289. FLAPPER COUPLE CAKETOPPER

Now here's a cake topper couple in a non-traditional pose. Instead of the stiff, formal figure of a bride and groom standing in rigid attention, these newlyweds are in a dancing mode, the bride in a winsome flapper dress that harkens back to the '30s.  Made of celluloid, this 3.5 inch bridal topper may have been produced in Japan. Cake toppers have been known since the turn of the 20th century. The first toppers were actual mini-dolls dressed to look like the bride and groom. Since then, they have been made of porcelain, bisque, plaster, plastic and fabric. The 50s were the heyday of cake toppers, and there is a growing horde of topper hoarders who collect these as wedding collectibles, mementos of a happy milestone in peoples' lives. To them, we say Best Wishes!!

288. BUDDHA INCENSE HOLDER

Now here's a small Buddha incense holder made from delicate porcelain. It is another one of those Made in Japan pieces and probably dates back to the 50s. Incense sticks were stuck behind the figure and the ashes were collected in the opening at the back--now that's neat!

Religious figures often inspire artisans to come up with objects for domestic use. I have seen the Blessed Virgin converted into a bottle, a Jesus planter, and a Saint Joseph night lamp. I guess this incense holder is more appropriate to Buddha. In any case, I like the nostalgia this piece evoked, and the bright, vivid colors add to the appeal. It sits on my desk now, not as an incense holder but as a receptacle for my paper clips, a reminder to keep calm and work, work, work!!

287. A DACHSHUND NAMED VICTOR

I don't even know why I got this stuffed pooch. Handmade from corduroy, it's supposed to represent a dachshund--but a red dachshund? Well, I guess there lies its odd charm. This must have been made for a little boy to play with, a canine-loving kid named Victor. The name of the owner is spelled out on top of the dog's head using cut-out felt letters. Alas, the letter "R"is missing!

The dog has button eyes, floppy corduroy ears and kapok stuffing--which makes this probably a relic from the 50s. It's pretty well-preserved, which means that it must have been treasured by Victor, who lived up to the saying that indeed, a man's best friend is his dachshund.

286. BISQUE KIDS

Found this trio of bisque figures of kids--two girls in winter outfits and a little softballer. The heads are movable.. I'm almost sure they were made in Japan for the export market--I see these a lot in glass cabinets of many ancestral homes. No more than 3 inches tall, these adorable figurines sit perfectly on a wooden shadow box...not too precious, but still as decorative as they were made over 80 years ago!

285. Shadow Boxing: BAMBINO JESUS

Shadow box crafts seemed to be a popular hobby among Filipinos in the 20s and 30s as I have seen countless examples of all sorts---from boxing family portraits embellished with mother-of-pearl flowers, embroidered art, to religious tole art such as this 3-dimensional Bambino Jesus, pasted on a heavy board, then dressed in real cloth and accessorised with handcrafted symbols of his Passion as well as silk flowers. The shadow box dates from 1929--the back was lined with old newspapers dated from that era.

It's been said that these kinds of crafts were introduced by religious educators, evolved from some kind of monastic art that nuns dabbled with in the 19th century. Favorite motifs includ dressing up prints of the sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, as well as the Holy Family. My Bambino box was purchased in Bulacan. The condition is fair to poor--the flowers are disintegrating, the lithographed cut-out of Jesus is starting to curl. Hopefully, I can have this restored soon! This kind of art is slowly vanishing, but it's never too late to try your hand at this--all you need are deft hands, some artistic skill and lots of imagination!

284. SANTA CLAUS GLASS CANDY CONTAINER

We've had this Santa glass container for the longest time, stored in an old book cabinet in our home since the 50s. It is a figural glass figure of Santa Claus, with a bag of toys on his back. I couldn't quite figure out what it was, as it had rims on the bottom, so I presumed it's a container of some sorts, but why should the lid be on the  bottom? When I moved house, I took Santa with me to my new home and has been with me ever since. Years back, I finally saw a similar example at a Makati Cinema Square second-hand shop, but with Santa's features painted on. It turned out that my Santa a candy container, for doling out sweets to kids during the holidays. And I thought I was a collectible expert. Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas everyone!

283. For the Kid Chef: MINI-CLAY KITCHEN TOY UTENSILS

These three miniature clay kitchen utensils are all that's left of a large kitchen play set, made in the Philippines in the 1930s. The first to be  a "kendi", an almost-defunct Southeast Asian earthenware--at least in the Philippines--used as a drinking vessel and treasured by early Filipinos as a family heirloom. The next item looks like a clay version of a "tacho", those rund copper cooking pans with handles. The last is a very tiny "mangkok" or bowl. These simple Philippine toys of fired clay were sold in bazaars and tourist shops during the Commonwealth years, popular souvenirs from an American-controlled country finding its identity through its unique traditions in play and children's leisure.