Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Passing time with Percy......!


Waiting for Aimee outside EB Games on Sunday I reacquainted myself with Percy Buttons 1892-1954.. a colourful character (see link) arriving in Perth from England in 1910, immortalized in bronze here on Hay St. right in the centre of the CBD by Joan Walsh-Smith & Charles Smith. A much loved street entertainer in the early 1900's on a good day he could earn up to four pounds, which got me to wondering what sort of average earnings a street busker would hope to earn nowadays!


Up towards Barrack St. it looked kind of quiet in the city and then, turning the other way.. oh yeh, there they all are, heading through Ye Olde London Court very popular with les touristes! So long Percy Buttons, I would have definitely put a coin in your top hat.. and taken a picture with my box brownie :) Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe.....p.s. doesn't Percy create a happy shadow!




39 comments:

  1. What an unique sculpture, fantastic!

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  2. Superb sculpture - capturing movement and grace and agility. I'd think I would have enjoyed his antics!

    Re your question: As I recall, that evening was about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit. It's cold here today, though. Still in the 30s and only going to about 45 this afternoon. Then another cold night. I even cancelled golf tomorrow so you know how cold it is. But I'm playing on Friday and it should be in the high 70s then.

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  3. His was surely a topsy-turvy world. ;-)

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  4. How neat. Love the sculpture. Fun to look up the street too. I'm guessing it is pretty warm there, Grace :).

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  5. That's a great statue! Makes me smile Hope you had a great start to your new year!!!

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  6. I like this kind os statue! And I like the idea that , because of this statue , we still remember this man !

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  7. Great statue with joie de vivre. I especially love the shot with the boy beside it.

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  8. The man was born in a workhouse and ended up upside down for eternity! Fantastic sculpture!

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  9. Sounds like movie material to me. Whatta colorful character.

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  10. That is one happy statue, he must have been great to watch in his day

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  11. Great outing, and I agree with the previous commentators: great statue!

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  12. you and Perth are always such fun!


    ALOHA from Honolulu
    Comfort Spiral
    > < } } ( ° >

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  13. Oh, what a fun, terrific statue indeed!! I love it!! What a fun outing you had indeed!! Thanks for sharing, as always!!

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  14. I'm curious as to what the average salary a person made in the early 1900's...

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  15. The shadoy in the middle picture looks like a jester's hat.

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  16. Great photos of a fine sculpture. Love the first one with the little boyl

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  17. If people don't smile as they walk past, they have issues.

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  18. Excellent! Perth seems to have quite a lot of very good public art.

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  19. Four pounds! Seems criminal when compared to what someone could earn by doing the same things today! It's a really fun sculpture

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  20. Golly Gosh Grace! I have trouble standing on two feet sometimes let along standing on my hands!

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  21. Superbly sculpted bronze - looks so real and life like.

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  22. I love this statue too, it brings a smile to my face when I walk past it...

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  23. That is a very funny and unusual statue, he must have been a crazy and colourful person in the streets.

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  24. Maybe today's buskers could learn a thing or two about entertainment from Percy? The closest I've seen to that was at the Adelaide Festival a few years back when a Black American man was tap dancing in the mall. He had such a look of joy in what he was ever so skilfully doing people were lining up to put money in his hat!!

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  25. Love this sculpture and the first picture is awesome with the boy, he looks so curious about it! :)
    Léia

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  26. That is a great statue and it's so wonderful that he is remembered by all.

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  27. The sight of Percy would brighten up my day too! I love the little story. Happy 2014 to you, Grace - I see it's off to a bright start!:)

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  28. I fell in love with that statue when I was there. I also joined les touristes and wandered through London Court.

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  29. Sympa la sculpture.
    Les musiciens de rue, chez nous en Belgique gagnait beaucoup d'argent mais les nouveaux politiciens essayent de les interdire.

    Belle journée à toi !

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  30. Awwww, Grace, thanks for giving the story behind him - we took pics, too, but thought it´s "just art"! I have to say, though, .. peut-etre je ne suis pas une touriste... London Court I didn´t like much...

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  31. Interesting place and statue!

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  32. Read the link;surprised that there weren't more social services available to him before he got so sick. Perhaps there were but he didn't use them?

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  33. Coins are too expensive which is use in festivals and also others family functions. And coins (gold, silver, platinum, antique) also use in traditions. But sometimes when it’s too many and you are scared to lose it then why you don’t sell it and get paid. All kind of coins sell and buy in here.
    Coin Buyer

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