Reply to Thread

Message:: [QUOTE="all_fakes, post: 16302, member: 55"]Actually, this is not a wood carving, but a cast item.  Likely made under the name "Shamans," and dating to around 1970-1980.  That would have been reflected on a foil label, now missing.    It is surprisingly common to mistake castings of NW items for wooden carvings.The easiest way to identify these is simply through long experience; if over the last 20 years one has seen a dozen identical items, then it is a cast repro, not a wood carving.    Failing that experience, I'd suggest becoming familiar with wood, all types, all sorts of carvings.    One of the most obvious signs is that wood grain in a carving is reflected in variations in porosity, and often variations in color.  It is not shown by surface texture.  When surface texture shows a wood-like variation of raised and depressed areas, with no change in porosity, this is indicative of cast-in, fake wood-grain.  An actual carving process would have removed these textural variations.    Many such cast items will fail the hot-pin test; but not all.In this item one may also note that the shapes, the eyes, and so on, are not done correctly for Native work.   The are close, but not correct.Again, developing an "eye" for that correctness is not a matter of internet research, but of years of experience.    Take a picture of the item to Robin Wright from the Burke, for example; ask her to explain how she knows the item is not a native carving.    That will provide a great deal of education in a very short time.      I've shown some items from my collection to Bill Holm, for example, and was gratified by his kindness and the immense amount of knowledge he has.[/QUOTE]

Create my FREE Account!

Log in or Sign up

Reply to Thread

Useful Searches