David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


23 March 2009

IN PRINCIPIO ERAT BERRY

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Berrys' Antiques was a wonder heap! Your correspondent replays many memories of child-time regained amidst the shared toy box of Fran Berry - ever holding court over a pot of tea - and her son Richard.

(photo from THE AGE)

Along with Fran and Richard, the business has gone to legend.

Last year Young's Auctions dispatched part one of the Berry Family Collection. Part two, the Richard Berry Collection, will be auctioned by Young's at the end of this month.
(click here for the online catalog)
The Berrys' Antique Shop in Melbourne's Flinders Lane was an Australian landmark from the 1960s to 1993 when it sadly closed.

It was the way all antique shops should be - "an Aladdin's cave of unusual collectable and interesting items covering such a great range that it seemed to be a mixture of department store and museum," says David Young. He should know.

As the director of Young's Auctions in East Hawthorn, it was his challenging task to sort through the Berry family's private collection of antiquities and sell them at auction. (full article here)

James Cockington
The Berry family jewels
THE AGE
18 March 2009
Among the varied lots is a scene of looking and measuring that tickles the fancy of bLOGOS/HA HA : an 18th Century fan, 'Chinese estimate of an Englishman, lighter than a feather'.





In the office of bLOGOS/HA HA are a number of mementos from Berrys, including a 1955 calendar from Tangambalanga. Beneath it's image of a child and duck (surely after Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam in the Sistine Chapel) is the originary caption : "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"

IN PRINCIPIO ERAT BERRY