Warther Carving Museum in Dover Ohio

[Don by the lake]

Just got back from a week end trip to Berlin Ohio, Amish country. Very interesting place to visit but not on a week end because everything shuts down at 5 on Saturday and next to nothing is open on Sunday. We left Sunday morning and went To Dover, Ohio to the Warther Woodcarving Museum. If you have never been there it would be worth the trip to see. Ernest Mooney Warther was a Genuis Master Carver. His main passion in carving was making old steam locomotives. I didn't know what to expect when we started the tour but was pleasantly surprised by what I was shown. One of the most amazing carvings I have ever seen was a carving of 511 working sets of pliers all connected and carved from one peice of wood. Unbelievable! The detail on the trains he carved was perfect. Another item that caught my eye was a walking stick that had a cage carved in it with a ball within a ball within the cage. Just an impossible carving! Again if you get a chance stop by this place. It will blow you away! Here is a good website that tells aboutMr. Warther:
Woodworkers—Mooney Warther

[happyhal]

Hey Don isn't that an awsome experience! I live about an hour and a half from there. I found it last year and went in WOW! is the best way I can discribe it. If anyone else has a chance to see it it is sure worth it. HappyHal

[mdallensr]

My wife and I made that trip not long after I started carving; it's not far from our part of Ohio. I was so amazed at his skill and the amount of carvings compared to my amateur efforts, I stopped carving for awhile. I got over that, but be prepared to be humbled. Mooney did the history of the steam locomotives, in extreme detail, and then went back and did them again in ebony and ivory when he was older, had a successful family business, and could afford the exotic materials. The "tree" carving of the unfolding pliers was in the New York World's Fair. In a way, it's not really a carving because when you fold it up, the original piece of wood is still there. I first saw Mooney on the Johnny Carson show, and he would carve/make those single pairs of pliers out of a match stick or small piece of wood, without actually looking at what he was doing. Suddenly, he'd hold up this working pair of pliers! Just a truly gifted and hard working guy. The Lincoln funeral train is a show stopper!

The former Dover carving show, which featured Warther's stuff, is now in Canton, OH this coming weekend. Warther's are still part of the show, with some exhibits and the knives they make and sell. Mike

[cgm]

I agree, that is a great place to visit. I was there 10 to 15 years back.
Carl

[TreeWizard]

I was there several years ago and if my memory serves me right, carving was his hobby, and he was a cuttlery maker by trade.

[iwoodcarve]

Originally Posted by mdallensr

My wife and I made that trip not long after I started carving; it's not far from our part of Ohio. I was so amazed at his skill and the amount of carvings compared to my amateur efforts, I stopped carving for awhile. I got over that, but be prepared to be humbled. Mooney did the history of the steam locomotives, in extreme detail, and then went back and did them again in ebony and ivory when he was older, had a successful family business, and could afford the exotic materials. The "tree" carving of the unfolding pliers was in the New York World's Fair. In a way, it's not really a carving because when you fold it up, the original piece of wood is still there. I first saw Mooney on the Johnny Carson show, and he would carve/make those single pairs of pliers out of a match stick or small piece of wood, without actually looking at what he was doing. Suddenly, he'd hold up this working pair of pliers! Just a truly gifted and hard working guy. The Lincoln funeral train is a show stopper!

The former Dover carving show, which featured Warther's stuff, is now in Canton, OH this coming weekend. Warther's are still part of the show, with some exhibits and the knives they make and sell. Mike

Actual dates of the show is March 20 & 21. Warthers will be there and they are bringing a supply of the perfect basswood that they buy for the pliars that Mark still carves for the kids. They are bringing a large variety of sizes of basswood. You should try to make the show, it is a wonderful facility and very quality carvings throughout. I am biased of course, as I am a member of the board that puts the show on.

[mdallensr]

iwoodcarve, good to hear you're involved in the show. It's a good show but we may not be able to make it this year. That is a busy weekend and we always go to ODCCA, so we may not have time for two carving shows. If we can get there, we'll stop and say hello. Good luck and thanks for all your efforts to make the Canton show successful. Mike

[iwoodcarve]

Mike, if you make it my table is right by the main entry table. I will be there with my beautiful wife. Greg

[happyhal]

Hey Greg I was thinking about going to that show. Now that you say the Warthers will be there I really want to go. Where exactly is that in Canton? HappyHal

[mdallensr]

Expressions in Wood. Cultural Center for the Arts, 1001 Market Ave. North, Canton Phone: 330-499-1576, 330-456-1180 Admission: $4 pierrejol@sbcglobal.net