Iron

Iron ore as a carving material? That’s what I’ve been told this is. As a portrait of a Native American, it’s well done, detailed, and has a certain patina of age about it.

Knowing that I was a carver, one of my wife’s grandmothers gave it to me as a present. She and her husband picked it up in the 1950s or 1960s on one of their many rambles through New England, buying antiques. I believe it served as a paperweight for many years.

It is red but with some dark patination. As I mentioned, Grandma said it was carved out of iron ore, which is what I have on it.

I’ve taken it to carving classes to show the wide variety of materials that can be carved.

If you know something about iron ore carving, please leave a note.