The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

AFTER many years fishing a lonely, roving life, dear old Izaak Walton has finally managed to afford a gillie or is it Charles Cotton. It looks like he is bringing him some good luck.

Man's life is but vain,
For 'tis subject to pain
And sorrow, and short as a bubble;
'T is a hodgepodge of business,
And money, and care;
But we'll take no care
When the weather proves fair,
Nor will we vex
Now, though it rain,
We'll banish all sorrow,
And sing till to-morrow,
And angle and angle again.

Stour Otter

I do like those S.O. Very nice. Have you been studying C16th and C17th, or earlier, wood carvings in churches? I’ve seen faces like that on the undersides of misericords.

Phil

Fine words indeed and applicable to many on here. Mind you, looking at the dour expressions on the carvings, am I to assume these were early carp anglers?

Duckett wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 11:16 pm I do like those S.O. Very nice. Have you been studying C16th and C17th, or earlier, wood carvings in churches? I’ve seen faces like that on the undersides of misericords.

Phil

Phil,
I bought Izaak at a car boot many years ago, for four pound! He had been donated to the Royality Museum on the Avon, run by Tony Timms for awhile. But frankly I missed him in my own collection and gracefully Tony handed him back. The second figure was bought from an auction site, very recently. Both are carved from pine, Izaak stands at 10" high, while the other is 8.5", but a fine paring never the less.


Stour Otter

Stour Otter wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 4:16 pm

Duckett wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 11:16 pm I do like those S.O. Very nice. Have you been studying C16th and C17th, or earlier, wood carvings in churches? I’ve seen faces like that on the undersides of misericords.

Phil

Phil,
I bought Izaak at a car boot many years ago, for four pound! He had been donated to the Royality Museum on the Avon, run by Tony Timms for awhile. But frankly I missed him in my own collection and gracefully Tony handed him back. The second figure was bought from an auction site, very recently. Both are carved from pine, Izaak stands at 10" high, while the other is 8.5", but a fine paring never the less.


Stour Otter

They are wonderful examples of wood carving. Has anyone ever suggested how old they may be? Carving, particularly performed by the local artisan, can be notoriously difficult to date once removed from context. As I said, to me at least, the style is of considerable age even if they aren’t. They could be arts and crafts but they really do remind me of the type of carving stonemasons and woodcarvers left in hidden corners of churches where no specific religious guidance on content was given - I’ve seen everything from the artisan themselves, fantastical beasts, geometric patterns, everyday events and objects, local people, flowers, as well as the completely obscene! To me, they provide a wonderful insight into the lives of ordinary people only remembered for these objects they left behind.

Phil