1988 Hand Carved Painted Wood Folk Art Santa Clause or Belsnickel By J Bastian

Description: A hand carved wood and polychrome painted American Folk-Art figure of Santa Clause or a Belsnickel by Jonathan Bastian. The carving shows a Santa or a Belsnickel wearing a green coat with a hood and red boots standing tall. The Belsnickel has a long white beard and he is carrying a red bag on his shoulder. He is holding a twig or a small tree in his right hand. The carving is made in the best tradition of Pennsylvania Dutch Folk Art tradition common in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The piece is signed and dated on the back of Santas coat. The carving shows details of the beard, the face with the eyes, eyebrows, the mouth and the nose. It is very well done and shows the marks of the tool used to carve it throughout. Just a wonderful and nicely done piece of American Folk Art to add to your Americana Collection or use around your home for Christmas decoration. Please carefully review the photos presented as they are part and parcel of our description.

Date: 1988.

Origin: Although originally from Kutztown Pennsylvania, Jonathan Bastian now lives and works in Virginia.

Size: Measures ~10 3/4" high, ~2 3/4" at its deepest, and ~ 2 3/4” at its widest. The bottom of the boots is ~1 1/2" by ~1 1/2". The piece weighs about 10 ounces.

Maker: Jonathan Bastian.

Marks: Marked in black ink lettering on the back of the piece "JB 88."

Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: Truly a nice and unusual piece of Americana, which would make a worthy addition to your collection.

Condition: The carving is in excellent condition, with no breaks, cracks, losses, or repairs. It does have minor scratches and minimal loss to the paint if any. Note the white spot on the top of Santa's hat represents a minor loss of color, which in actuality is not as bad as the photos suggest. Please see photos for additional condition information.