Friday, March 16, 2012

More treasures

The next two snaps relate to recycling wood from the old Farmers Trading Company building in Hobson Street, Auckland.  The building has since been turned  into apartments but it was once a glorious department store.  Its rooftop playgound was  a mecca for kids to hurtle around on while their mothers planned which sandwiches to have with their afternoon tea in the tearooms.



I used to work just up the road at the Regional Engineer's Office and walk down at lunchtime to fossick in the bargain basement.  I also witnessed Nixon resign on a small television set in the store. 

This first snap is of one of two bedside tables recycled from kauri saved from the old Farmers building. 



On top of the cabinet is a rimu turned container made by Geoff Addison of Putaruru in about 1991/2.  At the time I lived in Putaruru and taught at the local high school with Geoff.  Underneath is room for all seasons footwear, a pair of boots, barely there summer sandals and sturdy wollen slippers.  The small blue and white pottery ornament is from Edge City in Westmere.

The second snap is of a section of the mirror frame which is also made of recycled matai from the old Farmers Trading Company building.  You can still see the nail holes. 

The full length mirror was a gift from Leo Hunter who also made the side tables in 1998.  Leo dropped the mirror off just as I was putting on my wedding dress so I could  see what I looked like on my big day. 




In those days Leo worked his magic with recycled wood at Unitec in Mt Albert in what used to be the Carrington Hospital boiler house. He also made wooden skateboards out of kauri. His company was called 'Rustic Rumours' and does not seem to be trading any more.

People like Leo and Geoff are artists who make beautiful things which are purposeful and elegant.

2 comments:

Rollercoaster said...

Yea! Farmers. Free buses. Queen Street to K Road via the distorting mirrors by the tearoom! (Those full-length tilting ones in the store proper were SOOOO elegant too but didn't exert nearly the same magnetism for the non-deluded wannabe narcissist.)
We celebrated the occasion of a colleague getting NZ citizenship in abar in the Heritage Hotel that was once Farmers. I was pleased to note that a circular pool table kept up the tradition of offering opportunities to experience things differently.

slaggybuttonit said...

Nice one, Ma.