Say Hello to Eight Newly Nicknamed
Old Hobo Nickel Artists By Stephen P. Alpert
−from the Spring 2003 issue of BoTales.
When we discover old hobo nickels that are similar in appearance, and obviously made by the same artist, we can assign a nickname to that artist, to help bring some order to the vast variety of early hobo nickels. Many early hobo nickel artists await nicknaming. Here I am introducing nicknames for eight more early hobo nickel artists. These artists did rather distinctive work.
Check your collection to see if you have hobo nickels made by any of them. If you do and would like to tell other members about it, how you obtained it, or how yours may differ from the ones pictured here, send a letter or short article to our editor Roger at the address listed in your BoTales.
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“THIN NECK”
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The 1926 hobo nickel shown here was recently submitted by an OHNS member for Quality Designation papers (it was purchased for $200). I have in my collection the illustrated 1936 nickel by the same artist (which I bought at a local coin show in 1999 for $150). The workmanship is distinctive enough to nickname this artist, even though only these two examples of his work are known to me at this time. I have chosen the nickname “Thin Neck” based on the narrow neck.
The diagnostic characteristics of a carving by “Thin Neck” are:
1) A narrow thin neck.
2) Somewhat cartoonish portraits.
3) Field is dressed with wriggle-cut zigzag lines all around the head.
4) Altered profile with strong chin and/or jaw line, and altered eye.
5) Ear has a thick outer border and a deep center.
6) There is no collar.
7) The hat, hair, and beard apparently can vary greatly.
8) Carved on later-date buffalo nickels of higher grade, so the artist probably worked in the 1930s to maybe 1940s or 1950s.
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“ICH KIBIBBLE”
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There are many hobo nickels with “Ich Kibibble” (in various spellings) engraved or punched on the obverse. This Yiddish phrase means “I should worry?” Here I am nicknaming the early hobo nickel artist who added ICH KIBIBBLE in upper-case letter punches above the hat, and am nicknaming him “Ich Kibibble” based on this phrase and its spelling.
The diagnostic characteristics “Ich Kibibble” hobo nickels are:
1) ICH KIBIBBLE is letter-punched in the field above the hat.
2) The hat is shallow (to create room for the punches), with a thin curved brim. The brim wraps around in the back, but doesn't project much (if at all) beyond the forehead.
3) The ear is narrow.
4) The hair-beard-mushtache is formed by circular punches, and is trim and neatly bordered.
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1996
OHNS
Auction4
Lot48
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5) A distinctive simple collar with lapel.
6) The field is nicely dressed and smooth, much more so than the neck and collar.
7) The profile is unaltered, except for top of nose, and the forehead. Eye is unaltered.
8) Found on early-dated hobo nickels (1913 or 1914).
See page 86 of the OHNS Hobo Nickel Guidebook for another hobo nickel by “Ich Kibibble” (lot 48 of OHNS Auction 4).
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“LONG NOSE”
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Many hobo nickels have large noses, but here I am nicknaming as "Long Nose" the artist who carved the two nice, bold, distinctive hobo nickels illustrated here.
The diagnostic characteristics of hobo nickels made by the early artist “Long Nose” are (based on these two specimens, the only ones known to me at this time):
1) Strongly altered profile, dominated by a long large nose.
2) The entire obverse is reworked (carved, with punched hair), except for a tiny area at or below the pointed tip of the beard.
3) The hat has a curved thin brim, plain hat band with straight top; dome is lightly dressed.
4) Narrow ear with raised border and thin lobe.
5) Finely punched hair-beard-mustache, possibly nail-punched.
6) Fine wrinkles on forehead, altered eye (small punch for eyeball), with eyebrow. Altered nostril, thin smiling mouth. Curved jaw line.
7) Double collar. Indistinct jewel or tie at front.
8) Date and LIBERTY removed.
9) Finely-pounded dressed field.
10) The specimen with the front hat brim touching the border is on a VF 1913 Type-I nickel. This other is on an AU P-minted nickel. So this artist apparently worked on early buffalo nickels.
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“BUSHY BEARD”
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Here is another early artist who reworked nearly the entire obverse of his hobo nickels. His portraits have a large punched beard which covers most of the neck and area in front of the neck, extending to the border. I have thus nicknamed him “Bushy Beard”. I know of just these two works by him at this time (on VF and XF P-mint nickels).
The diagnostic characteristics of a hobo nickel by “Bushy Beard” are:
1) A large bushy beard. The beard and hair behind the ear was formed using a curved punch.
2) The mouth curves downward and is slightly wider in the rear. A sparsely-punched mustache is above.
3) The hat has a narrow straight brim, and a wider band with a bow in the center. The dome has fine parallel lines made with a liner tool.
4) The carved ear is small and C-shaped.
5) The profile is altered only at the tip of the nose, and bottom of the forehead. A curved groove forms the eyebrow, and enhances the nostril.
6) The single collar is low, with a small lapel. The collar and shoulder are finely lined (like the hat dome), with the shoulder lines roughly perpendicular to the collar lines.
