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Item 
335
  “The Pick of the Litter” from Bob Shamey's Website −by V'Dubya ... 1/07  
334
  Carving Chips.....   • Spring 2007 BoTales Is Progressing! •  
333
  Dave's “Banjo Theme” carved nickels −by V'Dubya ... 1/07  
332
  1 OZ. .9999 GOLD −by Bob Shamey ... 1/07  
331
  Make My Next “Hobo” a Hobo Dollar! −by Mel Neff ... 1/07  
330
  ###  Kick Start 2007 at FUN & OHNS General Meeting and Auction  ### −by Mama Jo ... 1/07  
329
  Carving Chips.....   • Dave Wilson, OHNS RM#32, Deceased •  
328
A Record $84,376 of Hobo Nickels Auctioned in One Day ... 1/07  
327
2007 Prices Realized OHNS Auction #15 Auction held 1/6/07 in Orlando, Florida ... 1/07  
326
  FUN2007 Mail and Floor Bid Auction Catalogue   Saturday, January 6, 2007 at 10 a.m.  
325
  Carving Chips.....   • Sioux-City Sue” has seen better days •  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
324
In Search of the American Hobo ... 12/06  
323
In Search of the American Hobo • • • Story Board ... 12/06  
322
Traditional Folk Art Forms Evolve as Dynamic Living Traditions ... 12/06  
321
  Carving Chips.....   • Designed by God” but “Enhanced by Dick! •  
320
Citizen Hobo: How a Century of Homelessness Shaped America −by Todd DePastino... 12/06  
319
  Carving Chips.....   • One of this Country's Most Colorful! •  
318
  Carving Chips.....   • Cool and Different! •  
317
Hobo Statue... “Bo and his Bud” −by Bob Shamey... 12/06  
316
  Carving Chips.....   • Carving Nickels Relieves MUCH of the Stress of Maintaining a HUGE Bridge! •  
315
  Carving Chips.....   • A Selection of Fantastic Classic Carvings from the Upcoming FUN2007 Heritage Auction •  
314
21st Century Nickels Carved by William “BillZach” Jameson −by Mel Neff... 12/06  
313
21st Century Nickels Carved into “Hobo Nickels” −by Mel Neff... 12/06  
312
“Opgehitener” ~ A Kippah and a Tophat! ... 12/06  
311
I Just Figured I Would Share This With Ya! −by Amy Armstrong... 12/06  
310
One Hobo Nickel Collector's Recent eBay Acquisitions ... 12/06  
309
Authentic Original HOBO NICKELS by “BO” Hughes ... 12/06  
308
  Carving Chips.....   • Searching for Contemporary Nickel Carvers •  
307
Hobo History −by Hobo Jeepers... 12/06  
306
Camera Jim's Guides To eBay Auction Photography ... 12/06  
305
A Brief History of North American Caricature Carving −by Rick Ferry ... 12/06  
Continue reading older OHNS NEWS items in our SCRAPBOOK    
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335 
27 January 2007
The Pick of the Litter” from Bob Shamey's Website   −by V-Dubya
(¯`'•.¸(¯`'•.¸ ····· ¸.•'´¯)¸.•'´¯)

Why I selected these five carved nickels to purchase...
   Bob had an even two dozen carved nickels posted on his website and it was difficult to pick my favorite(s)... sorta like trying to pick which puppy you want from a litter of the cute little larrikins!

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Igor
The Nose
Sweet Music
Peruvian Indian
Potato Head

