Reality and fantasy are united in the distinctive crenellated silhouettes of tramp art. Although the forms are fantastical, the material is prosaic: recycled wood cigar boxes and packing crates. The Revenue Act of 1865 mandated the use of wooden cigar boxes—commonly made from mahogany, cedar, and pine—but did not permit the boxes to be reused. As a result of this and the increasing volume of goods shipped in wooden crates, an enormous amount of raw material became freely available to those with the talents to use it. Making decorative and useful objects from recycled boxes became a popular pastime, especially among men, from about the 1880s through the 1940s. To compensate for the limitations of the source material, the surfaces were built up in layers. The edges were entirely notched in a V-shape, a chip-carving technique that was widespread throughout many areas of Europe, particularly Germany and Scandinavia. As each layer was slightly smaller than the last, the notched edges created a crimped effect and the construction took on the typical pyramidal form associated with tramp art. The applied duck and geometric motifs on this shelf recall the shooting targets at popular amusement parks of the period, such as Coney Island.

Stacy C. Hollander, "Tramp Art Shelf," exhibition label for Jubilation|Rumination: Life, Real and Imagined. Stacy C. Hollander, curator. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2012.