# Privy art?



## idigjars (Jun 4, 2010)

Hello all.  

 I dug a privy today with my Grandson Alex.  It was TOC but still fun.  Found a bunch of bottles(mostly slicks).  The coolest thing found was this though.

 I couldn't believe it when I turned it over and saw this beautiful woman's face.

 It is a picture drawn on a piece of 1/4" stoneware like material.  I did a test spot trying to clean it by the neckline and it comes off so it's going to have to stay like it is.  Reminds me of some Howard Chandler Christy prints that we have.  

 Maybe we will have more to report next week.  There are two more in this yard and the neighbor lady watched us dig and gave us permission to do her yard also.  Her house is 1880's and I showed it to her on the map.  I found two in her yard.

 Just sharing.  Good luck to all finding or acquiring items for your collections.

 Best regards.  Paul


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## idigjars (Jun 4, 2010)

a little closer view.


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## swizzle (Jun 4, 2010)

Now that's amazing. I would be looking for the best way possible to display that. I'd keep it out of the sun just in case. You don't want the ink to fade or is it pencil? Maybe send some pics to the bottle digger mag with a story. Learn as much as you can about the house and who lived there. It'd be nice to find out who actually did that. If you're thinking of selling it I'd be interested in it. I'm not sure how much I could offer you though. I could probably only offer you $20 for it and I'm sure someone else here would give you more and I'm sure its worth more. Great piece and its cool that you found it with your grandson. Swiz


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## bottle_head9 (Jun 4, 2010)

Thats a lovely piece Paul.Very unusual.I would certainly display that piece.


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## JOETHECROW (Jun 4, 2010)

Paul,...Good to see you digging!,....and great that you took your Grandson too....That art work has to be the coolest item I've seen come out of a privy...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Of course my mind leaps to the possibilitys of why it got sent down the privy??? Jilted lover? Past owner of home? It raises some questions.[]                                                                                               Joe


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## randgrithr (Jun 4, 2010)

Wow! That lady sure looks like she stepped out of a Renoir to me. Renoir is one of my favorite artists and that lady is a dead ringer for some of the women in his paintings. He traveled all over Europe in the 1880s which was the peak of his popularity. I am not sure if he ever made it to America though. It might be a copy of his work... then again, it might not be.

 I would definitely check that out with multiple museums and art curators. You might just have something there that is worth a fortune.


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## woodswalker (Jun 5, 2010)

That really is amazing!! The mystery behind it makes it all the more intriguing...Keep us posted on what you find out about the pretty lady []


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## RedGinger (Jun 5, 2010)

Paul, I meant to comment on your post earlier, but got sidetracked.  The "boys" were talking about your find today while we were digging and it reminded me.  It is really beautiful.  I hope you find out what it is.  There are some art forums, or maybe a post on a place like art.net would help.  Either way, it is a great find by you and your Grandson!


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## Wangan (Jun 5, 2010)

That is a truly beautiful sketch.Its too bad there isnt a name attached,although some artists use a mark or symbol instead of their name.Maybe it was a practice piece.A keeper for sure!


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## pyshodoodle (Jun 5, 2010)

I wonder if it is a lithography stone. Can you tell what it is drawn with?  A lithograph is basically a piece of stone that is drawn on with a grease pencil, then oil based ink rolled onto the stone, then wiped with water (oil & water don't mix, as you know). Then paper is placed over top & pressed. 

 If that's what it is, then there may well still be prints out there!

 One thing is for sure, that is a beautful piece of art and probably the most unusual thing I've ever heard of coming out of the ground!

 [] Kate


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## RedGinger (Jun 6, 2010)

Kate knows her art.  I'm continually amazed too, at what people pull out of the ground.  Kate, that "voodoo" box you found was a very cool story.  Would you mind refreshing us?


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## pyshodoodle (Jun 6, 2010)

You mean the lamp? It was covered in salt and wrapped in a rag. A lot of occult symbols on it. I wasn't with when it was dug... one guy was (is) afraid of it.  It didn't rain for a month after they found it. My digging partner took it to the occult shop and the woman there told him what all the symbols meant and offered him a lot of money for it, but he decided to keep it. 

 I crashed my computer, so I only have the pic on my Facebook page & it won't let me save it as a jpeg file, so here's a link:
 http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?pid=184370&id=100000129759671


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## RedGinger (Jun 6, 2010)

What did the symbols mean??  Sorry, I forgot it was a lamp.  Really cool!  Sorry to horn in on your post, Paul.


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## pyshodoodle (Jun 6, 2010)

He doesn't remember. Guess it needs to be taken back again! 

 And yeah - let's keep the topic on the pretty lady! []


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## RedGinger (Jun 6, 2010)

I just saw a segment on History Detectives last night on a Coca Cola trade card.  They were explaining the process of lithography, coincidentally.  I had an idea, Paul.  You could a picture of your stone, and the info about where you found it to that show.  They have art experts and many resources.  I think it would make a fantastic piece for their show.


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## Penn Digger (Jun 6, 2010)

Nice dig Paul.  Very unusual find and with the grandson to boot!  I'd save it and give it to the grandson at a later date.

 PD


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## idigjars (Jun 6, 2010)

Hello Everybody.  Thank you for the nice replies and looking at my find.  Good luck to all finding or acquiring items for your collections.  Paul


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## surfaceone (Jun 6, 2010)

Hello Paul,

 I've known for a long time that there is an art to privy digging, but art in them thar privies...

 I'd sure like to see more close ups of that piece, maybe in the light of day.

 She's looking very much the ideal Gibson Girl.







 Here's the wikiup on Charles Dana Gibson.

 Gibson inspired many artists, amateur and professional. Here's a page on Some of his Imitators.


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## diginit (Jun 9, 2010)

Beautiful sketch. Looks like she's been nipping at the laudanum though....Nice find!


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## RedGinger (Jun 9, 2010)

I think it's called "bedroom eyes", but maybe there was some bitters or laudanum involved too.  It's beautiful and surfaceone's pictures bear a striking resemblance to it.  Hey, let's start a separate thread, just for fun, about this woman's life.


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## surfaceone (Jun 9, 2010)

I'm votin for doe eyed.


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## diginit (Jun 9, 2010)

Guess the outhouse was shaking and the guy's wife got jealous and flushed the pic. 

 RedGinger, Good idea. A thread about a $3 hook...ah...model. I love the artwork. Seriously! But I've had to get my dates pretty drunk to get eyes like that.    

 OK, Joking aside. This could be a lost work of real value. Worth doing some research on. Look carefully for a signature of an ID mark. Some are rather hard to find as they blend in with the artwork and surface dirt. You may need a magnifying glass to find it.


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## diginit (Jun 9, 2010)

How did you attempt to clean this? Try a potato cut in half and skinned with edges rounded  on a SMALL, OBSCURE section. Then let dry, Do NOT wipe. If this works. Keep an eye on the potato/patato and trim to keep it clean. Otherwise it will smear.


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