An impression from a 1800's gravestone using kiln fired stoneware pottery clay. Each one-of-a-kind piece is handmade using a master mold from a CNC produced replica of the original headstone.

Using a detailed photo of the stone we are able to re-create a 3D model that is then sent to a CNC machine which in turn reproduces the original headstone complete. This process allows us to create an image from a stone without having to travel or work directly with the stone itself. Every effort is done to recreate the image as closely to the carving on the stone itself but please expect slight differences in the final model. At times in our shop, we will try to offer impressions that are the size of the actual gravestones, but we have found that these miniatures are popular for gift giving or for adding to a grouping of wall art.

This piece is from the gravestone of Polly Andrus who was born in 1781 and departed this life on September 22, 1802. Polly was the daughter of Captain Isaac and Truelove Oatman Andrus and she rests in the Center Shaftsbury Cemetery in Bennington County, Vermont.

Her stone was carved by Samuel Dwight and I believe the stone is sandstone. The carver is known for adding tulips and clovers to his stones and although the epitaph is impossible to read, I found an article in a 1970 Bennington Banner about Samuel Dwight that mentions Polly. It states that the epitaph reads:

"In virtue old in year but young
Was the corps that here doth Ue
In her both sense and pity shone
Alas that she must die
Her last distress with patience bore
Severely was she tryd
The saint sustained the grief and pain
But still the woman died"

I have been trying to find more information on Polly and will update my listing if any new details become available.

This piece measures 5 5/8 inches tall and almost 7 inches wide and I believe it is quite a bit smaller than Polly's actual gravestone. It is a cute stone and someday I would like to make it in a larger version. The glaze is a matte black over a pale clay. Polly's stone has been broken at some point and repaired so we thought it would be fun to add these cracks and screws into the impression. If customers don't care for these details, we may add a model to the shop that excludes the damaged areas.

Thank you for visiting our shop. We appreciate everyone who comes to see our items with or without a purchase and we always enjoy meeting others who share an interest in these unusual and historical carvings. As we complete the transition in our shop to using reproduction models and replacing our previous impressions, we will be adding new pieces that are from areas we haven't visited throughout the Eastern area of the U.S. and even Europe. It is an exciting time in our shop, and we are looking forward to all of the opportunities this switch will offer us and our customers! Thanks again for visiting our shop and your patience as we grow our collection of impressions!