Friday, January 11, 2013

PYROGRAPHY

Pyrography is a craft that involves burning designs into wood or leather with a wood burning tool.  It was popular in the early 1900s to make decorative objects for the home and as an artistic pastime.  The Flemish Art Company produced a pyrography kit that contained various flammable fuels, brushes, carving tools, burning points, and practice boards with a prestamped design.
We have a couple of examples of pyrography that we picked up at yard sales about 20 years ago for a couple of dollars.
This coat rack has a poppy design that was colored with water colors.
It has really pretty copper hooks.
The other piece we found was this handy little table.  It's a great size to move around when a place to put a drink is needed.
It is Moorish in design, but the wood burning pattern is cherries.
It is rather crudely made probably out of basswood.  Pyrography kits often came with premade designs for picture frames, glove and handkerchief boxes, and bookcases.
It's interesting to think about a homemaker 100 years ago doing a craft to beautify her home -- what would she think about the blog world and all of our projects?

As a child I always wanted a wood-burning kit, but my parents wisely never bought me one.  They can be quite dangerous -- I probably would have blown the house up or maimed my fingers.     I'll just enjoy the two vintage pieces that we have.

I'm linking up to the following:
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Knick of Time for Knick of Time Tuesday
Vintage on a Dime for Welcome Home Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

6 comments:

Stephanie said...

What beautiful pieces of furniture! I really like the coat rack - stunning!

Have a great weekend!

Hugs,
Stephanie

Anonymous said...

Hi Sally! Lovely pieces! Your parents were smart ones! You're a wealth of knowledge and I appreciate you sharing it with us. How's your booking coming along?
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

srpprcrftr said...

Maybe someday that technique can be used in concert with another one, applied in a different version. It's always handy to have other ideas to incorporate with one you have mastered.
Due to my age I remember that type of decoration. I wasn't allowed to have a wood burner then either. My Dad was an artist who humored my attempts at different mediums.

Debra at HOMESPUN: http://www.thehomespun.com said...

These are very attractive and I've not seen pieces like these before

Sue said...

Hi Sally.....I have to come visit you one of these days to see all this cool stuff you own in person....I was hoping the Super Bowl would have been in Colorado this year....I told the Boss the Falcons are bound to be in it because it will be in New Orleans and that is the one place I have no interest in ever visiting ever again...I guess I can always come out to Colorado with the excuse that we should visit the pot selling cousin....Need to e-mail you about the three weeks from hell....I'm getting too old for all this nonsense...

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Oh Sally, I did not know that's what it was called. Both of yourpieces are very unique. love the sweet cherries. Blogging sure has changed the world! Thanks for sharing with Share Your Cup.
Hugs,
Jann