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New Books for Collectors
—
April 2009
Tramp Art, Folk Art from the Heart
by Clifford A. Wallach
Reviewed by Robert Reed
(Antique & Collectible News Service)
The latest volume on American tramp art is both appealing and sweeping. The book contains more than 600 items from boxes and bureaus to frames and wall cabinets.
Tramp Art, Folk Art from the Heart by Clifford Wallach provides a remarkable assembly of hand-carved art objects crafted by largely unknown, untrained and unappreciated artists. In the book Wallach dispels what he believes to be a myth about tramp art — that it was mostly made by tramps.
Wallach research instead indicates, “Tramp art was made by itinerants and hoboes, but not in the exclusive quantities that the name suggests. Of the thousands of pieces we have studied and in all the books and articles published on tramp art, only a couple of pieces have suggestions of being made by a tramp wanderer or itinerant traveler.”
Instead, the author points out the “blue color worker toiling at various jobs” as the typical tramp artist who carved out fascinating pieces so admired today. Further, Wallach’s 20-year study links over 40 nationalities with various forms of tramp art carved here in the United States.
Using mostly cigar boxes and shipping crates, makers fashioned so-called tramp art for generations. According to Wallach, tramp art began its “golden years of production in the middle 1870s when most things were made by hand and it was not uncommon for people to make their own homes or the furnishings.”
At any rate the combination of detailed text and delightful illustrations in this fine volume is outstanding.
He and his wife live in Connecticut and continue to devote study to this unique art form.
Tramp Art, Folk Art from the Heart by Clifford Wallach, hardcover, 640 color illustrations, and 272 pages is $99.99 plus shipping from Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310.
Massachusetts Quilts, Our Common Wealth
edited by Lynn Bassett
Reviewed by Robert Reed
(Antique & Collectible News Service)
Massachusetts Quilts, Our Common Wealth is a powerful presentation of historic quilts and their gifts makers.
This newly released volume offers an important study of American quilt making from the New England prospective. Just as effectively it portrays some of the notable quilt crafters who existed and contributed long ago.
“Though small in size, the role of Massachusetts in the history of the United States is very large,” says author Lynne Zacek Bassett in the book’s introduction. “The quilts in this book provide a window through which to view that history — a window particularly into the lives of the women who helped build this commonwealth and this nation.”
There are three distinct sections in this wide sweeping quilt book. The first covers the early history of silk, wool and cotton quilts. A second section entitled community deals with geographical, ethnic and other groups. The third division called memory provides information on notable quilters and memorable events.
Bassett is a noted scholar of historic costumes and textiles in New England and an accomplished curator. Before editing this fine volume Bassett helped found the Massachusetts Quilt Document Project. That group has helped document more than 6,000 historic quilts throughout the state of Massachusetts.
This book is enriching, with its detailed text and beautiful color illustrations, for all who have an interest in early quilting the lives of those noble quilt creators.
Massachusetts Quilts, Our Common Wealth edited by Lynn Bassett, hardcover, index, with 200 plus color illustrations, 356 pages, is $60 from University Press of New England.
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