Who Made Tramp Art, dah … Tramps of course!
tramp art Jewelry box
Depending on where you got your information on Collecting Tramp Art, some collectors say Tramps did not make these famous art pieces as believed. So, where did they come from?
At the ending of the civil war and at the major stock market crash of the 30s, there was an influx of a lot of talented, educated and just unemployed people riding the rails looking for work. Some say during their lonely hours and days, they produced this form of art.
In my thinking, Tramps would be considered a modern-day homeless person.
Wikipedia says… Tramp means “walk with Heavy Foot”
That would explain a lot about Tramps, they were known for rail hopping and, and did an awful lot of walking.
I tend to think in America these people riding the rails to someplace, anyplace, did indeed, do some of these artistic carvings.
And why would you think they didn’t? They had the means, certainly the time to make these pieces of art, and especially during the thirties, there were a lot of talented and unemployed people roaming the country.
So during their travels from here to there, they kept busy by carving out their art form. Supposedly they made these pieces from discarded items such as empty cigar boxes, wood crates and I would assume anything they could use or find, just to pass the time, and they mostly carved these pieces out with a pocket/jackknife.
Tops cigar box
This is not saying other people didn’t pick up the trade. Anyway, whoever whittled or carved these items such as jewelry boxes, tables, small and large home decorations, lamps, etc. out of discarded wood, are highly collectible today, no matter who made them. Cigar boxes were very easily found in those days and they were the most widely used for Tramp Art.
A few years back I made up a draft on Tramp Art, I thought I’d blow the dust off and freshen up my article. I found myself having to rewrite the whole thing, only because the beliefs have now changed on the origin of Tramp Art or maybe, … I’ve just changed my thinking and or found more update information?
Even though the tide has changed a little on the origins of Tramp Art, one thing is for certain, they are still a unique form of expression from hard working individuals with a lot of time on their hands. (No two are alike).
But, if we assume tramps did play a part in Tramp Art, they certainly did have the time for such an endeavor. If you had no talent before you started making this art form, you would certainly learn how to do it. Staying busy during their sometimes long in-between jobs and dark cold nights would totally make sense to me.
So through all reality, the word “Tramp” sounds like a negative, harsh word for an unfortunate group of people trying to stay active, busy, and alive through their hard times.
So whoever made these pieces of art got quite creative and talented enough to even sell their carved-goods/art for a little cash or food. Of course, these pieces weren’t considered an art form until the 1950s, but still quite different looking, even in those days.
In my estimation, Tramps or whoever made Tramp Art in their day, were our first version of Recyclers, by using an old discarded material to make something new.
History of Tramps & Hobos
They both shared the same rail system, may be shared the same boxcar and I’m sure, they ran into each other everywhere.
tramp art symbols
They even shared the same code/language but they supposedly were two different types of people, workers, and … none workers.
Tramp Art is part of our history and may be considered a dark period in North America and in Europe. There always were, and always will be, poor, unfortunate people just trying to make everything work in their lives, so whatever the origin of Tramp Art, these unusual pieces of art are highly collectible today.
The recorded time period for “Tramp Art” was from the year 1870-1940, but most say, that during the depression period in America, was the worst or the best time for these art pieces. Some also would put that period around the civil war.
Note … In 1940 the war was raging in Europe and every able body was needed elsewhere, that must have broken the trend and or that period in time for Tramps and Tramp Art. But it did bring in a new period of ART, “TRENCH ART”
(One of my next planned postings.) “TRENCH ART”
After saying all that about “Tramp Art”, and, we all know if there is money to be made, then a person might suggest that any and all groups of people would try their hand at making “Tramp Art”.
And why not? In those depression years, everybody tried to make a few extra dollars, but, none the less, these pieces of art would definitely fall under the category of “Folk Art”. Remember, Tramp Art was not recognized until after the Tramp Era, that was basically over around (the 1940s) and most collectors agree that the art form was handmade by hard working people.
Look for my links on Tramp Art.
NOTE
I’m neither a collector of Tramp Art nor a Professor of fine arts and Crafts, but I am interested in our past history and maybe, sell a few oddities along the way.
Google tramp art for an interesting read.
“HOBO Art”…NA
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It was suggested to me to write about old time “Cigar Box Guitars”, and I said “SAY WHAT”! What is a cigar box guitar? You’re talking to a person that doesn’t know the difference between fret boards to a banjo string. This subject matter of old time instruments is a totally new topic for me, but maybe . . . that’s OK … I’ll learn. Research on new material is the real fun part of blogging and the subject matter on cigar box guitars did get my Mo-Jo working.
