Books - White Hunters - John Howard "Pondoro" Taylor (1904 - 1969)....born in Dublin, Ireland...

Cape Town - His port of entry to the African Continent...Here is a well written biography about "Pondoro" by Peter Hathaway Capstick.....

"Pondoro"  experimented with calibers and different types of rifles which made him an expert in big game rifles...

He wrote African Rifles and Cartridges which, is considered one of the classic books on African Big Game Hunting....

A few more books written by "Pondoro"....

Maneaters and Marauders

 

"Pondoro" -  Last of the Ivory Hunters

Is he still in the Jungles of Borneo ? Bruno Manser a man named "Laki Penan" (the Penan man), Swiss born in Basel 1954 - Nomad of the jungles in Borneo...

Bruno Manser - "Laki Penan"

with the Penan - It was here in the jungle/rainforest he stayed and lived from 1984 to 1990. 

He was concerned about the Penan conditions and the destruction of the jungle/rainforest by the timber companies. He supported the Penans cause in the resistance against the loggers and police. You could call him a human rights activist, ethnologist and environmental activist. There has been a bounty of $50,000.00 on him as he wanted to protect the Penan against the timber companies and the destruction of the rainforest. 

In 1995 to 1998 he fought against the destruction of the rainforest.  He went back to the jungles of  Miri, Nordsarawak in 2000. He was officially declared as missing at the Civil Court of Basel, 2004.

Bruno Manser's diary entries from 1984 to 1990....sketches and watercolors - He was an illustrator - text and drawings from his everyday life.  Inspiration from the nature and the culture of the Penan reflected in 16 diaries

Who really knows? He could still  be out there somewhere in the jungles of Sarawak....

 and maybe one day we will know.....through his diaries....

Jean Després (1889 to 1980) - Art Deco Designer....

Contemporary -  Fine jewelry and Silverware in the hands of a 20th-century French Master.......His pieces needs no explanation...ride upon the wind .....and observe...his creations...

In 1988 Andy Warhol's personal collection of Després was sold at Sotheby's New York.

Graceful Modern unique pieces of tableware - Refined decorative objects in gold - like sunrise in the sky - Silver - like dreams of stars agains the dark night ...

Josephine Baker .....was facinated by his creations....

Després came to know many avant-garde artists in Paris, who inspired him as an artist - contemporary - futuristic - cubistic creations -  Modigliani, Léger, De Chirico and Braque ......

She was a legend and inspiration for the fashion world - one of the most celebrated couturiers of her day - Madeleine Vionnet (1876-1975)....

I was changing into my dinner jacket and was thinking about my Aunt, aristocratic and beautiful in a classical sense, "l'Ancien Régime" - understated elegance....got me to think about... Madelaine Vionnet and her creations.... In search of freedom of expression - refined avant-garde designs...the flow of her dresses draped the women's bodies like living sculptures....wrapped in crêpe romaine - crêpe de chine....Life is great and women will always be living sculptures in my life...

Visualize woman - ocean - tropics - moonlight.... supreme beauty...

The soul and essence of life...

MV grew up by the French-Swiss border in Aubervilliers in Jura....She definitely influenced the course of action within fashion during the 1920s and 30s....

MV owned her first salon on Paris Rue de Rivoli 222...

She was the first to create the one-seam dress and her creations were designed on a 2ft wooden mannequin...