Hand Carved Old Couple Relief Plaques Pair Mid Century Folk Art Wood Man Pipe Woman

This hand carved old couple relief plaques pair features two substantial mid century style wood portraits, an elderly woman in a head covering and an elderly mustached man wearing a hat and holding a pipe.

Each figure is cut deeply into a thick solid wood block, leaving broad visible chisel marks, knots, grain, and irregular natural edges as part of the design.

The warm honey brown finish and expressive faces give the pair the look of traditional folk carving. They would work especially well together on a cabin wall, beside a fireplace, in a study, or among other hand carved folk art.

Details

• Item: Pair of carved portrait plaques
• Item Type: Deep relief wall carvings
• Era: Mid 20th century, exact date not confirmed from photos
• Materials: Solid carved wood, exact wood species not confirmed from photos
• Color: Warm honey brown with darker brown shading and natural wood variation
• Maker and Mark: Small incised mark or possible initials visible near the lower portion of the male plaque. Maker is not confirmed from photos
• Pattern or Model: Elderly couple portrait pair, no model name confirmed
• Style: Folk art, rustic deep relief character carving
• Dimensions: Approximately 11 inches by 9 inches by 1 1/4 inches
• Product Weight: 3 pounds 13 ounces actual item weight

Condition Grade: Very Good

Positives

• Graded Very Good: Both plaques remain substantial, attractive carved pieces with strong facial detail and an appealing warm wood finish.
• The deeply carved faces, clothing, hat, head covering, mustache, pipe, and surrounding relief remain visually distinct.
• The two plaques retain complementary color and carving style and display naturally as a pair.

Issues / Wear

• Natural knots, bark remnants, irregular edges, darker areas, and rough sections are visible throughout the wood blocks.
• Small surface checks, scratches, tool marks, and areas of uneven finish are visible in the photographed surfaces.
• There is localized roughness and wood loss around some knots and outer edges, particularly along the lower and side areas.
• The small incised mark on the male plaque is not clear enough in the photos to identify confidently as an artist signature.

Collector's Notes

Paired portraits of an elderly man and woman were a recurring subject in 20th century folk carving traditions. Similar character plaques were produced in both Alpine regions and North American folk carving communities.

The matching format makes this pair especially suited to collectors of carved folk figures, rustic wall art, cabin decor, and expressive portrait carving.

The male pipe smoker and the woman's head covering give the pair distinct personalities, while the thick blocks preserve the knots, grain, and irregularity of the original wood.

They have the kind of hand worked surface that rewards a closer look, with chisel cuts and natural wood character still plainly visible.

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Disclaimer

All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece, please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.

I do my best to capture colors accurately, but your monitor or device screen may display colors slightly differently from the actual item.

Please Note:
These pieces come from estate collections and have been surface cleaned. You may wish to perform additional cleaning depending on your preference.

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