Horn of Plenty

Van Day Truex's first home in Provence, House & Garden, March, 1984.

I almost titled this post "Horny," but was afraid of the sort of folk it might deliver to my door. I've been relying on the vintage a bit too much this week, but Mr. Blandings is having a bit of a Mrs. Blandings birthday by which I mean more of a birthweek. Or a birthmonth. So here we are again. I guess I should have sold this as part of my grand plan, an execution in continuity. Only it's not. Just a bit of by-the-seat-of-my-pants inspiration.

Chateau de Menetou-Salon, Architectural Digest, March, 1980.

There are design elements that do repeat and are not so tired and one of these is horns. I have a set of antlers that Mr. Blandings lovingly delivered to me when we were first married. You might think I received them as a cat-owner receives the love-token carcass, but I actually like them. They feel wonderful. Smooth and silky. And in their bony purity, sculptural.

Steven Gambrel, his own home, House & Garden.

In addition, unless you happen to stumbled upon a rhinoceros horn, they usually come in pairs. Appeal times two.

There's a bit of a jump here, so pay attention. There is a toy store in Brookside, our neighborhood shopping center, called Brookside Toy and Science. It is a gift that my boys are growing up in walking distance of a whole line of shops owned by independent store-owners. It's great fun to kill an afternoon at Reading Reptile and getting ice cream or popcorn and going to the toy store.




So while they bee-line to the Legos and cars, I head to the back where the "science" lives." All types of funky taxidermy, stones, skeletons, mounted butterflies and beetles. And two giant carved tusks.






Un-uh. Didn't ask. No idea how these came to be here. Originally marked at $250,000 they are reduced to 99% off - $2,500 - for the pair. A furrowed brow came up over the counter as I snapped the shot. I just smiled. Just killing a little time in the 'hood checking out the quarter of a million dollar tusks. I'm just saying, you have to keep your eyes open. You never know where something interesting is going to turn up.