Antique Carved Burl Wood Bird, Presumed Native American Woodlands, Ex. Axtell Collection brass key that one was housed in

that one was housed in its original wooden crate

14" x 9" x 11/16" with two eye hooks along the top for hanging

perhaps newly betrothed (or just married

5 5/8" in diameter x 5 5/8" tall

but there is a "3" carved on the underside of his tail

Antique Carved Burl Wood Bird, Presumed Native American Woodlands, Ex. Axtell Collection brass key that one was housed inA bit of a mystery, this bird, but such a beautiful thing, which came from the collection of "Smitty" Axtell, who was a great lover of carved treen objects. Carved of burl wood I believe, it feels to me Native American, bearing a strong resemblance to birds carved on effigy pipes and ladles, but I don't know for certain, and the reason for the holes carved down the back and up the belly is unknown, though it would seem likely it functioned as a tool