Most photographs can be left-clicked on to view an enlargement.
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29 June 2006
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If you go back to the British Railways steam era, each locomotive carried a small oval cast iron plate on its smokebox door which included two numbers and a letter; this designated the home depot of the locomotive. 53A was the depot code for Dairycoates (Hull) which was located around a half a mile from my shop. My shop logo is representative of one of these cast iron plates.
John Turner...Thursday, 6/29/2006 6:09PM
Example photographs gleaned from John's “Industrial Railways” collection.
MSC35 HC701/1904 ~ Salford
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Aveling & Porter ~ Snodland Cement
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Docks No.31 ~ Manchester
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“If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?” − Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
| Just an amusing quote! ~ vrw |
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I had seen these belt buckles and money clips previously but never paid them any mind. When you have attained the stature in life that I have you don't wear large belt buckles to attract people's attention to your bulk. Not only that but I carry a turn of the century... 19th to 20th ...cigarette case as a money clip.
Steve Cox sent me these two items as a gift and I was pleasantly surprised to see how nice they actually are. The carved nickels are quite simple, as you would expect with something this inexpensive, but both of these items are... as I've already mentioned ...MUCH NICER than I had expected! ~ V-Dubya
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A random number generator was used to establish the display order above to avoid any implied preference among these carvers and/or carvings.
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“Bowin” $28
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Keith Pedersen $54
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Phillip Lanmon $108
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Orazio Angelo $36
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Christine Carter $31
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Indio Pueblo
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Pueblo [ close-up ]
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Steve Ellsworth just raised the bar!
Somebody forgot to tell Steve that the new 2005 Jefferson Nickels aren't
worth the same level of effort when carving as our beloved Buffalo Nickels.
So he poured all of his considerable talent and imagination into the carving
you see here of a Pueblo Indian. I have quite a number of 2004 and 2005 Jefferson Nickel carvings but none that the carver put this level of effort
into. The Indian's bust is fantastic in and of itself but I particularly like the
Pueblo Steve put in the background. SUPER job Steve!
~ Verne R. Walrafen
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Buying a “Pig in a Poke!”
A.K.A. “Hope you like your purchase.”
Definitely an Original
Classic Carving!
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This carved nickel had been posted on eBay for a whole fifteen minutes when I stumbled across it and noted the horrible photograph used in the listing. I almost clicked on by it when I noticed it had a “BuyItNow” price of $35+$2sh and figured it was sorta like the “ring toss” at the County Fair... Why not take a chance?
Here is what the eBay lot description said:
“This coin is an original "hobo nickel" from cira 1920. It was carved on a 1916-S coin which was in XF condition. It was passed in a grocery store in 1920 and remained in owners family since.”
After I quickly purchased it I asked the Seller for more specifics and this is what he told me:
“Thank You for your purchase. I bought this coin from an older gentleman (80) who was selling his personal items because of failing health. He had no living relatives with whom he wish to give anything. He had ran a grocery store as his dad before him. He said his dad received the nickel in 1920 or so at the store. I bought a large assortment of coins mostly common silver, V nickels, Indian cents, silver dollars, etc. Hope you like your purchase.”
So... now I wait to see what happens! I will let you know what I get. ~ V-Dubya
I Won't be Vacationing in the Poconos
...but I am tickled pink none the less!
It has been pointed out to me that my grade of VG10... which was based on the bison's horn ...is overly conservative.
When the carver hammered down the Indian's feathers the bison's horn directly opposite them was smashed/obliterated.
At 5.01g this is my heaviest carved nickel... obviously no metal was removed from the host nickel in the process. ~ vrw
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“All The Best From Over The Pond”
Personally I can't understand why you haven't got an international following as these Hobo nickels are just delightful!
“Mutton Chops Yobbo”
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“West Yorkshire Miner”
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H
ere are a couple of pictures of my first nickel carvings. My first attempt was “Mutton Chops” which turned out quite nicely. Afterwards I went away and carved “Miner”, and again I was quite pleased with the results. I'm only using very basic tools at the moment. I've ordered some die polishing stones from the States and hopefully this'll help me produce better specimens as I become more familiar with the medium. ~ Marcus Hunt, Oxfordshire Cotswolds, England... Tuesday, 6/13/2006 7:37AM
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Churchill 300 underside
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M
arcus Hunt was born in London, England in 1961, but spent most of his childhood in the leafy county of Surrey. On leaving school in 1978 he was apprenticed to his father Ken Hunt. However, the seeds of the craft had already been sown many years before. His father has worked from home since 1964 and on more than one occasion he allowed his young son to pick up a graver and often set him at a small vice to scratch away at a piece of copper. Often he would fall asleep at night to the gentle tick-ticking of the graver or the rhythmic tapping of hammer on chisel that emanated from his father's studio. Engraving was in his blood so it was only natural for him to follow in his father's footsteps.
M
arcus painstakingly learned the traditional engraving methods that had been passed on to a young Ken Hunt by his master, Harry Kell who in turn had been taught by his father. Gradually he mastered the act of pushing graver through steel by hand and the gentle rhythms of hammer and chisel work. He also learned many techniques his father had developed over the years as well as gold inlay and damascene. Always though, his father would emphasize the importance of quality workmanship.
