The WPM Gift Guide comes to you in typical fashion: late, frazzled and cursing. After several fruitless shopping expeditions and on online debacles, I decided that next year, I'm going rogue. No more wish lists, no more J. Crew, no more EFFING RESTORATION HARDWARE. I'm not swearing off stuff, I'm just rethinking the kinds of things I'm going give. (That said, I think experiences make the best gifts.)
How amazing would it be to show up on Christmas morning and instead of, I don't know, a cheese board, handing over a small, beautiful wrapped package and saying, "Hey, I saw this Pre-Colombian funerary mask and thought of you." I admit it's a little weird, but sometimes the most wonderful presents are the ones that involve a little risk.
Take, for example, this little collection of antiques and antiquities I found on eBay this weekend while watching the first real snow of the winter. Several hours of internet freebasing yielded the following delights:
1. Clay beastie from the Indus Valley (1200 BC-800 BC). Let's hope this little cutie wasn't looted from the archeological museum in Baghdad. Current bid: $15.75.
2. Lot of six antique Roman vases. Whatever that means. Who cares? Look at that fab patina! Current bid: $9.99.
3. Pre-Colombian Lambayeque figure (Peru, 900 AD). Bidding just ended on this wonderfully expressive figurine - someone just snagged him for $53.60.
4. Faience necklace with gold foil glass beads from Egypt (c. 600 BC). Pretty pretty. Current bid: $110.
5. Bactrian silver thimble (c. 1750 AD). Crafters, you know you want this. Current bid $6.06.
6. Nine Neolithic beads from the Sahara Desert (4000 - 6000 years old). There are so many wonderful beads from pre-history and beyond on eBay. Current bid: $6.50.
7. Ancient Near Eastern horned thingy (800 BC - 500 BC). I love this little dude. Hey buddy! Current bid: $31.00
