Gloom and Glimmer: Edenhope Antiques

This week’s theme has – unintentionally – been about gloom and glimmering hope. It’s a challenging time of year for me, but it’s okay.

Joy of Light: chandelier at Edenhope Antiques

The thing about light is that it’s what photography is (largely) made of.

All The Things! Edenhope Antiques

With a few free hours, I went with a friend to Edenhope Antiques to try out her new camera, a Canon G3X; that is, she tried it out, while I made do with my humble Fujifilm X30. Not to worry, though, since I love this little camera – it lacks the sharpness and low light capabilities of my Panasonic GX7 with the 20mm f1.7 attached, but that’s to be expected. What it lacks in ultimate image quality, it makes up for with more convenient size and variability in a handsome form.
I only saved a handful of photos from the trash can on my screen, and even knowing how much sharper and cleaner they would have been if taken with the Panasonic, I’m happy with the imperfections.

Fujifilm X30 with in-camera custom black and white (red filter) setting; I applied a mild vignette and border with Snapseed app on my phone.

Exploring Coleraine, Victoria: footpath treasures

Geelong Mill Markets: the bird cabinet

Mailors Flat Demolition & Antiques: collage I

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Quilt him a waistcoat (and a skirt for yourself, while you’re at it!); roof-top sign; Gargoyle oil can; carver; old trikes; Jones & Co; Penetrene oil can (my favourite); Furphy’s Farm Water Cart.

Naracoorte Swap Meet: a vintage player accordion

The sounds of a vintage button accordion being played nearby intrigued me into making a visit to an antiques stall, where I met Janell and Dave – it was Dave who was playing the odd tune throughout the day.

Later on, he brought out this curiosity to show me: a Tanzbar mechanical “player” accordion. As he played it, I noticed a quiet clanking coming from inside; not knowing what manner of magic was being performed at that point, inquired if it were “typing a letter in there”, whereupon Dave opened it up to show me what was concealed inside.

Probably made in the 1920s, the accordion houses a roll, much like a pianola (or “player piano”) roll, which is advanced by opening and closing the bellows of the instrument in the usual fashion – quite without need for actual musical ability! There must have been a fascination for such instruments around that time, as I have since learned that there was a Clarola (clarinet), Rolmonica (harmonica), Triola (zither), and more.

What a wonderful example of musical ingenuity.

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