S is for Sifcon International / SiL Interiors . . .

. . . and Temerity Jones, and if there really is someone called Temerity, I hope they punished their parents somehow! Another stand which caught my eye at Birmingham, back in February, was the Sifcon International / SiL Interiors / Temerity Jones stand, which was more about cats, than anything else, but cats, or big cats, as tree-hangers, and nutcracker tree-hangers at that, were an absolute for getting the camera out!

 

They appear to be pressed copper or, more likely brass-sheet (although they could just be edged-card?), litho-printed with a Victorian or early Edwardian'esque artwork, which is then given a deep domed lacquer effect coating, which looks like clear enamel glaze, but is probably a two-part epoxy polymer. Available as standees in two sizes, along with smaller tree-hangers, there were domestic animals, and four of the 'big five' wild animals - no elephant!

 

The nutcracker designs - as you can see - are carried over to soft furnishing, cheeseboards, bottle gift-boxes, jars, mugs, and no doubt, if they prove successful, other items of interior decor? Sadly I haven't seen them about, as I'd get both the smaller cats, for the tree!