Two more made it to heaven! Iryna Arutska and Charlie Kirk , pray for them !!
My Gustav Becker Anniversary Clock
I love the idea of Anniversary clocks! The idea of winding your clock once a year on your wedding anniversary has a romantic appeal to me.
This particular clock has was made on or before 1900 by Gustav Becker in Freiberg, Germany, before mergers and wars that devastated the company.
The clock is a Gustav Becker Anniversary Clock, a type of 400-day torsion clock known for its precision and elegant design. Gustav Becker, a renowned German clockmaker, began producing these clocks in the late 19th century, with his company becoming famous for high-quality timepieces. The clock features a torsion pendulum, which rotates back and forth under a glass dome, a characteristic design of anniversary clocks that allows them to run for a year on a single wind. The brass construction and ornate details, such as the decorative top and pendulum, are typical of Becker’s craftsmanship.
The specific dating of Gustav Becker anniversary clocks can be challenging due to limited factory records, especially after 1905 when many were destroyed during World War II. However, serial numbers on the movement and pendulum can provide approximate dates. Early models often feature a crowned anchor logo with “GB,” and the presence of a serial number can help narrow down the production period, typically ranging from the 1890s to the 1920s, before the company merged with Junghans in 1930. The clock’s design suggests it could be from this era, though an exact date would require checking the serial number on the back plate and pendulum.
These clocks are highly regarded by collectors for their durability and intricate mechanisms. If you have the serial number, it could be cross-referenced with available data to estimate its age more precisely.
well, if you want one, you’ll have to hunt!! Good luck!
classic Russian folk shirt
Our Priest and our governing Bishop have retired. It became necessary and appropriate to have a sendoff luncheon to celebrate the occasion and I wanted a festive dress for the occasion. I wore a Russian kosovorotka!
Today, the kosovorotka is primarily worn during cultural events, folk performances, and national holidays, embodying Russian heritage and masculinity. Its timeless design and symbolic embroidery continue to inspire modern fashion, with designers like Ulyana Sergeenko and Polina Osipova reimagining traditional motifs in contemporary contexts.
The kosovorotka is a deeply rooted Russian garment with a skewed collar, rich embroidery, and a belted design, pronounced koh-soh-voh-ROHT-kah. Its history spans centuries, reflecting Slavic traditions with possible Viking influences in its decorative patterns and shape.
Viking influences on the World continues to be a contested view…. But considering my dna represents both, I don’t have a dog in the hunt. It looks beautiful nonetheless.
Kievan Rus Prince
IZJASLAV INGVAREVYCH
I love reading family history via the DNA site “23 and me”. There are many times of great violence.
Prince Izjaslav Ingvarevych also known as Izjaslav Ingvarevich (born around 1180 and died 1223) was the son of Ingvar of Kiev and was a 13th-century AD Prince of Dorogobuzh in the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia, the historical Kievan Rus area that largely corresponds to parts of Ukraine and Russia and its surrounding areas.
He died pursuing the Mongols in a calvalry charge.
He is a descendant of the Iziaslavichi branch of Rurikid dynasty, a prominent ruling family in Eastern Europe. His great, great-grandfather was Mstislav the Great, a significant figure in the Kievan Rus Rurik dynasty.
A little religious history:
Izjaslav Ingvarevych was a Christian and a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
As a 13th-century prince of Dorogobuzh in the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia, part of the Kievan Rus’, he belonged to the Rurikid dynasty, which had adopted Orthodox Christianity following the Christianization of Kievan Rus’ by Vladimir the Great in 988 CE.
The Kievan Rus’ was predominantly Eastern Orthodox, and as a member of the ruling family, Izjaslav would have been raised and governed within this religious tradition. His burial in a church within Lutsk Castle further supports his adherence to Orthodox Christianity, as such burials were typical for Orthodox Christian nobility of the time.
As an aside:
My wife Laura has some Varangian ancestry and hasn’t done a deep dive into it yet. She jokes about her dairy maiden past. I am braising myself for the reality that’s there!
Moscow is our Florida
It’s always fun to plan for travel. When our daughters were young, we would get them involved in the process. One might suggest going to a place with a zoo, another might want a beach, a third might want to people watch and meet them. Of course, Laura had her particular tastes, like somewhere warm. This has produced lively conversations.
Recently, I found the perfect compromise:
1) it’s warm! (Well, it can be 😉 )
2) many unique and interesting animals. Bears, fish and birds are aplenty.
3) there are water sports! ( One tour offers the opportunity to be dropped into the ocean connected to a tether! What fun!!!)
4) there’s even an Orthodox Church for a taste of home!
Unfortunately, the picture speaks of potentially chilly weather… of course, it doesnt help that some of my relatives refer to Moscow as their Florida!!