CABINET OF CURIOSITY - AN EXPRESSION OF WEALTH

THIS TYPE OF CABINET, CREATED IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY, IS IN ESSENCE

A CONTAINED RECTANGULAR REPOSITORY FITTED WITH A NUMBER OF COMPARTMENTS AND DRAWERS, SOME OF WHICH HIDDEN, AND IS OFTEN EQUIPPED WITH HANDLES ON EITHER SIDE FOR EASY TRANSPORTATION.

It is generally constructed out of fine woods and elaborately decorated with an array of precious materials, all incorporated into an architecturally inspired ensemble. Such designs, featured amongst others, elements such as columns, arched panels, and balustrades, reflecting very often forms which hark back to classical antiquity. Such furniture was conceived strictly to group and display all of the rare and extraordinary naturalia (natural specimens and creatures) and artificialia (man-made specimens) amassed by enthusiasts into an organised collection. The demand for such furniture increased as a new passion for collecting among the wealthy took hold in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The cabinets themselves transformed into showpieces and their craftsmanship was regarded as a real example of outstanding cabinetmaking. Makers of such examples in Tuscany distinguished themselves into a specialised trade, that of the stipettai, coming from the word stipo, meaning cabinet of curiosity in Italian.

Such furniture remained in vogue well into modern times pre-empting the development of museums.

These cabinets, regarded as furniture of representation, were very often at the centre of the hall designated as cabinet de curiosité or Wunderkammer, literally meaning wonder-room, wherein members of the elite showcased their precious collectables, inspiring awe and wonder, and flaunting their social status. Artefacts hailed from every part of the world.

Perhaps the oldest cabinet of curiosity forming part of the collection of Palazzo Falson, a historic house museum in the city of Mdina, bequeathed by the last owner, Captain Olof Gollcher (1889-1962), is a Bambocci cabinet, displayed in the study located on the first floor of the palazzo. Such examples are unique for their distinguishable shape and design, and feature a peculiar decorative motif, the bambocci, hence giving the name to the cabinet, typically of Genovese provenance. Bambocci refers to all-round sculptures of full or half-length human figures as seen adorning this wooden case. At times these also served as knobs or handles from which to place doors or drawers.

Other examples of such furniture in the collection are displayed within the various rooms is of the Piano Nobile. These hail from later periods and portray scenes crafted in various precious materials, narrating biblical or mythological episodes.

The historic house museum of Palazzo Falson can itself be likened to a cabinet of curiosity within which a myriad of delightful and important collections are displayed within a befitting context which opens a window into the domestic life of the elite in Malta.

If interested in learning more about the collection of table cabinets at Palazzo Falson scan the QR code.

Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am to 5:00pm (last entrance at 4:00pm). Audio guided tours are available in the following languages: Maltese, English, Italian, French, German and Spanish.

For inquiries, please contact us on +356 2145 4512 or email bookings@palazzofalson.com or visit our website www.palazzofalson.com

Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum is managed by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, a non-profit heritage foundation aiming to spread awareness about our heritage through museums, publications, exhibitions and events.

TASTE MALTA: NENU THE ARTISAN BAKER

OH, THE FOOD! THE FOOD! YOU SIMPLY CAN’T LEAVE MALTA WITHOUT VISITING THE RESTAURANT OFFERING THE BEST OF LOCAL CUISINE. THERE’S ONE RESTAURANT IN WHICH YOU CAN LITERALLY TASTE MALTA – NENU’S RESTAURANT, NENU THE ARTISAN BAKER IN THE CAPITAL, VALLETTA, OR AT THE VILLAGE CORE OF MĠARR.

Local Dining

The restaurant, both in Valletta and Mġarr offers diners a vast range of local cuisine, along with local beer, soft drinks, and liquors.

Some of the most popular local dishes include blistered octopus, brown meagre, fish soup, caponata, seasonal fish, and many others. Nenu’s have also recently launched a few set menus, giving customers the opportunity to try out many different local flavours in one meal.

“You simply have to visit Nenu before leaving Malta. It’s a must!”

That’s what Tara said in her review on Tripadvisor. We urge you to consider paying a visit and, quite literally, enjoy the taste of Malta. Over a thousand reviews declared the restaurant unmissable and the best as regards local cuisine.

Nenu

Carmel Debono, affectionately known as Nenu, wanted to create a completely Maltese dining experience. A baker by profession, Nenu’s lifestyle revolved around his passion for Maltese bread, which is central to many local dishes.