Igor” #151 ~ An exceptionally deep carving depicting Dr. Frankenstein's helper Igor, piercing eyes, shaggy beard and an inlayed 24kt gold tooth. In the background, on either side of Igor, is an engraved and inlayed 'Tesla coil' with 24kt gold balls shooting electric waves at each other, what every monster lab had to have. {$280}
   “Igor” struck my eye first because he was so deeply carved, had sharply carved, distinct, features and had the COOL Tesla Coil portrayed in the background. The well thought out use of gold was certainly a plus as well. I was not happy that the coin's original date had been removed but the other positive factors outweighed that strong negative. Sometimes a carving simply “is what it is!” One has to take it or leave it.
The Nose” #134 ~ This carved face seems to emerge from the surface of this Jefferson nickel as if it were pushing out from inside the coin. An exaggerated character face of a very old man living inside this nickel. {$180}
   “The Nose” was both clever and well executed... too bad it was on a Jefferson host nickel. I would have much preferred it on a Buffalo host coin but such is life! Another “take it or leave it” situation.
Sweet Music” #163 ~ An exercise in anatomy, did you know ears are like fingerprints... no two are alike. But they all serve the same purpose... to hear... and the best of sound is music which brings about the engraved and inlayed 24kt gold musical notes. {$225}
   “Sweet Music” was the next carving to catch my eye for many of the same reasons that I liked “Igor.” It had an additional plus... I've been a strong advocate of nickel carvers using a different ear on each carving they do instead of adopting a standard ear for everything they carve. I have long observed, and been fascinated by, the fact that every person's ears are unique to themselves and have sought out carved nickels that reflected that fact of life.
Peruvian Indian” #78 ~ The Indians of the Andes mountains, descendents of the Inca, have adopted the soft bowler 'Hobo' hat as a national headdress since the 1700's. {$180}
   “Peruvian Indian” appealed to me because it reflected another “real life” fact... the hats worn by the women in that culture ...and wasn't just some imaginary subject spun out of the engraver's imagination. Not that I object to imaginary subjects mind you.
Potato Head” #91 ~ A smiling, stocking hat wearing, skier, streaking along, his scarf and cap flying in the wind. Look closely at the scarf and remember this is the buffalo side of the nickel. {$125}
   “Potato Head” just about got left behind until I noticed the excellent inclusion of portions of the original bison. The scarf made from the bison's hind legs was just OK ...but... the hat which used the original hump details really struck my fancy.

(¯`'•.¸(¯`'•.¸ ····· ¸.•'´¯)¸.•'´¯)

If only I had unlimited funds I would have purchased these carvings also...
   While I am not equally impressed with every carving Bob creates... there were several more in this offering that I really would love to acquire!

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Abe
The Pharaoh
The Princess
Buffalo Skull
Full Warrior Bling

Abe” #114 ~ A very deeply carved relief of Abraham as he looks down from the seat in the Lincoln Memorial. {$525}
   “Abe” probably appeals to me because we were taught from grade school how great an American Lincoln was... that and tragedy of his assassination ...all of which combine to make his likeness appealing to many Americans. Of course it doesn't hurt that Bob was able to recreate Abe so faithfully.
The Pharaoh” #153 ~ A heavily textured headdress and boarder breaking beard contrast with the soft, deeply carved features of the Egyptian Pharaoh in deep meditation with an inlaid 24kt ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life. {$450}
   “The Pharaoh” has a strong face with genuine character in it. I particularly like the closed eyelids in this case rather than having his eyes staring out at you. The contrasting textures in his headdress are superlative! The ankh symbol inlayed with gold adds a unique flavor to this fine carving.
The Princess” #164 ~ A deep relief carving with engraving, inlaying and stone setting thrown in to create an elaborately beautiful young woman resplendent in her engraved and inlayed 24kt gold necklace with a faceted diamond set in front of her elaborate headwear. The host coin for this carving is a wonderful 1913 type 2 full horn buffalo. {$750}
   “The Princess” is simply “fine”... what more needs to be said? The use of the diamond is successful in this carving. Many times any precious stone added to a nickel carving looks really clunky but not when Bob does it. I personally prefer that the carver drill a hole completely through the nickel to mount a gemstone in so that light can come through the stone from the backside. That makes a gemstone come alive!
Buffalo Skull” #115 ~ A finely detailed carving of a traditional Indian 'Spirit Skull' embellished with a pair of eagle feathers. Notice the contrast of the four different textures. {$380}
   “Buffalo Skull” is a “traditional” subject but Bob executes it admirably and he uses the bright ring with a dark stippled background to good effect.
Full Warrior Bling” #66 ~ This is an extremely detailed carving, an alternative to the original, a very proud chief squinting at the sky in full regalia. Each of the 26 eagle feathers in his war bonnet has finely detailed quills and barbules. His chest is covered with a pipe bone breastplate and seven soft ermine tails hang from the 24kt inlaid roundels on either side of the beaded headband. The host coin is a beautiful AU full horn buffalo. {$1,200}
   “Full Warrior Bling” is my last selection despite, based on the price, it apparently is Bob's favorite carving in this offering. I expect much of my lack of enthusiasm is the fact that something similar to this subject has been done by virtually every “modern” carver who ever laid a graver against a Buffalo nickel. While this carving is superbly executed it suffers a bit in my eyes from lack of originality. ~ V-Dubya

