When I was growing up, some of the toys that were commonly aimed at my age group and gender were rubber snakes, spiders, flies, and various other kinds of reptiles, arachnids and insects. The presumed explanation is that such toys were "icky" and therefore ideal for mischievous little boys who were looking to play some kind of prank on some unsuspecting little girls. (Such toys were also used--and I suppose they still are--as props for amateur haunted house events around Halloween, thus giving this post its logical seasonal tie-in.) Yet as I grew older, I began to realize just how fascinating snakes, spiders and other "icky" creatures really are, and I often am intrigued as to how they are portrayed by artists in various media (other than rubber).
Along these lines is a store I found in Rehoboth Beach, DE called Scandinavian Occasion. Just blocks away from the boardwalk, Scandinavian Occasion has a wide variety of high-quality merchandise, which includes various kinds of jewelry, wrought-iron candle holders, and blown glass items. But of particular interest to me is that among their selection of miniature glass animals, Scandinavian Occasion carries an impressive selection of glass snakes, spiders, scorpions, insects, and other kinds of reptiles.
When I first saw these items a few years ago, I was both surprised and impressed. As glass miniatures go, the "icky" animals are often left out, presumably because they are less marketable than the more cute and cuddly varieties. But Scandinavian Occasion doesn't shy away from the more unusual members of the animal kingdom, and the selection they provide are exquisite examples of creative and colorful glass artwork applied to the distinct forms of arachnids, insects and reptiles. For example, the glass snake I purchased from them (as seen in the picture above) features a green, spine-like spiral that extends throughout the snake's body, thus giving it a somewhat organic look (see below).
So, if you're ever on the east coast and have a strong appreciation of both glass artwork and all things creepy-crawly, check out Scandinavian Occasion at 125 Rehoboth Avenue in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Click below for more pictures of glass snakes, scorpions, spiders and insects, provided by Scandinavian Occasion.
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