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fter 8 years working alongside his father, and having built his own list of clients, he set up on his own as a freelance engraver of bespoke shotguns and rifles to the London gun trade. Now living in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, Marcus is considered by many to be one of England's premier engravers. He has worked on some of the finest sporting guns in the world and is always looking for new and interesting ways of bringing the ancient skill of hand-engraving to a new audience.
Carving Chips.....
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A Hobby In Transformation
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July 2006 ~ Volume 43 ~ Number 7 ~ Page 40
Collecting Hobo Nickels −by Leon Worden
A Hobby In Transformation
This type of “folk art” is seeing a resurgence− or a revolution.
Bill Jameson and Ron Landis are both featured in the latest COINage Magazine.
I definitely recommend that you purchase a copy and check it out. ~ V-Dubya
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Carving Chips.....
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A Successful Raid on Mr. Cox's eBay Store
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D'Artagnan ~ Porthos ~ Athos ~ Aramis ~ Strawhat Clown
Hammock Hobo ~ Billy Holiday ~ Bob Crane ~ John Banner ~ Werner Klemper
Click on any photo for an enlargement.
Footnote...
Captain Jean D'Artagnan was in truth Charles de Batz-Castelmore, Comte d'Artagnan.
Porthos, Baron du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds, was in real life Isaac de Portau, who served with D'Artagnan in the Guards and, for a time, in the Musketeers.
Athos, Comte de la Fère, was a musketeer named Armand de Sillègue d'Athos d'Autevielle who died shortly after D'Artagnan would have met him.
Aramis, Chevalier René d'Herblay, was a musketeer named Henri d'Aramitz and was probably at most an acquaintance of D'Artagnan's.
The musketeers' great friendship was almost certainly invention, as were almost all their adventures.
    
    
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“Who was first?”
Leopold I ~ King of the Belgians ~ 1831-1865 Leopold II ~ King of the Belgians ~ 1865-1909
Click for an enlargement.
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No... not which man was king first, that is obvious. Rather... which carving was done first, the copper medal or the nickel?
Many nickel carvers are inspired to carve subjects on their nickels that they see on coins, medals, drawings and etcetera.
So... if you guessed the medal was done first followed by the nickel, that would be a logical assumption.
Actually Steve Adams carved the nickel in August of 2005 and then carved this wonderful copper medal just now in 2006.
The photo with both the medal and the nickel shown gives you the proper size comparison... the medal is 65mm while all nickels are 21.2mm.
If you want a closer view of the medal, here is a SuperSized photo for you.
Leopold II reference images.
Click for an enlargement.
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Carving Chips.....
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A Rare Color Locomotive Photograph!
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Here we have a rare color picture showing the YV #330 in company with RPO #107,
coupled exactly as they are today.
This picture was taken by Al Rose, longtime
Yosmite Valley fan and railroad historian.
Al was shooting color well before most others, and his photos are the only known color shots of the YV #330.
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Click on any photo for an enlargement.
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A Silver Smith and Lapidary
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My name is Ray Castro and I am sixty years old. Born in Los Angeles, California and lived in many different states. In 1973 I became a silver smith and lapidary. In 1986 I purchased 4,000 pocket watches and learned to be a pretty good watchmaker. During this time I was heavily involved in coins and precious metals. Being involved with coins, I was familiar with hobo nickels and I did 30-40 Indian cent carvings which sold well. Then other interests took over and I sold off all my equipment. In 2005 my friend Jerry asked if I could carve more one cent coins and they didn't come out well.
In February 2006, I found a slick buffalo in my junk box so I carved both sides and gave it to my friend. I carved a bearded man on the obverse and a donkey on the reverse. Nickels seem to be easier to carve than copper, so I purchased several hundred buffalo nickels and since then, I have sold my friend 120 coins and have on hand about one hundred more that are finished. It takes me about 1-2 hours to carve them, and I do several per day. In April 2006, I put four coins on eBay and you know the rest! Ramon Castro... Wednesday, April 26, 2006, 3:17PM
Click on any photo for an enlargement.
ND:CrossHatch ~ 1928:O.P.Tical ~ 1936:CrushEdChapeaux ~ 1937:N.OnpareilCastor ~ 1937D:ClerisyPublican ~ 1935:A.M.Bulatory
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Carving Chips.....
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Summer 2006 BoTales Is Progressing!
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Click on photo for an enlargement.
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BT2006#2 ~ Table of Contents
From the Editor's Desk................................. 4
Spring Hobo Gathering.................................. 5
You be the Judge........................................... 9
Security 101................................................ 11
Ronald Reagan on the Nickel?..................... 12
Mona Lisa Carved by Steve Adams............. 13
Two Carvings by Sam Alfano....................... 13
Has Anyone Met J. Press?........................... 14
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Click on any photo for an enlargement.
  
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Carving Chips.....
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Mr. President... a Penny for Your Thoughts!
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In the President's hand!
These were my thoughts when I decided to engrave the penny... The reason a 1964 penny was used was because it was just an ordinary circulated penny touched by thousands of American citizens used for purchasing goods with its travels unknown. It was embellished to end its journey in the President of the United States' hand.
Michael Cirelli... Friday, 3/31/2006
G BW...... President George Walker Bush
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Click on drawing for an enlargement.
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