Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Stargod Shou - Shouxing
China
Brass
20th century
12cm
400g

The 3 stargods emerged from Chinese folk religion. Their iconic representation as three, old, bearded, wise men dates back to the Ming dynasty, when the gods of the three stars were represented in human form for the first time.

Shou is believed to control the life spans of mortals. According to legend, he was carried in his mother's womb for ten years before being born, and was already an old man when delivered. He is recognized by his high, domed forehead and the peach which he carries as a symbol of immortality. The longevity god is usually shown smiling and friendly, and he may sometimes be carrying a gourd filled with the elixir of life. The star of Shou; Shouxing, refers to the star Canopus, the star of the south pole in Chinese astronomy.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Stargod Lu - Luxing
China
Brass
20th century
15 cm
320g

The 3 stargods emerged from Chinese folk religion. Their iconic representation as three, old, bearded, wise men dates back to the Ming dynasty, when the gods of the three stars were represented in human form for the first time.

Lu is the stargod of prosperity, rank, and influence. He is usually depicted in the dress of a mandarin, sometimes holding a gold ingot. The star of Lu; Luxing, refers to the star Mizar in the Ursus Major constellation.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Stargod Fu - Fuxing
China
Brass
20th century
12cm
395g

The 3 stargods emerged from Chinese folk religion. Their iconic representation as three, old, bearded, wise men dates back to the Ming dynasty, when the gods of the three stars were represented in human form for the first time.

Fu is the personification of good fortune. He is generally depicted in scholar's dress, holding a scroll, on which is sometimes written the character "Fu". He may also be seen holding a child, or surrounded by children. The star of Fu; Fuxing, refers to the planet Jupiter.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figurine of a pig or boar
China
Brass
Early 21st century
4 cm
90g

A brass pig. Or, it could be the pig from the Chinese zodiac. In Chinese astrology, the Pig is the twelfth of all zodiac animals. According to legend, the Jade Emperor decided that the order of the zodiac would be decided by the order in which the various animals arrived to his party. Pig was late because he overslept. When he finally arrived, he was the last one and could only take twelfth place. The Pig is associated with the hours 9–11 in the night, and in terms of yin and yang, the Pig is yin. In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth; their chubby faces and big ears are signs of fortune as well. Then again, it could just be a brass pig.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Stone figurine
Hongshan
China
Basalt
Late 20th/Early-21st century
6cm
85g

Modern replica of a Neolithic Hongshan piece.

The Hongshan culture was a Neolithic culture in the Liao river basin in northeast China. Hongshan sites have been found in an area stretching from Inner Mongolia to Liaoning, and dates from about 4700 to 2900 BC.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Stone figurine
Hongshan
China
Jade
Late 20th/Early-21st century
4 cm
50g

Modern replica of a Neolithic Hongshan piece.

The Hongshan culture was a Neolithic culture in the Liao river basin in northeast China. Hongshan sites have been found in an area stretching from Inner Mongolia to Liaoning, and dates from about 4700 to 2900 BC.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Manufacturer

Figurine of extraterrestrial
China
Translucent vinyl/resin
1999
6 cm
11g
Croco

This figurine came out a box of Quakers' Sugar Puffs in Copenhagen sometime in the 1990es.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Manufacturer

Figurine of extraterrestrial
China
Translucent vinyl/resin
1999
6 cm
11g
Croco

Excited by finding a figurine in a box of Sugar Puffs, I bought another one, and found this figurine. By the time I had worked my way through the second box of Sugar Puffs, and bought a third one, the promotion (or whatever it was) was over.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of Guān Gōng
China
Brass
Late 20th/Early-21st century
16 cm
260g

Guan Yu was a Chinese military general during the late Han dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the events leading up to the end of the Han dynasty and the establishment of the Shu Han state during the Three Kingdoms period. He was captured and executed by enemy forces in 220.
After his death, Guan Yu's life and achievements was glorified to such an extent that he was deified. Through generations of story telling, culminating in the 14th-century historical novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', his deeds and moral qualities have been given immense emphasis, making Guan Yu one of East Asia's most popular paradigms of loyalty and righteousness. He is still worshipped by many Chinese people today. In religious devotion he is called Guān Dì (Emperor Guan) or Guān Gōng (Lord Guan). He is a deity worshipped in Chinese folk religion, Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism, and small shrines to him are ubiquitous in traditional Chinese shops and restaurants. He has also become a popular figure in historical fiction, movies and video games.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Glow-in-the-dark figurine of the virgin Mary
China
Flourescent Resin
20th century
7 cm
8g

Designed for the dashboard of a car, this glow-in-the-dark figurine of the virgin Mary has a magnet at the bottom. It came into the collection in the early 1990s as a gift from a friend who picked it up in a junkshop in Texas.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Albert Einstein figure
China
Plastic
2009
11cm
32g

The Albert Einstein bobblehead figurine originates from the McDonalds Happy Meal promotion for the 20th Century Fox film 'Night at the Museum 2'.
The figurine came into the collection via an assorted bag along with a couple of Barbies purchased for daughter at the local Savers on Sydney Road ca. 2014.

