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| from work originally by Helmle Hiatt | Index of American Design |
Museum guides and armchair historians will sometimes tell you that the cigar store Indian was positioned outside tobacco shops for the benefit of illiterate patrons. While there's truth in that, it's not why cigar store Indians became so popular in the 19th century, and the real story is far more interesting.
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| detail from "Dockside Marriage," by Charles Wysocki |
It starts with ship figureheads. From the time of the 16th-century galleons, bows of ships were adorned with figureheads, and shipbuilding ports attracted ship carvers to make them. Figureheads were massive wooden sculptures, and they were a beautiful art form.
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| mysticseaport.org |
This double figurehead is on display at The Museum of America and the Sea, in Mystic Seaport, Connecticut.
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| from Brian T. Bolten | historysstory.blogspot.com |
On two days of the American Civil War — March 8-9, 1862 — in a naval battle at Hampton Roads, Virginia, the Confederacy attempted to break a Union blockade. The CSS Virginia (which is known more familiarly as the Merrimack) had successes the first day. On the second day, March 9, it came up against the Union's USS Monitor. It was the first time two ironclad warships engaged in battle, and though the battle was inconclusive, it forever changed naval history. Navies around the world realized that wooden ships, and particularly wooden battleships, were a thing of the past. (You can read more about the famous "Battle of the Ironclads" at Brian T. Bolten's excellent site,
here.)
And so those ship carvers, many of them young men, scouted for and found two areas that would be appropriate for their talent.
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| Painted Ponies | William Manns • Peggy Shank • Marianne Stevens |
One was carousel figures, like this equestrian horse by Daniel Muller, who is considered the greatest of the carousel carvers.
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| Painted Ponies | William Manns • Peggy Shank • Marianne Stevens |
A shop of carousel carvers from around 1900 was a busy place of mass production.
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| antiquesandfineart.com |
The second industry that ship carvers "carved out" for themselves was that of the cigar store Indian. This handsome figure takes a place of honor in the living room of
collectors of American folk art. Today, antique cigar store Indians sell in the range of $50,000. The one above probably cost a lot more because it is the work of Samuel A. Robb, who is regarded as the master of the American cigar store Indian. Recently, a carving by Robb of the English comic character, Punch, sold for $542,400.
According to Terry Kovel, by 1900 there were 100,000 cigar store Indians in use. But slowly, as that Civil War generation of ship carvers died off in the early 1900s, so did the popularity of the carousel and the cigar store Indian.
My next posting will feature my own cigar store Indian.
It was a collaboration with another artist —
a fun project and a good story!
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The research, thought, and time you but into these post will always amaze me. I know I say the same thing everytime I visit. I learned something here today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHello, Kevin - I am having immense fun watching what you do with your "new" robotic doll. I'm looking forward to the end result, whatever that might be!
DeleteThat doll scares me.
DeleteDear Mark, This is fascinating history. Had no idea about how the cigar store Indian and carousel figures evolved from carved ship figureheads. That Muller carousel horse was carved by an artist who knew horses well.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the rest of the story.
Dear Gina - Daniel Muller did indeed know his horses. He was famous for carving them in lifelike poses and for showing them correctly packed with military gear. Sometimes he would carve bows in their manes. Carousels would occasionally have chariots behind the horses (or maybe behind lions!) and Muller was the one carver who would detail the inside of the chariot, as well as the outside.
DeleteI never thought of figureheads and carousel horses together before, but it makes sense. The Muller horse you show is beautiful and spirited, not at all like those overly-cute ones associated with rainbows and unicorns. I seem to remember a cigar store Indian on the Addams Family show that dispensed already-lit cigars. I too am looking forward to the results of your creative effort.
ReplyDelete--Road to Parnassus
Hello, Parnassus - I remember riding on carousels and always opting for a horse, rather than a lion or a giraffe! For me the fantasy was of course better the more real it was, and I can imagine riding a Muller horse would have been pretty special. Stay tuned ...
DeleteHello Mark:
ReplyDeleteWe should never have thought of these connections,and have been intrigued by your explanations. Of course, it all makes complete sense when it is all explained, thank you. There is an old fairground ride on the beach here in Brighton where elaborately carved and gilded horses can be ridden on today.
We should never have dreamed that the carved Cigar Store Indians would fetch such eye-watering prices today. The one you show in an interior looks very handsome we think.
Hello, Jane and Lance:
DeleteOf course, when I think of carousels, I also think of calliopes. I'll bet the carousel at Brighton has one, too.
The cigar store Indian is a vanishing breed, and it says something that the Smithsonian Institution has its own collection. Not all figures were Indians, by the way. Some tobacco stores had Turks, some had soldiers, and some, as noted in my posting, had Punch.
Dear Mark - the carousel horse is a beautiful piece of work.
ReplyDeleteStrangely enough, apparently, you can always tell an American carousel figure from a British one, because the American ones go counter-clockwise, the British clockwise.
Dear Rosemary - I had never heard that story, but it doesn't surprise me a bit. Now I'll go to bed wondering why!
DeleteMay be its because we drive on different sides of the road. Hope your sleep wasn't affected last night!
DeleteHello Mark, Very interesting post. I never would have made the connection from ship figurehead to carousel horse. I really admire people who can carve wood, even though one cost me my last job.
ReplyDeleteWell Archguy, you've peaked my curiosity! I hope by that you only mean your last client relationship!!
DeleteLOVE this post, Mark. All info I didn't know, but of course I was familiar with the figure heads on ships having always taken note of them in books and movies and such. Cigar store Indians have always intrigued me so I'm happy to learn some of their history. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLove the photos you used as well. I think I'll link this over to my Facebook page. :)
Thanks for the link, Yvette! I remember visiting the museum in Mystic Seaport many years ago with my grandfather. There's something very special about being in the presence of a real figurehead, and imagining all the action that it saw.
DeleteHello Mark,
ReplyDeleteI have to say that Indian cigar store carvings are not the first thing on my mind when I think of antiques and fine art. But that is the beauty of your blog, you make me see things in a different light and make me appreciate them better. Like Blackamoors, they are an acquired taste. The one in the last image is very beautifully done and it's very much like the natives we would see printed in our old Quebec history books.
Thank you for linking me in your last reply - very flattered.
Anyes
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Hello, Anyes - You're absolutely right that the cigar store Indian is an acquired taste, and will not fit into every decor! I have, however, always enjoyed looking at the collections and homes of serious collectors of folk art, and my own taste in furnishings is probably best described as eclectic. One thing I'd note about the info in this posting is that when Terry Kovel says that by 1900 there were 100,000 cigar store Indians in use, he doesn't say that they were all great carvings! :o)
DeleteMore! More! I knew about the natural evolution from the ships heads to carousel horses, but did not consider the background of the cigar store Indians. I love seeing how artist use ingenuity to survive and adapt to changing times. One of your best posts Mark!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Theresa! As you'll see in the next posting, I did a lot of research on the subject!
Delete