Item Details:

PALMIST TRADE SIGN

MAKER UNKNOWN

AMERICAN FOLK ART, circa 1920

Carved Wood with Polychrome

Size: 12 x 24 x 2.5 in; 30.5 x 61 x 15.9 cm

Rare and desirable example of early 20th century Palmist's Trade Sign , advertising goods & services at a time when iconic symbols were designed and served to quickly communicate information to the entire population, including those many who were otherwise illiterate.

Palmistry, reading of character and divination of the future by interpretation of lines and undulations on the palm of the hand.

In Renaissance magic, palmistry (known as "chiromancy") was classified as one of the seven "forbidden arts".  During the 16th century the art of palmistry was actively suppressed by the Catholic Church. Both Pope Paul IV and Pope Sixtus V issued papal edicts against various forms of divination, including palmistry.

Although there is no scientific support for the contention that the physical features observed in palmistry have psychic or occult predictive meaning, the human hand does show evidence of the person’s health, cleanliness, and occupational and nervous habits (e.g., as evidenced by calluses or nail-biting). Hands are routinely examined in medical diagnosis and provide clues with which the palmist may often astound the unsophisticated.

Provenance: Private collection, New York City from whom the current owner obtained the work