Desert Ironwood Leopard
Our third in the African Big 5 series is the leopard. It is difficult to hunt because of its nocturnal habits and its wariness of humans. The cat represented in the carving has a fixed gaze - on what, we don't know. It is hand carved in great detail from a solid piece of one of the most beautiful hardwoods in the world, what we know as Desert Ironwood (Olneya Tesota). This tree grows only in southern Arizona and California and a small area in the very northwest part of Mexico, primarily in the Sonoran Desert. Wood is gathered from naturally fallen trees and through long hours of carving, hand sanding and polishing, the beautiful burl and distinctive grain inherent to Ironwood appears.
Since these are hand carved of a natural material, there will be small differences in the wood grain and in the carving itself. Each piece shows both a smooth polished finish as well as a textured finish that adds to the interesting look of the animal. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Measures 9-7/8" x 4" x 6-5/8" tall at the top of the head. Adhered to a desert ironwood base. Weighs approximately 2 lbs. 12 oz. Clean with a soft cloth and occasionally apply a light coat of neutral paste-type shoe wax.
Desert Ironwood Leopard
