On our May trip to Lubeck Germany to visit our son, we did some touristy things, some leisure things, some parenting things and some indulging in our favorite things. One of those favorite things is browsing through antique shops, looking for something that catches our fancy, calls to us over time with some special significance or just strikes a memory chord of some experience.
I must confess, I have been doing this most of my life. Whether it is something small, or ridiculous, something valuable or not, it turns out that my attachments to these things and their place in my own experience is important. I tend to resurrect things and use them, in the past when I did some art teaching, or lessons for my children or just little pieces of my interests scattered over my home, reminding me of things in my life.
I am not alone in this, my husband has grown to enjoy this, and my son who we visited is particularly interested too. We find the oddest things and sometimes, well sometimes we acquire them. Sometimes we can only admire them, but in the end they are with us in memory or in hand.
We had just finished a wonderful lunch on our son's 21st birthday at the Schiffer Gesellschaft. This restaurant that is today was originally founded by the Nicholas Brotherhood in 1401, it was a different building and not a restaurant, but a place to negogiate the business of the high seas, work on grievances and also to care for those in their age or misfortune who had served honorably on the sea. The current building has been used since 1538. The purpose of the association was to provide "aid and comfort to the living and the dead for all their honest living (expenses) in the shipping industry", according to some words in their charter. Through the Reformation and other political changes, the work of the organization changed and their ownership of the building as well. An organization still exists today that has some of the same purpose and all you need to be in it is some master's ticket, license, for foreign trade and be a resident in or around Luebeck.
The building which was used for this purpose has been a restaurant since 1866. It is a major tourist attraction because the decor is from the original time period and has had little change over the years. Most stunning are the very dark wood walls, the ship models which hang overhead, the lanterns with ships on them and pieces of carved ship figureheads. There are some tables and chairs and some of the orginal long benches and tables intact.
The food was excellent, the beer wonderful and the atmosphere very warm and comforting. At one point the crew of cadets from the Mir which was in harbor for the 200th Anniversary of the Passat at Travemunde came in. They marched through the restaurant, in single file, snaking there way through the long benches and tables, viewing the restaurant and being viewed themselves. Such an important place for men of the sea to see, and yet a bit expensive perhaps for the cadets, or not on their itinerary to actually eat there. They were inspiring and in a recent post of mine I describe the 200th Anniversary and our visit on board the Mir.
After our lunch we headed out and noticed these nearby antique shops which included some jewelry, silver and paintings. Of course, my first thing to do was stop and gaze. Then I decided to take a few pictures. Next I spotted a ring that looked like it should be on my finger. It appeared to be large enough, which is usually a problem for me and also the color was very much one of my most favorites. The stone was carnelian, the setting gold and well, I just had to see it up close and perhaps try it on.
The three of us made our way into the very small shop, which was an obstacle course of many beautiful tables filled with lovely things and paintings landed against sturdy walls of wood. In the back sat a man dressed well, in his forties perhaps and a woman who had entered the store shortly before us was speaking to him. She was obviously German, in her fifties perhaps, with blond hair, perfectly dressed and made up, very fashionable. It turned out she was one of the owners. She did not speak English, and so between my son and I we explained what we were interested in seeing and so forth. It did not take long to see the ring. It fit me perfectly which is absolutely unusual. We asked the price and before we could agree to buy it, she lowered it. Done.
As we left the little shop, I was thinking about what she had said about the ring, it was from the art nouveau period, Victorian. We walked along chatting and suddenly heard a woman's voice calling "Madame". I recognized it as the woman's. We turned around and she was right there, if you can imagine a woman so dressed up, running down the street, it was a sight. She spoke rapidly in German, she had a companion ring to this one in the store's safe deposit box and she would be returning with around 4:00 pm, if we had time to come back and see it. We were a bit taken aback. We assured her that if we had time we would wander back to see it. She was excited and worked up. I was thinking what would I do with two rings, and she said it was a man's ring that she had. I thought quickly and thanked her and she left and we once again were on our way.
She had admired my diamond engagement ring and band, which I never used to wear on trips but now that I am old I just want to wear them
sometimes. She had tried to guess the carat size, this was a woman after my own heart. You can always tell a jewelry lover. Had I been without my husband and son, it would have been a very easy thing to go back and drool over whatever she had to show me, and likely if the price was good, I would have bought it. My son was short on his time and wanted to take us more places that day which took us far away from this street. I did not get back. My husband was willing and once we were near it again, several days later, we thought of going in, but somehow it did not seem to call to either of us. I have thought of it a few times at home and I may just send my son who is still there, back in that shop to check it out!
I put the ring on my finger several times in Germany, but mostly did not wear it. I told my husband it was an old grandma's ring and she was a big woman, who liked to bake and wore black. She was a nice lady and saw many things in her life. Then I told him it might have been worn by a man at some point. I told him, no, it is a man's ring, men did wear these rings and then I found a similar one on the internet and yes, it was considered a man's ring. My husband did not think it was a man's ring, it was too full of plump swirls. So I think both a man and a woman wore this ring at one time and that they were happy and contented people. When I put the ring on, I was feeling very happy with who I am and I felt this had chosen me.
I almost did not make this trip to be with my son. I did not feel I had the strength for it. Later I will tell you how much of a struggle it was to get home because of the closing of German airspace due to the volcanic ash. The ring gave me a lot of strength to travel to Holland and find my way home.
Of the many things written about the meaning of the carnelian stone, this about sums it up:
"Carnelian (meaning): It leads to clearing the voice of the wearer and helps to preserve peace of mind, tranquility, harmony.
