Antique carving examples

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Chuck Keysor
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Antique carving examples

Post by Chuck Keysor »

Hello Aspire friends. I like to look at on-line antique auction listings to find interesting examples of carving. I found the attached images of molded "plastic" photo cases from the American Civil War. (These images are from the Cowan's Auction site.) These are all the covers for "daguerreo type" photo cases. Soldiers would carry their prized family photos in these cases when they went off to battle.

The "Oreo" picture cases are 1.25" in diameter. The quarter plate sized cases are about 3.5" x 4.5". The half plate case is about 4.5" x 6.75". The 1/16 plate case is about 1.75" x 2.5" Imagine carving those molds, by hand. If I ever make any such carvings, they'd have to be at least 12" wide!

I post them here in case someone wants some history based inspiration for their upcoming Aspire designs. Chuck
Attachments
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case
Civil war photo case

TSM2018
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by TSM2018 »

Great examples... but couldn't you carve them and use the solid surfacing material to melt into the carve?

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mtylerfl
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by mtylerfl »

Thank you, Chuck! Those are good inspirational pieces. I peruse Antique websites (and stores) myself, but never knew about the one you found.

Thanks again!
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vgraves
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by vgraves »

Those are really cool examples...if anyone ever gets them modeled, I'm sure several on this forum would like to try carving them! :)

Chuck Keysor
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by Chuck Keysor »

You are welcome! I had watched my post for the first day, and saw no interest, so I thought I must have odd interests. So I was happy to see your interest in these designs. If I weren't backlogged trying to make other models, I'd want to make model some of these.

But I was also interested to see if anyone would comment on making such small details. Some of these are so small and detailed, like the one with the farm scene, it is incomprehensible to me how something so small could be carved today, let alone back in the 1860s.............

Thanks, Chuck

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scottp55
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by scottp55 »

Skill and patience Chuck!
I don't have either, BUT I'd love to take a stab at the details in that tiny farm scene!! (I have smaller bits now than I had 2 years ago) :D
Thanks for posting these!
scott
Attachments
OLD TOWN OIL 3.jpg
OLD TOWN OIL 3close.jpg
OLD TOWN RIGHT.jpg
I've learned my lesson well. You can't please everyone,so you have to please yourself
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Fleming
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by Fleming »

I too would like to try the farm scene but I am not good at working at that scale like Scottp55 is. :(
Cobblewood Carver

Chuck Keysor
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by Chuck Keysor »

Hello Scott and Fleming. I will certainly watch with interest to see what both of you can do with this! Good luck, Chuck!

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TReischl
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by TReischl »

I am thinking these are reproductions made of plastic since plastic was not invented until 1907.

This line in the original post through me for a bit:

" I found the attached images of molded "plastic" photo cases from the American Civil War. "

Cool stuff for sure.
"If you see a good fight, get in it." Dr. Vernon Johns

Chuck Keysor
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Re: Antique carving examples

Post by Chuck Keysor »

Hello TReischl. These cases are indeed from the American Civil War. Here is some info I found a minute ago on the Internet:

"The Union case is a step in photographic evolution, generally credited to Samuel Peck. In a patent dated Oct. 3, 1854, Peck used "union" as a synonym for "composition" and the term stuck; other case makers would also use it, creating a generic name for the thermoplastic cases.

Union cases often mistakenly are described as gutta-percha, a fragile, natural plastic popular in the 19th century for small objects like boxes, dental work and golf balls. Actually, the Union case was made from a composition of shellac and sawdust compressed to hardness, then imprinted under pressure in molds or dies. The material was wondrous for master engravers who cut thousands of detailed designs onto steel plates for use on the cases."

Here is a link to the full article,,,,,,,,,,, unfortunately, it is full of ads: https://www.chron.com/life/article/Anti ... 060656.php

Do a Google search on "Thermoplastic Civil War photo cases" and you will see many great examples. You'll find lots of great carving design ideas.

Of course it would be interesting to find out exactly how they made the "thermoplastic" used in these cases............. I didn't find that in my search

Good luck, Chuck
Attachments
Civil War Photos within an "Oreo" case
Civil War Photos within an "Oreo" case

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