This next gathering is unique as my artistic side decided to get a little creative. A diminutive old architectural post I found was my inspiration to use as a bonnet stand. I painted a face on this piece and also decided to create a touch of whimsy by adding a staff and crowing her a “Shepherdess” to watch over this lost Putz sheep (also included) that was eventually reunited with the herd. The 19th century arithmetic book will also accompany this gathering along with the spray of dried prairie flowers.
The doll size bonnet was fashioned from calico fabric lending earthy color tones. The floral design exhibits a soft brown color and is a nice compliment to the tan neutral ground. The Shepherdess also carries a staff fashioned from brown and cream homespun that she proudly carries on her right side attached by way of a removable piece of string.
The lone sheep is of the smaller variety and his collar is marked, “Germany” even though it is illegible. He comes from hearty stock and is in good condition sporting a off white coat, stick legs and a lipstick mouth. His legs and feet do have some minor paint loss and his coat shows light staining. The legs are sturdy and his ears are intact without any chips to report!
I incorporated a mid to late 19th century Child's arithmetic book entitled, “Ray’s Practical Arithmetic, Third Edition” that depicts a teacher in the classroom with students that seem very eager to learn. The inside cover has a couple different names one written in fountain pen as shown in image 24. Some of the inside pages show evidence of staining that occurred throughout the years from accidental spills and wear. There are no illustrations in this book.
The front cover does possess surface wear while the back cover does have dark staining present. A portion of the spine near the top is missing but the rest is intact boasting four blocks with a raised flower design dotting the center. Traces of a marbling effect are present on the outside pages as referenced in image 28. The book is in overall good condition without any missing pages to report.
This sweet gathering would grace a one drawer stand in your bedroom perfectly or what about placing this piece inside the shelf of a wall cupboard. If you happen to have any Putz sheep in your collection how about adding a few on top of the book to create a mini herd. I am sure you will have fun deciding where to place this gathering that will lend interest to any space of your choosing. Enjoy!
Overall height of Bonnet stand including the bonnet measures 5 ½” tall, measures 2” across the top, measures almost 1 ¾” across the bottom (right to left) and measures 2 1/2” (front to back). Putz Sheep stands 1 ¾” tall (head to feet), measures 1 ¼” tall from rump to feet, measures 1 ¾” from head to tail and measures ¾” across his back. Old arithmetic book measures 6 ½” tall, measures 4 ½” across and is almost 1” thick.
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