Misc. Video Articles: per questions from emails - shows - etc.
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How do I begin my pottery collecting...?
What makes some pieces worth thousands and
other worth only a few hundred...?
If I want to start a cane collection what do I look
for...?
How in the world do I figure out what decoys are
valuable and which ones are junk...?
What makes some pieces worth thousands and
other worth only a few hundred...?
If I want to start a cane collection what do I look
for...?
How in the world do I figure out what decoys are
valuable and which ones are junk...?
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Member Services
Rare African American Cane Rack- C. 1900-
This wonderful carved and polychromed rack is the
best that we have seen in the folk-art field. It
attaches to the wall and the base sits on the floor.
There are eight holes in the base for the canes, but
would hold more. Near mint condition. D- 24"W x
13"H
sold $become a member to see prices
Kimball M. Sterling Inc.
Johnson City, TN
Video Documentaries | Blogs | Prices Realized | New Discoveries
Rare Moravian Turtle Flask c. 1803-
One of only 3 known to exist this fine example
shocked the collecting world when it surfaced after
being in a private collection for more than 100 years.
sold $ become a member to see pirces
Mebane Antique Auction
Mebane, NC
2/07/08 Edgefield Face Jug Sales at Auction
Old Folk Art documents a rare Edgefield face jug and other
rare southern pottery at auction. Become a member to see the
entire video. see preview
rare southern pottery at auction. Become a member to see the
entire video. see preview
Our Mission at Old Folk Art is to inspire,
educate, motivate, and above all keep the
collecting alive for folk art and Americana! Our
online publications are to be enjoyed by
institutions, universities, auction house
representatives, advanced collectors, and the
beginner. We will update our subject matter every
month. Our archives will be open to view at any
time for our members only. You may call with any
questions or concerns and please keep us updated
on any new information out there about prices
realized and new discoveries.
educate, motivate, and above all keep the
collecting alive for folk art and Americana! Our
online publications are to be enjoyed by
institutions, universities, auction house
representatives, advanced collectors, and the
beginner. We will update our subject matter every
month. Our archives will be open to view at any
time for our members only. You may call with any
questions or concerns and please keep us updated
on any new information out there about prices
realized and new discoveries.
Sand Art by Andre Clemens
Folk Artist Elijah Pierce
Edgefield Potter - Dave the Slave
Folk Artist Elijah Pierce
Edgefield Potter - Dave the Slave
April
May
June
May
June
5/07/10 Elijah Pierce - Folk Art Carver 1892 - 1984
Elijah Pierce was born the youngest son of a former slave on a
Mississippi farm on March 5, 1892. He began carving at an early age
when his father gave him his first pocketknife. By age seven, Elijah
Pierce began carving little wooden farm animals. His uncle, Lewis
Wallace, inspired and instructed him in the art of carving. His
Uncle Lewis taught him how to work with wood, what kind of
wood to use, and how to enjoy carving. As a child, Pierce loved to
go out into the woods by the creek bank with his dog to fish and to
whittle animals or other small figurines from wood scraps he’d find
on the forest floor. He enjoyed giving away his carvings to the kids
in school and thus he began his lifelong practice of giving away his
carved pieces to people who admired his work or to people he felt
could benefit from it.
In his teens, Pierce decided he didn’t want to be a farmer.
However, he had taken an interest in barbering. Pierce began
hanging out at a local barbershop in Baldwyn, Mississippi and it was
there that he learned his trade. Pierce liked barbering. It was a trade
that would allow him to have some independence and he could get a
job anywhere.
In his early twenties, Pierce married Zetta Palm. They were very
happy together. Pierce had work as a barber and they had a little
home. At the end of a year, Zetta died shortly after the birth of their
son, Willie, ca. 1915. In the late 1910’s and early 1920’s, Pierce
lived a hobolike existence hitching rides on boxcars and working as
an itinerant laborer for the railroad. He would visit his mother in
Baldwyn and she encouraged him to follow his religious calling. In
1920, Pierce received his preacher’s license from his home church of
Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Baldwyn.
Eventually, Pierce decided to join the migration to the cities in the
north. In Danville, Illinois, Pierce met Cornelia Houeston who
would become his second wife. Cornelia was from Columbus, Ohio.
When Cornelia returned to Columbus in 1923, Pierce missed her
greatly and he followed her there. They were married in September
1923.
During his marriage with Cornelia, Pierce found work as a barber
and began to carve wood seriously. One year during the late 1920’s,
Pierce carved a small elephant for Cornelia’s birthday. She liked it so
much that he promised her an entire zoo. He began carving animals
in earnest and many were sold or given away. For Pierce, these
individual animal carvings each had their own story. They
represented the beasts of Genesis or creatures from the folktales of
Pierce’s youth.
By the early 1930’s, he began mounting his three-dimensional
figures on cardboard or wooden backgrounds. In 1932, Pierce
completed the Book of Wood which he considered his best work.
