OneGuyFromBarlick

Will someone put that picture straight at the back
Are we looking at the hip flask type of thing????

I like my pictures crooked! Shows I am not obsessive about these things. Yes that is a miniature hip flask but it's the Gizmo with the tassells you should be concentrating on....

The Gizmo with tassells looks like its been made entirely from sea shells and other marine cast off's. As such it could be described as a "light house". if you sea my point.

Not sea shells. I suspect at least one member knows but is keeping quiet. I'll give it another day.....

My wife thinks this is a bajiao, which actually translates as 8 corners. These ornaments are made by the rural Zhuang people in Guangxi, Southern China, where we live. If it is authentic it should have a wonderful fragrance as Bajiao is the Chinese name for the spice star anise which usually has 8 pods. It is used dried in Chinese cooking mainly for the aroma and is one component of the 5-spices preparation.

Many rural communities make ornaments from agricultural products, for instance, corn dollies and reed ornaments.

Of course, she could be wrong!

I looked up Guangxi and found this Guangxi China
Produces 85% of the Star Anise - which is an ingredient in Tamiflu. File that away for the quiz.
AS usual with modern China quite amazing. It was said that the 19th C was British, the 20th c was American, and the 21st will be Chinese. Nothing in that link to suggest otherwise.

I told you someone would know.... China's lady is right but I've never noticed any scent from it. This was given to me by a friend who is Hmong and she told me that it was regarded by her people as a protective symbol. Seems to be working so far! Thanks Bee!
Now I have to rack my brains again.....



Who is this?

Looks like one of the seagulls from the movie Finding Nemo, the gulls that cried "mine,mine,mine."

The snow goose?

Eider one of us knows or you are going to have to tell us.
Is it from a shop selling feather pillows?

It has a very anxious look...

Johnathon Livingstone Seagull...

You're showing your age Maz but yes.... Notice that he has an old magnetised compass needle on his back to ensure he is always flying South.....

What is Johnathon Livingstone Seagull besides a seagull??? Never heard of it.

That's not a seagull!

All right, it's a snow goose......
Will someone think of another object!

Changed my mind....it's a seagull.

You're laughing at me Wendy......I suppose I'll have to rack my old brain again....

One for the ladies?

You pull the lever on the left, the flap on top opens, you throw in your waste to be incinerated, the flap closes, a ticking sound - a kind of timer - starts, and 1000W worth of electric power are converted into heat inside, thereby turning your waste to ashes.

So...( clearing my throat), IS it a 'ladies loo thing?
And what were you doing in there photographing it?
( I remember such things from my youth...disgusting...glad things have progressed)

You're all quite right. Maz, I had the job of cleaning and maintaining the incinerator which was the most modern addition to the archaic women's toilets at Bancroft Shed. Life as a mill engineer wasn't all polished steel and brass!



More a forgotten corner than a mystery but have a close look at this pic and tell me what strikes you.

Beautiful stone sill and lintel and the dressed stone on the sides of the window.

Was the Automatic Barrywald Incinerator fitted inside?

Yup, it's the outside view of the Ladies toilet at Bancroft. What I'm looking for are observations about what you can see......