A Chip-Carved Fruitwood Distaff | Main Gallery

While alluding to celestial-bodies folk-lore speaks of the distaff & spindle as; the golden sun and silver moon that spin the thread of life. In our own example we see this centuries old tradition has manifest itself in an article full of colour and patina, a result of its heavy workload, while the terminal of the handle has a bleached appearance, perhaps a consequence of it being turned directly on terra-firma or more cosily perhaps on the floor of a log cabin.

Its carving is deep and crisply executed having an agrarian theme, including a variety of motives, paired wheels, paired worms, paired birds etc. with a snake entwining its handle. Its unusual spear-shaped terminal helping to identify it as having originated in the Balkans.
This article is in unrestored & unrepaired condition.

Product features

• Fruitwood
• Circa 1840
• Size: Length 34½” Width 4½”
• 87cms X 11cms