Lovely Old Three Stars Matchstick Tramp Art Plaque ink drawings Around this time

Around this time

the largest "charm" is about 3 1/4" long

it is my guess that this piece is Italian rather than West German

they thus become studies in theme and variation

Lovely Old Three Stars Matchstick Tramp Art Plaque ink drawings Around this timeSometimes matchstick tramp art can feel a bit kitschy, but this is really something else entirely. No burnt ends, no varnish over top, just the beautifully irregular linear patterns of the cut matchsticks laid down end to end, one after the other, interrupted only by the simple outlines of three stars. All having acquired a gorgeous warm dry wood patina that, together with the geometries, makes it feel almost like a painting, and it is actually Jasper