Monday, August 1, 2011

Ross Carr's Duff Tweed Collection

Weeeeee're baaaaack, and obviously you are too if you're reading this.  Welcome back!


One of the advantages of having a blog on a particular subject is that persons with similar interests have a way of finding and contacting you.  We were recently contacted by a collector who shared he had 13 different Duff Tweed carvings and was looking to sell all but one of them.  


The collector is Ross Carr and this is his Duff Tweed collection.  We at Duff Tweed Carvings have purchased six carvings from Ross so far and are in discussion to purchase another two or three.  Upon completing our first purchase, Ross shared two identical golfer carvings we had never seen. Once we have purchased the other carvings, we will edit this blog to include the newest editions from Mr. Carr's collection.


Now let's start sharing.  Below is a set of three golfers never displayed in this blog.  All the carvings from Ross's collection are in excellent shape with very clean backgrounds.  Ross was obviously collecting years before we got started.  Ross and I are both Aquarians and born 6 days apart from one another, so maybe we're destined to collect Duff's work.
Attempted to enlarge picture, but it get's cut off and you can only see two golfers, sorry!


We would normally comment on each piece, but as there are so many, we thought we'd simply share them and let you see the Carr Collection.  Ross, like myself has a love affair with golf.  Luckily, he collected Duff Tweed's golfer carvings so we get to benefit by adding new and unseen carvings to the Duff Tweed Carvings collection.  


Below is another golfer individually framed and signed.
F O R E!

The next and last golfer carving below is one you have seen before in this blog, but he is holding a perfect golf iron as opposed to the not so perfect one previously pictured months ago. His paint is cleaner and unmarked.  

He is affectionately named The Happy Golfer.

The last of the carvings we received is the famous SUE THE BASTARDS carving pictured below.

Now, the carvings in the picture below are from Ross's collection, but have not yet been shipped.  
Pictured from top row right to left: Golf Caddy - Happy Golfer - Grim Golfer (All in Plexi-Glass), Double Jigger Jack Grant
Pictured from bottom row right to left: Damn I'm Good (tennis), Laughing Golfer in Red, Laughing Golfer in Green and the Sailor/Yachtsman.

 A HUGE SHOUT OUT AND OUR SINCEREST THANKS TO ROSS CARR FOR NOT ONLY SHARING HIS COLLECTION, BUT FOR ALLOWING US TO ADD ALMOST ALL HIS CARVINGS TO THE DUFF TWEED AND RUST TRAP RANCH COLLECTIONS.  THANK YOU ROSS! 

Did you notice we mentioned Ross sold us all but one Duff Tweed carving?  We knew you noticed!  You're good that way! 

Of course, it was our favorite, but honestly, we're glad Ross is keeping it.  It was the first Duff Tweed carving Ross purchased and has a great deal of sentimental value to him.

So, without further adieu, here's Duff Tweed's Drinking Fisherman.  It's sooooo cooooool!
"Calling John the Fisherman"...sorry for my Primus quip, but it's a fav.

Hope you enjoyed this post and all the wonderful carvings shared with us by Ross Carr.

Looking forward to sharing more Duffy tales in the future.

All the best!
-Joe

Duff Tweed's Wall Street Journal Hobo via Joel Rothschild

Hello.  Welcome new collectors and frequent visitors!


July 2011 was a crazy month for Duff Tweed carving collectors on the West Coast.  We here at Duff Tweed Carvings were inundated with offers we received to purchase carvings.  We worked with our good friend at the Rust Trap Ranch to take a few off our hands.  Gary is building quite a collection over there in Simi Valley, CA.  Combined we estimate we have built up one of the largest collections of Duff's carvings anywhere.  We would welcome the opportunity to hear otherwise. *smile*


About a week ago, I met a wonderful person with a carving, Joel Rothschild.  He is also an award winning author.  His god-mother was an avid collector of art and was very busy collecting local artist's work during the period of 1955 to 1970.  Fortunately for us, she learned that Duff Tweed lived locally in Pasadena, California and purchased the Wall Street Hobo below. 

The carving is from 1969 which is in print on the Wall Street Journal pages in the background.  Below is a close-up photo where you can see part of the "6" and all of the "9" just to the lower right of his left ear.  The "1969" is clearly visible in the picture above.

 This particular carving has Duff's signature and "Pasadena" written on the front and is in excellent condition.  All the Wall Street Hobo's with Wall Street print in the background that we have prior to this one do not have a signature or "Pasadena" on the front.  Additionally, if you go back and look at the other carvings we have of this same figure, you'll see they have orange painted shirts while this one is painted in red.
A neat thing about collecting Duff Tweed carvings are the people you meet.  Joel is a very nice, interesting and involved person.  He gives the proceeds of his sales to his charity of choice and has done so for many years.  Obtaining art from such people just makes the entire experience more enjoyable and unforgettable.   So, here's a big shout out to Joel for allowing us to purchase this carving.  Thanks Joel, we appreciate you and your willingness to share this Duff Tweed carving with the world.
The Godfather - Mark Handler - UPDATE 9/10/11: Mark now owns this Wall St. Hobo and  Double Jigger Jack Grant
In the spirit of popularizing Duff Tweed, we sometimes share our finds with friends and family.  As life (with it's coincidences) would have it, my god-father was interested in this particular piece, so much so that I had picked it up knowing he would end up with it.  As I write this, god-father Mark Handler is waiting to receive his first Duff Tweed carving.  Yes, we created another collector!  Mark is an extremely artistic person, so having him as a collector is a great compliment to Duff's work.  Looking back, we have started several people collecting Duff's work.  As obscure of a collection as it is, these new collectors have discovered the broad appeal of Duff's work.  They know his carvings exist!  


So, from god-mother to god-father, this piece passes.


Stay tuned . . . we have another post to follow shortly. You won't want to miss it as a lot of never before seen carvings will be included.


All the best!
-Joe