Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-03-02
7heLast 9or5tore Indian

In the Industry are In deep demand by collectors
One OF the masterpieces of St. Nicotine stands
today at the front door OF tobacconlst's shop
on the Rue st. Jean, In Quebec city, where 1t
was placed fifty years ago. The owner has re-
fused $500 for It.
John was humble artist who never talked
OF art for arts sake but did whatever his hand
found to do. What was In demand sixty and
seventy years ago was hgureheads for ships.
Canada was center of the wooden shipbuild-
Ing industry So the young John, although he
went for brief period to New York, found
more ample scope for bis talents at home
Forty years carved for Ships John said.
Then the steamers came In and iron had no use
for wood. had long carved Indians also
carved the figure OF a notary for notary's door
In Montreal But for years have done mostly
angels and apostles and saints
Johns art will not altogether die with him.
He leaves behind him a nephew, Edouard Mar
cote, trained In his craft and Ste Anne, though
the great master of wood carving Is no more.
Will not be deprived of sacred iconngraphp
While some dealers Commissioned" home
talent carvers to execute" their Indians the
wide demand gave birth,to a new trade Re-
search has failed to disclose any evidence OF
factory for making wooden Indians, but the
braves were carried as line by the drum
mers' for wholesale tobacco houses and pic
lures or Indians graced their catalogues
Edward Hen one of the leaders In the to-
Dacco business In the East found profit In the
propagation or the new Indian race and adj
yertised the braves for sale as early as 1856
In 1871 Hen assembled In an old nye.story
building In New York city congress OF wooden
Indians, certainly fearful sight. Hundreds of
red men, squaws and white figures. all freshly
and daFiHgly painted, lined the waits
twenty-five dollars was the average price for
the commonest variety of wooden IndIan-often
braves which had been traded for other figures
and reprinted. But what difference time has
made In the cigar store Indian market! 1t might
be possible to buy one for s25 In these depressed
times. but It's very doubtful
Several years ago the Cleveland Plain Dealer
conducted a wooden Indian contest" which
brought to light number OF these interesting
relics and as a result one OF Them aSeneca
john alias 1.-THE Tiiin Tecumseh.' achieved
a lasting place In the annals of American an
Equities when he sold by AlbInus Elehert
a farmer living near New Regel, Ohio for 500
to Henry Ford, who has given the redskn
permanent home in his museum OF American
antiques at Dearborn, Mich. Mr.. Ford had had
a "squaW' for some time, but desiring mate
for her, he instituted q search for one which
resulted In his acquiring Seneca John"
year or so ago Mark Sullivan. writing In
the New York Herald Tribune on the MANY
signs of a rapidly changing America, said an
other news item that makes vivid the quick pass
Ing of recently familiar features OF American
life Is this In the New York Herald Trbune
Penn Yam. N. Y.-0ne OF the last members
OF vanishing tribe of wooden Indians has bean
purchased for 500 by an antique dealer here
year ago the hand-carved Indian was sold by
a Montour Falls tobacconIst for s10'
IA LOCO per cent Increase In value within n
year suggests extreme rapidity In tile process
OF antiquatlon. SO quickly does change come IN