Question about wooden carvings
 

Hi:
I am a new member of this forum and from time to time I will be posting artifacts that I have inherited or collected over the years. Attached are some images of a curiosity that has been in my family for many years. As you can see they are a pair of wooden carved heads with hollowed out centers through the middle of the head. They are about 4 inches in height and 6 inches in circumference. As you can see there are differences in the facial features such as furrowed brow, cheeks, and eyes.
Despite being in the family for years, I have no idea what they are or what they may have been used for. I am interested in anything anyone can tell about them or where I might look to for further research.
Thank you.

This looks like Black Americana, possibly late 19th-early 20thC.
Being close to identical, and considering their form; I wonder if they are possibly unfinished pipe bowls.. :shrug: :confused:
Figural pipes were pretty popular then.

I remember having a clay Admiral Dewey figural pipe as a teenager; alas it was lost a long time ago.. :(

I was thinking the same thing........

Most figural pipe bowls I've seen have been made of meeshaum rather than wood. The inside of the bowl does look figured, though, so maybe it's burl?

Pipe bowls usually have a shank on the back where the stem plugs in. The lack of a shank makes me doubt these were intended to be pipe bowls.

Wooden Carvings
 

I think they are too large to be figural pipe bowls and the circular base leads me to think that too. The depth of the hole in the head might suggest that something was intended to be held within. Perhaps there were covers/lids at some point? Years ago, someone suggested candle holders. I am unsure about them being Black Americana although that might be a possibility. Someone suggested that the facial features suggested a Caribbean origin. However, I have no idea and that's why I posted in hope of some additional thoughts. Thank you.

Could they perhaps be a humidor? I've seen chalk skulls and carved wooden figural heads used for such...

Peregrin's description of size, four inches high and six inches in circumference would likely put the function of humidor off the list.
You couldn't get much tobacco in that size of container. :)

No more input from anyone?