[Tidbits] Lion Meissen

Yeah yeah. I know. I’m always going to write about jewelry. And only
jewelry. And nothing but jewelry. Blah blah blah. Yadda yadda yadda.
Okay. Before you judge. by a show of hands… who amongst you has
never told a lie? Hmmm? Oh wow. That many. Who woulda thunk it?

So here’s the thing of it. My life’s dream is to go to Africa on a
safari. I have a passion for wildlife. and the cats in particular.
Oh give me a home. where the leopards all roam. and the lions and
serval cats too… Look in a book of animal jewelry. and there will
always be a cat presence. Look into the African book on “Jewelry
Justification When It Ain’t That”… written some time ago by one
Abenji Markwanjuma (A Benji Mark for short)… and you will find some
enlightening bits that state authoritatively and without hesitation
Mr. Markwanjuma’s thesis on how it’s often jewelry. even if you think
it ain’t. It is to this tome to which I refer when justifying my
choice of today’s topic which–while I state is not jewelry–actually
maybe is.

And now for the segue-du-jour. The House of Meissen. You’ve heard of
them. Yes? No? Porcelain aficionados. They originally made teapots
decorated with Chinese scenes. He kept his methodologies a tight
secret. Ultimately Meissen began decorating Glashutte watches. And
then a man called Kaendler became one of Messen’s most famous
sculptors. producing a menagerie of large scale animals. Ah Benjamin.
We smell a cat. What? You thought I was going to talk porcelain all
night long?

So. Eventually Meissen branched out into jewelry. Beautiful stuff
… some of it. Some of it does not touch me. But there’s a porcelain
lion that gets me to the very quick. It’s a Meissen lion made of
hard paste porcelain circa 1732. But here’s the thing of it. It has
the body of a lion. And it has the face of a lion. But it has the
expression of a human. It probably can read and speak and spout
Plato along with the best of them.

I’ve seen much animal jewelry and many lions. But none like this guy.
I am not able to tear myself away. Take a look. Tell me if you see
what I see. I’m toying with the idea of taking out my chess set and
challenging him to a game. Problem is. I think he’ll mate me in three
moves.

Okay. It’s that time. Go. You know where. Home page.
http://www.tyler-adam.com. Scroll down. Left side. Tidbits. Click.

And there ya have it. That’s it for this week folks. Catch you all
next week. Benjamin Mark

I like that the Lion appears to be wearing a Mullet. You know
"Business in the front and party in the back".

-Jo Haemer

Benjamin,

It is a captivating piece, as is your writing. Where does this
creature, who so clearly shares his thoughts, reside?

Please keep sharing. Best, MA