What a fabulous armadillo...this may be my very favorite animal find yet to add to the menagerie! The body and head are carved of one piece, to which the legs and tail have each been attached by nails (with the nail attached to the tail left loose enough to allow the tail to move from side to side!), and the wood has been left untreated, vigorously decorated with what appears to be black marker, with red inside the mouth as the perfect final touch. So great in every way.
Though unsigned, this piece is presumed to be made by famous Oaxacan folk artist Manuel Jimenez (1919–2005), credited as the originator of Oaxacan "alebrijes" wooden animal carvings. It matches in every way other pieces attributed to him, including the the numbering - "710" in this case--on the bottom. However, I am not 100% certain of this attribution and am pricing this piece far below market for his work.
The armadillo measures 7 1/2" long x 1 3/4" tall x 1 3/8" wide. It is in excellent condition, with the only flaw a dark spot on one side toward the rear, where it seems there was once a sticker; I have removed some of it with light rubbing, and it can probably be further removed.
