Very Fine Antique Needle Lace Crowing Bird, Framed  carved spools Such a luscious vase

Such a luscious vase

and the wonderfully detailed grass upon which she stands in her tiny black shoes

This Japanese hand-carved cedar (Cryptomeria) horny toad is totally amazing for the manner in which its carved form brilliantly corresponds to the patterns in the grain of the wood

giving it just a fantastic presence and terrific sense of intimacy and specialness

And then those little flowers everywhere

Very Fine Antique Needle Lace Crowing Bird, Framed  carved spools Such a luscious vaseI can't get enough of figural lace, and this particular type style of needle lace is my favorite sort (I believe Belgian in origin), with what looks like a million tiny tight knots making up the bird alone. The wonderful spiderweb like field surrounding it here suggests a nest to me, as if it might have come with open beak to feed the babies, though as the bird appears to have a comb and wattle (launching this a wonderful arch of triangles, like a