John "Black Jack" Kehoe" Coal Miner - Model Cellar New Release

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Guy

A Fixture
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Messages
12,713
Location
US, Oklahoma
St Patrick's Day Release
1/9 scale resin bust
item MC19011
Irish Immigrant Coal Miner
John "Black Jack" Kehoe
Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Region 1870's
"Molly Maguires"

sculpted by Carl Reid
Boxart by Sang-Eon Lee

Molly Bust 1.jpg

Molly Bust 5.jpg



Historical Note:

John "Black Jack" Kehoe, an Irish Immigrant coal miner in the Anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania circa 1870. Kehoe was a member of the Molly Maguires - a secret Irish American organization operating in the coal fields of PA. They basically united/organized themselves against the "Coal Barons"/mine operators, etc. to gain better wages and better working conditions. ...often with violence, sabotage and even murder. The powerful industrialist Franklin Gowen, president of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, hired private detectives from the Pinkerton Agency to infiltrate the Molly Maguires and bring them down. A detective by the name of James McParland penetrated the inner circle of the Mollies under the alias of James McKenna. Through his investigation and testimony a total of 20 Molly Maguires were arrested, tried, and convicted and then sent to the gallows and hanged for alleged crimes (including murder) against the coal companies, owners, bosses and properties. Some say justice was served - others say it was a travesty and innocent men hung along with the guilty. In 1979, then Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp granted a posthumous pardon to Jack Kehoe. Shapp praised Kehoe and the men called "Molly Maguires" as heroes in the struggle to establish a union.


Model Cellar Productions Web-site
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I like it! Something a little different. Looks a bit like Sean Connery. The coal mill on the base is a nice touch, too.

Matt
 
Awesome job Carl. What a cool "outside of the box" type idea. I don't think you could ask for a better box art. ~Gary
 
Great work, Carl.A really beautiful piece.
I'll be getting one of these for sure.

We had a very similar struggle in Australian coal mines in the early twentieth century which saw the army brought in to shoot protesting miners.
I still have my grandfathers water bottle which looks very similar to Black Jack's.
Well done.

Thanks for posting this one, Guy.
 
Thanks Folks!

I'm glad you like it!

Lee has made an absolutely remarkable job of the box-art! Well done done Lee!!!!
He really has magic in his fingers!

Carl.
 
Superb work. I was going to make some smart alec comment about hitting a rich seam of productivity Carl.

Geoff
 
Wow, what a cracker! Perfect likeness, and the paints are setting such a high standard here it's honestly a bit intimidating! Nice work gents!

Jay H.
 
Hi folks,

Glad you like it! It is indeed different and "out of the box".

First, my compliments to Carl and Sang-Eon for an outstanding job!

Why a coal miner you might ask? Well, I was born and raised in the 'Coal Region' of Northeast Pennsylvania. So, this is part of my heritage. I now live in a Philadelphia suburb and the people here refer to us folks from "upstate" as "coal crackers" !LOL!! My hometown is only a few miles from Eckley, PA where the movie was filmed. (Although Jack Kehoe lived in Girardville which is southeast near Pottsville, Frackvile, Shamokin, etc). Anyway, some of my towns folk were extras in the movie's crowd scenes. On a weekend trip up to see my mom (she's 83 now!) my wife and I took our 16 year old daughters to Eckley, PA. for a little history lesson about the coal region. My daughters were a bit taken by the images of those early miners, the hardships, hazards, long hours and their spartan accomodations! They just couldn't comprehend what those men (and boys) did. Of course what modern teenager could imagine it?! Sitting at the dinner table in the week after, I hatched the idea of a Molly Maguire bust. My wife and daugters thought it was pretty cool and encouraged me to go forward with it.

So, the piece has great personal significance for me. Plus, it has a lot of historical significance. The industrail revolution of the mid-late 1800's was fueled by coal. The growth of railroads and the steel industry - fueled by coal. It was a time when "coal was king", a time before oil =). The piece tells an interesting story too - the struggle between the common worker and the rich elite industrialist. When I approached Carl with the idea he LOVED it.

Mark, also interesting that you say the same sort of thing happened in Australia. Funny how the same 'story' gets repeated over and over...

Matt, yes, the structure on the Plinth is a coal 'breaker'. Loaded coal cars would be pulled up out of the mine, up the long incline to the top where the coal would be dumped in. then it would pass over a series of crushers and screens and sorted by size. Carl patterned the plinth after a photo I took in Eckley. this is 2/3 scale 'model' that was built as a movie prop. Even at 2/3 scale it's still a large structure! Of course after decades of exposure to the elemnts with no maintenance it is deteriorating and you can see where parts of the incline have broken away from the building.

here is the photo;

EckleyBreaker2.jpg


Mark, here is a photo I took of an actual canteen in the Miner's museum in Eckley. look familiar?!?!

Mollycanteenanddinnercan.jpg


Eckley stands as a 'living museum' today. When the movie was filmed, the movie company rebuilt the main street to look the period. Here is a photo of the main street today - of course a little weathered over the decades.

Eckleycompanyhomes.jpg


Glad you like something different =). Enjoy!!

Oh, and by the way... Happy St. Patrick's Day! may the luck of the Irish be with you =))!

Paul
www.ModelCellar.com
 
Another very beautiful bust of the mr Carl!!
He seems to figure in Sean Konnery fits in many miniatures, to a person that makes you Want to painting So ... see!!!!

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Carl,
I cannot follow the speed you are sculpting with painting.
I'm lost for all your sculpts. This one is for Euro. Gotta spread out the money over the shows to buy some stuff. Only that way i can stay into the house.
The otherway is sleeping under the bridge in a cardboard box.......and having all your figures.

Marc
 


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