03-009 postcard showing 511 pairs of pliers made by Ernesr Warther. Cut from one piece of wood requiring 31,000 cuts. 

03-005 Mooney whittled 1000s of pliers, just like this, which he sold for 5 cents each as a fund raiser for his museum.  Each pair took about 15 seconds to carve.

   Ernest "Mooney" Warther (1885 - 1973) was an exceptional whittler of whimseys and carver of steam engine models.  His story and work are preserved at  The Warther Museum, Dover, Ohio: on the grounds of his home, where Ernest manufactured knives and cutlery.  Ernest lost his father as a child. He helped out his family by herding neighbor's milk cows to distant pastures for small wages. He had no time for school and only attended to the second grade. Ernest's  nickname "Mooney"  (Swiss for "bull of the herd") followed him throughout his life. It was on such a sojourn with the herd, that Ernest happened to find a pocket knife and he took up whittling.  A passing hobo taught Ernest the trick of carving pliers out of a single piece of wood and over his lifetime it is estimated Ernest  whittled 750,000 pliers.    

Lear more about Mooney and his whimsey carvings

website of   The Warther Museum  Thanks for visiting Tramp-art.com

03-006 postcard of a model of the Dover Steel Mill by Ernest Warther. Ernest worked there for many years

03-007 postcard of model steam locomotive by Earnest Warther

03-008 postcard of model steam locomotive by Earnest Warther composed of 7752 parts and requiring 1600 hours to carve

08-018 postcard of Daniel Rose, crippled by rheumatism, with several of his folk art creations

03-017 postcard of mini whimsey carvings by Daniel Rose many match stick size.

    Daniel Rose (1871 - 1921) of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, crafted 120 bottle whimseys over his lifetime.  Daniel suffered from a progressive form of rheumatism.  As a teenager and adult, with mobility only in his hand and forearms, he became an invalid.   He filled his life by whittling penknife and bottle whimseys.  From these vintage postcards it can be seen that Daniel was recognized as a master of his craft and is remembered as an outstanding folk artist.

recommended book on bottle whimseys

02-132 postcard showing four bottle whimseys by Daniel Rose, containing (left to right)  1) pump organ. 2) assorted musical instruments. 3) factory machines? 4) woodworking tools? 

02-120 postcard showing whimseys, fretwork and carvings  "The handiwork of  Daniel Rose, the wonder working whittler"

05-035  5 5/8 long whimsey pliers signed "Francis A Johnson,  Darwin, Mn. 55234, Sept. 1 1980"  Made from a single piece of wood and opens into five pliers

     Johnson also carved whimsey pliers out of single pieces of Basswood, some pliers as small as match sticks and a eight foot model that opens into 27 pliers. Apparently Johnson's whittling was meditative as he could watch the hour evening news program and make several pliers without realizing he was multi-tasking.  After crafting thousands of whimsey pliers his carving had become automatic.

Learn More at  Minnesota Public Radio   thanks for visiting Tramp-art.com

Antique American Folk Art