Philip Lamb is an artist, photographer and art collector. What I found most interesting about Lamb is his interest in collecting bottle cap art, but more specifically, his interest in "Nuts and Butts".
The most peculiar category of this collection is "Nuts and Butts," a term Mr. Lamb has coined for figurative constructions that hold an ashtray in their arms and sport what is assumed to be a bowl for nuts on their heads.
Many theories have surfaced to explain the origin of these
figures. One dealer recalled a fad of their production in the
late '40s after plans were published in a hobby magazine.
The fad fizzled in about six weeks. Another said that they
were souvenirs of Haiti, which would explain the Black
figures. Some are clearly manufactured, since the collection
has a few near duplicates. Bottle caps dating as late as the
'70s have been found on some. The most thorough and
scholarly research available on these figures is on a
website authored by William Swislow.
If anybody knows the origin and purpose of these "Nuts and Butts" be sure to share them in the comments.
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