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The Curiosity Cabinet

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The Curiosity Cabinet
Swap Coordinator:breccamerie (contact)
Swap categories: Nature  Miscellaneous  Boxes 
Number of people in swap:3
Location:International
Type:Type 1: Electronic
Last day to signup/drop:September 30, 2010
Date items must be sent by:November 30, 2010
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

It's been requested so here it is:

Produce a curio cabinet. This can be manufactured from a set of 32 count matchboxes, a box, or other item. Cabinet must be no smaller than 6 x 4 inches. The style of cabinet is up to you. Drawers or shelves ect. Make it nice. Add at least 5 items of oddities. 4.9, international so please be aware of weight and international import laws. We have international swappers in here and I would love to see what comes from over seas. I will have several months on this swap to create your cabinet and find odd and wonderful items. Skip the following if you understand the concept:

Defining Wonder Cabinet and those items associated with this swap: If you are not that familiar with Wonder Cabinets do a search. Helpful topics include Kunstkammer, Wunderkammer, Albertus Seba, Ernst Haeckel. You have to realize that the Wonder Cabinet was a hodge podge of not just oddities from the natural world, but also archaeological items (or antique and outdated items), equally fascinating man made items, and things from fabulous creatures which more than not were factitious and some times created such as unicorn horn (from a norwhal) or the Fiji Mermaid. The basis of the natural museum stems from such odd and private collections which can be traced back to the 16th century and their revival during the Victorian period. Wonder Cabinets are NOT a mix of found items, junk, or modern items. If you include such things in your box you probably have missed the point. It's not hard to find unusual items. A small fossil, unusual pebble or stone, little crystal, seed pod, feather, maybe a small nature picture or plate from an antique book, leaf, little skeleton key, ancient coin, and the list goes on. Some folks enjoy adding more modern antiques to their nature displays and curiosity cabinets. I enjoy adding things like old scales and bottles, skeleton keys, odd turn of the century boxes, tiny pieces of art and sculpture to my collection. It's a display of the natural world which includes humanity and often such anthropological items found their way into displays. I have had problems in the past conveying the difference between modern human items and those associated with the movement. All I can do is give examples such as maybe a glass or mother of pearl antique button might be ok, but a retro plastic one would not. A skeleton key might be ok, but a modern key would not. A piece of vintage hand made lace might be ok, but a modern machined piece would not. Turn of the century mailing stamp might be ok, but a modern one would not. Pictures or renderings of the natural and archaeological/ anthropological world are ok however so maybe a modern stamp of the Pyramid would be ok. If in doubt about this, simply don't include in your choice of items or don't add antiques and 'human oddities' to your work.

Photo borrowed from Adeltha's Odd and Curios Wares Etsy Store who I really love:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/24422887/curiosity-cabinet-a-complete-and-full

Discussion

Masterbard 11/19/2010 #

Why is this listed as a type 1 Electronic Swap?

And WHY did I miss seeing it before? I HAVE a Cabinet of Curiosities and have done these type of swaps before, so I really wish I had the time to join and participate. Please keep me in mind if you host this again...or if you have time for a private C of C swap over the holidays!

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