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OBJECTS / SCULPTURE:
Here in the Objects / Sculpture Gallery you will find select examples of American folk art coupled with exceptional, but more traditional Americana. We strive to go beyond the "garden variety" and only offer unique examples that bridge antiques and art.
Please review our Portfolio / Recently Sold page to see the extent of the offerings we have handled.NOW ONLINE
HODGEPODGEOur new catalog, HODGEPODGE, is now online...check it out.
hodgepodge noun
hodge·podge | \ ˈhäj-ˌpäj \
: a heterogeneous mixture : JUMBLE
Some define "hodgepodge" as a confused mixture. Ignore that and go with the definition above "a heterogeneous (or diverse) mixture." As one is exposed to more art and is receptive to expanding beyond one's preconceived notions or a tight focus, ones aesthetic evolves and lets art from one period or genre overlap with another—either in complement or contrast.Circus Figure
Elie Nadelman (1882-1946)
Circa: 1938-46
Size: 8 1/4” (height without base)Signed with initials EN on reverse; inscribed 'Inwood Pottery New York #4' on a label attached to reverse.
One of the more dynamic of the Nadelman plaster figures. The female circus figure with an outstretched right arm and her left on her hip (which creates a wonderful negative space).Southern Folk Art Limestone Carving of a Kissing Couple
Prestonsburg, Floyd County, Kentucky (found)
Circa: 1930-40
Size: 8” x 8” x 9” (h)A dynamic carving of a nude male and female embraced in a kiss with the man’s hand on her upper thigh. She is not resisting, but her slight push may be a signal to slow it down a bit.
Carvings as such in limestone are quite rare in that this small sculpture packs a lot of life into the stone. The work is carved in-the-round, and the figures have remarkable tension between them.
Though the work has elements not found on the carvings of William Edmondson, it certainly has some stylistic similarities.Bird Family
James W. Washington, Jr. (American 1909-2000)
Dated: 1973
Size: 12 1/4" L x 8 1/8" D x 7 1/2" HBird Family is a large work of a mother bird protecting and feeding three nestlings under her wing. The solid black granite metaphorically reinforces the strength of the matriarch, while Washington's sensitive carving conveys a certain intimacy and the fragility of life.
Folk Art Carved Turned-Head Yellowlegs
Lombard Jones; Sandwich, MA
Circa: 1916
Size: 7" (l) x 5" (h) (not including driftwood base)With it's head sharply turned almost ninety degrees this decoy was made by Lombard Jones for his uncle, Dr. Lombard Jones. Influenced by the Chipman family's hollow turned-head shorebirds that were also gunned in Sandwich's Old Harbor. Jones is known to have made yellowlegs and several peeps.
Exceptional Folk Art Painted Snake Eating Frog Cane
Likely Southern
Circa: 1900
Size: 38 1/2” (oal)The painting on this cane is really eye-popping—bright and multi-patterned. The thinly carved stick has a pommel top and paint silimar to peacock feathers. A snake is entwined around the shaft and has a frog in its' mouth—and the poor frog is grasping his tiny arms around the stick. A small lizard is biting the snake at the tail.
Rare Ontario Stoneware Face Jug
Ontario, Canada
Circa: 1880
Size: 9" (oah)With its dripped manganese glaze, this rare life-sized face jug is quite wild. The rich reddish/purple color and wavy patterning over the hand-built face is striking.
Provenance: Ron Korman, Robert Girourd, Peter BramsRare Redware Serpent & Figural Jug - Leonard Kopp
Lineboro, MD or Black Rock, PA
Circa: 1875
Size: 1860-1880Kopp was a known production potter in the Maryland area and all his known pieces are stamped—this is the only known with freehand script signature and by far the finest example of his documented work. Redware with a beautiful mottled manganese glaze. Snake handle with a portrait bust spout (possibly a nod to his German heritage - reminds me of the face on a Bellarmine jug).
Signed on bottom in incised script “L. Kopp.”Large Folk Art Sewer Tile Head
Circa: 1920-1930
Size: 8” x 8” x 8” (h)A large (life-sized), solid (heavy, about 20 lbs.) sewer tile bust of a bald man. A salt glaze covers most of the head with some dry spots to one side. An impressive piece.
Woodchuck Hatching
James W. Washington, Jr. (American 1909-2000)
Dated: 1977
Size: 12" L x 7" D x 6 1/2" HThough Woodchucks do not hatch from eggs, Washington successfully reminds us that all animal life begins with an egg. Regarding a similar work, a patron who upon seeing a recent work of Washington's in which a rabbit was hatching from an egg, exclaimed, "A rabbit does not come from an egg!" Washington replied, "Doctor, all life comes from an egg."
Folk Art [Woodlands] Carved Grizzly Bear
Iowa (possibly Mesquakie / Meskwaki)
Circa: 1875
Size: 10 7/8” (l) x 6 5/8” (w) x 6” (h)Large one piece carved sculpure of remarkable character and surface. The hefty bear is down on all fours with one hind leg coming through to the front.
Based on extensive experinece with both Woodlands carvings and "white man" folk art, I am inclined to believe that this exquisite carving was carved my a Mesquakie / Meskwaki native (who had a presence in Iowa). The sensitivity of line, character and wood surface are hallmarks of reference and both the creature and craft.A Rare Mechanical Black-Bellied Plover Decoy
Boston, MA
Circa: 1868
Size: 11 3/4" (l) x 8" (w) x 5" (h)A Rare Mechanical Black-Bellied Plover Decoy by Nathaniel Wales & Snow, Boston, MA, circa: 1868. Based on the Wales patent of 1868, the wings are fabricated from cardboard and canvas and a cord weaves through the wood carved body. Stamped “WALES & SNOW PATENT.”
