£52.95

(£52.95 )

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S e c r e t s

The Ancient Greeks were known for their advances in astronomy, physics, math, philosophy, poetry, drama. . .and Dalmatian love. The popular breed, known for its endurance and elegance, was depicted on pottery and murals dating back thousands of years.

Peter Calvesbert picks up where the Ancients left off with “Soft Spot” - a Small Dalmatian Treasure Jest with a worldwide edition of 1500. Like his Hellenistic predecessors, Peter emphasizes realism and proportion in this carving.

The popular Dalmatian is known for its endurance and elegance. Its reputation as a firehouse mascot is rooted in its use as a carriage dog whose role was to run along, beside, and sometimes under horse-drawn carriages (thus the alternate name Spotted Coach Dog). Dalmatians were useful for clearing the way in front of the carriage, both by controlling the horses and by their eye-catching attractiveness. This use likely transferred to horse-drawn fire engines. Their popularity increased in the early 1960’s with the release of the Disney animated classic “101 Dalmatians”, yet the breed may date back over 4000 years to Ancient Greece, where it is seen depicted in art. Peter’s secret inscriptions include “Best”, in homage to George Best, the first superstar footballer in the UK, who died while Peter was carving this piece. Best is noted for saying that he spent his money on women, cars and booze, and the rest he just squandered. “Futurama” refers to a cartoon series by The Simpsons’ creators – both favorites of Peters. The dice are present because Peter and his son Sam are avid “Risk” players, and dice have spots like Dalmatians.

Although Harmony Kingdom is still manufactured at Wimberley Mills near Stroud in Gloucestershire, since Martin Perry, the founder retired in August 2005, marketing and shipping of the pieces is done from the USA office at Harmony Ball Company in Ohio. This means that we have to consolidate our orders before having them shipped to us. We are currently taking deliveries about every 6 weeks and so there may be a delay with your order if the piece is not already in stock. We will advise by email. Hope this doesn't cause a problem.