North Tonawanda School - Pig
Catalog #036 58×21×20cm
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A carved wooden pig in a full-gallop jumper pose, painted white/cream with large teal-green patches in a piebald pattern. The trappings are distinctly decorative: a teal-green blanket bearing carved floral rosettes in relief, a gold/mustard saddle with a red-brown cantle, a ruffled draped collar at the neck, and a carved bow at the rump. Teal-green hooves. Open mouth showing teeth. Both sides are equally decorated with flowers and drapery — neither side is simplified. The carving is refined, with confident anatomical proportions and lively detail in the trappings. The paint is old, showing age and patina throughout, but the decorative scheme remains intact and fully legible. The owner identifies this as "our original pig" and confirms it is American (reported).
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The owner describes this as a long-held piece — "in the living room for years and years and years" (reported). The acquisition source could not be recalled during the interview: "I'm sure we bought it from, let's see... Let's come back to that" (reported). No date or price was provided. The owner intends to revisit this figure's history in a future session.
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Unknown. The owner confirms long-term ownership and American origin but deferred all provenance details. The phrase "our original pig" implies this may have been among the earliest acquisitions in the collection (inferred).
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The carved floral rosettes on the blanket and the draped, ruffled trappings are the strongest attribution clues. Documented examples from one of the major North Tonawanda menagerie workshops include horses with "beautiful deep relief carved flowers" on the trappings Antiquecarousels, and this figure's decorative treatment is consistent with that tradition (sourced). The North Tonawanda menagerie style is characterized by a variety of carved wooden animals, with menagerie figures including "whimsical pigs, dogs, and goats with mischievous expressions" Wonderful Museums — a description that fits this figure's open-mouthed, lively pose.
Pigs appear on multiple documented surviving American menagerie carousels. A 1913 North Tonawanda menagerie carousel in Story City, Iowa, includes pig figures described as "rare" among its menagerie complement Wikipedia. Pigs are also documented on operating menagerie machines at several major parks in California and New York (sourced). While pigs are not the rarest American menagerie type, they are significantly less common than horses and are encountered infrequently as individual figures on the private market.
This is the third pig figure in the collection, joining two others attributed to different traditions — one American and one European. The presence of three pigs from different workshops makes the collection an unusually strong holding in this animal type.
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The paint is old and consistent throughout — likely park paint or an early repaint rather than a modern restoration. Patina and wear are visible across the body and trappings but no underlying surface is exposed to a degree that would compromise the figure's presentation. No structural damage, cracks, or missing elements are visible in the photographs. The figure is currently mounted on a wooden pole/stand. Formal condition rating is pending physical inspection.
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Low. American origin is confirmed by the owner, and the carved floral trappings are consistent with the North Tonawanda menagerie tradition, but no specific maker has been attributed and the acquisition history is entirely unrecovered. The interview was deferred before substantive discussion could occur.
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Owner interview (10/13/2025): Identifies the figure as "our original pig," confirms American origin, notes long-term ownership ("in the living room for years"), defers acquisition details to a future session.
Photographs: DSC_2514 (whiteboard with partial figure), DSC_2515 (romance side, full figure), DSC_2516 (non-romance side, full figure). Both sides documented.
VintageCarousels.com: Census data for surviving American menagerie carousels with pig figures.
AntiqueCarousels.com: Reference for North Tonawanda menagerie figures with carved floral trappings.
The Henry Ford (Greenfield Village): Documentation of 1913 Herschell-Spillman menagerie carousel including pig figures.
Wikipedia (Story City Carousel): Documentation of 1913 Herschell-Spillman menagerie with pig figures described as rare.