Hobo Nickel in Lignum vitae wood.

This Iconic Image of the Five cent Indian from the Buffalo Nickel is a classic piece of historical folk art in the world of Hobo coins. Often carved from genuine old coins by myself and many other artists for generations, this image is now as much a part of American history as the original coins them selves.
This time I wanted to carve the entire piece from a blank piece of wood rather than adapt an original coin. I have chose to use Lignum vitae wood (the tree of life) just about the hardest piece of timber in nature, this wood has a deep rich colour and fragrance of sweet and delicate perfume in it that never seems to vanish from the wood even tho this piece was cut down well over a century ago.
I have hung this on a hand woven black rope cord so it may be worn as an amulet or hung in the home or vehicle as a charm for luck and prosperity.
Often I have carved this image and the. been heckled and berated for turning the face of a first nation aboriginal in to a skull, I was told that I dehumanised him by doing this. A fair point of view but never my intention and far from it, I believe the Skull is the real face of humanity, it unifies all of humankind in that we are all equal, all mortal, and all fragile, so I don't carve these as any attacking or political stance, I simply enjoy carving them and sharing them with others who can see the beauty of the human form in all its guises.