Took a day trip to Dover, Ohio yesterday and visited the https://thewarthermuseum.com/.  Just amazing pieces of work. Most of his work was done with ebony & legal ivory. There is no glue used on any of his pieces, everything is carved to fit. He never sold any of his carvings.

 

These 3 trains were some of his early works. The wheels came from a local pool hall and were damaged ivory cue balls.

   

 

 

 This was a prototype being designed that has boiler & power in the tender car to help push the train up hills. This is the only known model of this type of train.

 

 

The handrails measure under 1/16"dia.

 

Lincoln funeral train. All the lettering is ivory inlayed into the ebony. Abalone trim on the cars and wheels. The rope that rings the bell is a single piece of ivory about 1/32"dia.

  

 

 Lincoln inside the funeral car.

 

 

 

This piece was made of just ivory & the train's weight is 72 pounds. The bridge is ebony with highlights in walnut and the mortar joints are made of ivory. This piece to a year to carve.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 20233 yr by DuckSoup

That is incredible!

Holy cow, those are exquisite!

Speechless! Thanks so much for capturing your tour and sharing with us Bob. GREATLY appreciated.

Better Video & complete tour. I did fail to mention that he did not have a lathe, everything that is round was hand cut, filed & sanded.

 

 

Also amazing is his shop.  It's a bit smaller than a 1 car garage with a wall of windows.

Thank you for sharing this with us Bob, incredible!

I submitted the link as well in our Links Directory:

 

My brother lives down there.  Another of Ohio's unique places to visit.  Read a story that said he carved pliers from wood and gave them away to visitors.

Edited July 3, 20233 yr by HandyDan

Thanks for sharing a very interesting place and NO lathe WOW.

Words can't describe the talent shown here!

On 7/2/2023 at 11:30 PM, HandyDan said:

My brother lives down there.  Another of Ohio's unique places to visit.  Read a story that said he carved pliers from wood and gave them away to visitors.

Yes, that's true.  Pliers made from one piece of wood.  

 

Haven't made it up there yet but pretty much my #1 if I ever take a trip for myself. For my .02 he was one of the most talented carvers to have ever lived....a true 1%'er.