Antique Folk Art Bottle Whimsey of a Telegraph Tapper

A wonderful folk art bottle whimsey of a telegraph tapper! I placed a photo of an actual piece below as I don’t think many remember the telegraph. Think S.O.S. Samuel Morse tapped out his famous “What Has God Wrought” from Washington to Baltimore in 1844 and communication was never the same. Dots and Dashes predated the telephone by 40 years or so, but the little device lasted for years beyond. I imagine a solitary telegraph operator waiting for signals, and filling his time (and this inkwell bottle) out of boredom. Only two inches tall! A beautiful little folk art sculpture with considerable historical interest. Handmade bottle whimsey depicting a telegraph tapper in a bottle. Collection Jim Linderman. Circa 1850 - 1900. #folkart #whimsies #whimsy. #whimsey. #antique. #telegraph

Antique American Folk Art Sculpture Mickey Mouse Whirligig circa 1928 collection Jim Linderman

A fantastic “abstracted” Mickey Mouse whirligig from the Steamboat Willie days! I don’t have to worry about Disney’s battery of litigious lawyers thanks to the recent copyright situation allowing us all to “own” the mouse. Mickey was supposed to enter the public domain long ago, but the “Sonny Bono copyright extension law” passed in 1998 bought them more time. Don’t blame Sonny…they just tacked his name on the bill after he tragically skied into a tree. (I love this piece) Handmade folk art “Mickey Mouse” whirligig circa 1928. Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb. #dulltooldimbulb #whirligig. #folkart #folkartsculpture #mickeymouse #jimlinderman #disney

Ionel Talpazan UFO Alien drawing c. 1990 Art Brut

An early Ionel Talpazan work circa 1990. I met the artist on the street and have many pleasant memories and stories…but mostly he just wore me out. He didn’t draw too many faces…but this is a good one. Untitled 20 x 24. Private Collection. Dull Tool Dim Bulb Archives. #dulltooldimbulb #artbrut #outsiderart #ioneltalpazan #ufo #alien

The Rolling Trade Sign ! Goodyear giant Airwheel Tire on Tour in the 1930s.

A rare original snapshot of the Goodyear Airwheel, the first low pressure aviation tire. To celebrate the invention, this rolling “trade sign” was built to roll around the United States in 1930. (Back then “going viral” was the same as “hitting the road” I guess) I don’t believe any of these 12 foot monsters were put into production for use…but they COULD have been and that is the point. Goodyear’s promotional material at the time envisioned a giant tour bus for the desert bounding along on a set. Original snapshot rolling advertisement for the Airwheel circa 1930. Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb #tires. #tradesign. #goodyear. #snapshot. #dulltooldimbulb

Dance Till You Drop ! Vintage Dance Contest Couple Real Photo Postcard c. 1935 Collection Jim Linderman

Dance Till You Drop ! Vintage Dance Contest Couple Real Photo Postcard c. 1935 Collection Jim Linderman

Head with Negative Space. Bronze Industrial Head Thing

Brass industrial head thing. 15" tall. Circa 1960. I have absolutely no idea what it is. Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb / Jim Linderman

Cayuga County Folk Art Sculpture on a Tree New York Carved Tree by Civil War soldier

Former Civil War soldier George E. Carr carved this high-rent neighborhood for birds in 1911, it was situated at Barber's Corner, a mile west of Sciopioville, three miles east of Levanna in Cayuga County. It was 18 feet high. The reverse indicates it was “built on a well-kept lawn” and “there are forty figures…which are painted in various colors to make them prominent.” Cayuga County Totem Tree Postcard 1912 collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Large Strange Group of Hand Decorated Vintage Pinup Clippings

Among my strangest finds…a large group of scissor cut pinups from the 1940s to 1960s, each bizarrely decorated with red dots. Even I find them creepy. Interestingly, the larger color cutouts often had original red polka dots. Too weird not to show. I guess "obsessive" is the proper term of description. Large group of cutout printed images enhanced with red marker. Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb.

