When we tell our friends and customers that we travel around the world  looking for antiques, I’m sure that the first mental image is of armoires and farm tables.  We, however, have something else in mind.  Our bent is for those antiques particular to the outdoors like garden carts, old wheelbarrows, vineyard wagons.  What if we found a cache of old garden we want to ship them off to Carpinteria?  Would we take the risk of putting a lovely old garden statue on a container traversing the Atlantic Ocean? And the answer , emphatically!  We have been systematically acquiring wagons of various sizes and histories to enhance Eye of the Day and the gardens of our customers. We like to be on the constant lookout for those items that will  prove to be the starting point or an addition to an outdoor area.

While driving through the Tuscan countryside, we saw a group of old oil jars, seemingly abandoned in the middle of a dry, golden field.  Then another one, alone, being used as a rain collector at a small agriturismo.  We are attracted by the warm range of color and the curvy shape of these vessels, used to transport and store olive oil since  the Roman Empire.  They add constant beauty to Eye of the Day.

Wherever we go and in whatever garden book we find images of older gardens and outdoor areas,  our focus is on the elements  bring in a touch of history.

The only research that bore fruit was a call to Luigi Silvestri.  The ESTEEMED Luigi Silvestri of A. Silvestri Company in South San Francisco.  I interrupted his lunch, but he told me that the sculptor’s name is Alberto Milani,  a master Italian stone carver, no longer living.  Luigi knows a lot about Italian sculpture and garden accessories.  Sadly, the meager research hit a dead end.  An Albert(o) Milani worked at a number of marble factories in the U.S. after he moved from Italy at age 14.  I don’t think this is the guy, though.   Ah, the mystery of beautiful objects!  The detailed stone carving on each of these huge, engaging musicians is impeccable.  Where in Italy were they carved?  What beautiful garden did they once grace?  We found them while travelling through Italy along with four smaller carved stone Four Seasons statues.  And what about these?  Did the veiled Signore Milani take his chisel to these pieces of stone as well?

Finding this beautiful carved stone statuary makes us love our store even more.  These are not our only special pieces.  Aren’t you intrigued?  Carts, A Fantastic Unicorn from another time, A Chinese Wedding Bed,  a carved trough with an ancient pump, a beautiful lead boy angel aiming his arrow…  But these pipe-playing musicians , oh Alberto Milani, where are you?