Wooden Cigar Store Native American Indian Warrior 8 Foot Sculpture

This is not your normal wood Indian carving. Absolutely no chainsaw is used; only "Mallet & Chisel". "Old school" techniques with a lot of attention to detail.

Before the work can begin, the logs are "Kiln Dried" to "force crack" the log so it can be fixed with an epoxy mixture. You don't want it cracking after you take it home.

I  work on my Indian carvings every day but can only produce 4 or 5 per year. This type of carving requires a lot of time to complete; few people still do it this way.  
You are welcome to stop by the shop to see how I do it and the tools and materials required. People are always surprised to see what is involved and the vast array of supplies needed.

There is no quick way to do this and have it look right! Many layers of patina and finish are required to make it look truly antique. The layers are applied, sanded off, re-applied, sanded off, etc.

During the 19th century, tobacconists frequently displayed carved wooden Indians to attract patrons into their stores.
Until recently, a great mystery surrounded the history and origin of Cigar Store Indians, Wooden Indians, Shop Figures and Wood Statues that are a part of American folk sculpture.