The Art of Wine - Barrel Carvings

Wine barrel carvings and ornately carved wine casks are a German Folk Art wood carving tradition.   Decorated casks and barrels were considered the status symbol of a distinguished winery.   Wealthy, established wineries would often have multiple carved barrels on display in their barrel rooms, wine cellars and tasting rooms to impress visitors.

Barrels were carved with a variety of subjects, the most popular being leaves and grapes.  Vintners were immortalized in wood, other barrels featured Bacchus, the God of Wine,  logos, wild life,  and even the labels of  prize winning vintages.  The harvest was a popular theme as well, following the grape from vine to bottle in a series of hand carved wine barrel heads. 

In California, Earle Brown, a retired graphic artist and wood carver was hired by the Sebastiani Winery.  Before his death, Mr. Brown created over 300 carvings on barrels, doors and counters.  The carvings are very popular, bringing visitors from all over the world to the Sebastiani  Winery.  

 Original wine barrel carvings can still be found, however since the carvings are so highly valued, it is extremely difficult and expensive to obtain an older work of art.  Today, there are only a few wood carvers still creating this unique art by hand.  To our knowledge, Tom is the only wine barrel carver on the East Coast of the United States.

Tom welcomes the opportunity to create a unique work of art just for you.  Custom carved barrel heads add the perfect wine decor to your home or office.  They add a bit of old world style to your  bar, tasting room, wine cellar or barrel room. 

Barrel carvings create a sense of dignity & establishment to restaurants, pubs, taverns and inns.  

• Our Wine Barrel Carving Commissions Page
  will provide you with information on how to order your own
  Custom Wine Barrel Carving!
  
  

• See the Process of Hand Carving a Wine Barrel!
  
  

• To see some of Tom's Wine Barrel Carvings,
  visit Tom's Wine Barrel Carving Gallery!
  The Gallery includes some of Tom's Barrel Carvings which are for sale!

To see some original old world wine barrel carvings visit our original wine barrel carvings page!

In addition to carving wine barrel heads, Tom also creates custom wine barrel stave signs!

Wine Barrels are still crafted by hand.  Find out How A Wine Barrel Is Made!  

Wine Barrel Carving is a dying artform.
This page will introduce you to other artists who still work to keep the art alive!

For information on wines, wine country tours, wine country decor, wine accessories, bar supplies and other wine related items, visit our link partners in on the Wine Links page.  Don't forget to check out our wine bottle stoppers and wine cellar signs too!