The book was originally carved as individual scenes and tells the story
of Jesus carved in bas-relief. Cornelia and Elijah held “sacred art
demonstrations” to explain the meaning of the Book of Wood.
Panels from the Book of Wood are currently on display at the
Columbus Museum of Art in the Eye Spy exhibit.
Cornelia Pierce died of cancer in 1948 at the age of sixty-one. In
1951, Pierce became self-employed with the opening his own
barbershop at 483 E. Long St. A year later, he married Estelle
Greene who was then forty-six. They complemented each other and
Pierce’s work as an artist and lay minister continued to grow.
His barbershop on Long Street was a hospitable gathering place.
Customers would come not only for haircuts, but to discuss the news
of the day. Pierce was quite engaged in the life of the local
community and of the nation. His secular carvings show his love of
baseball, boxing, comics and the movies. They also reflect his
interest in national politics and his appreciation for American heroes
who fought for justice and liberty. Through his carvings Pierce told
his own life story and chronicled the African-American experience.
He also carved stories with universal themes. He seldom
distinguished the race of his figures - he thought of them as
everyman.
It wasn’t until the early 1970’s that Pierce became known outside
the local community. Boris Gruenwald, a sculptor and graduate
student at Ohio State University, discovered Elijah Pierce’s work in
a Columbus YMCA exhibition. Gruenwald met with Pierce told him
that he was going to make sure the world knew of his art. The two
would become dear friends and Gruenwald organized several
important exhibitions. Within a few years Pierce was known both
nationally and internationally in the world of folk art. Pierce was
honored to participate in exhibitions at galleries such as the Krannert
Art Museum, the Phyllis Kind Gallery of New York, the National
Museum of American Art, and the Renwick Gallery. In 1973, Pierce
won first prize in the International Meeting of Naive Art in Zagreb,
Yugoslavia. In 1982, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded
him a National Heritage Fellowship as one of 15 master traditional
artists.
In a 1979 article from New York Times Magazine, Bob Bishop of
the Museum of American Folk Art in New York explained, “There
are 500 woodcarvers working today in the United States who are
technically as proficient as Pierce, but none can equal the power of
Pierce’s personal vision.” Tom Armstrong of the Whitney Museum
in Pennsylvania added, “Pierce’s strength is based on his religion and
his concept of the importance of the individual. He reduces what he
wants to say to the simplest forms and compositions. They are
decorative, direct, bold and amusing. He uses glitter and all kinds of
devices to make his message clear. It gives his work an immediacy
that’s very appealing.”
Elijah Pierce died May 7, 1984. Although much was written
about the impact he made with his art, the people who knew him all
said that what they will remember most is the kind, gentle, and
humorous man who was a friend, a spiritual advisor, and a mentor to
so many.
After his death, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing and
Cultural Arts Complex recognized his work by naming the Elijah
Pierce Gallery in his honor. The Columbus Museum of Art now
owns the vast majority of Pierce’s carvings - over 300 pieces.
recourse: http://www.cscc.edu/elijahpierce/bio.htm
Elijah Pierce was born the youngest son of a former slave on a
Mississippi farm on March 5, 1892. He began carving at an early age
when his father gave him his first pocketknife. By age seven, Elijah
Pierce began carving little wooden farm animals. His uncle, Lewis
Wallace, inspired and instructed him in the art of carving. His
Uncle Lewis taught him how to work with wood, what kind of
wood to use, and how to enjoy carving. As a child, Pierce loved to
go out into the woods by the creek bank with his dog to fish and to
whittle animals or other small figurines from wood scraps he’d find
on the forest floor. He enjoyed giving away his carvings to the kids
in school and thus he began his lifelong practice of giving away his
carved pieces to people who admired his work or to people he felt
could benefit from it.
In his teens, Pierce decided he didn’t want to be a farmer.
However, he had taken an interest in barbering. Pierce began
hanging out at a local barbershop in Baldwyn, Mississippi and it was
there that he learned his trade. Pierce liked barbering. It was a trade
that would allow him to have some independence and he could get a
job anywhere.
In his early twenties, Pierce married Zetta Palm. They were very
happy together. Pierce had work as a barber and they had a little
home. At the end of a year, Zetta died shortly after the birth of their
son, Willie, ca. 1915. In the late 1910’s and early 1920’s, Pierce
lived a hobolike existence hitching rides on boxcars and working as
an itinerant laborer for the railroad. He would visit his mother in
Baldwyn and she encouraged him to follow his religious calling. In
1920, Pierce received his preacher’s license from his home church of
Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Baldwyn.
Eventually, Pierce decided to join the migration to the cities in the
north. In Danville, Illinois, Pierce met Cornelia Houeston who
would become his second wife. Cornelia was from Columbus, Ohio.
When Cornelia returned to Columbus in 1923, Pierce missed her
greatly and he followed her there. They were married in September
1923.
