That would look so cool on the end of my island. However, it would also poke me in the butt every time I went to the fridge.

Total Confession, it's summer, and therefore really bad tv is on in my house due to being outnumbered 2:1, M:F. Ever see Storage Wars on A&E?

Recent episode had a buyer purchase a metal horse head for about $500(?), well the entire locker cost about that much. They took it to be appraised. The dealer told them it was worth $3,000 and he would give them $2,000 right there. He told them it would hang outside of butcher shops that sold horse meat in Europe. And apparently the ones that were made of metal meant something "special". Maybe it was zinc, but it looked like "gold".

So, there you have it. Useless tidbit of the day.

What I love is the "quantity" dropdown purchase button. Yes, I'd like a herd of 10, please.

Bee, the first one I called about (years ago) is still for sale at the same antique shop in Atlanta for 10K.

Here is the one I found in San Francisco (hanging in shop). It's in our great room hanging over a pair of French doors.

I did not pay 10K. Much closer to your $500. Not sure they realized what they had. We live in a horse community, so I have horse things all over the house. The ones from France/Europe are usually zinc. Many are painted, some gold. Mine is happier here than over a butcher shop. ;)

;D Circus.

No one remembers who it was?

With these types of items, I love them until they are in a RH catalogue. They should come with a story, like Allison's does, not a UPC code. That's my problem with RH ... They try to mass produce character.

Ha! Mtnrdredux, I have that same reaction! I've been safeguarding a zinc horse's head (similar to Allison's but a little different) for several years now to hang on my range surround, and then I see the RH bull. He's pretty impressive in real life. He's huge. Not quite as well finished as the vintage ones, but nice. So I'm torn!

With these types of items, I love them until they are in a RH catalogue. They should come with a story, like Allison's does, not a UPC code. That's my problem with RH ... They try to mass produce character.

This should be on a billboard, or maybe inscribed over the door of an antiques shop. Anybody remember that frame at Pottery Barn, a sort of upright Rolodex that allowed you to display maybe a dozen photos and spin them around? I thought it was cute the first time I saw it, less so the three hundredth time it appeared on the front cover of the catalog.

I am always amazed to hear people striving for "that Pottery Barn look." You want your house to look like a catalog? Your actual goal is to strongly emphasize that you have no individuality?

The worst thing is buying an object at a flea market, or inheriting something unusual and interesting, treasuring it for years, and then hearing a guest ask, "You get that at Pottery Barn?"

If feel the same way about most RH and PB items, but the bull (at almost 600) - I don't think everyone and their cousin will be buying... so not as bad as the Rolodex photo holder. lol

LOL, Marcolo that would kill me. The second worst thing is when you select a tile, and then read the reviews for the tile, and the only reviewer there loved it installed ... in their trailer. It gave me pause, but i suppose there is no reason someone in a trailer might not have good taste.

In re RH and the head, I notice too it is described as "Belgian". Is it just me or has "Belgian" now displaced "paris flea market" as the unverifiable provenance imprimatur du jour?

I bought an "antique Belgian work table" on first dibs, no doubt assembled in some place like Bali, where roadside stands have signs saying (with no apparent irony) "Antiques made to order".

"I am always amazed to hear people striving for "that Pottery Barn look." You want your house to look like a catalog? Your actual goal is to strongly emphasize that you have no individuality?"

That's how I feel when people want their bedrooms to look like hotel rooms! Beige walls, maybe some wallpaper appearing in thousands of rooms worldwide, generic bedspread (hopefully more sanitary than most hotels!), generic curtains, bad "art"...why not throw in the noisy air conditioner?

For people without the time or interest in design, following the rules of PB or hotels might be a reasonable choice, sort of like Garanimal decor.

And i have to admit, hotel rooms (Elizpiz, this is for you) have probably influenced my staunch view that the bedroom is no place for pattern, and that sheets and towels should be white. I always said I wanted a vanilla Haaagen Dazs bedroom.

I think that Bull head would look nice over a crib.

Never mind.

Speaking of cribs, who wants to bet on how long before this Oslo crib is sold in PB?

