Hannu Ikonen reindeer moss jewellery

May3

Every now and then I come across a jewellery designer who is pretty much ‘invisible’ online (I don’t have a fabulous library of books on jewellery, sadly, so google is my source). This was the case with Finnish designer Liisa Vitali (about whom I was at least able to cobble together a post of sorts), and is in fact much more so the case with her compatriot Hannu Ikonen. I have no doubt this is due in part to the majority of sources being in Finnish, but information about him is nigh-on absent online. I have come across the same small paragraph about him, endlessly repeated on different websites selling his pieces, but with no biographical details or detailed information about his jewellery designs.

Turning to google books, all I could find was a publication from 1982, titled Welcome to Finland / Soyez Les Bienvenus en Finlande / Willkommen in Finland by Anders Nyborg and published by the University of Michigan. And even then, I was only able to see a snippet: as the texts in the three languages were side by side I was able to glean that Ikonen was then considered a rising star, and had worked in wood and precious metals for ten years (ie since the early 1970s), and that he was self-taught. I have googled vainly to try to find out more about him, even simple things like his date and place of birth, where he worked and so on, but with no joy. I do not know if he is still alive. I do hope so. I am guessing that perhaps he is/was a sculptor if he worked in wood as well as metals, and this would explain the fabulously sculptural qualities of his ‘reindeer moss’ series of jewellery.

Sterling silver reindeer moss bracelet by Hannu Ikonen, with a 1977 hallmark. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photos for details.

I recently acquired my first piece of Hannu Ikonen’s jewellery in the reindeer moss series. This series is usually found in bronze, with sterling silver pieces coming up for sale more rarely. Ikonen designed for Valo-Koru, a Finnish jewellery firm that operated in Turku from 1969 onwards.

Reindeer moss is a misnomer, as it is a lichen of the genus Cladonia (cup lichen) rather than a moss. The lichens in this genus are the main food of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus, known as caribou in North America).

Cladonia fimbriata. Photo by Mareike Hummert on Wikimedia Commons.

Cladonia fimbriata. Photo by James Lindsey on Wikimedia Commons.

In making the reindeer moss series, Hannu Ikonen joined an illustrious group of Finnish designers inspired by nature and the natural beauty around them. Search on Google images for ‘Hannu Ikonen reindeer moss’ to see the glorious range of his designs.

Rings that remind me of things: Part 20

Sep19

Part 20 of an occasional series about rings in my Etsy shop that remind me of things.

Ring:

1969 Erik Granit modernist ring in sterling silver. For sale in my Etsy shop: click on photo for details.

Thing:

Morel (Morchella ulmaria). Photo by Walt Sturgeon (Mycowalt) at Mushroom Observer, via Wikimedia Commons.

So far I have had rings that remind me of an Iron Age hillfort, an alien spaceship, a cream horn, a radio telescope, Noah’s Ark, an octopus tentacle, spider eyes, Pluto and its moon Charon, the rings of Saturn, The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, some lichen, the stepped Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara in Egypt, the Quality Street lady, a herb knife, a sea anemone, an Iron Age miniature votive shield, the Mayan Temple of Kukulkan at Chichén Itzá in Mexico, a screw propeller from SS ‘Great Britain’, and a pair of clackers.

Norman Grant, silversmith

Apr25

I’ve recently become enamoured of the work of Norman Grant, a Scottish silversmith (and occasionally goldsmith) who produced gorgeous work from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. Grant used enamel beautifully; he also favoured organic shapes such as bubbles, circles and peacock feather-like details. Apparently he drew a lot of his inspiration from the nature he observed around him. His use of colour was beautiful too – he favoured mainly blues and purples, but also reds, oranges, ochres and browns.

There are several designs of his which I particularly love. The first is his ‘bubble’ jewellery, featuring open circles of silver, sometimes arranged randomly and sometimes like the petals of a flower.

Norman Grant enamel and sterling silver pendant, hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1979. (NOW SOLD).

Norman Grant sterling silver ring, 1978 Edinburgh hallmark. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).

The second is a development of the bubble jewellery, but which features a peacock feather-like motif. The terminal heart-shaped motif has also been used on its own in his jewellery designs, and is described as a lily-pad.

A glorious Grant Norman peacock pendant, in enamel and sterling silver, with 1973-1974 Edinburgh hallmark. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details.

He also made many pieces in what could loosely be described as an Art Nouveau style, often with blowsy floral and botanical motifs:

Norman Grant floral necklace, hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1979. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details.

Norman Grant ginkgo leaf enamel and sterling silver pendant and chain. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).

as well as scenes of local Scottish life:

Norman Grant sterling silver brooch of a thatched croft, hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1980. Click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).

