Big Ball in Cage Whimsy - 3 Inch Cube spotted beetle and really a compelling object

and really a compelling object I think--carefully (lovingly

such that the form itself is difficult to get a handle on

The brush measures 11 3/8" long x 2 1/2" in diameter

though I can find no reference to Ernst Gravenhorst anywhere

5 5/8" t x 4 5/8" w

Big Ball in Cage Whimsy - 3 Inch Cube spotted beetle and really a compelling objectOne of the things I really love about carved wooden whimsies is their infinite variety, even with the most straight forward of forms. I think this may be the largest ball in cage I've seen at 3 x 3 x 3 inches, with a ball so large it seems poised to bust out of its cage entirely! This one I'd guess dates to the mid 20th century or so, and reads as much as a tabletop minimalist sculpture as a folk art carving. There is a split in one side of the cage