Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Cowboy Chic -- Blanket chests and toy boxes


My blanket chests are constructed with select tight-knot ponderosa pine.  Each chest features hand-cut dovetails, scratch carvings, and hand-painted artwork.  Some like the "Buffalo Medicine" chest above have little extras, like the silver concho and leather string handle.


The "Zebra Dun" chest above has a bronco-buster on top, a steer-roper on the front, and a rider ponying a horse on each end.  Some designs include red suns or yellow moons.


The chest above was a custom order.  "Ian's toy box" features Ian's own brand on the top corners.


My "Indian Village" chest above has a hand-painted Indian head on the top, buffalo hunters on the ends, and a village scene across the front panel.  Borders are created with star and arrow designs.


The chest above called "Arizona Cowboy," appropriately found a home in Tucson.  It features a bronco-buster on the top, two gazing cowboys sittin' under horses across the front, and a campfire scene on the ends.


One of my earliest chests (above), "Cowboy's Sweetheart" was sold at a silent auction for a Gene Autry Museum Gala about 1993.  The influence for this one came from Will James and Jo Mora.


It was very difficult to photograph the "Vaquero Box" above. These are the only photos I have.  I had lots of fun making this one, but it took way too many hours.  For this reason, it will remain one-of-a-kind.


The detail above is the top of a relief-carved chest I made for my future daughter-in-law when my son announced their engagement about 1992.  I had no idea how hard it is to carve pine, so this remains another one-of-a-kind.  Building a hope chest is a family tradition (my grandfather built a cedar chest for mom in 1936).

To learn more about Lure of the Dim Trails and my folk art see the earlier post: http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2011/11/cowboy-folk-art-lure-of-dim-trails.html

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