Java Wood Carving

To identify wood carvings, get a magnifying glass and inspect your items. Some artisans marked their carvings with symbols or signed them. Researching any markings found on your carving may allow you to identify the maker who produced it and potentially learn more about the piece from there. If you're unable to find a maker's mark, the best approach is likely to use the services of a certified appraiser or other knowledgeable expert. On 1stDibs, explore a selection of wood carvings.

The difference between carving and sculpture is that carving is a carved object, whereas sculpture is the art of shaping figures or designs — because sculpture can involve adding material (i.e., working with plaster, creating a mold to be cast in bronze), it is considered “additive” versus the “subtractive” act of carving.

In Bali, many different types of woods are used for carving. Some examples include albesia, crocodile wood, rain tree, hibiscus, jackfruit, teak, mahogany and sandalwood. On 1stDibs, you can shop a range of Balinese wood art, furniture and decorative objects.

Antique carved wood can be identified by how it is made. Antique carvings were done by hand, so nicks and cuts will indicate carvings completed with a plane or knife. In addition, hand-carved wood will not be uniform or have perfect symmetry. Always works with a certified appraiser to determine the exact date and value of an item. Find a variety of antique carved wood furniture and decor on 1stDibs.

To tell if wood is hand-carved, first look for small marks in the wood that indicate hand tools were used to cut and shape the material. Hand-carved pieces may also have small irregularities, particularly along curved areas. However, it may be very difficult to tell the difference between machine-worked and hand-carved pieces in some cases. On 1stDibs, shop a range of wood furniture and decorative objects.

What carved wood art is called depends on the type of piece. Three-dimensional pieces created by hand-carving wood are whittlings, while carvings into a flat piece of wood are reliefs. Shop a collection of wood art from some of the world's top galleries on 1stDibs.

In Bali, Indonesia, Jackfruit is considered the best wood when it comes to carving. Jackfruit is a medium hardwood, resistant to termite attacks and is easy to polish. You’ll find a variety of Indonesian carvings from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

What wood is used for African wood carvings varies. Iroko, mahogany and ebony are frequently chosen materials, but artisans may choose to work with whatever wood is available in their local areas. Shop a variety of African wood art from some of the world's top galleries on 1stDibs.

Carved African wood figurines were typically spiritual in nature and were primarily in human form. The wood figurines were carved using ebony, teak, mahogany and iron wood. On 1stDibs, find a collection of authentic African wood figurines from some of the world’s top sellers.