Mexican Folk Art Wooden Bookends

This handsome hand carved pair of vintage wooden bookends depict detailed figures of a Mexican man and woman, each against the backdrop of a pyramid. The figures are painted, their skin brown and the bases black. The woman is topless, hugging her knees, and has a black skirt and black hair. The man wears a red cap and black pants and sits with his arms crossed. The pyramid faces are painted brown, carved into blocks and have the flat tops typical of Aztec and Mayan pyramids.

Each bookend is 6 inches tall to the top of the pyramid. The male carving is somewhat larger and taller (5 1/2 inches)than the female (4 1/2 inches). The rectangular bases are 1 inch thick and measure 3 3/4 by 4 3/4 inches. Each bookend weighs 14 ounces. They sit flat, are sturdy and do a good job of holding books upright. They're in very good condition; the only flaw we could find is that the man's left foot was broken off and neatly glued back. The paint is rubbed and worn, giving the carvings an even more ancient appearance. These bookends also look great displayed without books as the works of folk art that they are.

PYH 5360