Sculptural Tall 1986 Ball in Cage Whimsy by John Coppess vintage tramp art box The bodies of most appear

The bodies of most appear to be made of old tool handles

and one blank page) plus a few pages of old notes tucked in

and in addition to the relief carved features of his face

but none anywhere close to as lovely as this one

Sculptural Tall 1986 Ball in Cage Whimsy by John Coppess vintage tramp art box The bodies of most appearThis particular form, a long and tall ball in cage feeling as much a modernist sculpture as a whimsy, seems to have been the specialty of John E. Coppess of Sunfield, Michigan, who signed it on the bottom, and by whom I found a very similar whimsy several months ago dated 1975! A quick search reveals that Coppess was born in 1910, so would have been well into his 70s when he carved this one, and I have to imagine making it gave him quite a lot of