Last month when I was on vacation in Belgium and visiting my favourite second hand shop (remember the lovely doilies?) I found some other amazing treasures. I actually could have easily filled a moving truck with things like kitchen cupboards from the 50’s, old wooden wardrobes that were in desperate need of a face lift, vintage coffee tables and antique desks. It was torture to be there and have so little space in the car to bring anything back to Italy.
But I did find a few little objects besides the doiles that did indeed fit in the trunk of the car and made it back home to Italy. Some of my favorites are these three little porcelain elephants from probably the 50’s or the 60’s. They are in perfect condition, not even a chip or scratch on any of them.
There was even a sticker on the middle sized elephant that says they are handmade in Holland by Fico Art. I’ve googled the company but didn’t find anything about them or these little elephants. In any case, I’m very smitten with these little creatures and they will proudly grace one of my shelves or bookcases. Oh and did I mention that I paid less than 5 euro for the three pieces?! 
And in case you’re wondering, the background in these photos is a vintage wallpaper that I purchased from an old wallpaper shop in Gent. A pair of 80 year old sisters own the little shop called Behangpapier Priem and they have a huge selection of wallpapers from the 60’s and 70’s at really amazing prices (I think this one cost 9 euro a roll).
We papered a small wall at the top of our stairs with it and I love how happy and bright it is (although I’ve seen a few confused reactions from other people). I must admit that using vintage wallpaper is a very trying experience due to it being fairly brittle and the fact that walls in Italy seem to be completely crooked and lumpy. But the husband and I made it through alive and we’re still married.
Jillian In Italy 
Not sure how I discovered your blog but I am enjoying your stories and your photography.
Thanks Patsy!
I love the elephants! and the wallpaper! It looks a lot like the wallpaper we have in Rosalieke’s room.
I have a question, Corneeltje fell in love in Italy with sorbetto di arancia ( Sorry for my Italian if it is wrongly spelled!). Do you perhaps have a recipe? I would like to make it for him because every time we go out for icecream he is disappointed because they never have it … Stupid Belgian icecream!!!
Big kisses!!!
I’ll ask our gelato guy and let you know. Are you sure it was a sorbetto and not a gelato or a granita?
de olifantjes zijn schitterend
ik be, nog eens terug geweest en heb een donkerbruine creuset pot in zeer goede staat voor 2 euro meegebracht en een prachtig kistje voor billie
dat ben ik nu aan het verven ma
Het kistje is prachtig!
Darling little elephants! My mother is a huge collector of elephants! You’ve given me a great idea to giver her vintage ones one day. Thanks! 🙂