Guinea Pig Salt and Pepper Set

by | Convenience (↓) | Amusement (↑) | 0 comment | 1 question

Souvenir salt and pepper set bought in Scotland by a friend and given to me as I have a publicly declared affinity with GPs. The Salt and Pepper pigs are superficially the same: colour, ear tilt and paws. On close inspection, there is a subtle difference in head posture and marking. I wonder if the person on the production line anthropomorphised the product as I do?

Where and how is it used?

Purely decorative, in a whimsical way, since I never use salt. I wonder who would purchase this product to use for its notional intended purpose? I have grave middle class misgivings about pushing salt to children, etc etc.

What did you or someone else pay for it?

Not more than £5

Why do you want to add it to the museum?

I like things in pairs. I like small souvenirs of travels. I was dubious about my son's acquisition of his guinea pigs but I was upset when Reddy died, leaving his brother (Blackie) on his own. This pair of pigs are kitsch as hell and were given to me in that post-modern spirit but I think they're sweet.


How was it made?

Is made in a factory

Is farmed

Is mass-produced

Is produced by local cottage industry

Is made to particular specifications

Is craft / hand-made

Is foraged

Is found

Is colonised

Is a service


Materials & Making

Who made or produced your commodity?

The pottery mark is "Quail"

Who was paid to make it?

Artisan

What skills does it take to make it?

More than just production line

Where was it made?

Scotland

What does it cost to make it?

Not answered yet

What is it made from?

1. Pottery:

Clay

2. Colour:

Paint

3. Glaze:

Glaze

Buying & Owning

Who decides how much it costs?

Retailer

Who or what assesses its quality?

Manufacturer

Where is it sold?

Gift Shop

Who or what sells it?

Not answered yet

How did this thing arrive from where it was made to where you got it?

In a handbag

Where is it used?

Decorative

Where is it kept?

On a shelf

How and by whom is it cared for?

Me

How long will it last?

Indefinitely

Where will it go when it's finished with?

Oxfam

What is it worth?

To me, more than the purchase price of £5


How do you and others value this commodity?

See the values contributed by visitors and those of the donor. And add your own values to this commodity.

Total times valued3
Positive (↑)Amusement
Negative (↓)Convenience
Overall Positive70
Overall Negative-49
Controversy19.166666666667 (0 = most controversial)
  

What do these numbers mean?

This data that we have collected over time in our database means nothing without interpretation. A relational database, which we are using here, is technology that enables designers of websites and software to compare, contrast, interrogate and infer relations within data. The act of designing a database is not objective but driven by the agency of its creators and owners.

Within the MoCC Collection data is used to help think through the relations between values, commodities and data. Can we describe our values using sliders and numbers? How do we infer meaning such as controversy from data?

Below is a brief explanation of the some calculations and how these help make decisions about what is shown on the site.

  • Controversy Score:
    (Total Positive Values) + (Total Negative Values)

    The closer the value is to zero the more controversial it is in relation to other commodities. Used to infer that values associated with one commodity divide opinion more than another.

  • Average Value Score (used in the sliders):
    (Total Positive for Value + Total Negative for Value) ÷ Total Times Valued

    Used to infer a collective value associated with a commodity.

How do you value this commodity?

To add your own values click VALUE THIS COMMODITY and move the sliders left and right to add your own values - then click SUBMIT
show donor's original values
- 0
14 +
- 0
14 +
- 0
13 +
- 0
12 +
- 0
5 +
- 0
2 +
- 1
4 +
- 0
3 +
- 0
1 +
- 0
0 +
- 0
0 +
- 0
0 +
- 0
0 +
- 0
1 +
- 0
0 +
- 0
0 +
- 0
0 +
- 0
0 +
- 0
0 +
- 3
1 +
- 2
0 +
- 10
0 +
- 10
0 +
- 11
0 +
- 12
0 +

Questions and answers

Help to reveal unknown quantities, properties and uses of this commodity by answering this MoCC curator's questions.

Question: Does everyone struggle with the feeling that you might reveal too much in your choice of commodity?

Answers:

I guess for somebody who isn't into sharing their childrens' eating habits on Facebook this can be a bit like stepping up to the mic.
I reallylike how this project invites all sorts of imaginative speculation whilst being discreet. I also think it a great idea to use objects as a catalyst for communication.
After all some suggest that we live in the anthropocene, the age were we produce so much shit that it will add up to a geological layer, and it's worth probing our place in it.
Do you give out presents in the spirit of postmodern irony?

by scharfrichter on April 28th at 7:41am

Hi there!

My name is Jenny and I am a Commodity Consultant for MOCC.

This is a really interesting question. Many people actually choose to use their things as a display of self-expression and who they are, especially things like clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, and makeup. But like you were saying, there are those who feel they may be revealing too much about themselves through their collection of their personal commodities. But I believe it would be wrong to assume someone has a particular characteristic or trait based on the commodities they own or use to express their personal views with. This is not to say, however, that people do not do this.
This is a big, crontradictory question which evolves around a similar basis as 'don't judge a book by it's cover'. For example - if I have blonde hair, are people more likely to think I am less intelligent? If I wear yoga pants, do people assume I am fitter? If I wear a lot of black and heavy make-up, do people think I am a goth or sad?
Stereotypes change from place to place, from culture to culture, and from era to era, everchanging, but can we ever really know what people think when they see us, with our commodities?
For me, I like wearing and having fun things which make me happy, and hopefully this shows people that I am a happy person, but who knows!

I hope you have found this insightful,

Kind regards,

Jenny

by MoCCconsultant on May 14th at 11:08am

Conversation

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