German Carved Wooden Whistler by Griesbaum

Live Auction

18"(46 cm.) A carved wooden man with carved and painted costume is jauntily posed leaning against a lamp-post,the carving including angular facial features with deeply incised wrinkles,stove-pipe hat,ill-fitting suit whose details include hand in pocket,belt flap,polka dot red tie and well-worn shoes. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Griesbaum,Germany,circa 1950,an amusing off-shoot of the the firm's popular singing birds (see lots 99 and 101 of this catalog); when wound,the man turns his head from side to side and "whistles"loudly; meanwhile the lamp lights up and then dims when his whistling is finished. Value Points: well-preserved and amusing figure that combines the German wood-carving skills with singing bird movements.