Standing Whimsy with Ball in Cage in Silver and Gold

Unusual antique standing whimsy on a 6 pointestar base with a carved ball in cage and star finial. The wood is painted in silver and gold. Base is 8.5" diameter. Height is 11"

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. Whimsies 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.