How to Start a Stone Carving Collection

Stone carving has an illustrious history that goes back to times before modern civilization. Great sculptors, such as Michelangelo and Donatello, are part of this stone carving tradition. If you would like to start a stone carving collection, it is simple to learn how to do so.

Things You'll Need

• Book on stone carvings or sculpture

Instructions

Start a Stone Carving Collection

1. Invest in a reference book like "Contemporary Stone Sculpture: Aesthetics Methods Appreciation," by Dona Z. Meilach (see Resources below). This book is full of photographs of stone carvings by modern sculptors. Not only will this book provide you with examples of what you might find on the stone carving market, it will also let you know who the most active sculptors in the field are and what kind of work they do.

2. Search eBay. This is the easiest place to begin finding pieces for your collection. Do a search for "Stone Carvings" or "Stone Sculpture" from eBay's main page or browse the "Art" and "Craft" categories.

3. Patronize local and regional crafts fairs. You can usually find listings for these in the lifestyle or metro section of your area's newspaper. Craft fairs attract artisans of all kinds, including stone carvers, and are excellent places to find new additions to your collection.

4. Check out garden supply stores. These stores often carry inexpensive stone sculptures for your yard. Animal, gnome and gargoyle figures are among the most common.

5. Create your own stone carvings. This is a nice way to add unique stone carving pieces to your collection without spending a lot of money. Learn stone carving through a good book on the subject, or ask if there are classes offered in your area. Sometimes local community colleges offer classes on the topic.

Tips & Warnings

• Find an attractive way to display your stone carvings, ideally before you start your collection. Stone carvings are very durable and will do well in all sorts of weather, so outdoor display is a possibility, especially for medium to large carvings. You may also want to invest in a wooden case with a glass front for smaller pieces (avoid glass shelves for stone carvings). A standard set of wooden wall-mounted shelves will also work for an indoor display.

• Be careful with stone carvings, as they will break if dropped onto a hard surface. You can also injure yourself if you drop one on your foot.

Resources

• "Contemporary Stone Sculpture: Aesthetics Methods Appreciation," by Dona Z. Meilach at Amazon
• Get stone carvings on eBay