Sharon, Jean
This is a piece I would love to have but it has already exceeded than my house budget non-essentials for this year:

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-OLD-ARTS-AND-CRAFTS-OCTOPUS-GREEN-ART-POTTERY-VASE_W0QQitemZ260159256379QQihZ016QQcate goryZ96QQtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1 QQcmdZViewItem

That's a very cool vase. Why don't you take a pottery class somewhere and make one? By the way, I'm not really kidding....

That is a great vase, but far, far outside of my budget (insofar as I have a budget for pottery, which is not too far...)

Does anyone else get frustrated when artists feel obligated to sculpt/draw two funnels on octos because they dislike asymmetry more than they like accuracy? That octo on the pot is fantastic for realism in most respects, but appears to have the "one funnel on each side" problem...

Good find Monty! I was too enamoured with the eyes to catch that. I don't feel so sad about the price (well, maybe - really nice eyes for a pottery piece though).

Sharon, a sculpture (among other talented things) I am not, lessons or no.

This it the octopot (http://www.tonmo.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/538) my aunt gave us for our wedding.

You have a very cool aunt! My mother is somewhat useful for neat finds (her's range from cutesy to quite nice but not this nice). The rest just think I am a bit strange and avoid such gifts (I do have a great neighbor who brings me nifty little surprises from time to time though).

If anyone sees a non-juvenile looking octo/ceph that can be drilled for use as a fountain, PLEASE post or pm me. One of the talented pottery people in my office attempted a fountain and made an exquisit base (that I bought) but the fountain part was a failure (and would have been more juvenile than I would have wanted anyway). I would still like to turn it into a fountain if I can find the appropriate center piece.