S e c r e t s

“Planet Dustbin”, the Small Treasure Jest carved in 2001, was always one of Peter’s favorite creations. For the past several years, he has wanted to work on a larger, more detailed model. Like his earlier version, “Planet Dustbin II” portrays penguins cavorting around the base (South Pole) and polar bears inhabiting the lid (North Pole). On this Large Treasure Jest, a melting snowman symbolizes global warming. Man’s aptitude for polluting the planet is depicted by icons representing Chernobyl, Bhopal, Iraqi oilfields, deforestation, and numerous power stations throughout the world. The seas are littered with some of the largest oil spills over the past 40 years. “60” is the present population of the UK, with its 60 million people contributing to the over-population of the planet. The US has been awarded a first place rosette for being the world’s largest consumer of energy and raw materials. The interior shows a landfill with a delighted herring gull scavenging through the contents. To add a bit of levity to this rare edition of only 200 pieces worldwide, Peter has carved two flatulent sheep atop Australia, the animal kingdom’s more benign contribution to global warming.