Over the years ... I have gotten used to expecting the weird and unexpected things from my elder brother ... he lives on another planet called Advertising . So one fine day, I discover ... he has a passion for collecting owls ... o.k ... sooo... my eyes roll in their sockets ... but over the years ... the lil' creatures I see added to his collection ,everynow and then ... well , I have to say... its interesting. Like this porcelin one from China ... I love blue and white ware ... and this one really caught at my heart ... a blue and white owl ... ???...I discovered there is an official word for people who love collecting nicknacks and trinkets ... abrakophiles .It is always interesting to see what people collect ...it is really very inspiring. As in the case of the owls... each region and each culture ... has a unique way to make its owl figurines... depending ofcourse on also what kind of owls are found in the local areas and the local style of craftsmenship.
Here are two owls ... the gold chested one bought in Dubai ... definitely very different from the other one picked up in Auroville (Pondicherry,India)
...heres a corner with some of the owls finding their perch... 
... another set I found interesting... on the books is a piece from Thailand and the other is from South India ...
... have to say...this chubby and very cherubic piece... made in brass... takes the crown as my favorite...
... another piece ...from India ...the feathered torso is carved out in the a jali (mesh)style...
...one of the smallest member of the collection ... sits on the study table... 
... this family of three are very interesting sitting atop one of the library book cabinet ... also from Auroville (Pondicherry, India)
... some more members of the beautiful collection are housed in this shelving ... As I discover this collection ... I know one thing ,each piece is a work of art ...and art is all about you.It is about making that personal connection with a piece ...If you are getting interested in starting a collection... I would recommend you read some books and discover the magnificient creature that the owl is.It is just a way of tickling your senses into the world of owls.
Owl figurines , you'll find in many different materials... be it porcelin... glass... metals like brass... and ofcourse wood.And each looking so different because there are so many types of owls in each region of the world.
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20 comments:
I swear this is eerie ! I had one of those brass owls sitting on my office desk. Exact! Ditto! Same to same! And when I quit my copywriting job (yes, in Advertising) I gifted it to one of my colleagues. Your brother isn't called Pradeep by any chance, is he?
By the way, that blue and white owl may have turned me back into an abrakophiliac. Right now I'm collecting chickens and farm animals ... not consciously, they just seem to follow me home. And I dont even like chickens very much, they (or rather, their mom) reminds me too much of me!
waaaooo ... now Sunita that is really eerie... actally pretty amusing.You know ... knowing you advertising guys... I won't be surprised... about a tracable history of this owl... not Pradeep but,I am Pushpi's sister.Wonder if you've heard of him...Saints and Warriors.
I think all of us abrakophiliacs... have a similar pied piper kind of story... I often try pulling that one on my husband,everytime I pick up a new piece of furniture...tee-hee-hee... even after all these years... and that rolling of the eyes yeah ... in our case ...he's the one who does that.So yeah, that story about farm animals following you... ooooh I know exactly what you mean. ;D
Gorgeous owls:-)
I have a thing for owls too but my collection probably is limited to a couple of pieces:-)
I heart the blue and white owl:-)
LOL @ anothet planet called advertising...well, I guess I am an alien too;-)
Arch
Good Lord now this is beginning,to sound more like x-files... ;D...hee-hee.hee... guys what is with ad folks and owls... and I seem to have them all around me... well... no complaints... happy (H)Owling guys... and like always lets spread it all around. :D ... as always great to hear from you Arch.
Hey Rajee
That was a great post.I never knew people have a thing for owls too.
Thinking of owls I have always had an uneasy feeling,but ur post changed it owl(I mean all!!)
Sangitha
www.sajavat.blogspot.com
It was a learning experience for me too, Sangitha ... soooo....glad you enjoyed it.
how cute does an owl collection sound?!!... love each one of them..!
Well... it made me look at owl figurines in a whole different way ,ever since ... makes you stop and give them a good second look...I am soooo ... sure you'll find some amazing pieces in the markets in HongKong ... lucky you. ;D
hey...owls are gorgeous...
Thank you jigna ...they got me admiring them too.......
Mmm... no, Rajee. I resigned from the bad, mad ad world years ago and get sucked into it only once in a while when someone literally begs me to freelance for them. (I'm too lazy to go out and drum up work)
Okay, confession ... I would've given my eye-teeth (and nails and whatever) to continue and I even had a job lined up in a plush Nariman Point office when I moved to Bombay after I got married. And then I made my grand discovery ... the distance from my home to office and the time it would take. Plus we were travelling a LOT ! So, bye, bye advertising!
But I'm sure at some point that owl (or his identical twin) in your brother's collection has sat on my desk too.
Saints and Warriors? What a cool name! I think I would've enjoyed knowing your brother if our paths had crossed.
Sunita,which part of Mumbai are you in.I am at Navi Mumbai...NRI(wonder if you venture into this part of the world...
I know it is hard to give up on the passions of our lives... look at me ... I feel like a balloon... plug one leak and poof theres another one ...always need some outlet to creativity.or its kaaaboom..whoops..balloon did I say...
Thank you for the word. I used to be an abrakophile way back in college. I still have a few cuties including a miniature blue and white one from Thailand
Beautiful post! I loved seeing all the different kinds of owls. & I just happened to read the comments & I am still in advertising ;) I have my share of owls sitting right here on my desk in office- 4 to be precise- I guess there is something about advertising, owls & bloggers :)
At home though I have a whole menagerie, cows, birds, cats and a pig too :)
Hey, Birds eye view... glad you enjoyed ... and hope the word is used for your present tense too ... keep collecting... it manifests a lot about what we are and what we do... and the fact that we can do it... :)
Vineeta... let me roll my eyes... aaahhh another one... guess there is something going on here with advertising guys... owls and bloggers ;D ....
Thanks ,it was fun... you all dropped me a line.Always encouraging .:)
Hey Rajee and others,
I am not in advertising but have a collection of owls.... 60 or so to be precise:D They are all scattered between here in my current house and my parents house in Calcutta. I started collecting them among other things about 18 years ago when I first saw a large collection in my friend's house who has over 200 owls. I am always amazed by the fact that almost every culture (from Western European to remote corners of Madagascar) has something to do with owl as an icon!
Hi Kaberi,
Wow, early morning and wonderful to hear from you ... and finally a non-media person with an owl collection ... I was begining to wonder ... is it really possible ... :)
You must really love them ... if you'd like the idea do share some of your fav. pictures with us ... also tell us about them ... I am pretty sre... there are a whole lot of us waiting to hear about it and be inspired :)
Aren't we all suckers for romantic stories ...
Hi! I stumbled across your blog today. I too collect owls and was delighted to see many of my favorite pieces in your brother's collection too.
Sukanya
Hi Sukanya,
Its sooo infectious ... those lil' owls seeem to getting my fancy as well ... :)Glad you enjoyed reading the post ... :)And its really fabulous to hear from you ... :)
can't see the owl photos.. :(
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