Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Wooden Indian help
- Thread starter shadowtippy
- Start date
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I would NOT attempt a DIY fix on this. Find someone who knows what they are doing, or it will end up looking like one of those pre-CBS Fenders someone "improved".
Whatever you do, for the love of Pete DON'T REPAINT HIM!!!
The patina that took 100 years or more to develop, that contains the essential character of this piece of sculpture? You can destroy it in an hour with sandpaper and paint, rendering your piece of American history just another piece of wood.
Now as to the feet, personally I think the condition there is also part of the history of the piece. Frankly I'd figure out a non-invasive way to secure him to a base, and just let him stand there footless. Off the top of my head I imagine a piece of 2 x 12 for a base, with a vertical post attached, then some standoffs from that to fit the contour of the back of the Indian (Maybe about up to his waist), then maybe use zip-ties or copper wire to secure him to the vertical post. That way you're not drilling holes in him or anything. There he'll stand, upright, bearing the scars of a life well lived, but not altered or prettied up. Do you think Crazy Horse would have gotten a facelift when he first noticed wrinkles around his eyes?
The patina that took 100 years or more to develop, that contains the essential character of this piece of sculpture? You can destroy it in an hour with sandpaper and paint, rendering your piece of American history just another piece of wood.
Now as to the feet, personally I think the condition there is also part of the history of the piece. Frankly I'd figure out a non-invasive way to secure him to a base, and just let him stand there footless. Off the top of my head I imagine a piece of 2 x 12 for a base, with a vertical post attached, then some standoffs from that to fit the contour of the back of the Indian (Maybe about up to his waist), then maybe use zip-ties or copper wire to secure him to the vertical post. That way you're not drilling holes in him or anything. There he'll stand, upright, bearing the scars of a life well lived, but not altered or prettied up. Do you think Crazy Horse would have gotten a facelift when he first noticed wrinkles around his eyes?
Riffing on the epoxy solution, perhaps make a mold and pour blue tinted epoxy to make it look it’s standing in water. Or make a diorama with shrubs/grasses etc around where the feet would be.
That was actually one of the first things I thought about when this thread first popped up. How do you determine the age of these things, if it factors into value?
To be honest, that type of wear and rot could happen in 20 years or less, around here. We have hot humid summers, cold humid winters, extended below freezing temps, snow storms, wet spring and fall with wild temp changes over 24 hr periods, a lot of windy days and a lot more sun (even in winter) than most places that have a lot of precipitation. Point is, anything outdoors goes through hell, just sitting still.
So, depending on where that was, it may not be that old. Unless someone carved a date on it, or you have it tested, there's no way to know.
I'll bet the person who made it, carved their name and date on the bottom of the foot 
If it was signed/dated it was probably on the base.I'll bet the person who made it, carved their name and date on the bottom of the foot
There is a gap between the legs and headdress so putting it on a stand should be no problem, or, it could be affixed to an upright behind the headdress.
The first pic in the thread doesn't do it justice. That's a nice carving.
If it was me I'd flip it to someone with the desire and means (or skills) to do the restoration. If I did anything I'd use some Cactus Juice on the punky parts and put it up for sale, but most likely I'd brush off the worst of the dirt and let the new owner do the rest. I rehab when I can do it myself but I've learned the hard way it's tough to come out ahead if you hire it done. Paying for restoration can be like peeing in a cash register, it soon runs into money. Given what you are in to it for, it's a win win no matter what you do with it, even if you stick it in your own flower garden and let it continue returning to the elements from which it came.
https://www.turntex.com/product/cactus-juice-resin-and-dyes
Last edited:
