[Woodcarver] Black Forest definition...

[WdcvrRip at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/22/05 10:15:49 PM, carve at whillock.com writes:

<< The vast majority of "affordable" carvings I

saw were made from roughouts.  One manufacturer of "collectibles" that are

popular in America has workers who carve a bit on their otherwise machine

carved pieces. >>

Not just in the Black Forest. You'll find machine carved and roughout carved 
figures in Scandinavia and in Canada, (and probably in other countries).  I 
bought a 12 figure in St Jean Port Joli for $35. The price alone told me it was 
not a true hand carved piece.  Later I saw the same figure in several 
shops...you can bet it was not "hand carved" in the strictest sense of the word.  The 
popular "Henning" carvings made in Norway are today all machine carved.  My 
daughter-in-law brought back a hula dancer from Hawaii that they told her was a 
'Real Wood Carving'.   It is probably pecan shells pressed into a mold.  As 
Ivan says, look at them very carefully.  Rip