SOLD Most Tender and Poignant 19th Century Hand-cut Iron July 4 Stencil

A humble thing but this is truly one of my favorite finds ever. The combination of the very old and weathered iron and the loss/lack of a center to the "U" (and absence of a Y, too) and that freehand cut 4 floating above, off on its own, feels exactly right--compositionally, symbolically, metaphorically, etc--or representing Independence Day. Singularly and tenderly constructed, improvisational feeling but emphatic, eroding but enduring. For me this one just struck me in the heart and the gut immediately, a perfect thing.

6 5/8" x 3 1/2". Much weathered but in good, stable antique condition. Not actively shedding. The iron sheet kicks out along the far bottom edge at about a 90 degree angle.