Hand-forged Metal Primitives

Hello all! I found these in the Pittsburgh area. 7.5in tall x 5 in wide. Some spots are a little rusty. I have no idea if these are old or new. Any one have any insight? Thanks!

Hand-forged Metal Primitives by Terry01 posted Aug 3, 2017 at 4:04 PM

Hand-forged Metal Primitives by Terry01 posted Aug 3, 2017 at 4:04 PM

Hand-forged Metal Primitives by Terry01 posted Aug 3, 2017 at 4:04 PM

Hand-forged Metal Primites by Terry01 posted Aug 3, 2017 at 4:04 PM

 

They could have been made by student or experienced person.There are many schools/people where blacksmithing is taught. One list in Pennsylvania http://diyblacksmith.blogspot.com/2014/01/blacksmith-schools-pennsylvania.html

 

They look modern or Scandinavian in design. Very cool.

 

I don't think they're antique, but they're gorgeous. I'd put them out at Christmas with some greenery and some candles. (faux greenery if you're using real candles) There used to be a ton of people with Scandinavian ancestry in the mid-west, so these could be locally made. There are almost as many Norwegians in the Minnesota area as they are in Norway, for instance. Pittsburgh has or had a pile of Poles, Czechs, etc too and the deer design could have migrated into those groups too easily enough.

 

You know... that's about what I thought. The kind of thing one would find in a nice gift shop in Minneapolis during the holiday season.

Debora

 

Terry, I think they're delightful!

I have some pewter ones I bought in Norway. They're not exactly the same, but the idea is similar. Most of them "go away" after Christmas, but a couple manage to stay out(!) for the summer...

Here's one, along with a little moose also purchased in Norway, in front of a Perstorp (Sweden) 12" tray:

 

I currently have some pieces (figurines, lamps, bookends) from a museum gift shop sort of made in the same manner - cowboys, bison, horses, etc. If you'd care to see them, they are in my Bonanza shop.....................

The original retail prices on these pieces are a cross between A King's Ransom and Wishful Thinking.................

EDIT: I just looked at the pieces I have and they are cut and welded, not forged.....................but they have the same "smooth, rusty" patina.

 

Well thank you all. I loved them especially at .50 cents apiece. I have been doing lots of studying and finding it difficult to get my arms wrapped around seeing real old forged stuff and newer

 

Old forged sword..........

 

Thank you. Now I see the difference. Mine is much smoother and definitely not all the striations. I wonder if the deer are steel?

 

The deer are probably mild steel(1018-1025) range. Most steel looks like the sword when buried in the ground for a thousand or more years.