Chiefs Chant Antler Sculpture

Late 20th Century

8.125″ H x 4.25″ L x 4.75″ W

Hand Carved from Antler of Four Indian Chiefs in a Chant and Mounted on a Wood Frame with a Wood Wedge for an Upward Angle View

In Very Good Condition

From the Allen Funt Collection TV Producer of Candid Camera

Allen Funt (19141999) was famous for pioneering hidden-camera prank television with Candid Camera, which began on radio in the 1940s and became a long-running TV series. Beyond his TV work, Funt was an avid art collector, particularly known for assembling a notable collection of Victorian-era paintings by Lawrence Alma-Tadema (which he exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art). He also collected other artifacts and objects, including Native American or indigenous-inspired items, as evidenced by auction and antique records of pieces from his estate (e.g., prehistoric stone tools and artifacts sold from “the Allen Funt Collection”).

The “Chiefs Chant” is a sculpture carved from or incorporating antlers (deer, elk, or similar), with a Native American themeevoking tribal chiefs, chants, or ceremonial motifs. Antler carvings are common in folk art, Western Americana, or indigenous crafts, sometimes featuring figures, totems, or abstract designs symbolizing chants, dances, or leadership. A decorative or folk art item Funt acquired, fitting his eclectic tastes.