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TITLE: Fine 8.5\" Vintage David Rauch Hand-Carved Wood Ozark Pioneer Woman - Signed
ITEM DESCRIPTION: Up for sale is an exceptional and highly expressive 8.5-inch hand-carved, hand-painted wooden caricature sculpture by the celebrated American folk artist David Rauch. Sculpted in the highly sought-after traditional Ozark flat-plane tradition, this beautiful figurine depicts a classic mountain pioneer matron standing gracefully with a serene, soulful expression. This piece perfectly showcases Rauch\'s masterclass skill—specifically his signature multi-tonal wood stains that give her dress a rich, flowing layered depth, beautifully contrasted by a hand-painted floral sash featuring vibrant orange and yellow blossoms. Standing a substantial 8.5 inches tall, this represents a premier, large-scale example of 20th-century Americana caricature art.
ABOUT THE COLLECTION & PROVENANCE: This premium carving is offered from the private estate of a prominent, lifelong art investor and collector. Active from the early 1960s through the late 1990s, this collector possessed an expert eye for unique mid-century Americana, Canadian whittling, and high-value contemporary folk art. This piece was never casually displayed, handled, or exposed to harsh lighting. Instead, it was meticulously curated and preserved in professional, smoke-free, climate-controlled storage for decades. Entering the secondary market for the very first time in over 50 years, it represents an untouched, gallery-grade \"time capsule\" state of preservation.
SIGNATURE & AUTHENTICITY: The sculpture is 100% authentic and hand-signed by the artist. David Rauch\'s distinctive signature is clearly incised directly into the wood on the reverse lower edge of the figure\'s base block.
STUDIO ARCHIVE MARKINGS: The underside of the protective brown felt base retains an authentic, vintage black ink studio inventory code reading \"1941\". This code cross-references her historical catalog layout from Rauch\'s active Southwest Missouri workshop era, adding a wonderful layerof trackable provenance to the carving.
CONDITION: Excellent estate condition. The solid wood structure is stable with no drying splits, structural grain cracks, chips, or repairs. The hand-applied stains and delicate floral pigments are exceptionally clean, rich, and beautifully saturated with an outstanding natural luster. (Please see all photos for exact details).
SPECIFICATIONS: - Height: 8.5 inches - Medium: Hand-Carved Solid Wood & Custom Stain Accents - Artist: David Rauch - Origin: United States (Ozark Region) - Production Era: Circa 1980s
