Would you do this?

[Richard Madden]

I don't know about you guys and gals but I'm always looking for wood, no matter where we are. Driving, walking, vacations...always looking and listening for chainsaws, you know what I mean. Well, the other day the Wife and I went to the zoo, and in one of the gift shops they had some carved figurines like pictured below. I don't know what kind of wood it is, but it's very dense (won't float), and I'm thinking about turning it down and using it for finials, threaded collars and such. Question, would you do this?? I would not even consider it if I thought it had some kind of religious significance, and I don't think that's the case here, but I would like your opinions. Although it's a nice piece and I appreciate the work that went into it, it's not exactly my cup of tea, if you know what I mean. What do you think?

[Jay Allen]

I don't see why not? I have always looked at things for their "potential" as parts or materials for other things.

BTW, the big brass punches that they sell at Harbor Freight are a cheap source for that material. They are about a foot long and nearly 3/4" diameter. I have made lots of spacers, bushings, etc with them.

[Sean Hughto]

First, it's yours to do with as you wish. The artist and the zoo got their money for it. That said, I sort of think art is different. I indirectly know a ceramic artist that made very large impressive vases that sold for very high prices. Well, a an action movie team bought some and used them in a gun fight/explosive scene where the works were destroyed. I know the artist was unhappy to see that.

I guess I would suggest you put the shoe on your foot. If you made a turning, and sold it, would you care if someone bought it for the wood, and chopped it up? Burned in the wood stove? Etc.?

[Reed Gray]

Well, I do like the style of the carvings, and couldn't stand to cut them up. Makes me think of the Spanish melting down a lot of the Aztec gold art work into bullion. Those pieces will probably not have that significance, but still.......

robo hippy

[Greg Just]

What a great idea! Re-engineer that wood to your liking. Makes me have second thoughts about garage sales - there could be some hidden treasures - Thanks for the idea

[Ted Calver]

It would be funny if it was shoe polish on white wood.

[Richard Madden]

It would be funny if it was shoe polish on white wood.

I thought the same thing, but I figured for 9 bucks I'd take a chance. Whatever it is, it's hard. Couldn't put a mark on it with my thumbnail.

[David DeCristoforo]

Funny... a chunk of ebony (most likely what this is) large enough to carve that out of would set you back at least a hundred bucks. But I guess carving it into the top half of a naked woman ruins the value of the wood so it's now only worth nine! The carver probably gets two bits which, in Tanzania, would probably support the whole family for a week. Go figure...

[James Combs]

I don't see why not? I have always looked at things for their "potential" as parts or materials for other things.

BTW, the big brass punches that they sell at Harbor Freight are a cheap source for that material. They are about a foot long and nearly 3/4" diameter. I have made lots of spacers, bushings, etc with them.


Ditto, just purchased two a couple weeks back for the purpose of cheap material.

BTW at $9.00 it sounds like a production mill item not necessarily by an artist per-say. Probably 30-40 Tanzanians sitting around a room each making his particular cut to it.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Richard,

I know several home grown African Dealers in Items like this one. I have ready to use when the time comes a full length one piece carved Ebony walking stick of quite some value. (I am 76 yrs now)

Be aware also and be prepared to find black shoe polish is overused over there. Often the timber is brownish but heck I have paid over 25 US for timber enough for one pen before on a rush of blood.

With regard to timber my SHMBO taunts me if I should pass before her she will have a Parquetry floor made of the literally thousands of cut blanks in my many sheds.

If you were British I would say bit like a fox hunt the thrill of the chase.
Since confessions are cleansing I confess to this obsession also, I say cut it to suit yourself if you are superstious place it carefully on a shelf, if you are realistic make that one of a kind pen or whatever.

Have fun I do.

Peter.

[Gary Herrmann]

You bought, it's yours to do as you please.

That said, I'm not sure I'd cut it up for turnings. I think Sean raises a good point. Once a customer buys something of mine, it's theirs to do as they please. But, if they're going to cut it up, I think I'd rather not know about it.

On the other hand, if it is ebony or tazmanian blackwood, it sure does make you think, doesn't it.

Yeah, I'm a big help...

[George Guadiane]

I buy damaged old stuff at garage sales all the time. I cut them up with impunity. The new stuff IS more likely to have shoe polish over "lesser" wood, but, if I were you, I'd cut that one and make it into a little hollow form.

[Vince Brytus]

Drill into the bottom and see what the wood looks like inside. One way or another, at $9 what you have is a souvenir, not what I would consider art. Anything sold as African art is much more expensive than that. I wouldn't hesitate to turn it into something made by you, and therefore have more meaning to you. Besides, just because someone slapped a "Made by Hand" label on it doesn't mean it really was. This is from Africa where underhanded dealing is a way of life.

[Mike Stephens]

You got to cut it.

You know you want to.

I would and I wouldn't think twice about it.

[David E Keller]

I'd hack it up in a heartbeat. I couldn't care any less about what my customers do with something they've purchased from me... Now, if my friends and family start cutting up things I've gifted them, I probably be a little miffed.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...black shoe polish is overused over there..."

Hey, Hay... you're probably right! Some "leadwood" colored black. I'm too trusting to buy souvenirs!

[Jeff Nicol]

These are definitly hand made but in mass quantities for sale in other countries. The people who own the companies that make tourist fare like this piece know exactly what kind of wood it is and it is most likely whatever is the most prevalant wood in the area. You could get lucky and it may be a pricey type of wood, but the odds are against you most times. I think the shoe polish cover is the deal. That being said, they are not machine made by any means, the locals in most of these areas are taught at a young age to carve as there are not many options to make any money. In the Phillipines on just about every block there are a group of people carving trinkets and statues for sale and most of that is a mahogany of some sort.

I have chopped up so many things that I buy here and there that at one time were someones treasured memory of vacations gone by that they got tired of cleaning the dust off of over the years so off the the thrift store it goes! I have like 35 bowling balls that have been sliced and diced into so many beautiful little things and many of them have the old owners names engraved in them, but time has a way of making special things just more junk in the closet!

Have fun,

Jeff

[Steve Vaughan]

I'd do it in a heartbeat. And, if you make a finial out of it, and it's some weird white/light-colored wood? Just put some more black shoe polish on it!

[Richard Madden]

I did it.:D Looks a lot like blackwood to me. A little bit of purple hue here and there, but no shoe polish. I just hope there's no curse on it for destroying it that might cause a vital body part to fall off.:eek::eek:

[Steve Vaughan]

I dunno Richard. You know what they say 'round here...you might say you did it, but unless there's a picture...

[Bernie Weishapl]

Richard I think if it were me I would have did it to. Looks like it could make some nice finials.

[David Woodruff]

I would but I have not, I have two of these I bought in 1963, they are Ebony, for the purpose of which you speak. They have never progressed beyond the original African carving. In a few years they will graduate to vintage African art. I suppose I will let them graduate. They look pretty nice as a pair. Some how different than the ones I see today.

[Richard Madden]

I dunno Richard. You know what they say 'round here...you might say you did it, but unless there's a picture...

You're right, I should have known better. I used a spur drive which spun out several times. Here is the after;