Ohio Finds: ‘Popeye’ Reed Sandstone Figure

Ernest Jackson Reed was born in Jackson County, Ohio, in 1919, and like many young men of his generation, left school in his early teens to prepare for adulthood. After a stretch of odd jobs, he found steady work making furniture, drawing from his childhood interest in woodcarving. Furniture-making paid the bills, but by the late 1960s, Reed’s carvings began to earn him a more artistic reputation.

Sales at flea markets and festivals eventually led to appearances at the Ohio State Fair, where Reed developed a passion for carving sandstone. The forearm strength such work required earned him the nickname “Popeye.” He hauled massive chunks of sandstone to his home from sites across Jackson County, salvaging old house and bridge foundations, carving them exclusively with tools he made or modified to suit his needs. 

His works range in size and subject matter and combine images from Christianity, as well as Greek, Egyptian and Native American mythology. The figure depicted in this work, likely made during the 1970s or ’80s, emulates a serene female form, whose robes offer hints of ancient cultures or perhaps a church choir.

Sold: $984

Hollie Davis is a co-owner of Meander Auctions in Whipple, Ohio. meanderauctions.com

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