7) The date and LIBERTY were removed.
8) The field is textured with small raised dots (from a beading tool?).
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“APPLE CHEEK”
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This early carver also created extensively-altered hobo nickels. I have nicknamed him “Apple Cheek” because his figures have a prominent round cheek.
In addition to the two specimens illustrated here, you can see another hobo nickel by “Apple Cheek” on page 79 of the OHNS Hobo Nickel Guidebook (lot 32 of OHNS Auction 2).
The diagnostic characteristics of hobo nickels by “Apple Cheek” are:
1) An extensively altered profile and face: altered forehead, eye (raised eyeball, incuse eyebrow), high rounded cheek, rounded nose with altered nostril. The mouth has thick lips and may slightly open.
2) Hat has a long, thin straight brim (extending to the borders with the front brim to the left of the “L” of LIBERTY. The hat band is textured, with no bow.
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1995 OHNS Auction2 Lot32... While this piece shows a good deal of “raw” metal, I feel confident this is an original piece. Second authenticator felt this was not an original piece, but third authenticator judged it to be original. ~ Bill Fivaz
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There are paralled shading lines on the front and back of the dome.
Some of the Indian's hair is still discernible.
3) The carved ear is very small, and round.
4) The dense hair and beard appears to be punched (using a short curved punch). There is no mustache (no room left for one).
5) Simple double collar, over a poorly-dressed neck.
6) The small field behind the large hat is decently dressed.
7) Found on 1913 buffalo nickels.
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“TALL EAR”
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Here is another talented early hobo nickel artist who made beautiful totally-carved hobo nickels. I have chosen the distinctive feature of the tall narrow ear to nickname him “Tall Ear”. Two of his works are illustrated here. Plus another nickel by “Tall Ear” was just sold in our 2003 auction (Lot 31).
The diagnostic features of a hobo nickel by “Tall Ear” are:
1) The distinctive tall, narrow ear, with some internal details or a deep interior.
2) The smallish hat may have a curved or straight brim, which touches the left side of the “L” of LIBERTY. The wider hat band has a bow-like ornament in the center. The small dome is smooth.
3) The profile is altered.
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2003
OHNS
Auction11
Lot31
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There may be a small notch at the top of the nose, from which a narrow groove parallels all or most of the profile down into the mouth, with a branch groove enhancing the nostril. A groove forms a wavy mouth, turned down toward the rear. The eye is slightly altered.
4) The neat, slightly curly hair and the narrow beard are nicely carved. There is no mustache, but the beard may extend up above the corner of the mouth.
5) The neck, and field behind the head, are nicely dressed smooth.
6) The simple collar somewhat resembles that of a sailor.
7) The carvings are found on early-dated buffalo nickels (1913-1914).
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“BEADY EYE”
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Here is yet another distinctive early hobo nickel artist. But he is not quite as good as most of the above artists. I am nicknaming him "Beady Eye" as his portraits have an altered eye with a small eyeball. In addition to the two specimens illustrated here, another "Beady Eye" can be seen on page 90 of the Guidebook (lot 42 of OHNS Auction 6).
The diagnostic characteristics of a hobo nickel by “Beady Eye” are:
1) A hat created by 5 long grooves: two forming the brim (points to “E” of LIBERTY), two forming the top of the plain hat band, and one around the dome on top. Some of the Indian's hair may be discernible on the dome.
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1998
OHNS
Auction6
Lot42
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2) A fairly nice tilted carved ear of above average size, with an outer groove.
3) Punched hair-beard-mustache and eyebrow; circular punches behind the ear, curved arcs elsewhere (possibly from the same beading tool, held at an angle for the arcs). The hair runs down the braid on the neck.
4) Altered eye with small eyeball punch.
5) Altered nose (notch at top, and punch-enlarged nostril).
6) Simple grooved collar, with the four grooves resembling a very wide letter W.
7) Occurs on 1913-dated buffalo nickels. (Just these two known so far.)
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Additional “Beady Eye” Carvings
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“TINY EAR”
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This early unknown artist I am nicknaming “Tiny Ear” based on the little bit of an ear between the thin beard and the small amount of hair at the back of the head. I know of only these two examples pictured here.
Additional diagnostic features of a hobo nickel by “Tiny Ear” are:
1) A hat tilted back on the head, with a narrow groove brim (ending to the left of the “L” of LIBERTY);
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Additional
“Tiny Ear”
Carving
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a thin band (textured with vertical grooves; another groove forms its top); a textured dome to obliterate the Indian's hair (vertical, plus horizontal or zigzag fine groves).
2) Small diamond or wedge-shaped punches form the hair and trim beard and mustache (which obscures the mouth).
3) The profile is altered. A thin groove parallels the forehead and nose. The eye is altered and has an eyebrow. The nostril is enhanced. A couple of grooves are on the cheek near the nostril.
4) A simple groove or two forms the collar.
5) The neck and field behind the head is decently dressed.
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