Provenance: Stephen O’Brien Jr. Fine Arts, Peter Brams Collection.Wavy Stripe Painted Southern Blanket Chest
Virginia (found)
Circa: 1850-70
Size: 34 3/4” (w) x 18 1/2” (d) x 24” (h)A fantastic and lively Southern blanket chest (Virginia). Six board chest of deep proportions. Made from southern pine with applied moldings and conical feet. Wavy green and yellow stain all around (except backside). It has been suggested that this may be African American made/painted.
Eye Opener Liquor Bottle
Circa: 1880
Size: 11 1/4" (h)Who doesn’t love a rebus—even if its just a short one. Unusual stoneware bottle with a three dimensional and realistically glazed eye ball sticking out of one side with the word “opener” below it and a minstrel-like figure dancing on the other side.
Bare Naked Beach Bingo
Low fired ceramic and glazes, yarn and synthetic hair
Circa: 1960s
Sizes range from: 4" (h) - 11 1/2" (h)A group of thirteen erotic “Barbie” figures each hand-modeled and painted and some with applied hair to the genitals. The standing figure in the center in the primitive red bikini is likely modeled after Raquel Welch and her fur bikini from One Million Years BC.
Hopi Dance Mask
Circa: 1900
Size: 10" (h) x 8 1/2" (w) x 3" (d)A rare Hopi dance mask (Kachina) made from hide, trade textile and earth pigments. Comes with custom wall mount so it appears to float on the wall.
Provenance: John Molloy Indian Arts; Peter Brams CollectionMaine Duck Guide Sign
Circa: 1900
Size: 36" (l) x 17" (h)Here's a cool well weathered and worn sign. Constructed from the top of an old blanket chest (ghost marks from big strap hinges visible) and a duck decoy (cut in half), this sign served as marker for an old duck hunting guide. Old losses as visible in the photo with a great crazed paint surface.
Cast Iron "Columbia" Architectural Element
Circa: 1900
Size: 14" (h) x 12" (w) x 3" (deep)A really great, well cast, iron face of Columbia (the historical name used to describe the Americas and the New World).
Cast Iron Birdhouse - Clifton House Roslyn Harbor, NY
Circa: 1868
Size: 12" (h) x 15" (w) x 10" (d)Made by Miller Iron Company, Providence, RI. A very cool and beautiful birdhouse in excellent condition. The details are remarkable—it is quite an amazing job of casting. The house still stands today (no, I have not knocked on their door to see if they want to buy it :)
A Group of Fine Gogottes (offered individually)
Fontainbleu France
Oligocene epoch (33.9 million to 23 million years old)
Size: 9 1/2" (h) / 9" (h) / 13" (h)A gogotte is a millions years old naturally shaped mineral concretion formed of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate. Principally found in Fontainebleau, France, these mother-nature made sculptures have inspired artists from Jean Arp, Henry Moore and Louise Bourgeois. Louis XIV favored them and the have been exhibited at Versailles since the late 17thC.
Eight is Enough - Iowa
Concrete, paint
Circa: 1920-1930
Size: range from 4 1/4" (h) - 7 1/4" (h)A family of eight concrete dolls. Found as a group in Iowa, these “dolls” are unique and mysterious. Sensational surfaces.
Crockery Cacophony
Southeast Asia, Cambodia
Glazed and fired stoneware
Circa: 12-14th century
Size: 13" (h) x 16 1/2" (w)A very large and artful incidence of ancient Khmer vases, vessels and celadon bowls haphazardly fused together. An exhilarating work on the round—like a George Ohr / Peter Voulkos / Ai Weiwei mash-up!!
Provenance: Doris Wiener Gallery, 1981.
Large Folk Art Carved Woman in a Bikini
Maine
Circa: 1950-1960
Size: 19 3 /8" (h) x 7 3/4" (w) x 5 5/8" (d)A really great, fairly large scale folk art carving of a woman standing in a bikini. She is carved in the round and is a looker from any angle—it's exceptionally well carved.
Charles A. Loughman Jeweler & Optician Sign
Circa: 1890-1900
Size: 22" (w) x 22 1/2" (h)An atypical optician’s sign...looks to be made from shipping crates...the line quality of the eye-glasses and face is quite smooth and confident. McKees Rocks, PA (outside of Pittsburgh).
A Great Pair of Knockers
Circa: early 20thC
Size: 6" DBronze marine hitching posts. Great form. Great surface. Flush wall mounts included.
Large Coco de Mer
Circa: late 19thC
Size: 10" x 13"First rate example with a nice "thigh gap." Interior nut still intact (not hollowed out).
Sailors would find these floating in the ocean and had no idea where they originated from. They were carved and collected for their “femaleness.”Bronze Bird's Nest
Circa: mid 20thC
Size: 11” (d) x 7 1/2" (h)Modernist sculpture with great textures from the intertwined bronze nest, the faux tree stump and the square eggs.
Large New England Carpenters Tool Box / "HANDS OFF"
Circa: 1840
Size: 23" x15" x 9 1/2"Bold red painted covered carpenters tool box belonging to "W. LAYMEN" who wants you to keep your "HANDS OFF!" Yellow pinstriping and flourishes. New England origin (possibly Maine). Note size...large box...not the size of a knife carrier...much, MUCH larger.
Memento Mori
Circa: 1860-1880
Size: 2 1/2" H x 1 1/4" W x 3/4" DTintype of a woman housed in a small single carved block of wood fashioned into a pendant. Paired with a woven hair chain. Very cool and unique object.
STEVEN S. POWERS • 109 3RD PL #2 • BROOKLYN, NY 11231 • 718-625-1715 • email: steve@stevenspowers.com • © all rights reserved
