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Thursday, October 13, 2011

Sculpture and Estate Sales

Do you love a good object puzzle?... as in "What on earth is this?"

My mind starts trying to figure what it is, who made it and how and why.
Is it part of a master's thesis in slip cast stoneware?
"It's solid and too heavy for clay. It feels like stone. 
No tool marks. How'd they get such great round shapes?"


An esoteric Chinese painter's paper weight?  "No ink stains."
Pre-Columbian pestle? "No signs of oil or grinding wear."


 Is it a sex toy? "Oh god, I've already handled all of them! ."

I had to buy two of them because their shapes were so interesting, and asked at the sale cash register, "What on earth is this?" 
and was told "It's fossil poo poo."

Coprolite! That explains the organic shapes.

After a million years, do I still need to wash my hands?

4 comments:

Jennifer Tetlow said...

These are extraordinary, and I have learned a new word, I didn't know what a coprolite was. Intriguing/inspiring shapes?

patrickgracewood said...

You would have loved them, Jennifer.

It's a classic case of ignorance is bliss.

Each one was an amazing essay in shape and form. Obvious once one knows how they were made...but not knowing, you really got how beautiful they are.

Theresa Cheek said...

I knew it! I knew it! (too much time spent in geology labs) :)

patrickgracewood said...

Bingo! Theresa.
What were you doing in the geology labs?
First career in Petrochemical sciences??? or researching crystalline structures for faux finishes?