Back in the days, Maltese families used to take their homemade dishes to the local baker, to have them baked in a traditional oven. The resulting mouth-watering taste is legendary, so much so that the few remaining traditional bakers still offer this service. Nenu’s restaurant offers the same style of cooking, thus guaranteeing that unique delicious taste you will enjoy.

Come And

TRY OUR 3.5KG PORK PLATTER!

Here we serve a scrumptious pork platter that includes a variety of pork dishes, such as crispy pork belly, pork shank, pork chops, fennel and pork sausages, and Maltese sausages. The 3.5 Kilo platter is accompanied by fresh vegetables, potatoes, and a selection of tasty house gravy and sauces. Whether you're a fan of pork or just looking for a hearty meal, this dish is sure to satisfy your cravings. Head over to Nenu The Artisan Baker to experience this delicious pork platter for yourself!

BOOKING RECOMMENDED

Please call the restaurant directly on +356 2258 1535 (Valletta) or +356 2258 1570 (Mġarr). You can also opt to book online at www.nenuthebaker.com or by emailing nenuthebaker@maypole.com.mt

Find us on Social Media, @nenuthebaker on both Facebook and Instagram.

Valletta: 143, St Dominic Street, Valletta. Tel: +356 2258 1535 Mġarr: 4, Triq il-Kbira, L-Imġarr. Tel: +356 2258 1570 www.nenuthebaker.com

You will get a glass of wine with every main course ordered at Nenu the Artisan Baker in Valletta and Mġarr upon presentation of this page (in photo form) Valid until 31st May 2023.

WORDS GODFREY BALDACCHINO

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

OBJECTS OF ENDEARMENT DESERVE A NAME. AND WHILE MOST OF US GO ABOUT NAMING OUR CHILDREN AND PETS, MANY STOP SHORT OF NAMING THEIR MOST VALUABLE ASSET: THEIR HOUSE. NOT IN MALTA. AROUND TWO-THIRDS OF ALL HOUSES IN MALTA HAVE NAMES. THIS URGE TO NAME HAS FOUND EXPRESSION IN RECENT DECADES WHEN MANY LOCALS MOVED OUT OF RENTED PROPERTY AND TO BUILD OR PURCHASE THEIR OWN HOUSE.

Unlike a door number, the name of a house is a private affair. And so, either carved on wood, marble or stone, or made of glass, ceramic, iron or clay, house names come in an abundance of diversity. And while each homeowner have their reasons for the names they choose, can these personal choices be categorised?

This was the subject of an original assignment that sociology students at the University of Malta were tasked with. They poured over a recent digital copy of the Malta Electoral Register (in the public domain). Then they counted the number of addresses with names, not just numbers, and scrutinised them for patterns. They also noted the language in which the house name was written, with the most common language being English, with Maltese in second place. Almost 20,000 house names from 10 localities in Malta were analysed.

Based on this data, a tentative classification was drawn up with eight categories, as follows.

Religion

Such house names usually are pertaining to particular saints or holy persons, including the patron saint or the feast day of the town or village where the house is located or from where the homeowner originated. A few examples include Santa Katerina, Holy Family, Madonnina, Immakulata, but, amoungst them all, St Joseph is the most popular choice.

Hobbies And Professions

A few names relate to artefacts of particular trades, professions or activities that presumably are associated with the owners of the house - current or previous. For example, Synapse for medicine,

Il-Karettun which translate to a cart for farming, Sirius from the field of astronomy, Woodcock in hunting and trapping, and The Art Studio, and many others.

Home Dwellers

These names are related to the persons who own the building, live in the house, or their family, including their nicknames (laqam), and any other references to the love and affection of those residing inside the home. A few of these names are also the zodiac signs of the dwellers. This category also includes homes with reference to the personal, using words like ‘my’ or ‘our’. Examples of real names include Pisces, Micallef Home, Nid D’Am our, Eternal Flame, Ta’ Pawlu Farmhouse, My Nest, Our Burrow, and Vella Flats.

First Name Sets

A sub-set of the previous category is a curious practice which involves naming the house with a selection of letters from the names of the partners or children living there. This exercise has the character of a pub quiz. Guess why these homes are called: ChaRit, MarTrev, CarAnt and NaJoPetAn?

