Birdie Innovation?

What a surprise it is to find pieces of innovation in obscure places! While working on a project along with my students last semester (my topic at that time was bobbleheads), I was demonstrating how to find trademark and copyright information at the online US Patent and Trademark Office. Lo and behold if I don't find a patent for a gourd birdhouse!

My question has to be, What was the patent for? The concept of using a gourd as a birdhouse or using the hippie image as the birdhouse design?

  

This is a close-up of the patent text. 

Hanging holes and hanger, 
drainage holes, mouth
as the
 birdhouse entry hole
 -- like many gourd birdhouses!

The patent spec sheet is to the left with an up-close view above showing that patent 173,440 is for a birdhouse. I find it hard to believe the patent office would think no one has ever made a birdhouse out of gourd before this....which leads me to consider, was the patent for the design of the birdhouse?

Keep innovatin' and stay crackled all!

1,200 Year Old Innovation

Photo by Travis Rathbone for the Smithsonian Museum

Yes, we Crackled Apples think we're pretty spiffy with our ideas and newfangled ways of doing things with gourds but there is a long history of crackled gourd people. The Smithsonian reports in their recent December 2013 issue that the Chimu empire of the Rio Moche Valley in northern Peru had gourd telephones. Looking like two tin cans on a string, the Chimu connected two gourd ends together with a twine to communicate within palaces.

The Georgia Gourd Guy is putting together a collection of gourd history. Some articles still to come are magical gourds and gourd snuff. There is a lot to learn about gourds and their fascinating history!

Keeping talkin', keep learn', and by all means stay Crackled!

From Seed to Sell

As an overview, here is a YouTube that lays out basics. This video is the Virginia Lovers' Gourd Society's outreach to the curious general public. As a start, it can inspire your questions.

Welcome!

Welcome my dear Crackled Apples -- the blushing fruit of the gourd world who innovate new approaches to gourds, and the uses of gourds in art and craft. Sometimes we just slap ourselves silly with new ideas! Join us on this journey of wonder and splendor!