He also made nature-based pieces in a more modern style:

Norman Grant floral pendant and chain, with a 1978 Edinburgh hallmark. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).

Norman Grant pendant and necklace, hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1973-1974. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details (NOW SOLD).

Norman Grant enamel and sterling silver ring. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery. Click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).

and more modernist, abstract pieces:

Norman Grant pendant and chain. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).

After Grant retired from jewellery making to work for De Beers in London in the early 1980s, but his company, Dust Jewellery, continued making jewellery into the 1990s.

There are a couple of good articles online about Grant which are well illustrated and well worth a read:

http://www.modernsilver.com/normangrant.htm

https://www.modernvintagestyle.co.uk/blog-section/about-norman-grant-jewellery

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2018

Jan29

Yesterday we took part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, an annual survey of wild birds seen in the gardens and public spaces of the UK, which gives a snapshot of the health of our native bird population. Last year’s survey recorded some 8 million birds, with around half a million people taking part.

During my stint I had the most amazing encounter. The garden was busy with all sorts of birds, including blackbirds (Turdus merula) and goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) and long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus), feeding on the sunflower seeds and fat balls and mealworms we had put out around the garden. Suddenly most of the birds flew off, and a sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) pitched up right below where I was watching from an upstairs window, perched on the fence panel. We occasionally see a sparrowhawk flying overhead, but rarely have such a good close-up view.

Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus). Photo by Mark Robinson.

It was looking into our large Mahonia japonica bush by the fence, in which several small birds were sheltering. The mahonia is a dense and prickly bush, so as long as the birds stayed in there, there was no chance of the sparrowhawk getting at them. It spent a few minutes peering in to the bush, then flew sharply round to the other side, pitching up on the fence panel again, and then completed the circle by flying back to its original spot. After a little while it scythed off to land on our shed roof at the bottom of the garden, partially hidden by a large Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ bush. At this point several small birds flew sharpish out of the mahonia in the opposite direction. I was watching the sparrowhawk so only saw them out of the corner of my eye, so didn’t identify them positively, but I think they were likely long-tailed tits, which seem to use the mahonia as a shelter from which to nip out to grab mealworms.

Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus). Photo by David Friel.

Just the other week there was a lovely programme on the box, Hugh’s Wild West, in which Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall learned about the life of long-tailed tits, how they huddle in a group on a branch to roost at night, and lay their eggs in a downy nest made of moss and feathers and cobwebs. They are such delightful little birds, and it was so interesting to learn more about them. The episode is available on the BBC iPlayer for a few weeks here.

Paeony envy

May16

On Saturday my sister and I did a trip round various National Trust properties in Somerset, and fitted in a visit to Kelways Nursery at Langport on the way back, a specialist paeony and bearded iris nursery. The paeonies were looking amazing, and they weren’t all in full bloom. My sister came away with a trolley load:

Paeonies from Kelways.

Some of the paeonies were on offer as they had been intended for Chelsea Flower Show but had flowered too soon, thanks to the lovely weather we’ve been having recently.

The beautiful view in my rear view mirror on the way home.

Paeonia ‘Shimane Seidai’.

Paeonia ‘Noemi Demay’.

Paeonia ‘Dr Alexander Fleming’.

Paeonia ‘Angel Cheeks’.

Paeonia ‘Syaraku’.

Gardens Illustrated full set for sale, issues 1-244

Feb14

I have been a subscriber to Gardens Illustrated since it launched in spring 1993, and have kept every single issue. However, it’s time to part with my collection – our tiny cottage is barely able to hold it now. So with a heavy heart I am selling the complete set of 244 issues.

Please note I am selling these within the UK only, to buyers who can pick them up.

My full set of Gardens Illustrated issues, Issues 1 (April/May 1993) to 244 (February 2017).

In 1993 I was already a member of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), and received their monthly journal, The Garden, and took other gardening magazines as well, and I remember when Gardens Illustrated launched what a sensation it was. It was unlike any other gardening publication, with its large format, amazing photography, glossy production, and articles by the greatest gardeners and garden writers of our time: Penelope Hobhouse, Arne Maynard, Anna Pavord, the late Christopher Lloyd, Beth Chatto, Piet Oudolf and Dan Pearson to name a few.

Gardens Illustrated has been described as ‘the Vogue of gardening media’ and ‘the world’s most beautiful gardening magazine’. It’s a stunning magazine, full of inspiring gardens and informative articles.