Although Einstein is a cherished member of the collection, I do feel strangely compelled to give him the Christmas ornament treatment

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figurine of old man
China
Alabaster and dye
Early-21st century
7 cm
90g

Alabaster figure of old Chinese Man. The figure is carrying a gold ingot in one hand, indicating that it could be a representation of Chinese star god Lu - the god for wealth and fortune. The figure is dyed to look older than it is.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Replica of 12th century stamp
China
Copper/Bronze alloy
Early-21st century
4 cm
50g

A stamp in the shape of figure. The underside has some Chinese lettering on it, presumably a name or something.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of Chinese Stargod Shou
China
Silverplated brass
20th century
12 cm
385g

A second set of Star gods. Individually the three star gods each ensures various good stuff for the owner, but put together they pack a powerful punch. However, they must always be arranged in the right order: From left to right: Shou, Lu, and Fu. They should never be placed facing each other, in front of a window, in the kitchen or bathroom. Because the trio encompasses luck for all aspects of life, they can be placed in common areas like the living room or dining area; having star gods overlooking the dining table can help enhance the harmony and good fortune within the family unit. When placed in the office, they are most powerful when situated behind your chair. This is so that you have their support when doing your work.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of Chinese Stargod Lu
China
Silverplated brass
20th century
12 cm
425g

Because Lu is the stargod of prosperity, rank, and influence, he is portrayed either with a gold ingot to symbolise wealth or, as in thise case; a Ru Yi or scepter of office. If you fancy a career in the civil service, or if you just want to pass your exams, Lu is the Stargod for you.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of Chinese Stargod Fu
China
Silverplated brass
20th century
12 cm
360g

Fu is the god of happiness. He is sometimes portrayed with a child on his arm, but more often, as here; holding a scroll. Sometimes the scroll has the Chinese character 'FU' written on it. I'm not quite sure what the scroll signifies.

All three figures were originally fully silverplated, but due to an attempt at cleaning the tarnish using the tin foil and saltwater method, most of the silverplating disappeared. I suppose the stargods are never to be placed in the kitchen, much less the kitchen sink.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figurine of Mao Tse-tung
China
Brass
21st century
7cm
50g

Mao Zedong (1893–1976) was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founding father of the People's Republic of China. Ideologically a Marxist–Leninist, his theories, military strategies, and political policies are collectively known as Maoism. A controversial figure, Mao ruled China through an autocratic and totalitarian regime responsible for mass repression as well as destruction of religious and cultural artifacts and sites. His government was responsible for vast numbers of deaths with estimates ranging from 40 to 80 million victims through starvation, persecution, prison labour, and mass executions. Supporters of Mao have credited him with transforming China from a semicolony to a powerful sovereign state, with increased literacy and life expectancy.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of seated male
?
Brass
20th century
14 cm
240g

Thin and elongated brass figure of seated male stroking his beard. Picked up at a junk market in India by the guy I bought it from. It appears to be African.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of Sith lord Darth Vader
?
Vinyl
21st century
5cm
12g

Small figurine of Darth Vader. the small eyelet on top of his helmet seems to indicate that he was once part of a keyring.
Darth Vader is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. The character is the primary antagonist in the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, a primary protagonist in the prequel trilogy. He has become one of the most iconic villains in popular culture.
Originally Anakin Skywalker is a Jedi prophesied to bring balance to the Force. He is lured to the dark side of the Force by Emperor Palpatine and becomes a Sith Lord, assuming the title Darth Vader. After a lightsaber battle with his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, in which he is severely injured, Vader is transformed into a cyborg. He then serves the Galactic Empire for over two decades as its chief enforcer. Vader ultimately redeems himself by saving his son, Luke Skywalker, and killing Palpatine, sacrificing his own life in the process.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of woodcutter
?
Brass alloy
20th/21st century
11 cm
245g

I have no idea what this is, or where it's from.
Brass figure using his arms, and what's known as a tumpline, to carry two bundles of firewood or cane-like crop strapped over the top of his head. Is he a woodcutter, or a farmer, or some sort of forrager? Tumplines are used both in the Americas, Africa and Asia, so no clue as to the origin there. The curved grip of his machete looks Southeast Asian, but it's not much to go on, and perhaps even overinterpreting, given the overall crudeness of the piece. The body is covered with rows of stud-like ornamentation. Considering the rest of the figure is so unrefined, I can't help thinking that maybe the pattern is the original shape of the modelling wax? The metal is somewhat lacklustre and speckled with tiny black dots, some sort of alloy? Despite ample attempts, I have never managed to polish of buff any shine into it. Overall the entire figure is rather ugly, and perhaps I should get rid, but like a blind puppy or a three legged kitten, there's something helpless about it, that triggers my nurturing instinct.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of Moses
?
Wood
20th century
21 cm
141g

Wooden figure of Moses. At least I think it's Moses due to the staff and tablet. The back is flat with a little brass eyelet attached which indicates that it would have hung on a wall. I have no idea about the origin, probably European.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of Bibendum
?
Cast iron
2020es
7.5 cm
221g

Cast iron figurine of the Michelin mascot Bibendum, or the Michelin Man as he's more commonly refered to. The piece is modern, probably a replica of an older piece. The casting is very rough. Originally it was painted and then smudged to make it look older than it is. An attempt to remove hairs and dirt from the paint with acetone lead to the entire paint layer being removed. I might repaint it. There's plenty of these around at the moment, which leads me to believe that the production date is very recent. Origin is so far unknown.