Oh no! It happened! Yesterday I stumped all of you with "The French Antique Guessing Game". I cannot believe it, out of the many guessing games I have had, I did not think this one would come out being the most difficult to figure out.
It is true, I only gave you one small photo…
The French Antique Guessing Game object starts with the letter "J".
The pieces came in cranberry colored leather box with golden letters on top.
"O" is the second letter.
Yesterday, out of the 200+ comments most of you guessed: toothpicks, hat-pins, knitting needles, letter openers…
My brother Mathew could have said, "Back stabber" instead he wrote that he is tired of me writing about French Brocante. He suggested that I write two blogs. One called "Tongue in Cheek" and the other, "Brocante Hell".
Oh Mathew, Mathew, Mathew…. tsk, tsk, tsk.
How does that song go…."He ain't heavy his my brother…" Oh well at least he reads my blog and is honest.
Jonchet pieces.
Jonchet was a game played in France, much like pick up sticks. These pieces I found are 19th century. I do not think they are made of ivory, instead carved bone?
The box did not come with rules, and it is incomplete. When I found it at the brocante I peeked inside of the box, squealed to myself, closed the box and asked the dealer how much?
French Husband took the box from my hand, opened it, took the pieces out, exclaimed Oh la la, and asked, "What are these? They are interesting!"
I quickly grabbed the Jonchet pieces from his hand stuffed them back in the box, closed the lid and gave him the stink eye.
French Husband, ignoring my stick eye, asked me if the pieces were in ivory. Under my breath I said,"Thank God we speak English together in this French speaking place!"
Then I pulled him aside , "If you keep talkin' ivory, and Oh la la, and what are those, and… and, and, bringing attention to the contents the dealer is going to jack up the price. He doesn't know what they are so shhhhhhhhhh! Remember darling you are the T.R.A.N.S.P.O.R.T.E.R. and are to remind silent when I am trying to make a deal."
The dealer took the box, looked at French Husband and asked, "What did you find inside the box?"
I put my foot on top of F.H.'s and pressed down.
French Husband shrugged.
At that moment I wanted to kiss him, but instead I double stomped his foot just to be certain of his fidelity.
The pieces I have are missing the two hooks.
Due to the fact that nobody guessed them to by pick up sticks I started to doubt myself. Though that is what I have been told that they are.
They could be chess pieces, but I have never seen a complete set or I should say one with a full set of chess pieces and with a board…the ones I have seen are in similar boxes like the one I bought, with similar pieces (10 cm long) and have been told they are pick up sticks.
Nevertheless the gifts from the brocante giveaway (random draw) go to:
Linen: If Jane
Lace: Martha in Mobile
Stamps: Michele and Bebe
Marbles: Kate L.
Papers: Colette , and Mindi-
Please send me your addresses by email.
Photo by friend Joanna.
(I rather like the pumpkin look I got going on in this dress, ah if only it where burnt orange.)
Anyway, now back to my Brother Mathew, who wrote in yesterday's comment section:
"…..Enough
about Brocantes!…."
Dear Brother Mathew,
France is old,
it has old stuff all over the place,
& I am old.
Viva la Brocante,
Viva France
and
I hope I live to see the day where my great grand child brings me
something from the brocante and asks, "What was the brocante like when
you were young Vavie Coco?"
In which case I will say, "Once upon a time I use to write a blog…."
Okay, I'll write about life in general…
Last night as I watched clips on You Tube of Julie Julia my peach crumble was burning in the oven.
I picked off the burnt spots, nearly half the topping, and plopped spoonfuls of creme fraiche on top, and served it for dessert.
As Julia Child's character says in the movie, "Never apologize."
Such freedom it is to be myself on my blog and in my cooking!
Love your Sister
Corey
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