Civil War Folk Art Portrait on a Beech Nut Shell

Folk art carved portrait on a beech nut shell, said to be the likeness of James Joyner Jr., and carved by him shortly before his death at 46 in 1888. Joyner was the friend of Joseph F. Ridgaway, second in command aboard the Confederate Submarine "H.L. Hunley" and among the crew of eight who died aboard the vessel.

Photo credit: Mark Jeffrey

Portrait of an American Worker

Circa 1940's plaster portrait bust of a worker. Found in New York state.

Available at Anonymous Works.

A Roman Marble Bust of a Man

Auction house description:
Turkey, Provincial Roman Empire, Ca. 2-3rd Century CE. Carved marble, this man's bust is set atop a raised platform with beveled edges. Hair has been carved in the traditional short curl form, strong brow and aquiline nose. Ears are set back behind hairline. While some would say this depiction isn't very handsome, truth is that he was carved to look exactly like the person represented. Roman sculpture differentiates itself from Classical and Hellenistic sculpture in that it does not try to idealize the subject, rather it tries to depict the subject in the must real way possible - a technique called Verism.
A very heavy piece, it measures 21-3/4"H x 13-1/4"W.

Provenance: Ex-private FL collection acquired in the late 1970s/early 80s. 

Available at Antiquities Saleroom.

Gazing Upward

Circa 1940's carved marble folk art portrait of a woman gazing upward.

Available at Anonymous Works.

Bust of a Worried Man

English portrait bust. Sold at John Nicholson Auctioneers.

Pair of Folk Art Portrait Busts

Sold at Doyle, August 10, 2010, for $2,000.00 (w/o premium).

Portrait Bust

Circa 1930's folk art carved portrait bust of a woman. A wonderful wood grain pattern makes for a compelling sculpture.

Available at Anonymous Works.

Masonry Man

Circa 1930's-1940's masonry bust of a man. Found in Ohio. 19 1/2" tall.

Baltimore Pottery Bust of a Man

Auction house description:

Very Rare Folk Art Redware Bust of a Man, Carved on Underside "B. KAPP / 76," made at the Perine Pottery, Baltimore, MD, circa 1876, hand-modeled bust in the form of a man with mustache and goatee, wearing a coat with lead-glazed buttons. Carved on underside with the date "76" and the name "B. KAPP," probably referring to West Baltimore potter, Israel Kapp, or a relative. (The name and date on the underside may have been carved after the firing, but are believed to be original to the piece.) Traces of gold paint to surface, and black-and-white paint to eyes. Exceptional figural form. Documented Baltimore redware is highly unusual. Provenance: This sculpture was included with several other Perine items at an exhibit at the Maryland Historical Society in 1955, and was cataloged as being made at the Perine Pottery. The catalog sticker from this exhibit is still on the underside. Base chips. Chip to one ear. H 4 1/4".

Available at Crocker Farm.

Portrait of "Alberta"

Miniature folk art portrait carving in ivory of a woman named "Alberta". Measures 1 1/4" tall.

Early 20th Century Carved Bust of President Taft

Sold for $361.99 on eBay.

Early Southern Folk Art Carved Sandstone Bust of a Man

Said to have been carved from a sacred stone. Found in Georgia.

12 x 11 x 5".

1856 Folk Art Carved Stone Portrait Bust

American
Mid 19th Century
Carved stone bust of a man's head with a carved date of 1856. Found in the southern United States. Great facial character worn in from many years of exposure to the elements. Possibly a boundary marker.

Circa 1840's Folk Art Ash Burl Portrait Bust

A life sized portrait bust of a young man carved from the solid of a large ash burl. Found in the early 1970's in Fredericksburg, VA.

Available at Steven S. Powers.

Alabaster Bust of a Soldier "Made for My Darling Wife" Italy, January 1945

Folk Art Carved and Painted Portrait Bust of a Woman

6" tall. Sold on eBay for $104.50.