PBS Downton Abbey Castle Ornament & Stocking Hanger

Downton Abbey fans are salivating that the new season will begin in January.Today, I received an email from our local PBS TV station that for a donation, you can get a resin Highclere Castle ornament included. Or buy one directly: Downton Abbey 3.5" Resin Castle Ornament “Capture the beauty of Christmas at Downton Abbey with this officially-licensed ornament. Honor the history and elegance of the grand architectural style of Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle) with this beautifully detailed ornament made of high quality resin that will allow you to enjoy Downton Abbey's classic style for years to come. The iconic castle houses the Crawley family in Downton Abbey, and would provide the perfect accessory to your tree -- or as a gift for a friend or loved one!” I also found a glass ornament of England's Highclere Castle and a Metal Downton Abbey antiqued brass castle stocking hanger.

Gift Ideas for the Building Fan

I noticed these architecture-related home furnishings on a website named Design Toscano.

Arc de Triumph Sculptural Table. Cast in quality designer resin with an antique stone finish that captures every detail of this sculptural masterpiece.

Side table Eiffel Tower base made of metal.

Stonehenge Monument Statue made of resin.

Tall white resin Statue of Liberty.

Large white resin Lincoln in chair monument.

Golden Obelisk of Ancient Egypt Statue.

Confederate Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument Souvenir Replica

The seller of this rare replica of the Confederate Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Richmond, Virginia believes it was given to dignitaries at the dedication of the monument in 1984. The souvenir monument stands 17 inches tall with a 6 x 6 inch base. Another collector pointed out that the bayonet is missing from the replica or was never included. The real monument is a 17-feet-high standing bronze figure of a Confederate soldier standing on a Corinthian” capital atop a 73-feet-high granite column on Libby Hill in Richmond, Virginia. It was unveiled May 30, 1894, at a reunion of Confederate Veterans. The bronze figure of a Confederate Soldier surmounting the top of the monument is said to be the largest piece of solid bronze ever cast in the United States. There are many other Civil War monuments in the southern city of Richmond. Do you know of other souvenir replicas that were created? 

National Archive Building Bookends For Sale

During a recent visit the the U.S. National Archives in Washington, D.C., I noticed these bookend for sale in the gift shop. Made of solid resin, they are nicely detailed and a good size for either display or actually holding up books. They are also available online. Designed by architect John Russell Pope, The real National Archives Building is located on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C.  Opened as the archives' original headquarters in 1935, the building holds the original copies of the three main formative documents of the United States and its government: The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights. It also hosts a copy of the 1297 Magna Carta confirmed by Edward I. These are displayed to the public in the main chamber of the National Archives, which is called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. The National Archives Building also exhibits other important American historical documents such as The Louisiana Purchase Treaty, The Emancipation Proclamation, and collections of photography and other historically and culturally significant American artifacts. I have written about other building-shaped bookends in the past.

One World Trade Center in N.Y. Now Tallest U.S. Building

Today, The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat deemed One World Trade Center in New York the tallest building in the United States. Knocked down a peg, status-wise, is the Willis Tower, formerly named Sears Tower, which had been the country's tallest building since it was completed in 1974. At question for the council was whether the 408-foot-tall needle atop One World Trade Center should be counted in its total height of 1776 feet. Previously, I wrote about souvenir replicas of the Willis Tower and One World Trade Center.