The set includes eleven slipcases (some of which have seen better days). Gardens Illustrated still sells these slipcases (£7.50 each to subscribers; £9.50 each to non-subscribers), if you want to complete the set. The set also includes an index of the first 50 issues, and most of the additional supplements that came with the magazine in the early years. The one missing one that I know of is a map of the gardens of Scotland, which I lent to a friend and never got back, grr.

The magazines are in good condition, generally. The very earliest ones are a bit raggedy (Issue 1 in particular, as it was against a rather damp wall for a while before I realised it was damp), and over the years the tops of the pages have browned a bit.

The back of issue 1, with damp damage.

I am selling the complete set of 244 issues, the eleven slipcases and the additional supplements for £600. This is a bit of a snip considering that individual issues are on sale on eBay at £3.00 to £3.25 an issue, with the rarer, older issues going for £3.90 or more each. I haven’t seen an Issue 1 for sale but no doubt it would go for a lot more than that! Gardens Illustrated sells back issues going back to Issue 145 (January 2009) for £4.40 an issue to subscribers and £5.50 to non-subscribers. Earlier issues than Issue 145 are not available from Gardens Illustrated. Please note I am selling the complete set as a whole: I will not split the set.

Sorry but I offer pick up only on this: the buyer will have to collect, and I’m afraid I will only accept cash for the purchase. I am in south-west Wiltshire, about halfway between Shaftesbury and Warminster. Be warned that the set is both bulky and heavy! Why not make a day of it and visit Stourhead when you are in the area?

If you are interested in buying this set, please contact me through the comments section below.

Issues 1-26 in the first two slipcases.

Issues 27-52 in the third and fourth slipcases.

Issues 53-78 in the fifth and sixth slipcases.

Issues 79-104 in the seventh and eight slipcases.

Issues 105-131 in the ninth and tenth slipcases.

Issues 132-148 in the eleventh slipcase.

Issues 149-168.

Issues 169-192.

Issues 193-216.

Issues 217-244.

UPDATE 22 January 2018: These are still for sale, with an additional group of issues added (issues 245 up to and including the January 2018 issue, issue 256) and still at the same price. So even more of a bargain for £600!

Wollemi pine

Sep22

Stories of scientific discoveries always pique my interest, especially when they are the discovery of a species or genus like the coelacanth, thought long-extinct. The Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) is one such discovery. This wonderful tree has only been known to science as a living specimen for 22 years: it was discovered in Australia in 1994 by a field officer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales), David Noble, in an isolated steep-sided gorge in the Blue Mountains. He was familiar enough with the flora of the area to realise that the tree in front of him was unlike any he had seen before. Scientists soon established it was a member of the family Araucariaceae, the same family as the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana), and had previously been known only from fossil specimens. The new species was named after its discoverer.

Wollemi pines in their native habitat. © J.Plaza RBG Sydney.

King Billy, the world’s largest Wollemi pine. © J.Plaza RBG Sydney.

Fewer than 100 trees exist in the wild, and the population was clearly very endangered, and so a programme to increase specimen numbers was quickly put in place. Seeds were collected (via a brave volunteer dangling below a helicopter), and cuttings were taken. To try to protect the species, cuttings were distributed to botanic gardens around the world. A nursery in Cornwall was licensed to propagate the cuttings in the UK – Kernock Park Plants. We were very kindly given a plant by Dick Harnett, the proprietor of the nursery.

Our Wollemi pine, Dick, just after we got it in August 2009.

Our Wollemi pine newly potted up into a bigger pot, August 2009.

May 2010, with the growing bud at the top shedding its waxy protection.

Close up of the waxy cap that protects the growing bud over winter; the newly sprouting leaves are pushing it off. May 2010.

Just a month later, June 2010. It grows fast!

Just a month later, June 2010. It grows very quickly!

The year’s new growth is a much paler green. June 2010.

Dick told us that the trees can grow quite happily in pots, but after a year or so the tree was putting on so much growth and I couldn’t bring myself to prune it to keep it in a suitable size for the pot. So I contacted Dr Wolfgang Bopp, the curator of the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum near Romsey in Hampshire, to see if the Arboretum would be interested in the donation of the tree. They already had two specimens, but given the rarity of the plant he was happy to accept it.

March 2011. At its new home in the Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum, near Romsey in Hampshire.

March 2011. Specimen 2010.0344 A at its new home in the Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum, near Romsey in Hampshire.

September 2016. Doing well!

Another view, September 2016.

We went to visit the Gardens and ‘our’ Wollemi pine over the weekend, and it is doing really well.