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334 
  Carving Chips.....   • Spring 2007 BoTales Is Progressing! •  
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333 
22 January 2007
Steven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickelTurtle Hill Banjo Co.Steven D. Cox carved nickelBob Shamey carved nickel
Turtle Hill Banjo Co.David SchenkmanDavid SchenkmanTurtle Hill Banjo Co.David SchenkmanDavid SchenkmanTurtle Hill Banjo Co.
Dave's “Banjo Theme” carved nickels

   David Schenkman has been collecting carved nickels with a banjo theme for many years. Dave commissioned both Steve Cox and Bob Shamey to add their talent to his collection. The three obverse carvings above were done by Steve and the reverse carving was done by Bob.
   Steve carved all of the banjo and fiddle subject carvings shown below to continue the stringed instrument theme. Great work Steve! ~ V-Dubya.
Steven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickel

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332 
18 January 2007


 1 OZ. .9999 GOLD
   A carved coin collector that I had the pleasure of meeting at a ‘FUN’ show a few years ago recently asked me to carve a “Hobo Theme” using one of the new Indian Buffalo one ounce .9999 fine $50 gold coin.
   The image I chose was that of three hobos, one in profile, one three quarters and one face on carved from the still recognizable silhouette of the Indians head. To tie the heads together I used the symbol of the sun representing the outdoors and for a touch of whimsy I turned the pipe smoke into four ghost images. As a whole I found the gold to be an interesting medium to carve in. ~ Bob Shamey

It took me some head scratching to see Bob's “four ghost images” because they combine in such a way that, at the scale of this photo, they appear to be a single large ghost image... perhaps that was Bob's intent. ~ V-Dubya
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331 
16 January 2007
Make My Next “Hobo” a Hobo Dollar!   −by Mel Neff


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Bill Jameson Steve Adams Amy Armstrong Stephen Cox Stephen Cox
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   What is large, heavy, pretty, neat and something that you don't see very often?
   If you said “Hobo Dollar” then you guessed correctly. There is something kind of special about having hobo carvings on dollar coins. Whether they are obverse or reverse carvings or done on silver or clad dollar coins. Whether they are carved on Morgan, Peace, Ike, Susan B. Anthony or some other dollar coin they are all pretty interesting hobo coins.
   A dollar size coin gives a carver a larger canvas to work with and may inspire him/her to carve different things that they may not want to try carving on a smaller coin such as a nickel. Just take a look at these beautiful examples and you can see why I say: “Make my next hobo a hobo dollar!” ~ Mel

Bill Jameson Bill Jameson Bill Jameson Bill Jameson Bill Jameson
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330
15 January 2007
 ###  Kick Start 2007 at FUN & OHNS General Meeting and Auction  ###  −by  Mama Jo  (Hobo Queen 2003-2004)
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329 
Carving Chips.....   • Dave Wilson, OHNS RM#32, Deceased •  
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I regret to inform the members of the club that my good friend Dave Wilson passed away this morning of a heart attack.
He was a former authenticator for the club and really loved hobo nickels.
We had many dinners at the local diner, talking hobo nickels. He was a good person and an honest dealer. I will miss him ~ Keith Pedersen
14 January 2007
{Archival
copy}
“David T. Wilson, 65, of Jackson” ~ Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 01/17/07
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328 
11 January 2007

A Record $84,376 of Hobo Nickels Auctioned in One Day

   On January 6th at the 2007 FUN Show, a record $84,376 for 246 lots of hobo nickels was realized in two separate auctions. At the annual OHNS (Original Hobo Nickel Society) hobo nickel auction, 85 lots were auctioned for a total of $33,381.15 including the 10% buyer's fee. Later in the day, at the Heritage Signature Auction, 161 lots were auctioned for $50,995 including the 15% buyer's fee.
   The Heritage lots were primarily from the collections of Troy Wiseman and the late Norm Talbert. Troy is a Life member of OHNS. Wiseman co-founded World Orphans in 1993, which since then has funded the construction of over 500 orphanages in 46 countries and has rescued over 25,000 children. All of the proceeds from the Troy Wiseman hobo nickel collection are going to the World Orphans charity.
   A new auction record for a single hobo nickel was set in the Heritage Auction. Lot 8152, a carving by “Bert” Wiegand, the mentor for “Bo” George Washington Hughes, realized $5,750 with the 15% buyer’s fee. This nickel was obtained by Troy Wiseman in OHNS Auction #12 at the 2004 FUN Show.

