Carved Wood Whimsy Chain Watch Fob

Delicate hand-carved whimsy chain. This intricate design, measuring 7 inches is in the form of a watch fob.

Colloquially called a "Whimsy Chain" because it serves no practical function other than as a whimsical object, this charming piece of American folk art appears unrefined upon first glance. Whimsy Chains, however, are typically whittled from one continuous piece of wood, making them far more complex than they reveal. There is a long history of these objects being created by soldiers and sailors but the art of whittling is as old and wide reaching as you can imagine.