Carnelian is good for those in public life, speakers and orators. It is good for general good health, wealth and prosperity.
From Gemstonebuzz.
Carnelian is a gemstone known for its many beneficial properties; it is a form of chalcedony, and can vary in color from reddish brown, to a rust like orange, while the spectrum of shades can encompass the very intense and dark, as well as pale and smoky. Typically, carnelian stone meaning is associated with power, protection and positive energy. Carnelian is found and mined mainly in India, Uruguay, Brazil and South Africa, though its use is advocated the world over for its many advantageous properties. It is believed to vibrate to the numbers 5 and 6, and also balance the Second (sacral) chakra. (this has particular meaning to me)
From Buzzle.com.
Included in this post are some photographs taken just before we went into this shop to buy the ring. The last photo taken in the restaurant shows dust or orbs, whatever you believe, on the photo. I have enlarged it. I am a person who is sensitive and this does not surprise me to see this. I have never taken a picture before and seen this that I can recall. I did not even see them until I was going to write about this ring. I had looked at my pictures several times, but never noticed them before. I leave you to think what you will regarding all of this, but to some of you, it will affirm things you already know and to others it will open a door of ideas to you.
The past is never far from us, it swirls around like a billowing cloud, sometimes bringing darkness and thunder, other times bringing light and warmth. To touch the past is one more way to live in the present, to feel what has been learned and to learn from it, to know what we are, is to sometimes know the past. I live like a person who is standing at Four Corners, one foot in New Mexico, another in Colorado, I put one in the past and keep one in the present, then I live with an understanding that is sometimes lost. I invite you to join me standing as they do in Four Corners, firmly planted, but not ever in just one place.
Copyright 2011 by SheilaTGTG55 Photos by SheilaTGTG55 unless otherwise attibuted.
Glancing into the nearby shop windows, I felt myself looking for my usual interests, silver, antique jewelry and rings.
In this window several of my favorite things, including some modern pieces of jewelry as well as things over 100 years old and more.
I purchased the ring here but on viewing the photo it is hidden behind a wooden piece on the window and not seen here. I noticed the ring and it seemed large enough to fit me, I was attracted to the color. It is the shade that I frequently paint my nails and similar to the lipstick I often wear.
This is a ring similar to the one that we bought. It is considered a man's ring from the early 1900's.
Here is the ring that we purchased. I was told this ring was from the early 1900's or the Victorian era. This flat style stone is also considered a signet ring.
Here is a picture of the original facade of the building. Wiki photo.
The is the front of the restaurant today. Notice the window at the right side, this is next to a doorway to the cellar, where sailors were allowed to sleep when they had no where else to go in port in the early centuries of this buildings existence. Also to the left, is the shop that we looked in with all the antique silver, moving down this street, Breite Strasse, we came upon the shop with the ring we purchased in it. Wiki photo.
This is an older inner shot of the restaurant from 1919. Wiki photo.
This is a picture of the front entrance of the restaurant. Wiki photo.
Here is another shot of the ceiling from our area of the restaurant.
This is one of the shots I took in quick success of the ceiling area, notice the hanging boat model.
The is the whole picture. You can see two of the larger orbs, or dust, on this picture.
Here is a close up of the five orbs, which I only noticed on this picture, after examining it on my computer.
When I took these pictures, I was just pointing and shooting the camera, very quickly, I did not want to disturb anyone toward the middle of the restaurant. We had taken some table birthday shots too and they were not dark and no orbs or dust present.
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Comments
LOVED this and that ring is just wonderful
rated with hugs
R
♥R
Linda: I would love to see that picture with your orbs, maybe we should do an orb open call! Thanks for stopping!
Scarlett: Yes, I knew none of this when I was there and attracted to it. I find it amazing.
Fusun: I would love to go to the bazaar with you, when this travel glitch hit, I told my husband I would go to Istanbul to catch a plane home. We did not know if the ash would increase or not, but I seriously said that. Thanks for reading!
Lunchlady: Hoped you might stop by for this one, I know you know things like this.
Bellwether: Me too! Wouldn't it be something if they were all discussing me and saying,"Hey send her over to the little shop down the street, we can hook her up with Zelda's husband's ring, I think it will fit her chubby fingers!!!! Zelda would appreciate that!!"
Joan: I am so glad you found it so, it took awhile to get this ready and I wondered if people would think it was too long or too strange, but it was a nice piece about the trip for me to do.
I'm not much of one for jewellery, but I love those boats ! ( I loved your tall-ships post, too.)
The juxtaposition of period and now photos is great here. My eldest is in Germany right now - I will certainly point her to Lubeck and the Schiffer Gesellschaft ( if it's too pricey, she can always browse next-door.)
Your last paragraph is beautiful, thank you.
I bought a pair of comfortable shoes. I wear only one pair of shoes until the sole has holes.
I loved the Beer Halls.
War history was sad.
Many memories, sigh.
I remember Beautiful.
`
When you are about to land from a 'freedom bird" (flee wars) You notice: Redish roof tiles,
stone structures, bumpy
streets, window boxes
flowers, cathedrals
farm markets food
and you can hop on a train to sleep if you buy a discount train rail pass. You can sleep.
I traveled all alone.
Many fond memory.
Next trip I might buy`
a stuffed Freud doll.
`
or
invite SheliaTGT55?
hit haystack, not me?
Art: Your syncopated insights are always a delight. I read them with interest and always enjoy the grains of experience which are thrown in and how the poem unfolds. Thank you for gracing my page here today!!