Need Some Help!

[Goody]

A customer brought this carving into my shop and asked if I could carve a pick to go in his hands. Looking at the carving I am thinking it would be more like a hammer. He said he picked it up cheap at a estate sale and was wondering if I may know who may have carved it. Anybody from a coal mining family Know what goes in his hand?
Does anybody recognize the signature?
Thanks,
Goody
PS. Few more Pics to follow.

[Goody]

More Pics Of Coal Miner.

[Just Carving]

Hi Goody

If I didn't know better, I would say a sculptor's chisel or mason's chisel would fit in the right hand. I'm confused by the miner's helmet/lantern, but he appears to be standing on steps.

I'm guessing this was a Christmas present given in 1964. I think Weilnachten means Christmas. As for the the carver, no clue.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I guess everyone will see something different, but it looks like he was picking at the rock in his left hand to me...like a test to check the inside of the ore?

[carver6]

I'd have to go along with Hi Ho on chipping at a piece of ore in his left hand. I seem to remember seeing prospectors and miners in the movies used to carry a small pick and were always pecking at rocks and ore samples they would pick up to examine.
Garon

[Just Carving]

...he was picking at the rock in his left hand...

I'll stick with my version. His gaze--looking ahead--looks as if he's looking for a sweet spot where he's about to set the chisel. I'm guessing this is a depiction of a miner from the days when mining was done with hammer and chisel--long before jackhammers, drills, etc. Pickaxes--if they existed at the time--probably were not used much because there wasn't a lot of swing room overhead. Given that this was a Dutch or German carving, i.e. Weilnachten, it could have been carved overseas, or it could have been carved here--maybe in Pennsylvania, where mining was prevalent and the Dutch and German immigrants prevailed.

[Irish]

There are a lot of mining operations where they are going for stone instead of coal. So often we think of coal mines when referring to miners but granite, limestone, slate are also mined. Slate, which was a common roofing material comes out in slabs or bricks, much like the steps upon which this miner is standing.

There are a lot of mines that have beautiful square walls, level floors and steps because of the material being minded. Now, his posture suggests that he is bend over from the low ceiling ... his tunnel in not very tall yet.

I would suggest a full sized pick and I believe, but could be wrong here, that mining picks have one wide and slightly flatten side and one narrow pointed side. Most likely, in his position the pick would be held with the handle down and the pick itself very close to his hand grip.

Beautiful carving!

Susan

[squbrigg]

In the coal mines here, (Nova Scotia actually) it would be a short pick. His crouch would be due to the lack of height in the drift (tunnel) and he's be stepping on loose rock or coal near the face (end or the tunnel).

Looking at the over all position, I'd agree with coal miner, as a hard rock miner, the drifts are usually bigger and he'd be standing more upright. Coal mines, they stay to the seam and they can get pretty narrow and cramped.

Nice piece.

Bob

[AlArchie]

Looks like he's a fairly modern miner......electric lantern on the helmet. I used to have one of these but sold it in a garage sale. Battery pack on the back is indicative of the electric lantern. The old style carbide lamps were self contained on the front of the helmet. You can still purchase the carbide lamps at "old time" stores like Lehman's.

By the time the electric lanterns were in use, most mining was done by pneumatic drills and skip loaders, although some hand loading was still done, in the smaller operations.

Dave is probably right about it looking like he's chipping at an ore sample, which would pretty well eliminate it from the coal mine or even an iron mine. Copper, silver or gold would be my guess as to what he's seeking! One of those "rock hammers" or geologist's picks looks like a mason's hammer except it has a pointed pick instead of the flattened end.


Or the longer European style

Al

[Paul_Guraedy]

An interesting puzzle. He seems to be standing on something smooth and tiered such as steps. The headgear looks like the modern safety helmet with a battery pack on his belt. The jacket uses buckles for closures and extra material on the shoulders similar to a firefighter's gear. The lump in his left hand and position of his right hand would indicate that he is working them together.

How 'bout "hitting the mother lode" in a silver or gold mine? That would make a good Christmas present.