Happy Days Are Here Again
"Happy Days Are Here Again," written by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen in 1929, became a powerful anthem for Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1932 presidential campaign, resonating with Americans seeking hope during the Great Depression. The original recordings of this jaunty song from the late 1920s and early 1930s usually have the sung lyrics accompanied by a banjo.
Originating out of America during the 1920s the banjo quickly gained popularity in Britain too because it was reasonably cheap as an instrument, portable, easy to learn on and musical duelling matches were played like draughts or chess.
The theme for "Looking Close on Friday" for the 21st of March is "part of a musical instrument". Whilst I do come from a very artistic family, with my parents being artists, my Grandmother a writer and poet and my Grandfather a designer, and all of us like music, because both my grandparents were forced to play the piano as children, I was not forced to do the same. Thus, when this theme came up, as I have no musical instruments of my own so to speak, I decided to resort to my large 1:12 miniatures collection, for within it I have a beautiful artisan made banjo, which I acquired from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House shop in the United Kingdom. It has metallic strings, and its head - the circular section of a banjo which I have chosen to make my part of a musical instrument that I am focussing on – is made of white leather. Since the banjo originated in the 1920s, I have decided to surround it by some 1:12 miniature sheet music from the 1920s made by the miniature artisan Ken Blythe. Titles include: "Taxi!" "Auto Race" "Motor Race", "Casey Jones" and "Happy Days". Anyone who follows my photostream knows that I love and collect 1:12 size miniatures which I photograph in realistic scenes. The artifice of recreating in minute detail items in 1:12 scale always amazes me, and it’s amazing how the eye can be fooled. I hope you like my choice of this week’s theme, and that it makes you smile!
The booklets of music are 1:12 size miniatures made by the British miniature artisan Ken Blythe. Known mostly for his authentic replication of books in 1:12 scale, in some cases, you can even read the words of the titles, depending upon the size of the print! I have quite a large representation of Ken Blythe’s work in my collection. In addition to books, he also made some other 1:12 miniatures from paper, including the sheets of music. What might amaze you even more is that each has the correct music inside! To create something so authentic to the original in such detail and so clearly, really does make this a miniature artisan piece. Ken Blythe’s work is highly sought after by miniaturists around the world today and command high prices at auction for such tiny pieces, particularly now that he is no longer alive. I was fortunate enough to acquire pieces from Ken Blythe prior to his death about four years ago. His legacy will live on with me and in my photography which I hope will please his daughter.
Happy Days Are Here Again
"Happy Days Are Here Again," written by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen in 1929, became a powerful anthem for Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1932 presidential campaign, resonating with Americans seeking hope during the Great Depression. The original recordings of this jaunty song from the late 1920s and early 1930s usually have the sung lyrics accompanied by a banjo.
Originating out of America during the 1920s the banjo quickly gained popularity in Britain too because it was reasonably cheap as an instrument, portable, easy to learn on and musical duelling matches were played like draughts or chess.
The theme for "Looking Close on Friday" for the 21st of March is "part of a musical instrument". Whilst I do come from a very artistic family, with my parents being artists, my Grandmother a writer and poet and my Grandfather a designer, and all of us like music, because both my grandparents were forced to play the piano as children, I was not forced to do the same. Thus, when this theme came up, as I have no musical instruments of my own so to speak, I decided to resort to my large 1:12 miniatures collection, for within it I have a beautiful artisan made banjo, which I acquired from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House shop in the United Kingdom. It has metallic strings, and its head - the circular section of a banjo which I have chosen to make my part of a musical instrument that I am focussing on – is made of white leather. Since the banjo originated in the 1920s, I have decided to surround it by some 1:12 miniature sheet music from the 1920s made by the miniature artisan Ken Blythe. Titles include: "Taxi!" "Auto Race" "Motor Race", "Casey Jones" and "Happy Days". Anyone who follows my photostream knows that I love and collect 1:12 size miniatures which I photograph in realistic scenes. The artifice of recreating in minute detail items in 1:12 scale always amazes me, and it’s amazing how the eye can be fooled. I hope you like my choice of this week’s theme, and that it makes you smile!
The booklets of music are 1:12 size miniatures made by the British miniature artisan Ken Blythe. Known mostly for his authentic replication of books in 1:12 scale, in some cases, you can even read the words of the titles, depending upon the size of the print! I have quite a large representation of Ken Blythe’s work in my collection. In addition to books, he also made some other 1:12 miniatures from paper, including the sheets of music. What might amaze you even more is that each has the correct music inside! To create something so authentic to the original in such detail and so clearly, really does make this a miniature artisan piece. Ken Blythe’s work is highly sought after by miniaturists around the world today and command high prices at auction for such tiny pieces, particularly now that he is no longer alive. I was fortunate enough to acquire pieces from Ken Blythe prior to his death about four years ago. His legacy will live on with me and in my photography which I hope will please his daughter.