Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-28
MAN WITH WOODEN HORSES.
High-Priced Steeds That Do Not Trot
But Cannot be Duplicated.

/ High-Priced Steeds That Do Not Trot,
But Cannot be Duplicated.
There are two wooden horses in this
city, says the Philadelphia Times, which
cost twice as much as very fine speci-
mems Of flesh and blood. S. r. Phillips
wooden tandem team that dilate their
painted nostrils at 1918 Chestnut street
cost 1880, and Mr.. Phillips formerly had
a six-in-hand of yellow pine, the actual
cost Of which was $500. Each horse
was designed after living model.
''They are really works Of art said a
member Of the firm yesterday, ''but the
man who made them is dead, and have
vainly searched through continental
Europe bOr another carver or sculptor
who could reproduce them. The man
who made them-Starcof was his name
was a small, stumpy German, who knew
or cared only for his mallet and chisel. 1
heard Of his peculiar skill in animal
work, and as we wanted these horses,
with which TO display costly harness, /
engaged him to do the work. He offered
to make six OF them after living models
and true in every proportion for $500.
The job took him about eighteen months
and each charger was made up Of $50
pieces Of unusually wsll-seasoned pine.
StarcOf every day had his model at his
shop, and his mallet and chisel could be
heard from daylight until dark as the
wood gradually assumed the appearance
Of the models.
S'When completed they so closely re-
sembled living animals that a second
glance was needed to convince custom
ers that they were the creation of the
chisel. Our trouble had always been,
and is yet, TO get good, life-like dummies
with which to display our harness. After
the sculptor had completed his work there
arose another difficult problem, and that
was to reproduce natural colors and
shades. Finally l settled upon an artist
in another State, who faithfully painted
them in various colors true to nature.
| We wanted bay horse, as it was and is
now such popular color. Newbold
| TrOtter, the animal painter, attempted
the work. You see bay color is hard TO
reproduce, even on canvas, and probably
no true bay dummy had ever before been
/ painted. There is the result of TrOtter's
| efforts" said the proprietor, as he pointed
/ to a handsome prancing charger a few
I yards away. The steed was mounted on
I a wooden stand, and had il been placed
| in the street would at first have been
| mistaken for live horse. II had all the
grace and beauty Of finely proportional
| roadster, while Its coat was as sleek and
/ shiny as the best groOmed horse that trav.
/ els the ChamOuni drive.
! THAT one and it's mate" said the man
/ of wooden horses, ''Was modelled after
| the leaders of my grandfather's four-in-
| hand-cOnsidered as handsome a team az
/ any in Philadelphia. After the wooden
siX-In-hand made its appearance in ouI
wareTOOms it attracted much attention
| and we received many propositions to
sell the horses. We did nnally dispose
/ OF some Of them, but we are sorry now
| that we did. The United States Govern.
ment purchased two Of them and they
| are now on exhibition in the Ordnance
/ Department, where two of them are
hitched 20 big cannOns. tried to gel
| StarcOff to make us some more, but found
that he had died. l searched far and
wide to get reproduction of his master
| pieces and went to Europe, where finally
found a celebrated Swiss carver, who
/ offered to do the work. When he saw
! Starcotf's original plans and designs his
heart failed him and he relinquished the
| job.
Il have tried TO purchase the dummies
1 had sold, but their owners will not part
/ with them. BY the way, DIR. Evans, the
/ noted Philadelphia dentist, who subse
/ quently went 10 Paris and became the
dentist TO the royal family, purchased &
( pair Of them from US and presented then
to the Empress Eugene. 1880 is a stiff
/ price for six live horses, but would no
exchange one Of my gallant yellow pine
steeds for the best horse that travel:
| Chestnut street.