Mrs Moxie & Her New Ceramic Climbing Cat :: Baltimore and the Camark Cat
A Christmas Gift :: Baltimore Style
In my house, my wife and I do not exchange Christmas gifts with each other. As chaotic as this time of year can be – with the planting of the tree, the decorating of the pad, Christmas pageants, holiday parties, with finding that perfect special something for all those on our lists, etc., I think we quietly figure why pile any more onto that stress.
But that’s not to say we don’t look out for each other.
A few weeks back Mrs. Moxie said to me, “You know what I really want for Christmas? One of those … ceramic climbing cats.” Now, I am aware that unless you live in my neck of the woods, Baltimore, you may not have any idea of what she/we speak. If you were me, I mean – you may have looked at her and said, “What?!”
A “ceramic climbing cat”. Well, I think it probably best to just show you. I grabbed these pics on an early morning excursion last week. There happens to be a small population in a neighborhood very near me.
A little kitschy, right?
Baltimore is a Pretty Kitshcy Place
And I have been meaning to write a little bit more about, well, that. I did a piece last year for Arne Salvesen’s Useful Spaces – Pink Flamingos, Blue Crabs and Some Theories :: The Overspilling Kitsch of Baltimore (not maintained). It kinda gives you a sense of where I am coming from. Ha!
Baltimore’s Wild & Wonderful Hand Painted House Screens || Book: The Painted Screens of Baltimore
Anyways, these little guys are called Camark Cats. They are traced to Camark Pottery Company, a significant player in the chronicles of Arkansas’s rich (pottery) lore.
Camark Cats :: History and Background
According to this article (and likely the only one dedicated to the topic solely), “The Camark hanging cat drew inspiration from France, where life-size terra cotta cats were placed on roof tops throughout Paris and the French countyside to ward off mice and rats.”
According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, “… In the 1950s, Camark Pottery continued to mass-produce pottery in bright pastel colors. Its business continued well into the 1960s with the extremely popular Climbing Cats, salt and pepper shakers, and other novelty wares.”
Apparently these little guys sold very well in the 50s and 60s, and for some reason, they have survived very well … here in Baltimore. In white, typically, and glazed, they are not necessarily the easiest things to get your hands on. There is salvage, and 2nd hand stores, but beyond that – I remember the Mrs. telling me they occasionally pop onto ebay.
So … one afternoon, a few weeks back, and maybe trying to fulfill my Christmas gift giving duty, I decided to give Craig’s List and eBay a quick look. And this is what I uncovered…
So I mailed her. And in her very efficient (I am gonna win this … boyyye) way, she brought it on home. Not a true Camark – this one was made in Japan and in gray.
I am not sure yet where we are going to hang it. Interesting also to see how the hanging is to be done with a single key hole. While most, of course, hang on the exterior (like so many eagles), we’ll likely carve out a little space on the indoors.
Cats and Me
I have written about (our) cats, well, a lot maybe for a home improvement blog.
My guy Marz, who you may have seen a few times on the blog, isn’t really doing all that well. He’s 16. My wife says, and insistent that we will not get any new cats now, he’s irreplaceable! … ourselves a great little shine to the man, the myth, one of the most rock-hardingest … tomcats there ever was or ever will be. *Saddened* Anyways …
– I hope that Santa brought you all of what you wanted and I’ll be back on the posting thing again soon. Happy New Years to you; be safe and enjoy. ~jb
Ha! They’re cute. When I was growing up, a neighbor had two of those on his porch roof, and they always looked quite real. Merry Christmas to you and Mrs. Moxie and the girls!
ha! so I see their popularity did extend beyond BMore, maybe its just that we (collectively) enjoy holding onto things from that period. thanks for the holiday wishes John. hope yours has been enjoyable.
I first saw Camark ceramic cat on a local business (funeral home) here in Tampa, FL. When the funeral home demolished their original building and rebuilt on the same spot the big concern from the neighborhood was making sure the cat had a new home. He does, on top of the new building.
great story Ginny and I do want to say a ceramic cat and a funeral home is like peanut button and jelly. cheers.
Sooo much jealousy. I’m trying to find one of these for my mom. We had one when I was growing up and it just broke. It’s breaking my heart that I can’t find her another or at least something like it.
As I said, it really did take a little bit of effort. Part of the problem was figuring out exactly what they are called. Perhaps a few more searches around “Camark Cats” could help. Good luck Jen, happy holidays and thanks for your comment. ~jb
These cats were not easy to find. I searched every once in a while and your article is the first I’ve found on them. If not for this I never would of have known the background or even what they were called. My grandparents had a ceramic white cat looking down over the porch roof. This was in Walpole, Mass in the 1970’s. I loved that cat. I could see it from my bedroom or my sister’s bedroom window. That house was sold when I was maybe 5. So now that I know what I’m looking for I’m on a mission to find one.
Thank you for writing this article.
Kristen Gaz.
Massachusetts
Cheers Kristen.
They are all over the homes in my part of the world. Hard to find as you said though. We finally hung ours not a true Camark on the inside of the home.
Best of luck & happy holidays. ~jb @BuildingMoxie
You want to know how I found this blog? I typed in “ceramic climbing cat” into Google! We had a neighbor that lived across the creek that had one of these on their shutters. I never went to this house because I didn’t know who lived there, but I loved seeing the cat as we passed the house, at least until we moved. My sister and my dad went for a walk in the old neighborhood the other day, and my sister texted me and said the ceramic kitty cat was gone, so my guess is whoever lived there moved out, or they just took the kitty down. Nice to see some information on what they’re officially called, though.
nice story Erin thanks for sharing. cheers. ~jb
When we were kids in Baltimore we played stick ball in the alley and one day one of us kids hit the ball at an odd angle sending it right into one of these wall climbing cats, shattering it. The traditional scattering of kids ensued.