Vintage Hand Carved Bird by a Japanese American Internment Camp Prisoner.
This one is a Rooster, and was probably done by a Takahashi family member. It measures just over 2" x 2". The colors are beautiful, and the condition is exceptional, we see a little crazing, and there could be a minuscule bit of paint missing on the bottom of one feather. We see this under bright light and magnification (see our photos) only. This family continued to produce their artwork after they were released, and started a new free life, so the date of production could be post WWII.
Condition: Our photographs of our birds are enlarged and are crystal clear. Tiny imperfections show even more in our photographs than when held in hand, this is because most of these imperfections can not be seen without magnification. Please use our photographs for judging condition. Please feel free to ask any questions. |
We are listing a several Vintage Hand Carved and Hand Painted Wood Carved Pins of Birds. All are by Japanese Americans Interned into camps during World War II. Most or all of our birds were probably crafted by the Takahashi family. This family continued to produce their artwook after the war, and became very successful.
The American/Japanese were, four years, they living in bleak camps edged in barbed wire, deep inside deserts and swamps. Internees were allowed only what they could carry, including bedding and eating utensils. Upon arrival there were no chairs to sit on, no tables to eat at, no tools to build with or scissors with which to cut.
This type of carving was a was a prevalent art form in all of the camps. A set of Audubon bird identification cards and an old National Geographic issue that featured birds were sources of research and inspiration for many carvers. To create them, artists sketched an outline on flat wood, carved and sanded it into a three-dimensional form, then painted it with realistic colors. The biggest challenge was the bird’s legs and feet, which had to look spindly, yet be sturdy enough to hang onto a “limb.” Many artists solved the problem by snipping the surplus off wire-mesh screens that had been slapped over barrack windows. The wire proved to be just the right thickness and strength to resemble bird legs. The final touch was to glue a safety pin onto the back of the carving so it could be worn as a brooch.
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