Bric-a-brac and gatherings of tchotchkes

Shadow box of delight

Well unfortunately I have a taste for gathering small objets - probably very similar to folks in the Victorian era.  Tchotchkes (pronounced "CHACH-kee") are small toys, gewgaws (Old English - a decorative trinket or bauble), knickknacks, baubles, lagniappes (Creole word, pronounced 'Lanny-yap" which means something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure), trinkets or kitsch.

The word my family uses is bric-a-brac or referring to my collecting sensibilities - CLUTTER. I like the word bric-a-brac which is a french word referring to collections or curios.  Feathers, wax flowers under glass domes, eggshells and miniatures which adorned mantlepieces or displayed in curio cabinets.  Often they had glass doors to display the items protecting them from dust.

Sidney Gould's Bric-a-Brac shop - London 1979

Sidney Gould opened his bric-a-brac shop in the late 1950s. He sold up in 1988 and the site now houses a pizza shop.  This makes me sad when I think of all the bygone shops that have closed due to chains opening and developments.

Bric-a-brac cart on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina

The mantle display of very talented Simon Robinson of Alba Vintage, Lismore

My own display of bibbedy bobbedy trinkets in my office

Love the butterflies and frames in this setting

Silver & white china

Letters, frames and tiny mirrors - lovely

Beautiful baubles hanging from a chandelier

Medical curios framed

Angelic baubles, trinkets - adore the chandelier & bedhead

Printers tray containing printer stamps

Beautiful array of odds and ends

Cluster of aged mirrors

Wallpaper, bags, materials & inspiration board

This green hued cluster of pictures features lovely little collections

Birds, dolls, flowers & jugs set against a black wall and Victorian fireplace mantle

Printers tray complete with tschotchkes and trinkets gathered through a life

Lovely jubbly sparkly bottles in beautiful greens