Early 20th Century Double Pyramid Pedestal Tramp Art Box with Faux Marble Painted Finish

Early 20th century tramp art pedestal box with a striking double pyramid form and faux-marble painted surface. Measuring 9" wide, 5" deep, and 4.5" high, the layered chip-carved construction shows the ingenuity and precision of vernacular craft.

The surface is richly decorated in shades of red, green, and cream, giving the box a vivid, almost Deco-style presence. While the central pyramid at the top appears to be missing, the sculptural form and painted finish remain captivating.

A finely made and unusual example of tramp art, blending architectural structure with bold color and pattern.

Tramp art was popular from roughly the 1870s through the 1940s. No one knows for sure how the practice got started, but the materials used to make it, especially wooden cigar boxes, had become standard around the 1850s. Cigar smoking was very popular at the time, and by law, the boxes couldn't be reused by cigar manufacturers, so there were plenty of them around. The people who made tramp art weren't trained artists. They taught themselves how to chip the wood and assemble objects. Some sources suggest that tramp art was made by itinerant workers and tradesmen, which means they traveled from place to place selling goods and services. But not all tramp art was made by wanderers or people without permanent homes. It took time and patience to assemble tramp art objects.

Excellent condition