2) Large Wood Wooden Santa Figure Hand Carved Folk Art Jonathan Bastian - 1987 For Sale

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• 2) large wood wooden Santa figure Hand Carved Folk Art Jonathan Bastian - 1987
• Excellent surface condition, no damage, just needs a clean, large size, 10 3/4" tall,
• I have two of these, exactly the same, except one is holding Christmas stick in left, one in right
• Signed Jonathan Basian, 1987 on the base, nicely tooled piece.

• offer on high value items with confidence, excellent response, returns, quality packing.
• All my current items camefrom a fresh high end estate,see them at myother items

Shipping prices

• $7.75 - for USA (includes tracking/insurance).
• $22.00 - for canada
• $56.50 -for international to N.Europe,S.Korea & Japan - others on request
• Any shipments over $100 for any international location will have to ship at the higher rate of $46, which has tracking
• I do not profit on shipping. I will refund any difference or pay extra myself.

Jonathan Bastian began carving wood some twenty years ago. At a young age, he was surrounded and influenced by the Pennsylvania Dutch Arts and would often spend hours playing in his father’s woodworking shop. His family originally came from the Palatinate area of Germany in the 18th century, landing in New York before settling in Pennsylvania (primarily in the Kutztown and Trexlertown area). Bastian’s father was the son of a prominent businessman and grew up in Trexlertown PA. Though later becoming a minister, in his formative years he had a keen interest in his grandfather’s blacksmith shop.

Bastian’s mother, a farmer’s daughter, grew up with an enthusiasm of nature and the earth. His maternal grandmother, Mary Kohler Christman, was a true folk artist and produced many paintings for her own pleasure and that of the family. During the days on the farm (east of Kutztown), Mary would open her house to many passersby, especially during “Folk Festival Week”, when visitors would book their stay at the Christman farm months in advance.

Christman Farm east of Kutztown, painting done circa 1964, today it is better known as "The Foliage Farm"

Her father, William Kohler, was a self-taught naturalist and farmer. He spent many cold winter evenings whittling by the now-extinct wood fired kitchen stove. In the winter of 1886, he carved and dated a walnut cat for his daughter Mary. That carving remains in the Bastian collection today and was even reproduced in limited edition in 1986; one hundred years after his Great Grandfather carved the original.

Over the years Bastian has produced many primitive carvings reflecting his Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Some of his work is strongly inspired by Wilhelm Schimmel (circa 1890), best known for his eagles and parrots. On occasion, Schimmel carved other creatures; one of note was a small tiger about 6 inches long. This “Tyger” is in a local collection and was loaned to Bastian for his study and authentic reproduction. During the summer of 1988, Bastian, thankful for the loan, reproduced a few examples for the Breininger Pottery Show. They were complete with the green thumb and forefinger print on the body, just like Schimmel’s original!

Another local carver, “Schtockschnitzler” Simmons (circa 1890) from the Northern Berks area, has also inspired the work of Bastian. Simmons’ influence is evident in Bastian’s bird tree carvings, bent from sassafras trees with beautiful birds of various colors, sizes and shapes. Bastian also shapes birds from wood to resemble the parrots Simmons carved. Most recently Bastian has expanded this line to include local birds of Berks County. Additionally, Bastian’s body of work encompasses a wide variety of original carvings including farm animals, wild creatures, fish, birds, spiritual and mystical figures, and patriotic pieces. In fact, during the first Bush administration Bastian was commissioned to create several large Americana pieces for the U.S. Embassy in South Africa. Among the twenty-five carvings were “Washington Kneeling Before His God”, “The Goddess of Liberty”, and “Lincoln Contemplating The Good Book”. But possibly the most desired figures are Bastian’s renowned Santa carvings. They are polychromed in gloriously bright colors and accompanied with varied accessories, such as a caged partridge, a rifle and geese, or dogs (modeled after Bastian’s own champion Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs). Almost always, the Santa carvings include a feather tree sprig, reminiscent of the old German candy strongly believes in his craft and asserts that,
"folk art has survived generation to generation,
not because it is dictated by a designer’s whim,
but rather embodies the spirit of the folk and the artist".

This item has been shown times. 2) Large Wood Wooden Santa Figure Hand Carved Folk Art Jonathan Bastian - 1987: $36