Wonderful Antique Graphite Portrait of Man with Blue Eyes and Beard, Fenced Above Elbows! fuctional Striker worn very smooth

Striker worn very smooth

including a combination of white tape and hand-stitching

a handful with real laces--and several of the original boxes they came in

serving as a sort of winder

with just some loss of blue fabric backing around the squirrels and berries at the top

Wonderful Antique Graphite Portrait of Man with Blue Eyes and Beard, Fenced Above Elbows! fuctional Striker worn very smoothThe more time I spend with this folk portrait, American c. 1880s I believe, the more I love it. Looking closely, it appears that there is just a very subtle bit of pale blue used for the irises of his eyes. And this wonderful care given to the brushy hairs of his beard. And this very sweet little bowtie. But what really makes if for me are the curlicue lines encircling his arms and demarcating the bottom edge of the drawing evincing a barbed wire