Who do you think of first
for the 4th of July?
For me that would be
Uncle Sam and his Lady Friend.
Uncle Sam as a patriotic figure
dates back to the War of 1812.
A man by the name of Samuel Wilson
from Troy, NY, contracted with
the government to provide beef to
the troops during the war.
The barrels were stamped US, for country of origin,
but folks jokingly began to say the initials stood for
Samuel Wilson, the meat purveyor.
Soon the term "Uncle Sam" became
linked with national pride and the US government.
The symbolic character, when illustrated,
was generally featured with a goatee
and wore red striped pants, blue jacket, and a top hat.
As with collecting other holiday pieces,
I found that my collection grew as I came across
interesting pieces that had been hand carved from wood
or sculpted in paper maché or as a cloth doll.
Most basically remain true to the original tall, lean, and lanky
cartoon character of political cartoonist, Thomas Nast.
I have come to appreciate the different personalities given each
figure by the artist who created these patriotic guys.
As is often the case with collections, I didn't start out
to collect Uncle Sam figures, but somewhere along the way
they captured my interest and and one led to another.
Like this guy, faded and rather small,
and signed and dated 1940.
I found him at an estate sale along
with a companion piece of a carved army officer.
How I wish I knew the story of the individual who
carved this wonderful piece of folk art.
I found him at an estate sale along
with a companion piece of a carved army officer.
How I wish I knew the story of the individual who
carved this wonderful piece of folk art.
Normally my "guys" are at home
on a set of shelves in a guest bathroom,
but during the summer months they can be found
sitting about in vignettes in our home.
This summer I filled my Nantucket baskets with flowers
and gathered a few of the figures on a wicker tray.
They make a festive centerpiece
on the dining room table.
I shared a complete post on my collection of Americana
in July of 2011. You can read more about each of the figures
as well as other Americana I collect here.
in July of 2011. You can read more about each of the figures
as well as other Americana I collect here.
My collection is not historically valuable, but simply
pieces that appeal to me, picked up through the years.
If interested in starting a collection of your own
you might find this book of interest.
Wishing each of you a Happy 4th of July!
Joining
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