A Magical 19thC Folk Art Carved & Polychrome Painted Pipe in the Form of the 'Tree Man'
SOLD
Origin: British
Period: Late Nineteenth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1880-1900
Width: 8 inches (at maximum)
Height: 8 inches (at maximum)
Depth: 3.5 inches (at maximum)
The naïve yet well carved polychrome painted love token, in the form of the Tree Man, open mouthed, having white glass eyes, the trunk having further cherry red branches with two terminating in tree folk.
The condition of the pipe is good in that the colours are vivid and the carving has only a small amount of loss to it though one of the branch folk has lost his eyes though the other two sets of eyes are present. The pipe is lacking its mouthpiece and stem as the pipe has obviously been used as a display piece for some time; a hook for wall display can be found on the reverse.
Pieces of folk art themselves are ephemeral, simple, and often crude, though they are always enchanting. They were made by unskilled people, usually provincially, for everyday use and enjoyment, and are naively decorated, and made of basic materials. Folk art provides an excellent insight into the everyday life of ordinary people in times of old, and for that reason we love it.
Wonderfully imaginative, this pipe is superbly realised and proves an unusual and curious piece of folk art, now a super little display piece.