From Italy

In Milan, looking for a gift for a friend who has a small apartment, I find a store on an appropriately tiny street.

It sells doll house accessories.

There are minute bowls of eggs, plates of pasta, and an a selection of meats and cheeses.

I ask the woman if I can see the provolone, and she says “Smoked or regular?”.

Smoked provolone 5/8 inch tall.

Salami 11/16 inch long plus the separate slices.

From Montana

A porcelain pretzel flask.

Germany circa 1900.

For sneaky drinkers.

The second of two that I found in Montana.

The first one was in a junk store in Butte, but the store was closed.

This one a year later in a similar store in Bozeman, which was open.

5  1/2  x  3  1/2  x  3/4 inches thick.

From Palermo, Sicily

Found in a museum in Palermo.

I took a picture – although it was not allowed.

From the late 1600’s, a wax diorama of a plague victim being lowered into a mass grave.

After some research, I believe that it is by Gaetano Zumbo.

From the blog Morbid Anatomy:

Although his artistic career was extremely short lived, Gaetano Zumbo was arguably one of the finest wax modellers active in the second half of the 17th century.

He died in Paris in 1701.

Zumbo’s work demonstrates a rigorous and scientific observation of the various stages of decomposition of the human body, and essentially, the inevitable decay of human beauty and power.

The Marquis de Sade’s first impressions upon seeing Zumbo’s work are as follows:

‘So powerful is the impression produced by this masterpiece that even as you gaze at it your other senses are played upon, moans audible, you wrinkle your nose as if you could detect the evil odors of mortality…

These scenes of the plague appealed to my cruel imagination: and I mused, how many persons had undergone these awful metamorphoses thanks to my wickedness?’

Nice.

From Ortigia, Sicily

Pistachio marzipan.

One Euro.

Live it up, before it’s too late…

From Osaka, Japan

Come Good Wrinkle Chapeau Fit

Come Good Come Good Come Good

Smart Sex Come Good Smart Sex Come Good

Be sure and note the drawings.

Found in Osaka……..fifteen years ago.

Designed by an American.

Bob Zoell – who got a credit on the front of the box.

Fat chance that an American manufacturer would produce a design like this, even today.

From Albuquerque, New Mexico

Before it was mandatory to have little flowers on the box.

Big improvement on the contents though…….

www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/kotex-classic

From Milan, Italy

Ergonomics is not everything.