Carved Folk Art

Wooden Statue of a Walking Bear Handcarved in Switzerland circa 1930s. A vintage statue of a strolling bear. Made of lindenwood, finely handcarved and handpainted with naturalistic details in Brienz, Switzerland ca. 1930s. A nice example of the famous Black Forest Woodcarvings made in Switzerland. The tradition of wood carving in Brienz dates back to mid of the 19th century. People in the region were looking for new employment opportunities. They used their skills from traditional crafts, carving everyday objects and sculptures, and created a new business. Many woodcarvers where trained in the 'School of Wood Carving, Brienz' which was established in 1884. Around 1900 the woodcarving industry counted ca. 2000 woodcarvers. Brienz woodcarvings were presented on several worlds fairs with great success. With the Gran Tour Tourism wealthy people from all over the word visited the area and took their woodcarving souvenirs home. Today some companies, like 'Huggler Holzbildhauerei' still exist and build traditional sculptures. Measures: Length: 11.02" (28 cm) Width: 3.94" (10 cm) Height: 6.69" (17 cm) Literature Reference: Peter F. Blackman, Black Forest Woodcarvings, Atglen 2009. Jay Arenski, Simon and Michael Daniels, Swiss Carvings...

A great looking hand carved original wooden Folk Art wall decoration. A great piece for a suitable ambiance in a trophy room or the office of a Hunter or Woodsman. More than likely o...

A great looking hand carved original wooden Folk Art wall decoration. A great piece for a suitable ambiance in a trophy room or the office of a Hunter or Woodsman. More than likely o...

Gaff-rigged pond yacht made from carved and hollowed wood with copper keel with lead bar weight and rubber support to rudder. Deck is scored and fitted with brass deck rails. mast s...

A beautifully carved, wonderfully crafted, highly engaging mask made for Japanese Noh theatre. The mask is handcrafted and hand carved from natural wood and is signed and sealed b...

Early 20th century Belgian oak Folk Art eagle sculpture.

A pub sign depicting a whimsical fox emerging from a gilt jug, of very large scale. Hand-hewn from solid wood and skilfully relief carved - the fox has distinct fur, legs, ear, snou...

Wooden pad with trefoil patterns used to decorate fabrics. India, early 20th century.

Pair of hand-carved hardwood stools attributed to the Oromo people of Ethiopia, 1970s. Each stool is sculpted from a single block of dense wood, with a broad concave seat supported b...

A great looking hand carved original wooden Folk Art Bear head wall decoration. A great piece for a suitable ambiance in a trophy room or the office of a...

Matching rare pair of male twin figures "Ibeji" from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Africa, created in the early 20th century. remains of Reckitts blue (laundry bleach) bluing in hai...

19th Century Hand-Carved Pirate Figure Dimensions: H 9.5” x W 3.5” x D 2.5” Weight: 500grm Date: Circa 1880 Origin: Unknown Material: Hand-carved pine (stained) Overview An unusual o...

Early and rare mask from Gabon, Central Africa, created by the Tsogho peoples. Powerful large mask with carved open eyes, and black painted eyes above, below heavy carved eyebrows. ...

Early 20th Century Hand-Carved Folk Art Duck Decoy. The duck 's head is movable and the body features wonderful patina throughout including traces of the original paint. Wonderful co...

The head carved in luminous marble, likely depicts Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty. Shown with her smooth oval face with deeply set eyes, and slightly open lips, her hair centrally-parted with a diadem, and a chignon at her neck. The head would originally have been from a full length figure of the goddess, depicted either entirely nude, or semi-nude with folds of drapery around her hips. Such figures are often known as 'Anadyomene' which means 'rising from the sea'. The tilt of the head and the hair arrangement is seen in other Hellenistic Greek marble heads...

This vintage wood carving by Anri is a beautiful work of art depicting a woman in traditional Groedner or Tyrolean costume. This wooden figure was made in the 1980s or older and is a...

Beautiful, unique Boule ball pair and one target ball, France, late 19th Century. Decorated with the numer "3" on each of the Boule balls. In the 19th century, the manufacture of b...

Rare and beautifully carved owl. This hand-carved owl is well loved by its previous owners and therefor it is still in magnificent condition. Owl sculptures of this period are rare...

18th century European carved pine trunk Brilliant antique trunk / blanket chest from Europe. This can also be used as a toy chest, games chest, linen chest, etc. The chest meas...

18th century Italian hand carved gold leaf tassel ornaments. The tassels originally came from an Italian church in Tuscany and were used d...

