Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 5

"The Graduate" Masterpiece Tramp Art Carving

$13,500
£10,248.94
€11,815.36
CA$19,097.61
A$20,560.32
CHF 11,010.45
MX$247,744.51
NOK 138,921.37
SEK 127,135.49
DKK 88,289.11

About the Item

Masterpiece tramp art carving: "THE GRADUATE" This exceptional tramp art figure and podium, nicknamed "The Graduate", is one of the best pieces of this genre of work that I have ever seen. If the form is outstanding, the painted surface is better, scoring a firm ten out of ten. Probably of Pennsylvania origin, the carving was sold about 25 years ago by Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania dealer, Lee Nichols to folk art collector and outsider art dealer, George Viener, of Reading. It was then acquired by leading tramp art dealer, Cliff Wallach (Brooklyn), who wrote the landmark text on tramp art. I acquired it from Cliff. Wallach pictured this carving in his new book: "Tramp Art Another Notch" which was just released in January of 2009. This is Wallach's second book on tramp art collecting and scholarship.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)Width: 12 in (30.48 cm)Depth: 7.5 in (19.05 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1870-1890
  • Condition:
    See Item Description.
  • Seller Location:
    York County, PA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: fcs-0911stDibs: LU849729784172

More From This Seller

View All
Carved Owl by Henry Winter, Setauket, New York ca 1920-1930
Located in York County, PA
CARVED OWL BY HENRY WINTER, SETAUKET, NEW YORK, circa 1920-1930's Carving of an owl by folk artist Henry Winter (1897-1982) of Setauket (Long Island), New York, with pleasant, reddi...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood, Softwood

Unusual Form Pie Safe with Lantern Style Tins
Located in York County, PA
Unusual form pie safe with lantern-style tins and striking, tomato red paint, circa 1840 Of all the pie safes that I have owned in thirty years of buy...
Category

Antique 1840s American Painted Furniture

Materials

Wood

Horse Head Trade Sign, Last Quarter of the 19th Century
Located in York County, PA
An exceptional, painted American trade sign made from carved wood in the full-bodied form of a race horse’s head. Wonderful movement, tremendous f...
Category

Antique 19th Century American Folk Art Sculptures

Materials

Wood

New England Tall Case Clock, Wooden Works by Riley Whiting, ca 1819-1835
Located in York County, PA
Exuberantly painted, New England tall case clock in dark umber, red, & chrome yellow decoration, with wooden works by riley whiting, Plymouth, Connecticu...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century American Painted Furniture

Materials

Wood

Outstanding Cigar Silk Piecework Table Cover
Located in York County, PA
OUTSTANDING CIGAR SILK PIECEWORKTABLE COVER WITH UNUSUALLY LONG RIBBON FRINGE AND GREAT GRAPHICS, 1880-1910: Silk bands like these were used to wrap bunc...
Category

Early 20th Century American Decorative Art

Materials

Silk

Dauphin County Pennsylvania Paint Decorated Dower Chest Made for Madlen Nafzer
Located in York County, PA
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Paint-Decorated Dower Chest, Made for Madlen Nafzer in 1808 This colorful Pennsylvania German dower chest, with pinwheels and tiny flowers on Robin's egg blue tombstone panels, set on a salmon ground, was found with the descendents of Madlen Nafzer of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Passed down through her family for several generations, the chest is accompanied by a softbound book that details the history of the Nafzer family. It tells the basic story of the woman for whom the chest was made in 1808; of how her family arrived on American soil and of their subsequent moves from Pennsylvania to Ohio to Indiana with the migrating Pennsylvania Dutch Community. Past its striking color and decoration, one of the most spectacular things about this particular chest is its untouched paint surface and early condition. While a lateral portion of the left, back foot is absent, broken and lost during the family's possession, the back of the foot is present and extremely stabile. This had been broken, presumably at the same time, but the original piece was kept and I personally doweled it back into place. I made no attempt to replace the missing side portion, so that the chest could be kept in this unspoiled form, a rare thing among surviving Pennsylvania Dower chests...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century American Painted Furniture

Materials

Wood

You May Also Like

Hand Carved Wood Folk Sculpture of John Bull
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This hand carved and slight fragment of painted surface in good condition. Very little blue painted surface remaining.
Category

Early 20th Century American Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood

Folk Art Sculpture of a Man
Located in Hudson, NY
Folk Art Sculpture of a Man Unsigned. This piece was found in the Catskill Mountains, NY. He came from the estate of an important NYC modernist dealer. H...
Category

Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Hardwood

Whimsical Folk Art Carving
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Whimsical Folk Art carving of a man peering out the window with an exposed bottom. Signed "Clyde".
Category

Early 20th Century Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood

Whimsical Folk Art Carving
$495 Sale Price
28% Off
Antique Wood Bust Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
An antique wood figurative head bust sculpture, circa late-19th century to early-20th century. Piece is hand-carved and decorated (polychromed.) Piece may have been from a game, orna...
Category

Early 20th Century Folk Art Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Early 19th Century Folk Art Hand-Carved Gentleman Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This folky gentleman looks like a soldier or a officer of the military. The carving is quite good and he is mounted on a custom iron Stand. The patina is the best with minor chips fr...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century American Country Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood

Unknown Provenance Folk Art Carved Wood Figure of Man
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An expressive hand-carved folk art wooden figure of a man. Full of charm and character, this piece captures the spirit of authentic craftsmanship and rustic artistry.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Bone, Horn, Leather, Wood