Scarce and Notable Richard Saar Mid-Century Cigarette Box with Figural Tray Top northwest coast with just a little warping

with just a little warping to the wood

I'd be pretty confident there were once many more of these figures and related bits

which has acquired a warm dry wood patina

Best of all are Skeaping's graceful diagrams and beautiful full fledged drawings

Framed as found: 10 1/8" x 8 11/16 x 3/4

Scarce and Notable Richard Saar Mid-Century Cigarette Box with Figural Tray Top northwest coast with just a little warpingThough this struck me as vaguely familiar when I found it, and very clearly mid century, I didn't know about Richard Saar and Saar Ceramics but am very happy to now, including to know that Saar was the husband of artist Betye Saar and father of Alison and Lezley! Launched in Lawndale, California and soon relocated to a small Quonset hut in El Segundo, Saar Ceramics studio operated from 1949 to 1962 producing tableware, tiles, and figural sculptures