African Gabon Late 20th Century carved wood Galwa mask in tapered ovoid form with overlapping brow, protruding angular nose, geometric eye and mouth holes, 2 side holes plus a styliz...

Possibly Babanki. Circular ceremonial wood stool constructed of repeated animal heads. Original applied patina.

Fine Pair Japanese Lacquered Wood Bowls 19th Century Meiji Beautiful and elegant example of Japanese lacquer ware with and gold gilt, Rice bowls ...

Rare and romantic handcrafted midcentury alabaster table lamp with Cupid, heart and arrow motif. This beautifully made alabaster lam...

A dazzling and dynamic composition, this brightly illustrated limestone stele fragment is dedicated to 'Penbuy,' a noted craftsman working in the Valley of the Kings and part of the ...

Early 20th century continental decorative carousel horse circa 1900. Unique continental painted merry-go-round horse circa 1900. Excellent opportunity to own this highly decorative ...

Carved wood powerful portrait of a Makonde man with a traditional lip plug in his upper lip, high carved cheek bones in the form of a finely carved helmet mask, with attached hair on...

A charming Danish Viking figure designed by renowned Danish designers Hans Bølling and Kay Bojesen, dating from the 1970s. These iconic Scandinavian collectibles beautifully capture ...

Merganser / Andre Broussard hand carved & painted Duck Decoy,,Wonderful paint, surface , patina..The paint is wonderfully dried out and rubbed along the edges to deliberately give a ...

A rare, important and most charming French carousel amusement ride by important Parisian craftsmen Limonaire Frères / Limonaire Brothers (France; 1839-1932) Hand-crafted in Paris, France in the late 19th century, exceptionally executed near life-size form depicting a standing donkey figure with the rare unique feature of a nodding head. Finished in country fair taste, hand-carved solid wood construction, the menagerie merry-go-round ride presents splendidly, with the original layered polychrome paint finish, enhanced by beautifully aged heavily worn patina acquired over many years of carnival use. Signed, retaining the original manufacturer's brass plaque that reads: "Sculptures Pour Forains, Chevaux De Bois Etc, Limonaire Freres, Paris, 166 Avenue Daumesnil" The extremely rare, museum quality example is one of the very few surviving Limonaire Frères wooden carousel fixtures, one of only a handful imported to the United States, and quite possibly the last surviving donkey! DIMENSIONS: (approx) 44" High, 52" Wide, 10" Deep PROVENANCE / ACQUISITION: Acquired from the highly reputable auction house, Schultz Auctioneers, Clarence, New York. Important Antiques & Decorative Arts catalog HISTORY: Limonaire Frères were an amusement ride and later street organ...

Mid-20th century black dance mask, Guerrero, Mexico A nice old mask from Guererro, Mexico, used in the Tlacololero Dance of the Tlactapa and probably fr...

A pair beautiful hand carved and hand painted cherub angel Heads, found at an estate sale in Nuremberg, Germany. Made by a woodcarver in the Oberammergau area, this area is well-know...

Beautifully hand crafted solid wood totemic sculpture with detailed features highlighting its authentic presence. This unique piece meshes style and art into a eye catching and taste...

A fun pair of sculptural and highly decorative objects, a toleware crescent moon and carved wooden sun, very much in the folk art style. Booth extremely characterful, with expressiv...

CARVED FOLK ART MASONIC WALKING STICK Stained, ebonized and polychromed hardwood With bas-relief symbolism along the length of the shaft Circa late 19th century 36" in total length...

This antique Chinese horizontal sign board made during the 19th century displays Chinese characters carved in wood in a splendid calligraphic style. The frame is enhanced by red and ...

This small French mortar was sourced in the south of France. It's an iconic and traditional kitchen object which is found all over France. Its traditional use was and still is to gri...

Stone reliefs from the Old Kingdom such as this, were typically found in the door jambs for false doors in a funerary setting or tomb. Given the left facing direction of the striding...

An Extraordinary Pair of early 20th century carved wood Panels depicting the Four Seasons. Tall narrow unpainted panels with high relief carved decoration with motifs of the Four Sea...

From Native America and a collection dating to 1951, comes this unique old hand carved stone human effigy pipe figure idol , likely Hopewell culture with its bun head and ear spool...

A truly fantastic, engaging, and uniquely made African Kota Mahongwe Hongwe Reliquary Guardian Figure/ Sculpture made by the Kota (Bakota) pe...

Polychrome Santo Niño Figure 19th century, Guatemala. Carved and polychromed wood figure of the Christ Child, depicted with delicate features and a naturali...

