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OCTOBER 2018 • Volume 32 No. 2 www.antiqueshoppefl.com TAKE ONE

Thoroughly Domesticated: Collectible Animal Figurines

By Donald-Brian Johnson

“I went to the animal fair. . . Prior to 1940, most inexpensive giftware came from overseas. Then, with
The birds and the beasts were there. . .” the dawn of the war, import gates clanged shut. If America wanted home décor
items, America would have to produce them all on its own. Fortunately, the
country was up to the challenge.
Lions. And tigers. And bears. (Oh my!) Plus graceful giraffes. Pert With so many vital tasks facing the nation, non-essentials were quickly
skunks. Elegant zebras and hovering hummingbirds. Paisley pigs, and jettisoned. That’s why you’ll not find “giftware production” on any list of
halo-wearing “holy cows”. wartime priorities. You will, however, find “morale-boosters” front and
Visiting day on Noah’s Ark? Nope. Just a zooful of ceramic animal center.
figurines. Lots of birds. Lots of beasts. Lots and lots and lots of them. In the home, even the simplest decorative update served as a breath of fresh
During World War II and the decades following, a fun air, easing tension-filled times. Giftware may not have been a wartime essential...
filled menagerie of ceramic animals beckoned pet lovers but it certainly was an essential day-brightener.
from every gift shop window. For just a moment or two, Most production of ceramic giftware during the 1940s and ‘50s centered on
care-filled days became carefree. Because there, the West Coast. (A notable
cavorting unconcernedly on a knickknack shelf, was a ←Elzac horse, with Lucite exception was Madison’s
winsome ceramic kitten. . .a playful ceramic pup. . .or, mane and tail. 6” h., Ceramic Arts Studio.) A rash
better yet, a ceramic kitten and a ceramic pup! They $125-150. of home-based ceramic firms
may not have been as cuddly as the real thing, but sprang up, their proliferation
with no food bowls to fill, no daily walks to take, and no a result of miniscule budgets,
litter boxes to empty, they were definitely lower maintenance. and the use of materials
not rationed by wartime
Drop by The Feed Store Antique Mall for an Adventure Into Ol’ Florida restrictions: clay and paint.
We are a 50 booth mall located in an 8,000 sq. ft. feed store built in the 1940’s. The majority of these
The Feed Store Antique Mall has rustic charm with a wonderful variety of antique, potteries could be described
vintage, and collectible items ranging from Victorian, Military, Primitives, as “mom-‘n-pop” operations,
Mid Century Modern, Elegant Glass, Pottery, Art, and much more. although “mom” was usually
We are open 7 days a week from 10 am to 5 pm Monday thru Saturday, and the guiding force; “pop”
12 pm to 5 pm on Sunday. Conveniently located on U.S. Highway 301 in Ellenton, was overseas, fighting for
we are just one mile west of I-75 at exit 224. Uncle Sam. In another time
Stop by for Friendly Service, Where EVERYONE is Welcome!! ↑“Butch” floral and setting, such self-taught
The Feed Store Antique Mall pig bank, a deLee artisans might have found their
talents confined to creating
4407 U.S. Hwy. 301 N. Ellenton, FL 34222 Art design by keepsakes for the family. In
941-729-1379 Jimmie Lee Stewart. 5” h., $50-75. wartime, their careers bloomed.
www.feedstoreantiquemall.com Facebook.com/feedstoreantiquemall Appealing to a war-weary buying public meant creating figurines with homey
themes that soothed, rather than jangled: romantic couples...chubby-cheeked children...
exotically-costumed denizens of other lands...historical personages...and, of course,
animals.
Naturally, there were as many ways of depicting those animals as there were animals
to choose from. Take a mouse, for instance: would he be Disney’s lovable “Mickey”, or
a less lovable real-life little fellow wriggling his way out of a trap?

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300 South Florida Fairgrounds OCT
9067 Southern Blvd.
VENDORS West Palm Beach, FL 33411 5-7

www.wpbaf.com info@wpbaf.com
EARLY BUYERS: “1st Pick” Friday 12-5PM • Admission $10 - Good All 3 Days • GEN. ADMISSION: SAT 9AM-5PM, SUN 10AM-4:30PM • Admission $8