Dapper Dan, 1880

This fashionably dressed patriotic figure from the American Folk Arts Museum exhibit portrays Dapper Dan, a character famous for his careful attention to details of dress and appearance. The sculpture was likely used as a sign for a barbershop, as indicated by the red and white striped pole that is steadied in his left hand. In the 19th-century, carved wooden figures, often life-sized, were used to advertise the wares of shops selling all sorts of goods and services. These carved wooden figures were often humorous representations of well-known stereotypes. Our dapper Dan blew into town last night after an epic rocket trip of a drive from LA in just two days. Taking, I-70 most of the way, he overnighted in a mountain pass, at 10,000 feet, just west of Denver, when rain slowed his travel east. He arrived home early enough to catch me still up. We talked for several hours afterwards, before I had to go to bed. It’s good to have him home.