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Washing machine whisperer |
I collect books on Africa. Most of them are from the period of about 1850 through the early 1960's when the continent began to shrug off colonialism. A member here got me interested in the Rhodesian Bush War and I also have a number of books written about it as well. This Christmas, my wife gave me this pair of bookends. They now grace the top of the antique cabinet that once belonged to my favorite aunt. Para's post about a proper book standmade me think to share them along with the latest addition to my collection. I think they are pretty stunning. They now reside on the top of the secretary that houses some of my collection.  Bookends by Brad Benzing, on Flickr__________________________ Writing the next chapter that I've been looking forward to. | ||
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| Member |
Congratulations those are beautiful book ends! | |||
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Member |
I love this, very well done. I've been a fan of Ruark and Capstick have a few of their books. Ruark's "Uhuru" and "Something of Value" are two very good historical reads, the Mau Mau uprising in Africa, 1950s. "Nature scares me" a quote by my friend Bob after a rough day at sea. | |||
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| As Extraordinary as Everyone Else  |
I’ve been to the continent 3 times in the past few years, the most recent trip being spent in Algeria and Tunisia traversing the Sahara Desert. The indigenous people who live there, the Touareg’s are a fascinating people and their culture is amazing. We’ll worth checking out if you want to add to your library. ------------------ Eddie Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina | |||
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| Member |
I am starting to journey in that direction. I spent 3/4 of my life studying the Middle East and Asia but now it is time to start a new path. (Even though I thoroughly enjoyed it, I was hoping it would help me get deployed/employed with Uncle Sam---NOPE) I met this beast of a gentleman at the gym who is from East Africa and is studying to be a nurse. He is schooling me on where he grew up, food, customs, culture, etc.. Many of his relatives, grandparents, etc.. come from the Congo area. Fascinating.. | |||
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| Partial dichotomy |
Nice to see, Brad! I was fortunate to sail into Africa several times. Freetown, Sierra Leone; Douala, Cameroon and Durban, South Africa. Toliar, Madagascar. Also through the Suez Canal which was a trip. SIGforum: For all your needs! Imagine our influence if every gun owner in America was an NRA member! Click the box>>>  | |||
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| Member |
very cool collection. i'd love to visit there one day. I know several folks that have been on hunts there and have taken some of the big 5 A good man who has since passed and was a gun and hunting mentor to me gifted me his 1st edition 1955 copy of "Something of Value" and that got me reading more Ruark And reading about the golden age of the Pro hunters from Bell, Selous, Capstick etc. Even Teddy Roosevelt's book about Africa. Elmer Keith also wrote an African hunting book. I am lucky enough to live pretty close to the US gun room of Westley Richards and can visit their office any time. The double guns and bolt guns, new and used by other British makers that are the price of a really nice car up to a small house. My friend who passed in his 70s would have loved to have taken even a photo safari in Africa. | |||
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| Member |
Do you happen to have a spare wall that needs a little bit of something ? Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency. Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first | |||
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Member |
Those are very cool! I also have a collection of books on Africa....mainly hunting books, but a couple of other including one on the life of Shaka Zulu. It is an extremely interesting read. Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. - 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 | |||
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Prepared for the Worst, Providing the Best |
Brad, those are awesome! Beautiful addition to a very cool collection.
That sounds fascinating! Care to share how you arranged/facilitated that? I've always wanted to visit the Sahara, and came close to getting to Tunisia back when I lived in Europe but it sadly never happened. | |||
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Legalize the Constitution |
The bookends are beautiful, and your collection niche is very interesting. _______________________________________________________ despite them | |||
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His Royal Hiney |
Are those bookends wood or metal? I had a coworker who collected elephants of all kinds. His office was strewn with them as well as his home according to him. "It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946. | |||
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| Partial dichotomy |
They sure are! I'd like to hear more about them. SIGforum: For all your needs! Imagine our influence if every gun owner in America was an NRA member! Click the box>>> | |||
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| Washing machine whisperer |
Thank you! The item up in the top right is a WWI tank projectile. I 6guns, they are cast from something like plaster. No markings on the bottoms. My wife tells me she lost a bid on another pair just like them a year ago and has been watching for another set to show up. She specifically wanted African elephants. They are very special as is my wife. Rey, as said above, they are cast of something like plaster. I knew someone someone like your co-worker years ago. She had a vast collection of elephants. She was the daughter of the founder of Jay's potato chips. Her home/estate was called Elephant Walk and she and her husband owned a restaurant called The Ivory Bistro __________________________ Writing the next chapter that I've been looking forward to. | |||
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Member |
A relative is the executor on a fairly large estate. He’s a good way through most things, guy was in his 70’s, never married, no kids. One item is a set of carved elephant tusks, 3-4’ long. I did a little research, then talked to a reputable group that deals with such. With the clamp down on ivory, it’s very difficult to sell them, especially across State lines. When you google them up, there’s a push to donate them to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife museum. Older listings showed a price approaching $50k. The antique service said one could get a few 1000 for them. He also cautioned they could be confiscated if shipped. Since even the dead need to file a tax return, they may just get donated the value deducted. I don’t have Africa on the list to visit soon, enjoy reading the older stories. I did buy a 375 Ruger a few years ago, so I can gear up if needed. | |||
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| Member |
One of my Grad School Professors was Richard Mahoney. He wrote a book "Ordeal in Africa" that you might enjoy. It examines JFK's foreign policy there. I found it interesting. | |||
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Hop head  |
I have a friend with a similar issue, his grandfather passed, and was a higher up in Interarms and another gun distributor, did a shitton of Africa hunts, and has a nice set of tusks that were likely harvested in the 50's or 60's, however, he cannot find any documentation to state that, so he is having a tough time selling them, I bought a lot of guns and reloading gear out of that estate, and we went thru every book he had looking for any reciepts that may have been tucked inside,,, but no luck https://chandlersfirearms.com/chesterfield-armament/ | |||
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| Hop head |
if you want to read some good stuff on hunts etc in Modern Day Africa, venture over to Gunboards, scroll down the forums list to JPS's hunting section, JPS (in addition to having one of the biggest and nicest WW1 arms and accoutrement collection, spends a lot of time in Africa, and does a fantastic job documenting hunts etc, great guy too, got to meet him a few years ago at the Antique Arms show in Vegas https://chandlersfirearms.com/chesterfield-armament/ | |||
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| Member |
I have some terrific original pencil works, one is of Elephants in a river. The artist took a trip to Africa and it really inspired him. I sold one of a Cape Buffalo and it toured the US in a museum show. Really poor phone photo!  "Nature scares me" a quote by my friend Bob after a rough day at sea. | |||
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A Beautiful Mind |
Appliance Brad you might find Congo Kitabu by Jean-Pierre Hallet interesting. It's an autobiographical work that details his travels and work for Belgium in Africa. | |||
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