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Tramp art book provides photos, glimpse into history

Tramp Art: Another Notch, Folk Art from the Heart by Clifford A. Wallach, Schiffer Publishing, 2009. Hardcover with dust jacket, 272 pages, color photos, no values. List price: $99.99.

It’s one of those “you’ve got to be kidding me” objects. Pictured in the forward of Tramp Art: Another Notch, Folk Art from the Heart is a miniature baby grand piano in the collection of the American Folk Art Museum.

It’s not the only image that can elicit such a response. There’s the floor-model radio cabinet, complete with a spread-wing eagle. Better yet might be the vintage photograph of a young Lillie Westerviller standing with a three piece miniature bedroom suite, consisting of a bed, mirrored dresser and a washstand, made by her father, Joe.

Of course, there are plenty of common examples of tramp art shown in this book. The photo gallery, which makes up much of this work, pictures a variety of objects, both vintage and contemporary, plain and fancy.

Beyond serving as a visual reference to the diversity of this folk-art form, the book provides historical context, giving a summary of the evolution of the art form. Equally helpful is biographical information on 23 people associated with tramp art, some from the early 20th century, others in modern times.

Rather than giving values for the items pictured, the author has chosen to use a rarity guide, assigning a rating of VG1 (more common) to VG50 (rare) to vintage items. Contemporary objects are not rated.

Amber Jewelry, Art and Science by Nancy P.S. Hopp, Schiffer Publishing, 2009. Softcover, 144 pages, color photos, no values. List price: $29.99.

The mineral succinite, more commonly known as amber, is a stone created from the resin of conifer trees millions of years ago. Historical content includes the sources of amber and where the material originated. There’s information about inclusions – plants, insects and animals that became trapped in the resin and are now perfectly preserved fossils. Much of the book, however, deals with jewelry and other objects made from succinite. The text is easy to follow, and the book is illustrated by more than 320 photos.

Arrowheads: Early Man Projectile Points of North America by Ken Owens, Collector Books, 2009. Hardcover, 237 pages, color photos, values. List price: $29.95.

According to the author, “this book is intended to give amateurs and professionals alike a concise view of Paleo and Archaic projectile points from all over the United States.” Instead of focusing on a particular region, the work covers all of the United States from 20,000 B.C. to 1000 B.C., comparing points by shape and other factors. Arranged by age, 122 different types of points are examined, with a page devoted to each. Additional drawings, photographs, maps and charts supplement that material.

Found Object Art 2 by Tina Skinner, Schiffer Publishing, 2009. Hardcover with dustjacket, 240 pages, color photos, no values. List price: $49.99.

This updated work focuses on artwork made from cast-off items. Objects range from a wedding dress crafted from bottle caps to an igloo made of computer monitors to brooches made from aspirin tins. Eighty-three artists from across the United States are profiled, and 487 objects are illustrated. There’s also a two-page listing of galleries known to handle those artists.

From Fire to Form: Sculpture from the Modern Blacksmith and Metalsmith by Mathew S. Clarke, Schiffer Publishing, 2009. Hardcover with dustjacket, 256 pages, color photos, no values. List price: $50.

Created by contemporary blacksmiths and metalsmiths, some using traditional methods, others working with modern equipment, a variety of sculptures and art forms are presented in what is largely a coffee-table book. Information about each work varies, from a brief caption to several paragraphs of text. The items shown are as diverse as they are creative. They include outdoor sculptures, fountains, dishes, vases, seating, lighting, animal and human figures, and even a chopper-style motorcycle.

3/25/2009