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PAIR OF EARLY MAINE FOLK CARVED AND PAINTED

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 3,000.00 USD
PAIR OF EARLY MAINE FOLK CARVED AND PAINTED

FIGURES OF A LADY AND A GENTLEMAN FOR A TAILOR SHOP IN AUGUSTA, MAINE. Mid to late 19th century. Both figures are well carved and painted in a wonderful folky manner. These were purportedly at one time a window display in a tailor shop in the Augusta, Maine area. They retain their original paint, which is strong and for the most part fully intact; some paint discoloration on man. The man dressed in a cream colored coat with brown buttons and brown collar and having a carved vest and white shirt with cream colored bowtie. His britches are brown and the derby hat is a different shade of brown with a black band. Facial features are well carved with a painted moustache. The lady is a brown dress with black belt, black collar and cream colored bowtie with white blouse beneath. She has clutched the side of her dress with her hand and the carving depicts the gathering of the dress at that point which she has raised up, obviously to take a step. Beneath the carved dress you can see white paint depicting her petticoat. Her facial features are also carved and painted as is in the case of the man, hair is carved. These were removed from a Maine attic sometime in the 1970s when well known Central Maine picker Greg Salisbury found them. The Salisbury Collection was sold by the Julia Auction Company at the Samoset Resort in the 1980s. SIZE: The lady is 14 1/2" h and the man is 16" h. CONDITION: both were originally missing their proper left arm, and the lady’s bonnet had some losses. The work was done by Steve Weston, who was a much renowned restorer of fine early furniture and folk art. Paint is generally very good, figures face some small losses. (05-104/JJ). $1,500-3,000.