Take a look too at the aisle widths in the kitchen. Even clear chairs take up space. Do we need a "I"KBA standard? Or do Norwegians have smaller tushes...

Here is a link that might be useful: see photos 5 and 3

I am not much of a shopper and hadn't been in Restoration Hardware for a couple of years until yesterday, when I stopped in to buy two glass knobs to consider for my upper kitchen cabs. I almost laughed when I walked in the door. Who the heck has a home with that massive scale? And all the books on the bookshelves are wrapped in muslin and tied with twine...what the heck?! That stuff looks so contrived to me, I just wanted to scream, "Get over yourself!" at the whole store.

I do like some of the finishes, colors and ideas, but the notion of mass-producing massive "unique" pieces seems...odd.

Back to the knobs, does anyone know whether the traditional glass knobs from RH are the same as the traditional glass knobs by Amerock? They look the same but I've only seen the Amerock knob on-line. Not surprisingly, there is quite a price difference.

mtnrdredux, I like how the high bar gate prevents the child from getting out of the crib in any direction except through a third-story window.

I understand the Garanimals analogy, but please explain all the people on the Home Decorating Forum who want to perfectly replicate the Summer 2011 Pottery Barn catalog because it will be "timeless."

Urban Archeology has a nicer bull's head, but you won't see it everywhere. Since it costs $4500.

I didn't quite get the idea of a horse head as a sign for a butcher shop until I read someone above mention that, back in the day, yes, people did eat horse meat. Anyway, I have been looking for some kind of antique-type butcher sign to use as a display in my new kitchen. DH's uncle was a butcher and I have two great pictures of him slicing up meat at a deli he owned back in the '50s. As a surprise, I wanted to do a little art grouping of the two pics and some kind of sign.

Marcolo - I did find a "butcher's plaque" at Urban Archeology for around $480 (I think). Of course I'm weak in the knees over spending that much - so the $4500 bull's head would definitely be out.

I'm in agreement with everyone re PB and RH - but must admit I still use the Grananimal tag system to make it easier for DH to get dressed in the mornings.

I hate to break it to you, but roughly five million horses are eaten each year around the globe. It's low in fat and high in protein.

;D Pal.

Yup. Still have plenty of "equine butcher shops" all over Europe. I grew up in France and clearly remember horse heads hanging up inside to distinguish them from the less specialized butchers.

OT, a pet peeve of mine here in the US is the lack of prevalence of small butcher shops with wider variety than chicken, beef, and pork. Blah!

Guess where a lot of "old" horses in the US go?

If someone really "needs" one, here's a cheaper alternative from Ballard Design. Your choice - large or small.

Here is a link that might be useful: wicker bull head

mtnrdredux, did you notice the reflection in the window in photo 13? :)

'Twas I. I once lived in France and now raise Charolais. Haven't seen a good zinc head for under $6500 since I started the search and can't justify the price. It just seems wrong to me, especially now that I've learned RH is knocking them off. Harrumph. (DH says my metric is 18th century armoire units, LOL.) I guess it will turn into one of those unrequited quests.

There's a bull and goat head at Wisteria.

I can't find a coupon code right now ~but they are always floating around.......

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.wisteria.com/The-Butcher-Shop-Bull/productinfo/W2856/

The Wisteria one looks like, but it's resin. The wicker one needs taken out to the back 40 and put out of his misery. ;D

Ah! Kitchendetective. Well, I'll keep my eye out for a zinc bull. But they are rare.

I'm sorry I didn't know price was no object.

Here is a link that might be useful: here you go

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread tonight. Thank you for speaking my gut!

The wicker one looks like something put together in the solarium during Crafts Hour.

Anybody see the new Restoration Hardware catalog? I just got the "Spring 2011 (it's almost July) Idea Book." I guess it took them that long to come up with some ideas. It should have been called "How You'll Decorate When You're Dead."

Saw these on the Wisteria site and remembered this post.....it is only $269 (20x14x21)......they have the ram also. I think he is a good-looking guy.......

This one, not-so-much......maybe it is too much horn.