Perry Werner Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Hi folks: I recalled this thread from several months ago after visiting Parliment Hill here in Ottawa where I am on vacation with my family. I did not think about Dave's earlier posting on the gargoyle he mentioned which he was using as his avatar until my family finished our wonderful and fascinating guided tour of Ottawa's Parliment Hill yesterday. We walked into the souvenir shop and my wife kind of screamed out "Oh My God" or something like that and then handed me the object that was to become the proize souvenir of our trip. It was a plaster (or some other material) cast of earlier mentioned gargoyle (actually a "grotesque", which is different than a gargoyle) which I immediately purchased. They did have this object available in a fee other configurations but I chose the one which best showed the monster's instrument. Tomorrow I will be going back to view the changing of the guard and will inspect the outside of the building to verify the existence and location of the little demon. Evidently what is known as "Peace Tower" has several of these grotesques about 75 feet up on the corners of the structure each involved in some sort of activity including the concertina player and a mandolin (or some similar instrument) player. Anyone interested in obtaining one of these treasures can contact me and I will be happy to forward the information when I return home later this week. I'm guessing that the instrument depicted being played by this granite figure is a Wheat-Stone!!!!!!!!!! Bye for now, Perry Werner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquarussell Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 My avatar is a little mouse figure, with the Concertina modified from Anglo style straps to English style thumb straps. I got the original picture from an e-Bay auction. I didn't win the actual figurine though. But I keep the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Ah well Russell, The picture was cheaper than the figurine. May last longer too. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildogturpy Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Well, mine's not too imaginative but my newly acquired Wheatstone, rosewood, 48 button english system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottC Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Mine's a cartoon I drew of a concertina-playing oppossum dangling from a tree branch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Anderson Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Mine is a ceramic floppy eared rabbit playing a concertina. At least I think it's a concertina. It has round yellow ends and a white bellows. The figure was in a box of glassware thrown out by a neighbor after it did not sell at her yard sale. (I was helping her carry the stuff to the curb for a trash pickup. I tried to pay her for it but she refused.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Mine is the first concertina, originally called a "Symphonion with bellows", sold to Captain Thomas Gardnor of the Household Cavalry (2nd Life Guards), probably in 1833. It was formerly the pride of Wheatstone's own collection, now it is the pride of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Bradbury Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 My hands, my Jefferies. Cut from a photo taken at 1993 Midwest Noel Hill School and posted on-line by fellow student and C-netter Roy Janik. Thanks Roy, hope I am not violating any copywrite laws! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Thompson Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 Mine is a minute figurine in environmently-acceptable fake ivory. I don't know the artist's name, but it was given to me by a friend from Newport, Rhode Island. He is playing in the Irish style, because his foot is busily tapping out the timing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Werner Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 Howdy: Well, I'm finally unpacking from my trip back in August to Ottawa and can now provide the information some of you requested concerning the "lovely" little grotesque (not gargoyle) previously under discussion here. Here is information concerning availability and purchase (and I'm guessing that they are still available). In order not to infringe on anyone's copyright (me being a former pro photographer and very sensitive to copying of the work of others) I offer the following link to a photo of what the little creature looks like, for those new to this thread, and NO, the photo of Dave is not what I am referrring to. Please scroll down to see Dave's avatar and you will have of sense of approx. what you might tbe purchasing. See monstrosity here.... http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showuser=65 As I mentioned earlier there are a few varieties of this figure available but I would highly recommend the plaster(?) cast wall hung item which I purchased from thr Parliment Hill Boutique in Ottawa which has very good definition The others (which I do not have the SKU #s for) were IMHO kind of awful, though if interested, you can query the Parliment Hill Boutique folks about these. Anyway you can contact: Chantal Demers Parliment Hill Boutique Library of Parliment Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A OA9 Tel: 613/996-6042 (Main #) or 613/943-2007) (Direct Boutique Line) Fax: 613/947-5264 Email: demerch@parl.gc.ca This hot item will set you back about $20.00US plus shipping. When I got this information from Ms. Demers she said that they would ship to the U.S. By the way the item SKU # for the little guy is 3224 in case they need to know exactly what you are referring to. If you need more info, I do not have anything further, but will be happy to assist in getting this into your hands. Best, Perry Werner PS: Better yet, make the trip to Ottawa (a very lovely city) and visit the little monsters in person!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammeringal Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 I read tarot cards (great way to attract girls! and my "soul card" is Key #9, The Hermit. "Grumpy" reflects my personality! The avatars would look better if they were allowed to be up to 100 pixels in size. (hint, hint.) Bob G. Evans Yes! I tried 3 or 4 photos before settling on the one I used for an avatar because it was the only one I could get down to 5KB--which still distorted it. It's a little (about the size of an old Monopoly game piece) pewter figurine from a set of 3 musicians. Perry & David: I'm going to look for that "grotesque" when I go to Ottawa next spring for the CCE (Comhaltas Ceoltoiti Eireann) convention. I believe a few others from this group are also going. Also (a bit off-topic) David: On Sept. 11 of this year, the newspaper I work at (Waterbury, Conn.) printed a list of 9/11 victims from this area (22 people). Chris Carstanjen was on the list -- though he lived in Boston, he went to high school in Falls Village, Conn. Small world. Britt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Werner Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 Britt: Make sure you also look for the "real" grotesque which is about 75 or so feet up on the corner the clock tower at Parliment Hill. You really need a telephoto or zoom lens or binoculars to see it clearly but "he" is there. Also, if you're interested in things Canadian, make sure you take the guided tour of Parliment Hill and see the light show at night which is projected onto the front of the buildings. It's very cool. Best, Perry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Also (a bit off-topic) David: On Sept. 11 of this year, the newspaper I work at (Waterbury, Conn.) printed a list of 9/11 victims from this area (22 people). Chris Carstanjen was on the list -- though he lived in Boston, he went to high school in Falls Village, Conn. Small world. Sorry for the thread creep. Chris didn't live in Boston (but he boarded the plane there). He lived in Deerfield MA and worked at (you guessed it) UMass/Amherst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammeringal Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Britt:Make sure you also look for the "real" grotesque which is about 75 or so feet up on the corner the clock tower at Parliment Hill. You really need a telephoto or zoom lens or binoculars to see it clearly but "he" is there. Also, if you're interested in things Canadian, make sure you take the guided tour of Parliment Hill and see the light show at night which is projected onto the front of the buildings. It's very cool. Best, Perry Thanks, Perry. I'll try to find time for the tour. I definitely want to see that grotesque! Maybe we can get a group of concertinists from the CCE to go (how about it, Robin?). Too bad it's so high up and there's no way we could get a group shot: c.netters with grotesque mascot. Cheers, Britt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Too bad it's so high up and there's no way we could get a group shot: c.netters with grotesque mascot. As opposed to "grotesque c.netters with mascot"? ... OK, everybody, ! ...... (Say, "Jeffries".) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike byrne Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Mine is a Jeffries 20 button, wooden ends, no strings attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Werner Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Britt: Unless each person is at least 75 ft. tall, forget the group shot around the little "guy". You can barely see it from the ground, but he is there. You might have a better luck with a group shot in the souvenir shop where they sell the reporduction. Best, Perry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Unless each person is at least 75 ft. tall, forget the group shot around the little "guy". Couldn't we all go Up In a Balloon? I'm not sure where the guy with the camera should stand, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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