Early 20th Century Pipe Holder with Carved Nude

Possibly an end of day whimsey, this sculpture was carved out of a brick and painted with silver radiator paint. I don't smoke, but it will make a good business card holder! Found in Galesburg, Illinois.

1873 Folk Art Whimsey of a Boy and Ball in Cage

Available here.

Folk Artist with Carved Wooden Chain

Circa 1855 daguerreotype of a folk artist and his wooden chain whimsey.

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase from the Charles Isaacs Collection made possible in part by the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment

Cabinet of Whimseys

Rare as hell. A cabinet of 13 different folk art whimseys made by a man named Charles B. Gardiner. So awesome.

Available here. Update: Sold for $2,375.00.

Erotic Whimsey

Circa 1920's -1930's erotic whimsey of a man in a coffin, with a surprise of course!

Available at Anonymous Works.

Metal Boys

Early 20th century cutouts of two boys. Not sure if it was part of a weathervane or some other sort of whimsy.

Measures 16" and 11" tall.

19th Century Utilitarian Folk Art Carving of a Man

I have no idea what this is, but it appears to have had a utilitarian function. It has been suggested that this might have been part of some sort of textile process?

It has a long arm at the base, and an interesting peg that's movable at 3 different levels. When the peg is lowered, it almost becomes an erotic whimsey, with a very phallic look to it.

Any ideas?

Measures 13" tall, 12" wide and 4" wide (with extended penis peg!)

1901 Folk Art Carved Train Whistle Whimsey with Two Carved Faces

Still whistles real good!

1920's "Seal" Whimsey with Symbols

Great and weird carving of a seal's body with a man's head in a typical whimsey "ball in box". The carving also has some symbols on all 4 sides of the base. This recently sold for $ 430.00 on eBay.

Here's the seller's description: 1920's Wood Carved Whimsey. Carved out of one piece of wood. Very Unusual! A seal's body with a head in a box sits on top of a pedestal. The head in the box can turn 360 degrees so he can look out each opening. The pedestal has an eye behind a curtain carved on one side, a four leaf clover and and Indian symbol that I believe stands for friendship. I'm sure all of these symbols mean something! Found in New York State. It is signed twice on the bottom, R H R. Once in red paint and it is also carved in. I think the wood is spruce. It measures 10 3/4" tall and the base is 3 1/2" square.