Couples

 Peter and I first met half a century ago. It is not surprising that a number of the objects in our home are of couples.

62. Painted Indian alabaster carving

22cm 

I don't think that this carving, where a small female is subjugated to the will of a large male god, is representative of the relationship in our household! I know nothing about the object, having never thought to ask, as a child, where it came from. My mother received various gifts from India when she was young and it is likely that this was one of them. Her uncle had died in his twenties after only six weeks of marriage. His widow remarried and went to live in India with her new husband. She wrote from there to my mother, sending photographs and gifts.

63. Staffordshire sailor and wife

20cm 

I bought this couple at a country auction My father was buying glass and I had gone along to keep him company. It was one of many jaunts where I was just going along for the ride and not interested in buying anything. Those are always the times when something catches your eye and your hand goes up. I have always liked the idea of a blue and white cottage by the coast, where these two would look perfectly at home. It hasn't happened yet!

64. Dogon couple 24 cm high.

This charming couple are among a number of pieces that we have bought from the Joliba Trust, a charity formed to support sustainable development in the rural communities of Mali. This, I like to think, rather than object 62, represents our life together, side by side, feet on ground, and a steady hand!

65. Dogon door lock 29cm high.

This is one of my favourite objects, another piece from the Joliba Trust, a functional and beautiful wooden door lock.

66. Adam and Eve, Hungarian woodcut

This little wood cut was a present from our elder daughter after a trip to Hungary. It hangs on our kitchen wall. I like  the naivety of the scene, greedy Eve and a very docile looking Adam!