Casting a Lovely Light

These large lavishly decorated porcelain pieces are from China and are known as wedding lanterns. The  piercings or reticulations worked into the extravagant designs would let out a glowing light, On each edge of the hexagonal lanterns is a stylized bat. Bats were revered in China as symbol of good luck and happiness. In Chinese, the word for bat is "fu" and is pronounced the same as the word for good fortune. Bats, like the ones on these lovely lanterns, were often depicted in red, the color representing joy. Dangling from each bat's mouth is a representation of a red paper lantern, a symbol of joy and peace. Below the bat in red is a stylized symbol called "Shou," representing longevity.

Each lantern comes in two pieces, a candlestick base with the matching shade. The fact that these delicate pieces survived intact and together all these decades certainly suggests that they are indeed imbued with good fortune!

Every inch of the surface of each lantern is covered with elaborate enamel designs. On each side is a round medallion, either portraying a bird perched near a lushly blooming peony. . . 

. . . or a young boy at play.

Peonies represent wealth and prosperity. The bird is a magpie, is a symbol of happiness. 

In traditional Chinese culture, having sons to carry on the family name was vital. Depictions of young boys at play were signs of good fortune. No doubt these lanterns were intended to bless the happy couple with many sons.

 All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

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Trailblazing Buster Brown

I’m Buster Brown, and I live in a shoe. That’s my dog, Tige, and he lives there, too. 

Jingle for Buster Brown shoes

Apparently sometimes Buster Brown left his shoe to camp out in this terrific Trailblazer Teepee. Buster Brown was a cartoon character created by Richard F. Outcault in 1902. The mischievous only son of wealthy parents, Buster and his dog Tige were always getting into adventures, and trouble, usually ending with Buster being spanked by his mother. The last panel of each comic strip was of Buster painting a poster with a sarcastic resolution. The comic was extremely popular. Buster's outfit, a belted drop-waist tunic adorned with an oversized floppy bow, worn over short pants, was dubbed the Buster Brown suit and became a popular fashion for young boys of the period. Outcault cashed in on Buster's popularity, setting up an exhibit at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, selling licensing rights to some 200 companies. The best known of these licensees was Buster Brown shoes. The Brown Shoe Company also had an exhibit at the fair and decided that linking the popular Buster to their children's shoes would be lucrative. The company acquired the rights to the names and images not only of Buster Brown and Tige, but also Buster's comic strip girlfriend, Mary Jane. Although Outcault ended the strip in 1923, the popularity of Buster Brown lived on, in part due to his link with Buster Brown shoes. Brown Shoes hired actors, always accompanied by a dog, to portray Buster Brown at shoe stores, department stores, and theaters. The company issued comic books with Buster Brown's adventures, which were given away as premiums at their stores. A Buster Brown radio show premiered in 1943 and moved to television in 1950. Over the years, the company modified and updated the images of Buster and Tige, although Buster always retained his blond pageboy haircut, bowtie, and broad-brimmed hat.

The tent comes complete with instructions for erecting the "Qwik Wam" and was manufactured by  Hettrick Manufacturing Company. Founded in Toledo, Ohio in the 1890s, Hettrick began as a manufacturer of canvas products, such as awnings and wagon covers. Over the decades, it expanded its line to include a variety of tents and camping equipment, outdoor furniture, and even hunting garb. Hettrich also produced tents featuring Roy Rogers and Trigger in the 1950s. The company was sold in 1962.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!