M. FORD CREECH ANTIQUES & FINE ARTS
"LITTLE BOXES, LITTLE BOXES..."
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"Little Boxes on the Hillside"
is a song written by Malvina Reynolds in 1963, made quite famous in the 1960s by her friend Pete Seeger. It was inspired by the post-war rows of houses in Daly City, California, that all looked alike - as in the image above of Levittown, Pennsylvania. This image was chosen, as by the time Newsweek (or maybe Time) magazine wanted a picture of the Daly City scene inspiring the song, there were too many tract houses for Ms. Reynolds to find the exact place. "Ticky-tacky" referred to the shoddy construction materials used - the term becoming a catchphrase during the '60's. Pete Seeger took "Little Boxes" to #70 on Billboard Hot 100. |
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The original version began like this :
Little boxes on the hillside Little boxes made of ticky tacky Little Boxes Little boxes Little boxes all the same There's a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one And they're all made out of ticky tacky And they all look just the same. |
Here is our version :
Little boxes on a tabletop Little boxes that are nicky nacky Little boxes Little boxes Little boxes none the same There are silver ones and a blue one And some brown ones and a yellow one And they're all slightly wicky wacky And none are just the same! |
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But there are ... SILVER ONES
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George I Engraved Silver Snuff / Tobacco Box England, Unmarked, c1720-1725 The lift-off cover engraved with 6 dancing figures |
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Early 18th Century Engraved Silver & Agate Snuff Box, c1720-30, Unmarked |
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George III Silver Nutmeg Grater Samuel Pemberton, Birmingham, 1800 SOLD |
George III Silver Nutmeg Grater Thomas Willmore, Birmingham, 1800 |
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George II Silver Toilet Box & Cover Charles Kandler, London, 1727 Jacobite Interest The domed cover applied with scroll-leaf capitals surrounding a baroque cartouche SOLD
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... AND A BLUE ONE
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Continental Faience Tin-Glazed Bonbonniere conjoined initials PAK in the Delft (De Grieksche) manner SOLD
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... AND SOME BROWN ONES
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George I / II Silver-Mounted Piqué Posé Tortoiseshell Snuff Box England, c1725-35 The oval box two small "stand-away" hinges, the tortoiseshell cover having engraved piqué posé inlay depicting a seated flute player before a garden wall, serenading a shepherdess. An almost identical example is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, NYC SOLD
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Delightful Carved Coquilla Nut Figural Snuff Box SOLD |
Carved Crowned Hunchback Fruitwood Snuffbox Late 18th Century SOLD |
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George III Large Fruitwood Pear Form Tea Caddy England, c1790-1810, of large size, retaining original key SOLD |
George III Large Fruitwood Apple Form Tea Caddy England, c1790-1810, of large size |
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Early 18th Century 'Britannia Standard Silver', Tortoiseshell, Thomas Roberts, London, c1705-1730 SOLD
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George III / IV Silver-Mounted "Lettered Olive Shell" & Tortoiseshell Snuff Box, SOLD
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Moulded Tortoiseshell Snuff Box France, 18th century A portrait depicting Louis XIV & Marie-Thérèse
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...AND A YELLOW ONE
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George III Brass Tobacco Box & Pipe Carrier SOLD
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...aLL slightly WICKY WACKY
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Two South Staffordshire Enamel on Copper Scent Flasks RESERVED |
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YOU SEE - "none" ARE JUST THE SAME !
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"Little Boxes" was aired on NBC on That Was The Week That Was, April 13, 1964, by Nancy Ames. It has been recorded by more than 20 artists, in English, French and Spanish - including Billy Bob Thornton, as seen on Weeds, Season 3, Episode 5 (airing on youtube).
Time magazine quoted a university professor as saying, "I've been lecturing my classes about middle-class conformity for a whole semester. Here's a song that says it all in 1-1/2 minutes".
However, Tom Lehrer described this song as the "most sanctimonious song ever written".
In 2012, a re-worded version of "Little Boxes", written by Sniffy Dog, was used in a UK TV commercial for mobile telephone operator O2.
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Happy COLLECTING ! And may all your boxes be... ...none the same !
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The above images and titles are linked to the larger descriptive pages. Just click for more information. Prices available by request - as usual - it's a security issue. Please email or call if you have any questions. We like talking to you.
Millicent Ford Creech
901-761-1163 (gallery) / 901-827-4668 (cell)
581 S. PERKINS ROAD / POPLAR COLLECTION / MEMPHIS, TN 38117 Current Hours : Mon-Wed, By Appointment or By Chance / Fri-Sat, Open 12-6 Private appointments welcome
mfcreech@bellsouth.net or mfordcreech@gmail.com
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Home Accessories Ceramics Early Asian Ceramics Fine Art Furniture Glassware Silver
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© Some images and text are copyrighted by their authors and used by permission. They appear here for your enjoyment only. Please do not reproduce without specific written permission. "Little
Boxes, Little Boxes, Little Boxes on the Hillside", M. Ford Creech
Antiques |