John J. Gredler Works of Art

Folk Art Carnival Sign Winged Scarab and Pyramid "Elixir of Life"

Carnival sign with Ancient Egyptian winged scarab and pyramid, hand carved and painted advertisement for "Elixir of Life", circa 1900. This wonderful piece, a personal favorite, has everything you want in a piece of carnival folk art. One can just picture the huckster on his podium selling his 'snake oil' to gullible crowds with his sign hanging above. I love the use of ancient Egyptian motifs, as if harkening back to that mysterious time somehow legitimizes the product being hawked. This vintage piece has topical resonance, a sign of our time! 

The elixir of life (Medieval Latin: elixir vitae), also known as elixir of immortality, is a potion that supposedly grants the drinker eternal life and/or eternal youth. This elixir was also said to cure all diseases. Alchemists in various ages and cultures sought the means of formulating the elixir.

Circa 1900.

25" h  x  22" w  x  2.75" d