Links Beyond Malta

Another practice associated with households where one or more family members may have spent their honeymoon or lived abroad and then returned. Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States would be the main reference points, since these are the countries to which the Maltese migrated en masse in the difficult years after the Second World War. These adventures brought back names such as City of Melbourne, God Bless America, Kangaroo House, Maple Leaf, and others.

Locality And Topography

Some names hold relevance to a local and neighbouring topographical feature on land or sea or a natural phenomenon, usually associated with the sun, the wind or a flower/garden. For example, Il-Qolla, Seaside, Blue Sky, Għabex, Tramonto, Il-Ponta, Bay View, Mistral, Dahlia, Poinsettia.

Sports

Names here bear a direct connection to the name of a sport, a sport team, a famous player, or to the stadium or home of a local or foreign sport team. The evidence points to football as the most popular local sport, with English and Italian teams as preferences. Such examples are Anfield, La Vecchia Signora, Old Trafford, Casa Del Piero, San Siro, Toronto Blue Jays, Hibernians House, White Hart Lane.

Politics

Names of political personalities or events from Maltese or international politics also appear, a few being Dom, Dar il-Ħelsien, Villa Indipendenza, 31 ta’ Marzu, Pearl Harbour.

You will come across other house names that will not fit comfortably in these eight categories, such as Boronia, Dolce Vita, Kitty Hawk, Mirage, Saratoga, Shangri La, Touch and Go. New categories may yet be teased out from a study of these names, a task for future research, which may even require a researcher to ask the home dweller to explain their choice.

What’s next for students of Sociology at the University of Malta? A study of house names in Gozo beckons for the next academic year!

Godfrey Baldacchino is a professor of Sociology at the University of Malta. Readers interested in a detailed copy of the house name study can contact him at godfrey.baldacchino@um.edu.mt

Hiring A Real Estate Agent Myths And Truths

WITH THE CONTINUOUS GROWTH OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET, A LARGER SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION NEEDS ASSISTANCE FROM A PROFICIENT AND KNOWLEDGEABLE AGENT. WE INVITED INDUSTRY EXPERTS FROM QUICKLETS & ZANZI HOMES TIGNÉ, OLEG JAKOVLEV, LICENSED DIRECTOR AND FRANCHISE OWNER, AND ARLENT ASHIKU, SALES SPECIALIST WITH AWARD FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS, TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE MOST COMMON MYTHS.

‘GETTING AN AGENT IS NOT WORTH IT’

A myth. Only an unprofessional agent may make that path seem wrong. Let's pose a rhetorical question: is one of life's most significant decisions, such as selling or buying a home, worth the risk of making mistakes? Using an agent is not only the most cost-effective option, but it is also the only logical one. The property will sell more quickly and for a higher price. Professionals understand how to provide value that is both financially and practically rewarding.

‘ANYONE CAN BE A REAL ESTATE AGENT’

A total myth. This requires a mix of technical and soft skills. Even those with the necessary education may not always be suitable for this role. A professional agent, like a professional swimmer or footballer, must possess a wide range of qualities, including discipline, training, dedication, perseverance, communication skills, and others. But not everyone is cut out to be a professional athlete or musician, and not everyone is cut out to be a professional agent. A certain personality type, empathy, and competence are required.

‘AN AGENT IS AN INTERMEDIARY WHO ONLY INTRODUCES A BUYER TO A SELLER AND RECEIVES A COMMISSION FOR IT

Regret tably, both true and myth. It all depends on the agent you're working with. Some agents are simply matchmakers between the seller and the buyer, which, in our opinion, adds absolutely no value to any of the partie s.

The good news is that genuine professionals do much more than j ust set up a meeting between a seller and a buyer. They will always make certain that the process does not come to an abrupt halt.

‘ANYONE WHO OWNS MORE THAN ONE REAL ESTATE SHOULD CONSULT WITH A REAL ESTATE EXPERT’

Correct. An individual who owns multiple properties needs professi onals wi th a comprehensive understanding of effective and profitable property management who can also identify the properties that generate the highest possible income, while also recommending the sale of any assets that may be hindering optimal returns on investment. Seeking consultation from a real estate expert can help minimize risks and enable sound decision-making by separating rational thinking f rom emotional factors. This is especially beneficial for property owners, who often find themselves grappling with the emotio nal burden that comes with making one of the most expensive investments in their lifetime.

WORDS NICOLE PARNIS