Old Carved Wooden Train Conductor with Terrific Patina erotic folk art with the paw of one

with the paw of one pup resting lovingly and protectively on the back of the other

I spent a little time with these cards while I was photographing them and have to say they're pretty terrific for generating new thoughts and directions of thinking

but in fact I learned he was quite a renowned carver and maker

which really don't detract

that the softness and mystery of it is due to the fact that it is a sandpaper painting--a  technique popular in the mid 19th century

Old Carved Wooden Train Conductor with Terrific Patina erotic folk art with the paw of oneA charmer of a small old folk art carved figure, who I take, in his brimmed hat and jacket, to be a train conductor, and who look like he's taking his job quite seriously! Great warm patina to the dry pine, early 20th c. I believe, stands up solidly on his own two feet. 5 1 4" t x 1 11 16" w and in very good condition, just missing fingers on one hand, minor.