Carver's Traveling Museum : Weapons and a Horned Chicken on Display

Carver’s Traveling Museum. On the reverse “Money received from the sale of this post card, thru this exhibit. Will help a disabled Veteran” printed on the reverse. Seems counter-intuitive to support vets with a moving gun museum…but this contraption also traveled with a Horned Chicken (!!!) seen in the small inset upper right. World War One was too long ago for me to find details on the operation, but a different version of the card indicates “this outstanding gun exhibit travels from coast to coast collecting old guns. Operated by Barney Barnett” and printed in Arizona. Carver’s Traveling Museum postcard circa 1920 collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Folk Artist Willie Massey of Kentucky Master of African-American Iconography

I’ll call Kentucky artist Willie Massey (1906 - 1990)an under-appreciated and under-recognized folk artist. A textbook example of African-American iconography in every work. This miniature chest is an early piece. Later works were more primitive but just as beautiful and came with slapdash gorgeous color, often including tinfoil animals and adornment. Musician, songwriter and collector Kevin Gordon has several additional examples of Mr. Massey’s wonderful work,both early examples and later. Make sure to scroll down to see his birdhouses and airplanes at this link! https://www.gordongalleryart.com/willie-massey Willie Massey Dull Tool Dim Bulb Archives. #folkart. #africanamericanart. #blackfolkart

Gus Pufahl The World's Greatest Whittler of Monoma Iowa

Gus Pufahl 1858 - 1949. “World’s Greatest Whittler” of Monoma, Iowa. Pair of Real Photo Postcards circa 1930. Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb Additional photos of Pufahl and his carved chains available at http://iagenweb.org/clayton/documents/Pufahl.htm #folkart #woodcarvings #antique

True Crime Dull Tool Dim Bulb. The Great Iuka Illinois Bank Robbery of 1921 Original Drawing

A rare first person account of a 1921 bank robbery in Iuka, Illinois. Obviously a notorious day for the residents…but there isn’t enough printed material to write a screenplay. The drawing provides more color than the press. Here there is enough to write a song! the one substantial article found is enough to confirm that yes, bank employee Miss Kelley did leap into her Essex automobile to give chase! Surely a local hero. The account from The Chicago Banker of February 11, 1922 reports “Ed Hall, 19 years old of Flora was found guilty here of robbery in connection with the holding up of the State Bank of Iuca, December 20, in which over 18,000 was stolen. Hall’s younger brother, Lex, 17 years old, who was indicted with him, was found not guilty. The younger Hall had twenty-one witnesses to prove his alibi that he was in Flora, Ill. at the time of the robbery. Ed hall tried to prove that he was at Kincaid, Ill. at the time of the robbery. Mildred Kelly, 22-year employee at the bank, who gave chase in an automobile after the robbery, identified Ed Hall as one of the participants in the robbery. The Hall Brothers were arrested December 26.” Unfortunately, I find nothing written about “the semi-professional ball player” or Lester. Original drawing 1921 collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb

The invention of Graffiti art 19th century stereoview photograph collection Jim Linderman

The invention of graffiti (or at least among the first instances of it being photographed) Imagine how difficult it was for urchins to tag building before the invention of spray paint…which happened in 1947. Stereoview photograph circa 1870 Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog #graffiti #stereoview. #dulltooldimbulb #juvenilleart

Plywood Caveman ? Vintage real photo postcard of the Ozark Bluff Dwellers

Plywood Caveman Cutout! Real Photo Postcard directing tourists to the Bluff Dwellers Cave in the Ozarks. The cave was discovered in 1925 and opened to the public two years later. Once inhabited by the "Ozark Bluff Dwellers" but sealed by a landslide 2000 or so years ago. The card is unmailed and not dated but likely not long after the owners opened it for tours. "SEE MY CAVE" roadside sign RPPC collection Jim Linderman

