What Type Of Carvings Sell Best In Your Area Or State

[gene-messer]

Recently .. I sent some minature Black Bears to a gift shop in Tenn ..

My friend said make them only black bears because thats what people ask for ..

So I was just wondering .. What carvings sell best in your particular area or state ? ..

I know in Texas .. Cowboys and longhorn cows are very popular of course .. it being Texas ..

It seems Bears are the thing in the Tenn . mountain area ..

We all know of course durning Christmas .. Santas sell ..

But is there any particular carvings that you noticed sell best in your State or area ..

It would be interesting to know from all the different people we have on this board .. What they have found out ..
Thanks ..
Gene

[Bartster]

gene,


the carvings that seem to sell best for me is santas, and seasonal pins, it seems the ladies like the santas and pins for them to wear on their shirts at work, alot of ladies that work in doctors offices likes the pins. if i really wanted to i could sell all my santas,i have to hold some back at times just so my daughter and wife will have some.


bart

[Butch_Speer]

Gene,
In Mo. Santas sell. I go to a selfbowyers convention the third weekend in July & sell all I take with me. Everyone stops to look at the cottonwood bark spirits but, what they buy is Santa. I've always liked carving old people. Never did care for Santa till I got it thru my head that Santa is just an old man in a funny red suit.Smile

[Nancy-G]

I agree with Bart and Butch ~
I've been able to sell Santa 12 months a year with no problem and no slowing down. (OK, OK, I've slowed down the past 2 years but that sure hasn't slowed down the people calling me asking for Santa)

Uncle Sam, angels, flower girls and other things all sell too, but Santa is what keeps everything rolling. Smile

[Mark N. Akers]

Yes I agree with y'all,but I would add ornament,I seems people in our area collects ornaments.

[susieq]

I never meant it to be this way but I do only Santas..... It is what I love to do first of all.... and they sell all year long. My failure is that I don't carve fast enough to keep up with demand....

But if you are a bird carver, there are folks out there that collect (and will pay big bucks for) decoys and also realistic birds. At our annual show, birds of prey are big.

[Doug Ridley]

Santas, 13 months a year.

[tucker1931]

Unfortunately, I'm in a State of constant confusion so I really can't voice an opinion, but, I wouild think Santas will go here in Canada as well, if I ever get r done to suit me.

[Lightningbolt]

My experience with marketing may be valid only for me since I don't do shows, festivals, yard sales, or consignments since I already have a very full-time job. I did sell on consignment for one year at a local interstate gift shop and made a LOT of extra cash but I decided that I loved my regular job and thus needed a little "down" time so I gave it up. I also did one local, seasonal festival 5 or so years ago and pulled in a thousand dollars but that was 3 LONG days with thousands of people and I wouldn't do it again for $5,000. unless I were awful hungry.

With that said, I make most of my side money on woodspirit walking sticks and there's always somebody wanting them. I market them now by only "word of mouth" as an Appalachian mountain craft using high elevation sourwood, maple, laurel, or sweet birch and they sell fast enough for me.

During the last couple of years I've been amazed at what people are willing to pay for chainsaw art. Everything that I've made has sold from bears, woodspirits, to Indians and there is most definitely a strong market for such carvings in this area but I don't know of a single chainsaw carver in my area. I am planning for an early retirement so just give me a little more time!

[Blake Lunsford]

I agree also....santas and ornaments seem to be a big hit up here also. The shop I sell in often calls me to bring in more "stuff" and that is 12 months a year. I'm really surprised that santas sell during the summer, but I guess tourist buy stuff throughout the year. I've also sold bottlestoppers, and some caricatures. I've been told that most of the sales at the shop I sale in are impulse buys for people, so I guess it is all according to what people like.

Blake