Ralph Winter, OHNS Life Member and OHNS Board Member EMail address for Ralph Winter
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327 
6 January 2007
  2007 Prices Realized     OHNS Auction #15  
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326 
6 January 2007
Auction info provided here as a courtesy only.   The “official” auction catalog is the printed version and will have all the final editing shown in it.


ORIGINAL HOBO NICKEL SOCIETY, INC.
A Florida Not-For-Profit Corporation
FUN2007  Mail and Floor Bid Auction
to be held at the
Original Hobo Nickel Society Meeting
Saturday, January 6, 2007 at 10 a.m.
Orange County Convention Ctr, Hall NB, North Concourse
9400 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819
Individual “Prices Realized” are posted with each LOT description on the catalog pages.

This item will remain at the top of NEWS webpage until the Auction is held.                         Posted:   15 November 2006
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325 
Carving Chips.....   •Sioux-City Sue” has seen better days •  
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...but she still wears a smile wherever she goes. Sue married a traveling man but somehow lost him to the road. So she travels the countryside searching the hobo jungles for her long-lost sweetheart. The gentlemen of the open-road always give Sue a warm welcome, a woman's cooking is always appreciated.
www.hobosinwood.com • Rick Ferry • “Little Shavers Woodcarving Supply”
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324 
28 December 2006
  “In Search of the American Hobo”  
Night encampment of tramps near the Boston and Albany RailroadHobos in camp in 1895Hobos in camp in 1895Turtle for supper!
• The Machine Age: Introduction  ···  Bibliography
  −The Tramp Problem  ···  Bibliography
The Tramp as a Social Factor
 FrontCover  TitlePage  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  Adv. 
How Men Become Tramps
 941  942  943  944  945 
  −The Roll of the Rails  ···  Bibliography
• Hobohemia: Introduction
  −The City  ···  Bibliography
  −The Jungle  ···  Bibliography
  −Riding the Rails  ···  Bibliography
The Tramp and the Railroads
 258  259  260  261  262  263  264  265  266 
• The World of Tomorrow: Introduction
  −The Changing Face of Labor  ···  Bibliography
  −The Changing Face of Migrants  ···  Bibliography
Hoboes and Tramps
  Glossary of Hobo Terms
  The Road to Roam
  Sister of the Road
  Boy and Girl Tramps of America
  Bottom Dogs
  A Place to Lie Down
  Waiting for Nothing
  · Autobiography
  Authors
  −From a Tramp to a King  ···  Bibliography
"Hoboes of America" 1939 Year Book
 FrontCover  TitlePage  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32 
{Archival copy} 
• Additional Resources
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323 
24 December 2006
 “In Search of the American Hobo” 
  • • • Story Board
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322 
23 December 2006
Steven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickelSteven D. Cox carved nickel
Bob Shamey carved nickelBob Shamey carved nickelBob Shamey carved nickelBob Shamey carved nickel
Clifford L. Kraft carved nickelClifford L. Kraft carved nickelClifford L. Kraft carved nickelClifford L. Kraft carved nickelClifford L. Kraft carved nickel
Traditional Folk Art Forms Evolve as Dynamic Living Traditions

Master Folk Artists demonstrate superior levels of craftsmanship and creativity, often introducing new materials and innovations that express both traditional and contemporary imagery and values. In this way, traditional folk art forms evolve as dynamic living traditions. Carved nickels, which we lovingly refer to as “Hobo Nickels”, are evolving rapidly due to the hard work and talent of a wonderfully diverse group of currently active nickel carvers. Shown above are specimens recently carved by contemporary artists Steve Cox, Bob Shamey and Cliff Kraft. ~ V'Dubya

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321 
Carving Chips.....   •Designed by God” but “Enhanced by Dick!•  
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This is my own scroll design and my first attempt at engraving on a Zippo lighter. The wolf was designed by “God” and I copied him from a picture.

