James Williams "the Ole Whittler" Carved Whimsy vintage uchiwa and great in a wide

and great in a wide variety of contexts

likely done when he was in school

small enough to put in any pocket for play on the go

sloping to one side or the other depending on vantage point

I have not found a signature on it

James Williams "the Ole Whittler" Carved Whimsy vintage uchiwa and great in a wideThis whittled whimsy does not have much age, but it certainly carries the pride of James Williams, known as "The Ole Whittler" of Ypsilanti Michigan (1929 2014), who made it. Born in Kentucky, Williams spent his adult life in Ypsilanti, where he worked as a contract carpenter and later for Ford Motor Company. In his retirement, he spent much of his time carving pieces like this in addition to imparting "the art of whittling" to students, which clearly