In one area of the store are some cases where they put items they think might be collectible for one reason or another. It's always fun to cruise by just to see what is there. After looking in the usual aisles where I find useful things, I stopped by the collectibles area, just to admire what was there. In one of the cases was a life-sized wood carving of an old-fashioned gun, complete with powder horn and pouch. It caught my eye, because it seemed very similar to a piece I had seen which was carved by a friend of ours who is a well-known local sculptor and wood carver.
I asked the attendant to open the case so I could get a closer look. I turned the piece over to see what wood it was made of, and also to see if the artist had signed it. As I was debating whether it was made of walnut or pine with a dark stain, a man came up and tapped on it and sort of snorted with derision and told me it was of no value, as it was made of plastic. I couldn't see any artist signature on the back either, so was having some doubts, when I happened to look at the bottom and there was the signature: Patch and Jean Peterson. After consulting with my husband, who is rather an apprentice of Patch, I decided to purchase it and bring it on home.
At the point where I found the signature, the know-it-all who told me it was plastic sort of drifted off. As the attendant carried it up to the front of the store for me, he said that collectors often hang around there and if someone finds something like that, they say it is plastic and has no value, then wait for the person to put it back so they can grab it. He seemed pleased that I had 'stuck to my guns'....and taken it, especially when I mentioned that the artist was a personal friend.
Our friend, Patch, with a similar (or maybe the same) carving!
nice!
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