Bringing our wildlife pond back to life

Sep16

One of the first things we will do when / if we make another garden is put a wildlife pond in. Until we had our pond, we hadn’t realised how much it brings to a garden: not only do you get movement and light with the reflection of the skies (and cloudscapes), but it brings in a whole host of wildlife. Hedgehogs drink from it, birds bathe in it, frogs and newts breed in it, dragonflies and damselflies flit over it, lay their eggs and leave them to grow into the most Geiger-esque larvae (also called a nymph, though anything less nymph-like it’s hard to imagine). We used to spend hours pond watching.

Our pond ten years ago, 1 June 2006.

Gradually, over the years, the pond silted up. We weren’t the best at maintaining it, and an umbrella plant (Darmera peltata) I had put in the bog area to serve as a mini-gunnera gradually took over, shading the water. For the last three or four years we have had frogspawn but never tadpoles: something wasn’t working right in the pond. This summer it sprung a leak deep down and most of the water drained out.

Over the weekend at the beginning of the month we decided to take action. On the Saturday we undertook the VERY smelly job of emptying the last of the sludge out of the pond. We chucked it on to the surrounding flowerbeds to act as an organic mulch (and already as I write, the geraniums are forcing their way up through it). That we disturbed just one frog (Rana temporaria) and one immature common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) was a sign of how poor a habitat it had become.

I’m glad this blog doesn’t have smell-o-vision. The silt was very, very stinky.

Then we covered the old liner with some very thick dust sheets in case something had come through the old one to make it leak, and put a new liner over it. The pond took several hours to fill.

Partially full, several hours later …

As the pond was filling we were buzzed by a dragonfly – a female southern hawker (Aeshna cyanea). I don’t know how it detected the water, but it was straight on the case!

On the Sunday we edged part of the pond with stones and made a pebble beach, added three bags of pond soil, and replanted / threw in the few pond plants we’d salvaged from the previous incarnation, such as water forget-me-nots (Myosotis scorpioides) and Lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammula), plus the ever-present duckweed.

Sludgey silt in the foreground. Plank to aid any beasties that might fall in.

Then we left it for a week, as work intervened. During that time the soil settled and the water cleared, frogs found the pond, and we saw our first greater water boatman (Notonectidae or Pleidae) and our first whirligig beetle (Gyrinidae), plus southern hawkers laying eggs on the few plants. Sadly the mosquitoes have also found the pond … Yesterday I bought some more plants, and as autumn is coming, the pond is complete for now.

Turves laid to cover the liner and create another easy access area for critters.

New plants added: brooklime (Veronica beccabunga), bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) and Iris louisiana ‘Her Highness’. I try to stick to British natives but couldn’t resist the iris.

It’s getting towards the end of the growing season so nothing will really happen until next spring – hopefully then we’ll have frogspawn that actually turns into tadpoles!

Update Sunday 18 September; We had a day out at the Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum near Romsey in Hampshire, and on the way back stopped at a specialist aquatic garden centre. Couldn’t resist the frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae), a yellow water lily (Nuphar lutea), and a water hawthorn / water hyacinth (Aponogeton distachyos: okay, I know this last one’s not a British native, but it’s so pretty …). The garden centre sold great ramshorn snails (Planorbarius corneus) at five for £2.50, but I was too mean to fork that out for them. So I was happy to see there were some snail eggs on one of the leaves of the Nuphar lutea plant we bought …

Mr Frog happily ensconced in the rejuvenated pond.

Mmmm, comfy: Part 5

Jun21

Not one of our cats, this time, but one of the many that visit our tiny cottage garden. This one often nests in the top of our ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) and can sleep up there for hours. (Click on all photos to embiggen/bigify).

Gardens I’ve made: Berkshire

Jun20

The second in a very occasional series about gardens I’ve designed. This one is a front garden of a thatched cottage in Berkshire.

Part of a cottage front garden that I designed in Berkshire.

Before I started work the front garden had two areas of lawn with a few old and sprawling hebes flanking a central old brick path. Behind these were some areas of flint cobbling. The main part of the thatched cottage is very old, and it was important that the path and cobbled areas be retained as they are part of the history of the house. As the central path is straight I decided to make small symmetrical parterre beds on either side.

Hard landscaping completed, before the planting.

The garden is north facing, and the area is on clay so can have quite a cold feel. As the old bricks of the house are lovely red and orange colours, I thought a fiery front garden might warm things up a bit, and so chose a colour palette to match. The fact that zingy oranges and reds are my favourite colours of all might have had something to do with the choice ….

It was fun watching the evolution of the garden:

A view from upstairs in the cottage:

The beds were edged with Ilex crenata, a species of holly that looks a little like box. We chose not to use box because of the problems of box blight.

Inglenookery

West Country witterings

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