New-York tribune., 1882-04-28
AMONG The FIGURE HEADS.
THE WORK OF sHlP-CARvERs.

THE WORK OF SHIP -CARyERS.
TALKS WITH THE ARTISANS AT woRK-A BUSINESS
THAT IS LOOKING UP-soME NOTABLE FIGURE
HEADS.
A TRIBUNE reporter strolled into the shop of
ship-carvcr in SOuth-st., recently. and found the
proprietor, John Anderson by name, engaged III
carving some mahogany figures for the interior OF
new steamboat. glance ut the room showed q
queer collection of old fgure-heads plaster models
and nondescript relies. weather-beaten image OF
Lord Chatham leaned against the wall: In spite OF
age the carvers skill still evident in the neatly
turned buttons and the wrinkles in the wooden
clothing. Dressed in well~tttlng knee breeches,
waistcoat and surtout. the Semblance of the great
orator appeared to be addressing Parliament, as hc
held sclOll in one hand while the other was thrust
in his bosom. In one corner there was female
figure embodying presumably the marine ideal of
beauty, which had evidently seen many storm at
sea, and was suggestive OF tho breezy lines:
"warm broke the breeze upon the brow
Dry sang the tackle sang the sail;
The lady's head upon the Prov
Caught the shri salt and shecred the gale"
Other interesting thugs number of carved
and unglded eagles for ornamenting tugboats and
steamers together with huge blocks OF pine wood
waiting for the carver. There was a number OF
paste board patterns Of graceful designs for trail
boards" the technical name Tor the ornamental
carving OH a vessels bow. Figure-heads OF all
degrees of beanty and ugliness abounded, besides
marine cuIOstles of all kinds. while long, rusty
hnt-lock musket did not seen out of place among
them.
curious business isn't it P said the reporter to
tho proprietor. who from his avocatIon' seemed 10
nevertheless as picturesque As his carving
Yes and it's older :han we are"
"Perllaps YOU allude to the carved vessels OF the
Vikingsr suggested the reporter
Well my memory of igure-hea doesn't extend
back to the one on Noalfs ark. But can tell you
who was the first shipcarver IN tuIs cry. and that
was jeremiah Dodge who had shop in Columbia
ST. near Livingston It. Ills son. Charles J. Dodge,
cut some very pretty heads for the Collins Line
steamers. Perhaps you don't know that /. d. Rice,
Jim Crow, was apprenticed TO my father Jacob ,.
Anderson. as shlp-carver. Dodge cut hguro OF
jim Crow that was SO so fe.llAe that it was used
the audience couldn't tell the hgure-head from tie
original. My best business has been carving for
yachts and | have carved for the most of them,
from the Julia down. ! was four months making
an Indian maiden sleeping i'll hammock for the
old yacht Mohawk. One OF my best pieces OF work
was on Robert Goelets yacht the Norseman There
is of my carving on Il g steamer Rhen, OF the
North German Lloyd Line. Those six eagles arc
for the Iron Steamboat Company. They are
worth according to size, from $40 to $40, gilded.
IL takes good deal of gold to gild them and moth
ing but gold will DO only that will stand the
weather without getting discoloTed."
" Is there as much carving done on ships now as
formeryT
Yes the business has its ups and downs, and
just now II Is increasing. They are not perhaps;
putting 50 many hguTe-heads on vessels now, Dut
they are putting more ornamental carving INSIDE,
and doing away with ornamental work nade OF
putty and whiting. The Clyde Is the place Tor
shipcarvers Ii isn't for my interest but since you
ask me will say that they probably beat Amen-
can caTvers in iigurc-heads. Their INES are
grander and generally their work Is better thlnk
We excel them in ornamentatiOn, though. Ihat
William Pitt over there is of English carving l
have had II thirty years, ana used 10 nave II out
side for sign. good figure head viii help sell
ship That's all the practical use there Is for them"
- Isn't there some romance or sentiment connected
with themf
Dutchman used TO lend a hand at taking in sail in
"A storm, Come to think, there IcaS a DANISH sailor
Who refused to ship vessel here long while
ago because he said the figure head rolled its eyes
al him. The vessel was never heard of after she
sailed. But of course you don't believe that's true,
do youP
Not far from this shop the reporter found another
carver in the fourth story of boat-builders ware
house, who was deftly pushing his curved-edge
tIall- bOaIds OF James Gordon Benefits new yacht
"The business isn't what it was" said he. ~ he