Mystery Stone Carving

Recently bought a bunch of random pieces from a guy who goes nuts buying at auctions. Found this carving in a box and he told me it was snoopy lol (at least, thats what he thought) so got this little piece for a steal (2$ ) couldnt wait to get home and post it. Looks more like a primitive parrot or totem to me. I always love hearing everyones thoughts. The tag on the back may have some clues too? I couldnt guess what it says. Its about 4 inches tall

 

Schmoooooooooo

 

It looks like a stone SNOOPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REALLY!!

 

I thought the bottom of the label said Peruvian, but the more I look, I don't think that's it.

It looks primitive/pre-Columbian to me, but this is not in my wheelhouse. So, it could have been carved in the 1950s for all I know.

Maybe AJ can help. Calling @Any Jewelry

 

To me it looks like someone found a likely rock, or maybe a rough old figurine and modified it, in modern times.

The carved areas are suspect because they lack patination or residue deep in the grooves. Straight lines often indicate a modern and sometimes power tool like a side-grinder. The bored hole looks too true as well.

For the money, it's a fun thing. I'm guessing 'relic' foisted off on a tourist years ago.

 

Not saying this thing is a legit primitive carving, but someone would have drilled that hole out with modern machinery to mount the little dude for display.

 

Yea the drill hole on the bottom was suspicious to me as well. Almost thought it was a handle for a cane or something. Its definitely a conversation starter. Ill throw it up in auction under the name Snoopy Stone for the fun it lol

 

You could always do the old, "Pre-Columbian? stone carving", indicating you have no idea what it is.

 

Oh absolutely lol half the stuff i buy goes into that category

 

The stone looks similar to carved stone figures from Sierra Leone known as "nomoli". They are found buried, and are made in the form of various animals and human figures. There is a great variety in style - some are quite detailed, others very simple. Their original use is unknown. The worn first word on the label might be nomoli. I suspect the hole on the base was drilled to mount it on a base, which means someone thought it was significant enough to display.

https://www.artworkarchive.com/prof...eval-sapi-mende-sierra-leone-stone-sculptures

 

You may be onto something, 2many! Looks promising.

 

They all look like netsuke to me but -- WDIK!

 

Wow. Now were getting somewhere!

 

Maybe @komokwa will recognize the style

 

It looks pretty old. Looks like the second line on the label could have been: (Mexico).

I think the piece was vandalized to put it on a display stand with a metal pin.

A fossilized Snoopy, the oldest one ever found!

 

If you have a UV light, you might try it on the label and see if there are any more letters visible.

 

Von...is from or By...in German...but that's all I got...........

 

The following means nothing to me, but I upload it just in case it might spark something in someone else. At one point, I thought the last word was "man"... but... I dunno. I can't make sense of it.

I also think the v-word is missing several letters and ends in "k".

 

Suggestive, but far from conclusive. This was sold as:

A Roman basalt cameo
circa 1st - 2nd century AD
relief carved with the bust of a maiden,
3.4cm high, on a stand. (2)
Provenance
William Bowmore Collection, Victoria, Australia, acquired 1950's -1960's.


If you search eBay for 'lava cameo', you will find cameos such as this one:

overpriced at $48.

Someone thought a dirty, crude, Neapolitan 'lava' (solidified ash) cameo, late 19th century oldest, was worth mounting on a base.

It really does look like Snoopy. Only thing I see that suggests anything else is in the first photo, figure could be wearing a large ear plug.