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Warther Museum in Ohio

1813 Views 29 Replies 14 Participants Last post by recycle1943, 11 mo ago

recycle1943

Discussion Starter · Apr 14, 2022 (Edited by Moderator)

8

Today was our 32nd anniversary and we went to Red Lobster to partake of their annual Lobster Fest meals. We went for lunch with the intention of going to the Warther museum in the early afternoon.
The timing was near perfect as we had a marvelous lobster/scallop/shrimp lunch and got to the cutlery shop and got several knives sharpened ( free for their knives) and bought a couple 3 1/5" paring knives and walked over to the museum.
We got there 15 minutes prior to a guided tour so we just hung out til it started. We live 30 minutes away from one of the most unknown master carvers in the world and in all my 79 years this is the first time I've been there. Needless to say the next hour and a half was some of the most informative time I've had while not watching Jeopardy.
I've attached a few pictures and all I need to say is that Moony Warther never used paint or stain. Ebony, walnut and golden ebony was his go to for most all of his carving. Please take a few minutes at his web site or better yet if you have occasion to get to Dover Ohio, the museum is a must stop.
The first 2 pictures are burl walnut

Train Land vehicle Rolling stock Track Locomotive

Vehicle Train Engineering Rolling Scale model

81 pounds of Ivory

Standing Gesture Automotive design Display device Wheel

Flat panel display Television set Display device Electronic device Multimedia

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1 - 20 of 30 Posts

Oldtool

· #2 · Apr 14, 2022

Well, first and foremost - Happy Anniversary. Glad you had a great day.

recycle1943

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 14, 2022

thanks, we did have a great day and I learned a lot

Jim Jakosh

· #4 · Apr 14, 2022

Hi Dick. Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!!

We have been there several times when we camped in Winesburg, Ohio. Moony's work is so meticulous and he never used a lathe for any of the round parts. His works are priceless in my book!

His grandson also has a museum and he carves ships to the same quality as his grandfather. His work is exactly to scale of the ships he carved and his work is also priceless. I think that museum is in Charm, Ohio.

Thanks for sharing….............That place is on a level of the Smithsonian! ..................Cheers, Jim

EarlS

· #5 · Apr 14, 2022

Happy Anniversary!!

Those are some amazing pieces.

JCamp

· #6 · Apr 14, 2022

Happy anniversary. That guy must not only be talented but have extreme patience. Beautiful work

bigblockyeti

· #7 · Apr 14, 2022

I went through there with my wife ~7 years ago, I think around our anniversary too. It was amazing what Mooney was capable of, the guy literally almost didn't sleep but 2-3 hours a night for many year just to be able to work more between his real job and his hobby eventually turning into a job. The knife cut pliers were one of my favorites in their simplicity. The train and various other models hewn from Lignum Vitae are true works of art, more so in that he did so much of it without the benefit of tools that today would be seen as mandatory for such work. The knife shop was another favorite, my wife threatened many time to get me a chef's knife or something similar but I told her not too, many are just too nice to actually use. She finally did it and bought me six steak knives last Christmas, we've had steak since then but still haven't used the knives.

pottz

· #8 · Apr 14, 2022

sounds like a great day dick,well except for the red lobster,maybe yours are better, here their a worn out time to call it quits place.those train models are fantastic. happy anniversary bud.

FrenchGoattoys

· #9 · Apr 14, 2022

I am going to just get to the point. Disturbing talent. Sure puts my hacking into perspective.

EricFai

· #10 · Apr 15, 2022

Happy anniversary Dick. Thanks for sharing the photos. That is so m e amazing craftsmanship.

recycle1943

Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 15, 2022

Jim Jakosh - thanks, grandsons shop is just West of Sugarcreek. You would have driven by it to get to Dover
EarlS - Thanks Earl
JCamp - I should have taken pics of a parts display board. Tweezer sized nuts and bolts out of ivory
bigblockyeti - yeah, the knife shop could be hazardous to your wallet. example - 2 paring knives $90
pottz - We've been lucky at Red Lobster. We only go once a year on our anniversary for the lobster fest
FrenchGoattoys - I know what you mean. There was several times the vision just took my breath
Eric - the fact that he didn't have tools as we know them was astounding. In one display was an ivory tusk hanging on the wll and under it was a hand hewn log 14" or 15" in dia. and about 4' long. It wasn't very exciting until I realized it was Ebony - $$$$$

CoolDavion

· #12 · Apr 15, 2022

Happy Anniversary to you and the Mrs.

The last time I was there was when I was in Boy Scouts 30+ years ago, and it was amazing from what I remember.
I should put it on my list of things to do when my wife has an open house for her business and I want to get out of Dodge for the day.

GR8HUNTER

· #13 · Apr 15, 2022

GRATZ ON 32 YEARS

That work is very beautiful compared to mine I'm like kindergarten :<))))))))))

recycle1943

Discussion Starter · #14 · Apr 15, 2022

CoolDavion - Hey Dave, long time They built a new knife shop a couple years ago, pretty nice

GR8HUNTER - thanks Tony - comparatively speaking, his work is so far beyond me that I will never reach his plateau.

crowie

· #15 · Apr 21, 2022

Well done Dick on your 32yrs, always special to celebrate.
The venue decorations look well worth a visit and not just the good food & company.

controlfreak

· #16 · Apr 21, 2022

Well done on the day and 32 years, congrats!

recycle1943

Discussion Starter · #17 · Apr 21, 2022

crowie, controlfreak

Thanks guys, it was a fun and informative day

therealSteveN

· #18 · Apr 21, 2022

Dick, somehow I missed this. Belated Happy Anniversary. I've followed in writing Moony Warther's work, and going to the museum has been a bucket list item for several years.

After seeing your appreciation of the museum, Yeti's, CoolDavion's I plan to move up my arrival date. Down here we have Wright Pat Air Force base, and it's wonderful museum. I've seen written estimates that less than 30% of people local to the Dayton/Fairborn area have been there. A shame.

Thanks for sharing.

EricFai

· #19 · Apr 21, 2022

My sister lived in Huber Height, I remember as a teenager, we went to WPAF Museum, had a great time seeing all the aviation stuff. I have also visited Kill Devil, on the NC coast. Lots of walking there.

recycle1943

Discussion Starter · #20 · Apr 21, 2022

I visited the Wright Patterson museum over 40 years ago. It was impressive then, I can only imagine how nice it is now.
If you head up this way, we'll have to sit down to lunch. There's half a dozen sit downs within a mile or so of the museum. Also, you might want to think about the ship museum of Moonys grandson just west of Sugarcreek

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