Wooden Indians

When was the last time you saw an old Indian carved from wood? Unless you were visiting or browsing about a museum, you probably have never seen one of these items standing in front of a tobacco store, yet back in the late 1800's and early 1900's these hand carved figures, life sized, mounted on a platform with wheels, held a prominent place on the sidewalk in front of tobacco stores. At the close of business each evening, the figure could easily be rolled back into the store until the store opened for business the next day.

These figures were carved by hand, generally from one large block of wood. The arms, if out stretched, had to be fastened with wooden dowel pins and glue to the body. One hand held a bundle of cigars.

The artists who carved these beautiful figures usually charged a certain price per feather. If the figure was an Indian Chief with a large number of feathers in his bonnet, the price could exceed $500. Because of this rate in carving, the cheapest figure would be the likeness of a maiden or squaw. Also it took less time to carve.

In doing some research on these long forgotten items I was surprised to learn that most of them were hollow. This hollowed space was filled with linseed oil to keep the wood from cracking as the wood aged.

No one knows the exact date when the first figure was carved, but about 1830 later they became very popular in advertising tobacco. Collectors of these prized pieces have estimated that more than 25,000 of the wooden Indians were carved within a period of seventy to seventy five years but less than one-fifth of them remain today. They are also certain that thousands of these priceless wooden redskins were destroyed in the tragic fires of Baltimore, San Francisco, Chicago and hundreds of smaller cities in the past century. I have seen large numbers of them on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. There are several large collections now owned by wealthy individuals in Milwaukee, Virginia and Rhode Island.

Bedford once had at least two of these beautiful Wooden Indians displayed in front of local tobacco stores.

Several years ago the newspapers carried quite a story about a wooden Indian being sentenced to jail- the charges were LOITERING!! This happened in a town in Connecticut. It seems this state had passed a law whereby merchants could no longer display their products on public sidewalks. One merchant refused to remove his 'Big Chief' from the sidewalk. As a result the police proceeded to escort the silent Warrior to the station. When he did not plead guilty or innocent he was taken before the District Judge. His sentence- Thirty days!

To you who have never seen a Wooden Indian, we suggest you pay a visit to the Fort Bedford Museum. A beautiful statue has been loaned to the Museum. Its carving is most unusual. The figure appears to be in the midst of a dance. In his right hand he is holding a tomahawk while in his left hand is a bundle of cigars. Why not stop in and say 'HOW' to him.