Hand Carved Ironwood Duck

This beautiful dark red and brown wooden duck is the product of skilled Indian craftsmen of the southwest. He is 6 & 1/2 inches long and very lifelike. The wood grain is very tight and dense and the interlaced red, black and brown colors lend him a presence or air of confidence. He is very heavy for his size. Ironwood is one of the largest and longest-lived Sonoran Desert plants, reaching nearly 45 feet tall and living 1,500 years. Ironwood is similar to ebony, since it is dark, dense, and very hard. Originally Indians carved Ironwood and shaped them into utilitarian tools. Today the main use in handcrafts is the creation of carved figurines, generally animals. Carving is accomplished by using coarse rasps and then polishing using desert sand then coated with a thin layer of wax. The first Ironwood carver was Jose Astorga, who created animal carvings between 1963 and 1964. The craft grew and motorized cutting and carving methods began in the 1980s. Because of the popularity of Ironwood figurines the wood became scarce and in 1994 the Ironwood tree became protected by the Mexican government. Carving is still permitted, under the guidance of the Mexican Government. ALWAYS FREE SHIPPING!