Inkipedia
Busts of Three Different Males – Carved Wood
| Categories | Figural - Persons |
| Material | Wood |
| Markings | Unmarked |
| Manufacturer | Undetermined |
| Origin | Undetermined |
| Date or Era | mid to late 1800's |
| Measuring | 4 ½” high |
The first bust is of a bearded man wearing a kepi hat. Initially I categorized him as a Confederate soldier and assumed the carving was made in the United States.
Then I encountered the second bust – that of a man with long sideburns, wearing a baseball cap. While different from the Confederate soldier, there are striking similarities – certainly the piercing white glass eyes, but also the style of carving, and the internal inkwell with a spring-loaded cover.
And then – Jesus! – a third. Maybe not Jesus, but it is the bust of a Middle Eastern man. And again, the same eyes, spring-loaded inkwell, and carving style.
Until I learn more, the origin at this point is unknown. They probably date mid to late 1800’s.
Bust #1 – was listed on eBay as a Confederate soldier carved in the US in the 1860’s. It sold for $329 in January 2024.
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