1890 Football Nose Guard

I wanted to show an element of the piece I found fascinating. The hard rubber nose guards that many of the players would wear back in the day. They were called the “Morrell Nose Guard”. An optional protection piece, but many players chose to wear one. The inside of the nose guard had a extension sticking out that could be bitten between ones teeth. They may seem odd to us now, and they were certainly awkward pieces, but they saved many players from injury and even death. I greatly enjoy uncovering the history that’s inevitably buried within every piece I create. If you’d like to see more photos and read a bit more about the nose guards, you can click this link.

I haven’t been too active posting things for a while. This is why. I wake up and go to bed pondering this piece. Good chance I’ll be sculpting on this 11 man 1890s football team for another 10 months. It has to be as close to perfect as I can make it. It’s a commission for a football stadium in Ohio.

If you find yourself in the Logan area, and would like to see it in person, please let me know. I’m more than happy to give studio tours, show what I’m currently working on, and meet fellow art lovers. You can find my email linked below.

If you’d like to see more photos, and read more about the football monument, “Football, circa 1890”, you can click this link, to see our portfolio page about it. On that same page we’ve also linked many YouTube videos that delve into the process of creating this piece from beginning to where I’m at now.