Venice, Italy, Mid-18th Century (circa 1734–1760) An exceptionally rare and important collection of sixteen original Venetian marionettes, created for the performance of Commedia de...

Impressively carved from a single block of wood, this monumental male spirit or ancestor figure originates from the Middle Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. The figure combines stron...

A superb Igbo Nigeria helmet mask 'Agbogho Mmuo" or Maiden Spirit. Worn as masqurades during funerals, cleansing rituals, harvest festivals, weddings and ...

An interesting and rather unusual indigenous native North or Central/South American (Mesoamerican) primitive stone carved (steatite or soapstone) mythical creature figure. We are no...

This magnificent and large Late Period round-topped stele is deftly carved in shallow sunk relief. Below the arching top we find a winged solar-disk flanked by two uraei, and two sym...

Danish mangle board (clothing and bedding press) dated from ca. 1750-1800. Made of wood richly decorated with hand-carved geometric patterns and a horse as handle. With original re...

An impressive early 20th-century carved and polychrome painted cigar store Indian standing approximately 6 feet tall to the tip of the feathers. The base features replacement boards—...

Hand Carved Cow Horn Sailing Ship Sculpture

19th century Swedish folk art wooden cheese board. Genuine and rustic with incredible patina. So useful & nice interior detail. Good antique condition with minor historic knocks, ...

Antique Danish or Scandinavian mangle board (clothing and bedding press), dated 1792 it has survived more than 230 years and still it´s full of charm. It is made from oak wood has a...

Fantastic 19thc bread board with a handle and mortised in the back side.Found in the state of Maine.The board is in fine condition.

Yoruba male figure, rare example dressed in old cowrie covered cloak. an Ibeji or twin figure, rare example dressed in old cowrie covered cloak, Nigeria, Africa, well loved with very...

A rare large and most impressive rustic midcentury Japanese Ainu hand carved Ussuri Brown Bear sculpture. Indigenous Ainu Peoples, probably Ashikawa, Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, mid-20th century, anonymous artist. This exceptional example of traditional Kibori Kuma (木彫り熊) was finely hand carved, chiseled, sculpted and painted from a massive block of solid Japanese hardwood, using old primitive techniques with customized knives and chisels, the artisan would sit on the hut floor, using their feet as a vice to hold the block of wood, carefully manipulating and turning, wood chips flying, skillfully carving to create this beautiful piece of art! This massive scale realistic rendering showcases the artisan's exemplary skills, workmanship, and artistry, the bears aggressive naturalistic appearance comes to life, evoking power, strength, and natural bounty, lending to its fierce dramatic presence. Modeled as a wild Ussuri brown bear standing on four legs, head slightly tilted up as if about to expel a ferocious roaring growl, having inset black glass eyes, mouth agape with jagged teeth exposed, the bold muscular body with distinct richly textured chip-carved fur, this sculpture captures the essence of Ainu reverence for nature, this sacred animal, and their deep connection to the land. No apparent signatures, typical of folk art work. - DIMENSIONS: (approx) 19.5" Wide x 11.375" Tall x 13.25" Deep; Wight: 18.75lbs - HISTORY / BACKGROUND: The Ainu are an aboriginal hunter/gatherer/fisher people who once inhabited many of the islands that bound the southern half of the Sea of Okhotsk north of the main Japanese island of Honshu and Southern Russia. Their land was contested by the Japanese Empire and the USSR for centuries, with the Meiji era Japan colonisation of Hokkaido taking place in the 19th century. Colonisation dispossessed the native Ainu people of their lands and property. Widespread discrimination enforced against them, including their forced relocation into mountain areas and the prohibition of the use of the Ainu language decimated their economy with the eventual aim of the extinction of Ainu culture and its replacement by Yamato Japanese culture. The history of the Ainu bear...

This striking and rather curious object is the curved fragment preserving an edge of a monumental granite vessel. It features hieroglyphs along both the broad front side of the fragm...

Vintage Sculpture of an American Eagle Carved in Seri Ironwood. Vintage hand carved Ironwood Southwestern seri sculpture of an Eagle. Dimensions: 5.5" x 3.5". circa 1970. Ironwood hand carved eagle or falcon...

This beautifully handcrafted area rug features a refined, contemporary design defined by soft neutral tones and an organic, flowing pattern. Measuring approximately 300 x 400 cm, it ...

This is the old Tengu surface that was used in the Kyushu region of Japan. It is thought to be from around the Meiji period. Tengu noodles are said to be an amulet, a blessing, and...

Classic Dayak carved flat wood calendar board with carved Aso or Dragon Motifs, Borneo, Indonesia. Traditional very dark wood with carving in relief and ...