Dick Sheehan
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You all know the first thoughts that flashed through my mind when I saw Dick's wonderful engraving. He could have even worked some of this superb scroll work into a carved nickel design for us to admire!

V-Dubya
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 320 
 21 December 2006 
Citizen Hobo: How a Century of Homelessness Shaped America

Citizen Hobo cover
on the road
Hobo face carved on coin
An interview with
Todd DePastino
author of “Citizen Hobo: How a Century of Homelessness Shaped America

Hobo” conjures up the 1930s—Woody Guthrie's Bound for Glory and all that—but you start your book with the post-Civil War army of tramps. What put that army into motion? {answers}
When did “tramps” become “hoboes”? Where did that word come from? What's the difference between a tramp, a hobo, and a bum? {answers}
In urban areas hoboes gathered on the “main stem.” In Chicago the main stem was West Madison Street, and it was known as the Hobo Capital of the World. Can you describe this? What were hoboes looking for in cities, and why did they congregate there? {answers}
The excerpt we have here on our website is about the political organization of hoboes before World War I. Did hoboes have an impact on the broader political landscape of the time? {answers}
Hobohemia” was in decline prior to the new flood of unemployed migrants in the 1930s. Would hobo culture have disappeared without the Depression? {answers}
In other words, social policy was significantly shaped by the homeless hoboes? {answers}
Well, surely not everyone would. There's a postwar subculture that was still in love with the wayfaring life—the Beat counterculture of the 1950s and the Hippie counterculture of the 1960s. What was their connection, if any, to hobohemia? {answers}
Unemployment is on the upswing once again, and there is renewed attention to the homeless. How have the “new homeless” of the last twenty years differed from tramps, hoboes, and bums? Where are we in our understanding and treatment of the problem? {answers}
{Archival copy} 

Todd DePastino's... Citizen Hobo: How a Century of Homelessness Shaped America
©2003, 352 pages, 15 halftones, 1 map, 11 line drawings ~ Cloth $32.50 ISBN: 0-226-14378-3 ~ Paper $20.00 ISBN: 0-226-14379-1
Copyright notice: ©2003 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. This text may be used and shared in accordance with the fair-use provisions of U.S. copyright law, and it may be archived and redistributed in electronic form, provided that this entire notice, including copyright information, is carried and provided that the University of Chicago Press is notified and no fee is charged for access. Archiving, redistribution, or republication of this text on other terms, in any medium, requires the consent of the University of Chicago Press.

hobohemian... 1) A homeless artist or musician, commonly found in cities 2) An artistic hipster who often stays at the random homes of friends, family members and current lovers but never has any money or current mailing address 3) Unemployed college student who is in a band and hangs out in coffee shops arguing with people about current affairs. [ Many residents of the San Francisco Bay Area are hobohemians, creating their art and music under the guise that a life of obscurity is better than paying taxes and getting a real job. ]
bo·he·mi·an... A person with artistic or literary interests who disregards conventional standards of behavior. [ French bohémien, from Bohême, Bohemia (from the unconventional life style of its Gypsy inhabitants.) ]
Bo·he·mi·an... 1) A native or inhabitant of Bohemia. 2) A Gypsy. 3) The Czech dialects of Bohemia.

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319 
  Carving Chips.....   • One of this Country's Most Colorful! •  

The Rise and Fall of the Dil Pickle
Jazz-Age Chicago's Wildest and Most Outrageously Creative Hobohemian Nightspot
Franklin Rosemont (editor)
Charles H Kerr, 2003. Paperback 188 pages. ISBN 088286274X.
     Founded in 1914 by former Wobbly Jack Jones, Irish revolutionist Jim Larkin, and a group of IWW-oriented Bughouse Square hobos and soapboxers, the Dil Pickle in just a few years was widely recognized as the wildest, most playful, most creative, and most radical nightspot in the known universe ~ especially after Dr. Ben Reitman (Emma Goldman's former lover and press agent) joined the club in 1917. In this book ~ the first ever devoted to one of this country's most colorful and best-loved counter-institutions ~ Franklin Rosemont has collected forty-one reminiscences of the Dil Pickle by poets, artists, journalists, novelists, hobos, scholars, anarchists, wobblies, and other assorted radicals and oddballs.

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