R. Winter Folk Art Environment Real Photo Postcard collection Jim Linderman

Richard Winter was another visionary builder who sold real photo postcards of his creation. Among the KEEP OUT signs there is one reading “Postcards of this park for sale” Here’s mine! Dated too…makes it easy to identify the site. Mondovi, Wisconsin is a town of a few thousand. Remnants of the little park remain but not much. The seated figure has had his head lopped off now, of course. R. Winter’s Park. Mondovi Wisconsin dated 1922 Real Photo Postcard Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb #folkartenvironment #rppc #realphotopostcard #outsiderart #folkart

Vibrant Group of Crayon Exercises Anonymous antique School Child Art c. 1910 Collection Jim Linderman

Group of early crayon exercises c. 1910 Anonymous schoolchild art. Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb #juvenilleart.

When Dreams Come True Folk Art Wood Construction by Loring A. Wood

One of the lesser known wonders of the world was Loring A. Wood’s giant log construction “When Dreams Come True” A VERY big project with very little historical information remaining. Most of what is known appears to come from the wooden sign shown in the photo. “Largest log entrance of nature in the world. Taken from a dream. Built by Loring A. Wood alone. 3200 logs from 464 trees.” along with information on purchasing a postcard. I’ve obtained two different over the years.. The massive sculpture was 100 feet long and 40 feet tall. Dated 1932, which was likely the completion date. The Umpqua Valley Museums Page refers to an autobiography by Mr. Woods which I have not seen. Real Photo Postcard of the When Dreams Come True Scenic Archway 1932 Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Angels Folk Art Watercolor painting "Christ the Lord is Risen" Handpainted postcard dated 1914

Hand Painted Folk Art Postcard by Maud Hubler 1914 Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Wooden Lumberjack at the Snohomish, Washington Grange State Fair 1936 Folk Art Sculpture Real Photo Postcard

Wooden Lumberjack at the Snohomish, Washington Grange State Fair 1936. The fair continues to this day. Real Photo Postcard collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog

African-American Yard Show Folk Art in the Black Eden Idlewild, Michigan Black History 1915 RPPC Collection Jim Linderman

Dated 1915 (which makes it likely one of the earliest photos of an African-American Yard Show) this scarce RPPC comes from Idlewild, Michigan. The city was founded in 1912 specifically as a resort town for black tourists who weren’t welcome most places at the time. A refuge from Jim Crow laws still rampant. Here, Black citizens could legally buy property, relax, use the facilities, fish the lake and take up residence. Numerous black notables visited and vacationed in Idlewild…even Louis Armstrong purchased a home there. The famed Flamingo Club operated and attracted countless famous Black entertainers. Members of the Black intelligentsia from Chicago and further established a foothold and the city flourished. By the 1920s Over 6000 people had purchased 17,000 lots in the area. Many articles and several books tell the history of the birth, decline and ongoing restoration of this Black Eden. The owner of this establishment is unidentified. The awning identifies the place as “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and the rock creature has “Swannee River” written on it. Both problematic now, but during the earliest days of the 19th century black condemnation of Uncle Tom was not as strong as today. As for “Swannee” River, it could refer to the actual waterway (which ran from Georgia to Florida) rather than to the Stephen Foster song “Old Folks at Home” by written in 1851 and STILL the official state song of Florida. The song has a controversial history well-documented (having been composed as a minstrel tune) but it is surprising to see here in this context. Several of my posts have received informative comments from Michiganders. I hope some can add more information on this unusual find. The Folk Artist from Black Eden. African-American Yard Show art Idlewild, Michigan 1915 Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb I have posted numerous other yard show photos on the Dull Tool Dim Bulb blog over the years, but this one is the oldest. #yardshow. #yardart. #blackfolkart. #african-american. #rppc. #idlewild #michigan. #realphotopostcard. #outsiderart. See the Wikipedia article on Idlewild HERE