During his marriage with Cornelia, Pierce found work as a barber
and began to carve wood seriously. One year during the late 1920’s,
Pierce carved a small elephant for Cornelia’s birthday. She liked it so
much that he promised her an entire zoo. He began carving animals
in earnest and many were sold or given away. For Pierce, these
individual animal carvings each had their own story. They
represented the beasts of Genesis or creatures from the folktales of
Pierce’s youth.
By the early 1930’s, he began mounting his three-dimensional
figures on cardboard or wooden backgrounds. In 1932, Pierce
completed the Book of Wood which he considered his best work.
The book was originally carved as individual scenes and tells the story
of Jesus carved in bas-relief. Cornelia and Elijah held “sacred art
demonstrations” to explain the meaning of the Book of Wood.
Panels from the Book of Wood are currently on display at the
Columbus Museum of Art in the Eye Spy exhibit.
Cornelia Pierce died of cancer in 1948 at the age of sixty-one. In
1951, Pierce became self-employed with the opening his own
barbershop at 483 E. Long St. A year later, he married Estelle
Greene who was then forty-six. They complemented each other and
Pierce’s work as an artist and lay minister continued to grow.
His barbershop on Long Street was a hospitable gathering place.
Customers would come not only for haircuts, but to discuss the news
of the day. Pierce was quite engaged in the life of the local
community and of the nation. His secular carvings show his love of
baseball, boxing, comics and the movies. They also reflect his
interest in national politics and his appreciation for American heroes
who fought for justice and liberty. Through his carvings Pierce told
his own life story and chronicled the African-American experience.
He also carved stories with universal themes. He seldom
distinguished the race of his figures - he thought of them as
everyman.
It wasn’t until the early 1970’s that Pierce became known outside
the local community. Boris Gruenwald, a sculptor and graduate
student at Ohio State University, discovered Elijah Pierce’s work in
a Columbus YMCA exhibition. Gruenwald met with Pierce told him
that he was going to make sure the world knew of his art. The two
would become dear friends and Gruenwald organized several
important exhibitions. Within a few years Pierce was known both
nationally and internationally in the world of folk art. Pierce was
honored to participate in exhibitions at galleries such as the Krannert
Art Museum, the Phyllis Kind Gallery of New York, the National
Museum of American Art, and the Renwick Gallery. In 1973, Pierce
won first prize in the International Meeting of Naive Art in Zagreb,
Yugoslavia. In 1982, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded
him a National Heritage Fellowship as one of 15 master traditional
artists.
In a 1979 article from New York Times Magazine, Bob Bishop of
the Museum of American Folk Art in New York explained, “There
are 500 woodcarvers working today in the United States who are
technically as proficient as Pierce, but none can equal the power of
Pierce’s personal vision.” Tom Armstrong of the Whitney Museum
in Pennsylvania added, “Pierce’s strength is based on his religion and
his concept of the importance of the individual. He reduces what he
wants to say to the simplest forms and compositions. They are
decorative, direct, bold and amusing. He uses glitter and all kinds of
devices to make his message clear. It gives his work an immediacy
that’s very appealing.”
Elijah Pierce died May 7, 1984. Although much was written
about the impact he made with his art, the people who knew him all
said that what they will remember most is the kind, gentle, and
humorous man who was a friend, a spiritual advisor, and a mentor to
so many.
After his death, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing and
Cultural Arts Complex recognized his work by naming the Elijah
Pierce Gallery in his honor. The Columbus Museum of Art now
owns the vast majority of Pierce’s carvings - over 300 pieces.
recourse: http://www.cscc.edu/elijahpierce/bio.htm
Elijah Pierce circa 1970's
Early Samplers
Recent Documentaries (members only)
Sold: Sept. 2, 2006 29"h x 35.5"w
Garth's Auctioneers & Appraisers
$$$ become a member to see price
Garth's Auctioneers & Appraisers
$$$ become a member to see price
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Sold: Sept. 2, 2006 7.5"h x 19.5"w
Garth's Auctioneers & Appraisers
$$$ become a member to see price
Garth's Auctioneers & Appraisers
$$$ become a member to see price
Sold: Sept. 2, 2006 10.25:h x 9.5"w
Garth's Auctioneers & Appraisers
$$$ become a member to see price
Garth's Auctioneers & Appraisers
$$$ become a member to see price
Sold: Nov. 4, 2007 18.75h x 11.25w
Skinners Auctioneers & Appraisers
$$$ become a member to see price
Skinners Auctioneers & Appraisers
$$$ become a member to see price
Sold: May 1, 2010 13" x 13"
Slotin Folk Art Auctions
$$$ become a member to see price
Slotin Folk Art Auctions
$$$ become a member to see price
Sold: Nov. 10, 2007 19.5"L x 12"h
Slotin Folk Art Auctions
$$$ become a member to see price
Slotin Folk Art Auctions
$$$ become a member to see price
Signed on back: Feb 23, 1972 E. Pierce
Andrew Clemmons
Sand Art
Sand Art
Wythe County Pie Safes
Wilhelm Schimmel
Wood Carver
Wood Carver
