Honky Tonk Vintage Folk Art Sculpture and the Perils of Packing Collection Jim Linderman

Honky Tonk Vintage Folk Art Sculpture and the Perils of Packing

A piano player pounds the keys…and the carving is in pristine condition because it lived in a bottle for half a century.  The professor was whittled and built inside a one gallon bottle, shown last, which unfortunately, didn't.  Broken in the mail. 

One of the perils of purchasing objects through the mail is that both the collector and the seller have to accept responsibility for transporting or mailing the piece.  In this case, I recommended packing which was not followed by the seller.  I still ended up with a fantastic wood carving in wonderful condition (as nice as the day it was made) but I also ended up with a giant pile of broken glass.

I hate to be responsible for breaking something old.  The seller?  He obviously didn't care as much as I did, but to some things like this are mere product.  Maybe the little fellow here is happy to be out in the fresh air.


Folk Art Sculptural Whimsey (originally constructed in a glass bottle) No Date Collection Jim Linderman

Dapple Painted Honky Tonk Piano and a few Burleskers photograph collection Jim Linderman

No date, but a nice photograph of the "glory" days of burlesque.  Note folk art dapple-painted piano at left and performer slugging hooch.

Original photograph no date Collection Jim Linderman

Baldy Wetzel and the World's Longest Honky Tonk collection Jim Linderman

Baldy Wetzel, or Charles "Baldy" Wetzel played in speakeasies, tent shows, and for phony doctors selling snake oil. What he also did is shown here...setting the record for the longest continuous piano performance. 48 and 1/2 hours. That is one considerable piece of honky-tonk, but Baldy played for well over 50 years, so what's a few days?

As you can see, Baldy was hurting when the photo was taken. Not only do his friends place a wet compress against his neck, one helper massages his foot sore from damping the foot peddle.

Baldy started out in Pennsylvania and was playing 42nd street in the 1930s. Soon he added musical director for Ziefield Follies and George White's Scandals. Baldy was Paul Shaffer before there was a Paul Shaffer. He was proud to claim to have led the first dance band to feature a vocalist. He passed away in Toledo at the age of 79 in 1970.

Original Photograph circa 1930 (Inscribed to Fritz Savers from "Baldy" Wetzel) collection Jim Linderman
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