Prohibition Folk Sculpture, W. C. Fields and Andrew Carnegie

A pair of entertaining folk art sculptures from the era just prior to prohibition. They show two of the most famous antagonists on opposite sides of the prohibition question; W. C. Fields, titled Wet and Andrew Carnegie titled Dry.  There is a pencil inscription on the bottom of each, “George Lauder, Greenwich, Conn.” Lauder was a business partner of Andrew Carnegie and fabulously wealthy. It seems unlikely that he was the carver, but more likely the owner. Lauder’s connection with Carnegie may explain why the 5’3″ advocate for prohibition is depicted as the taller figure.