blessed wild apple girl
Her owlets in a green felt hat
Her fortune was a wish.
Amelia Jane Murray, Lady Oswald, 1800-1896
“‘Emily,’ as Amelia was always called, was born in Port-e-Chee on the Fairy Island of the Isle of Mann, the daughter of Lord Henry Murray, whose ancestors had for generations beeen styled the Kings of Man. Emily and her five borthers and sisters had a privileged childhood, living at Mount Murray, a house five miles south of Douglas. Her Fairy paintings date from the 1820s. She was inspired by the rich folklore of the Isle of Mann, epitomised by the name of her birthplace, Port-e-Chee, which in Manx Gaelic means ‘Fairy Music’” — Peter Nahum
Tatum – Snail, Revolving Inkwell with Penrest
An American made revolving ’snail’ inkwell with a clear ribbed font by Tatum.
Maker: Tatum (unsigned), impressed “1878″
Date: c. 1880Price:$340 USD
Sunday morning, Camberwell Market, just another box of odds & ends. A gentle shake of this match box felt oddly light. Inside I discovered nine snails shells collected from Lord Howe island in 1928, collected by ‘Stone’, according to the inked tag. Antique snails! Vintage gastropods! In order not to draw attention to my stupendous scientific find, I nonchalantly offered the seller 20 cents. This event is now referred to as The Great Snail Swindle.















