Heretical season opened

More heresy coming soon to a cellar near you. If you live in Oslo, that is.

Vitruvian Basset

Surely more elegant than the human version, or what?

Greetings from the Free State!

Lord Bassington-Bassington has been on an small pilgrimage to Rijeka, Croatia, following in the footsteps of arch-dandy Gabriele D'Annunzio: The poet who annexed the city and established the Free State of Fiume right after WWI. After all, one isn't a proper neofolk nerd unless one has taken a certain interest in this enigmatic character, and since "nerdy" is one of the most appropriate adjectives to describe Lord Bassington-Bassington, perhaps even more so than "droopy", His Lordship has already visited D'Annunzio's famous Vittoriale in Italy proper. So this time it was time to explore the Fiume Republic.

While D'Annunzio's anarcho-fasco-artisto-dandyist republic only lasted a short while, its influence on local culture lives on today, more than a century later.

Many of D'Annunzio's troops wore fezes, and the fez is still a feature of the cityscape. As in this obvious D'Annunzian reference.

D'Annunzio's sense of style lives on in the local populace.

Even the Toy Museum commemorates D'Annunzio. This exhibit is an obvious nod to his daring airborne exploits.

While some light summer reading is always good, Lord Bassington-Bassington also recommends Italian band Ianva's concept album about the Fiume affair.

"Twa corbies": Social realist version

While out on an early morning walkie in the Oxford University Gardens, waddling across cricket greens and along country lanes, Lord Bassington-Bassington happened upon a most wonderful sight: Twa corbies frolicking on a tennis court.

Surely this deserves a spot on the list of The 41 Most British Things That Have Ever Happened?

Live in Oslo

Do pop by if you have the chance. Lord Bassington-Bassington's good friend Frater Zog is organizing. We are, however, unsure about whether there will be a Germanic Bear Search this time around.

Micro Presses, Micro Books

A micro press should issue micro books. And now Valentine & Valentine have produced a most appropriate title.

This tiny tome, a short discussion of the aliases used by TE Lawrence (you know, the one of Arabia) is so small and well made (sown spine and everything) that it is hard to wrap one's head around it.

So to show its size, here is the book next to some everyday objects.

What? You mean straw boaters, bow ties and statues of Great Cthulhu aren't everyday objects for you? Then surely it's time to reexamine your life, Sir!

Happy Flag Day, Swedes!

It's the national day of the Swedes today. Or, as it's known here at Bassington Manor, Official Solblot Appreciation Day.

Solblot live in Oslo in 2007, at Lord Bassington-Bassington and Lady Mju's stag and hen party. Thanks to the Somersetians for the picture.

It's time to make oneself a drink and listen to some obscure recordings. And shout out: Congratulations, dear Swedes!