[BobD]

Hi everyone,
Quick question...Jessie Groeschen, one of our authors, got an e-mail from a Japanese media company about a chainsaw carved bear they had. It is carved out of red cedar and signed H. Herrmann. The company thinks the carver is Canadian...

It is enormous...I've attached a couple photos. Sorry about the quality, but that's what the company sent us...

Does anyone know anything about the carver?

[Lightningbolt]

Wow! That is most certainly one huge bear! The Japanese people are generally not very tall people and if the fellow in this picture is just over 5 feet tall then that bear must be between 15 and 20 feet in my humble opinion. Did I say WOW!

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I can't make out anything?

[Ashbys]

Bob ,

Looks like the bear is life size. If you notice the bear is on a platform , and his feet, although a poor picture are at the knees of the man in the picture. So I would assume that is the location of the sig.

A full grown Grizz in this standing pose will stand at 9 ft. Based upon the broom and the lumber in the picture, I would guess the bear to be about 9 ft. The photo of his feet looks to be very close to the 12 inch by 8 inch as well.

This information came from the Bear reference book I just got in from Rick's little shavers. So although I don't know much about the carver, the bear looks to be life size , slightly distorted due to the picture of the man in the picture , but If the man were to stand next to the bear, on the platform base, the bear should be about 3 - 3and a half feet taller than the man. Which is correct size.

Ash

[kaiserb]

Just a quick guess, from a guy with a sloppy signature...HHERRMANN may actually be H. HERRMANN. There are a lot of Herrmann's it is a popular name.

[wade clark]

Ash,
So does that make the man a snack-size, a lunch size, or a 3-course meal size? My guess is just above a snack size.
When I kayak here in Florida, I wear a life jacket, because if I'm getting eaten by a shark, I want him to choke on my vest!
(if you're squeemish, don't read this post!)(oops!too late!)
Wade

[Ashbys]

Wade,

I would think, some of us would be a 3 course dinner , .

But I thought a alot about this pic after I posted. So just a few odd thoughts.

The bottom platform is of course the counter balance, it is a shame it is hidden, it could have been a big help in findng the size of the carving. Also , I wonder why the picture is intentionally distorted.

The picture is taken from a low angle and shot upward, almost like the person taking the photo was lying on the ground. ( incresing the distortion) then the counter balance is hidden behind a table giving it even more distoration by making it look like the bear and man are standing on equal footing. Adding to the effect are the wood boards in the shop, the ones on the left are all angled and the ones on the right all upright. Again adding to a distorting effect to make the bear look even larger.

A new broom will be about 4' 6" tall, this is pretty much a world wide standard, also it looks to be fairly close to the same plane as the bear. I found it funny the broom looked larger than the man .

Anyway, add the counterbalance base on the the size and the carving sould be about 12 ft tall. An impressive piece of work .

Ash

[wade clark]

Ash,
Counting the ladder rungs, it may be 13 to 14 ft.
I believe I saw photos of this carving recently on the chainsaw carving forum, but not sure.
Wade

[Ashbys]

Are you sure it is chain sawed? There was a German teacher of carving in the named Hans U. Herrmann.

Yep Wade, and with the ladder being back againts the wall and the distortion, still means very close to life size.

Ash

[Colin_Partridge]

I have never heard of the carver but that doesnt mean anything. I dont think he was Canadian but I could be mistaken. Maybe post the pictures on the chainsaw carving forum maybe someone there will recognize it.
Colin