I think these candle holders are a great example of Swedish handcraft (hemslojd). The pair was a gift from my cousin's son, Thomas, when he visited us in Los Angeles in 1992. It was a bittersweet visit for us as his dad, whom I was close to, had recently died in an accident. Thomas came to visit soon after the Los Angeles riots that passed by our neighborhood. Rioters burned down businesses on La Brea, the commercial street about four blocks away, on their way to Hollywood. These were the riots that affected the entire city and caught fire after the Rodney King trials. Of course we toured the wreckage and, coming from peaceful Sweden, this must have been a sight. We later took Thomas and his girlfriend down to Mexico where we spent a lot of time in those days. The extreme poverty in Tijuana, cardboard homes and children begging in the streets, deeply affected them both. The girlfriend cried, I remember. I felt bad for taking them there, and remembered how shocked I was when I first saw Tijuana many years earlier, and wondered if I had just gotten used to it. But at least Thomas and his girlfriend got to see the great Pacific Ocean, Venice Beach and Hollywood. They probably returned to Sweden with some mixed emotions though. Thomas recently became a follower of my blog and I want to welcome him. Thomas, if you read this, please leave a comment every now and then. And as you can see, your two Swedish candle holders are still very much a part of our lives here. And they fit just as well in this house as they did in Los Angeles. Sending love and hugs to you and your family.
