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| Mark D. Ruffner |
It's made with sticks, shells and twine.
When it hangs on the wall it looks like a piece of modern art (at least to me), but it has a utilitarian purpose. Can you guess what it is? I'll publish the answer on Monday, and if you guess correctly, I'll hold your answer until then.
Have a great weekend.
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Hello Mark, Is this a catch-all holder for photos, messages, small decorative items, and miscellaneous scraps? There were also nets hung for similar purposes but for more three-dimensional objects.
ReplyDelete--Road to Parnassus
Hello, Jim,
DeleteI've seen those wonderful Victorian scrap holders, and even considered painting one as a trompe-l'oeil, but that's not what this is.
No idea -but it really is cool. Pearls and all!
ReplyDeleteHi, Stefan - Cool it is, but those aren't pearls; they're very common shells.
DeleteDear Mark - both of us have absolutely no idea whatsoever - I like it and would also be happy to have it hanging on the wall - it creates lovely shadows.
ReplyDeleteI know indigenous people used shells for money - may be some kind of abacus.
Dear Rosemary,
DeleteThere are no moving parts here, so it's not a kind of abacus. But you've gotten me wondering whether I could invent an abacus with no moving parts. Hmmm.
Dear Mark, Does the thing fold up? Does it have anything to do with fishing i.e., fishing nets are tied to it and serves as a stabilizer? Or, it might even be a hat rack. Have a great weekend and thanks for the puzzle. Gina
ReplyDeleteDear Gina,
DeleteThis is not a stabilizer for nets, but I have a good image of what you're thinking. I should mention that this measures about a yard square.
I have no idea, but it does look intriguing hanging on the wall, Mark. Looking forward to the answer.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Have a great weekend, Yvette — tune in on Monday!
DeleteThe irregular shape is what has me most stumped. It's hard to imagine a utilitarian purpose unless it's shape and shells are just decorative and have nothing to do with its function. I also notice that there's a boat or fish shape in the lower right-hand corner so that (unless it's a coincidence) combined with its material makes me think it has something to do with water or fishing.
ReplyDeleteHello, Steve,
DeleteThat shape in the lower right-hand corner is not a boat or fish, and doesn't represent a boat or fish. And the shells are not meant to be decorative.
It's a map from one of the cultures of the Pacific islands. It allowed them to navigate across hundreds (sometimes thousands) of miles of ocean in their open, outrigger canoes.
ReplyDeleteI've never completely understood how they work, but they're really cool-looking
Right you are! And I agree with you in thinking that these are really cool-looking. Thanks for visiting and playing along with us. You get full credit on Monday.
DeleteI bet nobody has come up with the right answer or for that matter will do. You really have stumped us Mark.
ReplyDeleteHi, Rosemary,
DeleteSo far I do have one correct answer.
I have no idea Mark .... it's an interesting object though, and large,I do remember what a yard is, many younger Australians would have no idea
ReplyDeleteDear smr - We here in the U.S. are still sticking to inches, feet and yards. My brother recently constructed a wooden box using the metric system, and mentioned to me how much more exacting and easy it was to go with your sysytem!
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