Sunday, October 17, 2010

could these be urns?

Help!

I'm looking for fabricators to turn items like these into repurposed urns. These pics came from a recent visit to the Rose Bowl Flea Market, and are just a small example of items that could possibly be repurposed into urns. I realize some of these items might be impractical, but with a little imagination and ingenuity others could work. I'm personally excited for a punch clock urn : )

Here are the standard urn requirements: 1) must hold 200-250 cubic inches, which comes out to about 6 pounds; 2) must be air and water tight; 3) if it's opened widely, it should be lined and perhaps padded. I'm looking for a fabricator who can work with wood, metal, or both. The item can either retain its original look, or there could be a few artistic flourishes.

Please contact me if you're interested in working with me on this at shirley@modernmourner.com. Although I don't have these exact items, these pics should give you an idea of how wide the concept of an urn can be. Thanks to all!

Lunch boxes could easily work, especially the larger sizes.

A jewelry box like this could be hollowed out beneath, and the top could be used to keep personal mementos.
For the guys, a sturdy, well-worn tool box.

This globe is kind of beat up, but there might be other sturdier versions.

Awesome ammo boxes!
Going somewhere?

13 comments:

Charles Cowling said...

Brilliant thinking! I'm watching intently.

Patrick McNally said...

I love it!

Sister Shirley said...

I realize I didn't post any pictures of clocks. There were quite a few table clocks, mini grandfather clocks, etc. The hands could be set at a significant hour. Didn't the Victorians have ornamental "sad clocks" set at the time of death?

Charles Cowling said...

Clocks do stop at the time of death (sometimes). Read Peter and Elizabeth Fenwick's The Art of Dying - a lovely book and a deeply impressive one.

Unknown said...

My maternal grandfather and mother died many years apart. She kept his lovely German clock, always wound, on the mantle. When he died... as I recall it was 7:20 a.m., the clock stopped at precisely that moment, and remained so until rewound. (With a moment's pause on "re" and "wound").

Then, when our mother was dying, my sister was wearing our grandfather's gold wrist watch that he'd earned in retirement 45 years prior. At mom's last breath, my sister looked at the watch. It was 7:30 a.m. Later, as we were leaving, my sister checked the time again. The hands hadn't budged.

Our lives are animated by objects, and the objects are animated by us, perhaps more than we know.

Beckerman Girls said...

I LOVE that Uhaul truck!!! That is AMAZING! The Rosebowl ROCK!!! Good luck with your urn project!!!
kisses
xoThe Beckerman Girls

http://www.BeckermanBitePlate.com

ZHENYA ZHURAVLYOVA said...

прикольный вещи!))

Annushka said...

I LOVE VINTAGE!!!)))
VERY, VERY, VERY, BEAUTIFUL BLOG!!!

Tiffany said...

Where oh where did you find that Charlie's Angels lunchbox? I had that exact one growing up and was looking it up on eBAY just last week! How random.

I love the clock idea.

Tiffany said...

Ah, I just read more closely- the Rose Bowl Flea Market. What a brilliant place to go looking.

Luna Tiger said...

The lunchbox with Charlie's angels is incredible !!!
http://selenite.weebly.com/

Style Odyssey said...

very creative thinking! i like the clock idea a lot.

Kim said...

I know several peeps with skillz. I suspect you have found someone already, but if not, let me know.