Beyer Watches and Jewelry is the oldest active watch retailer in the world. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, the company has been run by the Beyer family since 1760.
Beyer also collects timepieces, some dating back thousands of years, and displays them in the Beyer Clock and Watch Museum, in the same building as their store.
The collection started in 1940, and first opened to the public in 1971. Here are a few highlights:
This stunning table clock, above, was made in Paris in 1770 and features an intricate planetarium.
The intricate details of this Renaissance clock have survived 450 years since it was made in Augsburg, Germany in 1573.
From France, this 1780 clock is also a vase. The hour and minute indicators spin around the rim in a unique fashion.
Mechanics weren’t just limited to the clock face itself - this 1640 clock, made in Augsburg, features a Griffin automaton.
The collection continues to grow each year, and represents one of the most significant private collections on public display in the world.
Elevate your dental practice with our high-quality Dental Excavators, designed to provide unparalleled precision and comfort during your procedures. Crafted with medical-graded stainless steel and the latest advancements in dental technology to ensure optimal patient care.
the trans community of aotearoa new zealand is mourning the death of georgina beyer, world’s first trans mayor and member of parliament.
i just wanna really emphasise how impressive what this woman has done is. she went from sex work into politics, was elected mayor of a relatively rural small town, yelled at transphobic destiny church members from the steps of parliament, advocated for sex workers and trans people throughout her career and into retirement, and was the world’s first trans member of parliament. that’s just crazy impressive to me.
I was on a break from social media when I read this one, so this isn't a full review, but I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Appalachian folk magic. This is especially relevant to Southern Appalachian lore since Beyer lives in North Carolina.
I loved Beyer's first book, Wild Witchcraft, and with this one, I think she's officially become one of my favorite authors. This is a very thorough collection of folklore and practice for how short it is, and it's organized in a way that is easier for my ADHD brain to follow than some other authors.
I also have to gush about the illustrations. Both of Beyer's books are beautifully illustrated, but I think the art in this one is especially incredible. It's worth having a physical copy for the info alone, but the gorgeous art really makes this a book I want to display in my home.
Finally, I've found Beyer really helpful as an example of combining a pagan religious worldview with a Christian folk magic tradition. Her first book is very much pagan, with info on the God and Goddess and the Wheel of the Year. In this book, she talks about how Christianity has always been at the core of Appalachian folk magic and doesn't try to "paganize" the practice, while also leaving room for readers to bring their own beliefs to the table and explore what feels comfortable for them. This book did not feel preachy in the way some books on American folk magic do.
But yeah, this is just a really fantastic book, and I absolutely think every folk witch needs a copy of it on their shelf!
Russian army tents at the Castle Square in Warsaw, 1861:
submitted description: a 19th century sepia photo. view of the castle square and the opening of krakowskie przedmieście street in warsaw. the wall of the royal castle on the left, sigismund's column on the right. in front of the castle there are rows of white military tents.
propaganda: despite the scary and violent reality of what the photo depicts (it was taken after the russians imposed martial law in october 1861), the photo to me is quite beautiful? the light is absolutely stunning. and the white tents look very innocent in contrast to what they mean for the people living in warsaw at that time
Krakowskie Przedmieście in Warsaw during the Corpus Christi procession, 1861:
submitted description: 19th century sepia photo. krakowskie przedmieście street in warsaw. a huge crowd of people clothed mostly in dark colors walking away from the camera in the direction of the royal castle. some of them carry umbrellas.
propaganda: honestly everyone should read up on the year 1861 in poland, it was bonkers. (wikipedia for beginners and the book "przed nocą styczniową" by barbara petrozolin-skowrońska for the advanced). or the whole 1859-62 period. there's failed politial assassinations! solidarity between different religions! more and less competent plotting! russian generals duelling stupidly! people doing really heroic things and people doing extremely stupid things, and people clowining on the oppressive government, and everything.
and besides, the photos of this corpus christi procession/ political demonstration remind me of all the impressive big protests we had in poland since like 2016. i love it when people organize and mobilize against the pricks in power, and it's such a universal thing across centuries
about the artist: Karol Beyer was the very first professional photographer in warsaw. he is the author of many photos of famous people and famous events from that time. besides warsaw he also took photos of other cities in all parts of the partitioned country. during the january uprising he was arrested and deported to russia because of his role as the photographer of the 1860s protests and his links to the people who organized them.
Wahine Toa Georgina Beyer, the world's first openly transgender Mayor and MP (Member of Parliament) has died today. A great loss for the world 💖💖💖💖💖💖 Rest in peace warrior
day 1 of birdtober and invertober! challenging myself to combine these prompt lists this month because i love birds and i love invertebrates!! i will (hopefully) be posting daily :D prompt lists are under the cut
Two panels from "Nothing", published in RAW no. 6 ("The Graphix Magazine that Overestimates the Taste of the American Public"), eds. Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly, May 1984