Guide to Professional and Well-known Base Carvers

This guide is to recognize past and present outstanding woodworkers who have carved bases for viewing stones. It also assists viewing stone collectors who want to identify the person who made a specific base. The base holds and orients stone for the viewer and is usually made of wood.

The names of skilled craftsmen and artists who made many fine bases decades and centuries ago were not recorded. Unfortunately, so many skilled craftsmen and artists have not been recognized for their creative and skillful work in making objects of beauty. However, many highly skilled base carvers were considered craftsmen rather than artists. As a result, their works are typically unsigned. 

The distinction between artist and craftsman is blurred in some instances. When creating and implementing a unique design for a base is given to the carver, then the carver is also a sculptor, and the base becomes that sculptor’s work of art. If someone else determines the design of the base, then the base carver is carrying out someone else’s creative efforts; in this case, is the carver a craftsman? For this database, we do not try to make a distinction between the two.

While many people carve bases for their stones and do not sign their works, a small but growing group of skilled professionals make bases for collectors and add their trademark or signature. Their works are typically more distinctive and elegant or more elaborate than the works of amateur carvers.

We believe a base that complements and enhances a quality stone adds to the viewing experience. The stone and base combination can be more effective in communicating a message or evoking responses than just the stone itself. 

Users of this guide should first try to match a signature or mark on a base in your possession with one listed in this guide. Then, click on the name to learn more about each base carver. This will take you to the short bio information about a base carver. There are several base carvers that should be included here. We will add them to this file as we acquire the needed information. We hope readers will contact us and share information about people not on this list.