Finds

Finds 12.17.08

ONE WORD — PLASTICS   
This piece of plastic runs over $100. But it’s red and shiny and showcases a delicate wrist. Then there’s the nostalgia factor. Some woman before you has worn this. What kind of outfit did she wear? Maybe a little floral wrap dress cinching in her 22-inch waist with a stand-up collar and red lipstick. She probably spent a good hour setting her hair in juice cans the night before while her brand new husband sat contemplating her transformation from bride to wife. Wasn’t it all worth it the next day? They are made of the first synthetic plastic, you know. Two worn together make a satisfying clunking noise that tells you it’s real Bakelite. So then you must have two. Yellow and red stripes command $175 while red with inset wood-grain settle for $145. Vintage and estate jewelry are available at Lafayette Antique Market on Johnston Street. Call 981-9884.

IF IT QUACKS LIKE A DUCK
There is a grand tradition of carving decoys out of all sorts of wood, from virgin cypress to driftwood, by way of hackberry, magnolia, oak and pecan. Woodworker Cliff Mire has taken decoy art a step further, into the realm of the abstract. His decoys aren’t really meant to hit the water in winter; they’re designed to attract human attention rather than the avian kind. Mire, who carves at Vermilionville on Sundays for an international audience, makes his take on ducks, as well as puzzle boxes, cypress bowls, wooden jewelry and wall hangings. A limited number of abstract duck decoys are available for $31 at Vermilionville. Call 233-4077 for more info.
 You Don’t Know Your Mind
Since leaving the band Filé in 2001 to pursue a career as a full-time singer-songwriter, Dave Egan has been on a potent roll. His songs have been on multiple Grammy-nominated records, in feature films, and covered by artists like Bonnie Raitt, John Mayall, Percy Sledge, Irma Thomas and Johnny Adams. In his latest CD, You Don’t Know Your Mind, Egan once again pulls magic from the hourglass well of song — ancient soul, dusty rhythm & blues, classic roots — and puts his own mark on the totem of timeless American music. You Don’t Know Your Mind retails for $12.97 and can be found at www.davidegan.net.