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Early 20th Century Pyrographic Art

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Pyroengraved wood plaque Greece, circa 1910 Traditional motif relating to shepherds on the land of historical significance in Greece From the private collection of Jan Crawford Australia Photograph by K. J. Mixo Sydenham

Table Tennis Set American, circa 1920 Set was purchased (for $2.90) by the owner's late uncle at Macys "probably in the 20's" The individual racquets are each distinct in rendering and obviously hand done, not factory stamped. The other pieces including the box are all decorated in the same motif. The set is unsigned and bears no date inscription. From the private collection of Suzanne Luftig Digital image courtesy of the owner

Victorian occasional table, circa 1920 inspired by similar tables from the Maghreb Probably manufactured in one of the American art factories of the time May have been factory scorched (rather than hand done pyrography) and then hand painted. Probably painted in the studio of Fred Stewart Greene, either by him or his mother, Harriet M. Greene From the house and estate of Fred Stewart Greene Now the North Stonington Historical Society N. Stonington, Connecticut Photograph by Sharon H. Garvey

Toys and wooden household objects Russian poker work from the 1930's or before Read about this poker work in the history of the Russian nesting dolls (matryoshka) from the village of Polkholvsky Maidan.

The nesting doll shown is typical of that time and a precursor to the later brightly colored nesting dolls from that area of Russia and from Semionovo that were painted rather than woodburned.

Today there are some dolls that are both woodburned and painted, but these are less common. See an example of these rarer dolls in the Traditional Hall here in the E-Museum in the International Salon.

The picture above is thanks to Michle Terletsky

Pair of pyroengraved wood hangers, enhanced with color details Australia, circa 1910 Private collection of K. J. Mixo Sydenham, Australia Photograph by K. J. Mixo Sydenham

Pair of pyroengraved wood bookends Australia, circa 1910 Photograph by K. J. Mixo Sydenham

Tiny wood box (ring box) from Antigua, Guatemala, circa 1915 Photograph by Sharon Garvey Private collection of Kathleen Menéndez

For more about antique pyrography art work and tools, there is a fully illustrated article entitled Antique Pyrography (published in the Woodcarvers Online Magazine, linked here) as well as an exhibit of Antique Pyrography Tools in the Pyrography Tools Exhibit Hall 'upstairs' in this E-Museum.

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