some effects for the fun.

 

 

The final results. In front a round bottle full of golden flakes and an old camera, gift from my daughter.