Introducing Round Shoulder


By Art DelFavero RM552

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Back in April of 2007 I sent a photograph and a story to Verne Walrafen which he posted on the OHNS website. It told of my thirteen year pursuit and success to purchase a nickel from a fellow antique dealer. After said purchase, I discovered two more specimens that matched it in style, thus fitting the criteria for properly nicknaming this artist who I am calling “Round Shoulder.” Specimen #1 was purchased on 7-24-02 in an eBay auction for the sum of $132.25. Specimen #2 was purchased in the OHNS 2005 auction for the sum of $357.50. Specimen #3 (my nickel) was purchased in April of 2007 for $175.00, averaging $221.58 across the board.

The carving characteristics for “Round Shoulder” are listed as follows:

  1. All fields are exceptionally smooth and nearly wiped clean of all original detail
  2. A rounded shoulder bearing no date
  3. Nice collars with similar detailing
  4. Beards created with finely punched diagonal slashes
  5. Hair created the same way but the slashes are vertical (all hair under the hat brim and over the forehead is engraved and blends well with combined punching)
  6. Crescent shaped ear
  7. Smooth domed hat with a brim pointed on both ends (only one contains any added detail)
  8. Slightly altered profiles

My personal assessment of quality for this carver is above average to above average high.