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How do you identify wood carvings?

1 Answer
How do you identify wood carvings?
To identify wood carvings, get a magnifying glass and inspect your items. Some artisans marked their carvings with symbols or signed them. Researching any markings found on your carving may allow you to identify the maker who produced it and potentially learn more about the piece from there. If you're unable to find a maker's mark, the best approach is likely to use the services of a certified appraiser or other knowledgeable expert. On 1stDibs, explore a selection of wood carvings.
1stDibs ExpertNovember 4, 2024
Shop for Wood Sculptures and Carvings on 1stDibs
Swedish Burl Wood Sculpture
Located in Antwerpen, BE
A large Swedish sculptural object made from burl wood. Hand carved form an ornamented inside, with Natural knotholes to add to the sculptural appeal of the work. This object is unsig...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Burl

Collection of Witco Carved Cedar Wood Tiki Cats Meathead and Friends
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Rare collection of Witco carved tiki cat figurines and sculptures. This group includes six cats. There are two large Meathead models with orange and white eye...
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Cedar, Paint

A Wooden Carved Black Forest Writing Set with Bear
Located in Berghuelen, DE
A Wooden Carved Black Forest Writing Set with Bear Item e7303 A finely carved Black Forest desk set with a bear standing next to a wooden box for an inkwell. There is also a pen tray...
Category

Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood

19th Century Memento Mori Carved Skull & Cross Bones
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A well executed almost life size skull and crossbones pine carving, depicting the remembrance that we all will pass. Likely a part of a larger religious carving, possibly placed a...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Pine

Memento Mori in Wood with Chrismon, Monogram of Christ, Italy End of 17th Cent
Located in Milan, IT
A Memento Mori in wood with Chrismon, monogram of Christ. Valuable sculpture in fruit wood in almost true-to-life measurements, sculpted with art and finished with a wealth of details. The wood was covered with a thin layer of pellet and finished in color. Immediately above the forehead, in correspondence with the anterior neonatal fontanel, the CHRISMON is painted in purple red. The monogram of Christ or Chi Rho (or CHRISMON) is a combination of letters from the Greek alphabet, which form an abbreviation of the name of Christ. Solar in nature, often inscribed in a circle with multiple rays reminiscent of the cosmic wheel deriving from the ancient solar emblems of Egypt. The symbol consists of two large overlapping letters, the 'X' and the 'P'. They correspond, respectively, to the Greek letter '?' ('chi', which reads kh, aspirated) and '?' ('rho', which reads r). These two letters are the initials of the word '???st??' (Khristòs ), the name of Jesus, which in Greek means "anointed" and translates the Hebrew "messiah". On the sides of these two letters, there are very often two others: one 'a' and one '?', alpha and omega...
Category

Antique Late 17th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Memento Mori, Wooden Skull from Innsbruck, Austria
Located in Schellebelle, BE
Unique sculptured wooden Skull from Innsbruck, Austria, from around the 1920 ties, extremely fine sculptured piece of Artisanal work, looks like a real skull...
Category

Vintage 1920s Austrian Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Fruitwood

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