Nyla Gladine Thompson, Mouth Painter, c. 1950s Original Oil Painting on Postcard toy sword It is constructed like a

It is constructed like a "crown on thorns" with interlocking pieces

a symbol of strength and rebirth

and there is a signature carved into one handle

He lost his ears along the way

this is a mid 19th c

Nyla Gladine Thompson, Mouth Painter, c. 1950s Original Oil Painting on Postcard toy sword It is constructed like aI didn't quite understand the meaning of "mouth artist" handwritten on the back of this hand painted postcard when I found it, or recognize the name of Nyla G. Thompson of Austin, TX who signed it, but a little googling led me the fabulous folk outsider collector Jim Linderman's Dull Tool Dim Bulb blog, where I learned a bunch about her, including that she did, as a polio survivor, indeed paint by holding a paintbrush in her mouth. [here's a link] As