Make everyone on your holiday shopping list happy with a few of these West Virginia-made treasures.
Violins
crafted by Paolo Marks
Based in Pocahontas County, Paolo Marks is a musician and artisan. For more than a decade he has focused on building his own string instruments, producing a handful a year and investing hundreds of hours into each. His instruments are made from scratch and reflect a period of apprenticeship with luthiers in Canada and Holland. Contact for pricing and orders. @PaoloMarksViolins on Facebook, paolomarks@yahoo.com
Saturday Snapshots: West Virginia University Football
by John Antonik
For decades, hundreds of photographs chronicling some of the greatest moments in West Virginia University football history have been hidden away beneath piles of dusty media guides, tattered game programs, and yellowed newspaper clippings. Within the annals of the WVU athletic department, these archival treasures had been overlooked and forgotten—until now. By spanning the WVU football program’s entire history, from that first game in snowy Morgantown in November 1891 to West Virginia’s appearance in the Liberty Bowl in December 2014, these snapshots published by WVU Press will keep you turning the pages until the clock runs out. $34.99. 304.342.1848, wvbookco.com
Marbles
crafted by Marble Kings
Handcrafted in West Virginia using lead-free glass, these marbles are sure to brighten anyone’s day. Marble King opened in the 1940s in Paden City, where the company is still based, and has become an internationally recognized brand of toy and decorative marbles. Marble packages start at $2.15. marblekingusa.com
West Virginia Beauty: Familiar and Rare
by Steve Shaluta and Jeanne Mozier
This book showcases the state’s beauty, including landscapes, wildlife, numerous historic sites, recreational opportunities, and more. Fans familiar with Steve Shaluta’s work will be happy to find a picture of a classic Mail Pouch barn or an exquisite West Virginia sunrise. This one makes for a lovely coffee table gift book. $34.95. 304.342.1848, wvbookco.com
Dulcimers
crafted by Jim and Brenda Good
A dulcimer, with a twang somewhere between a guitar, banjo, and mandolin, creates a sense of warmth and hominess wherever it’s played. You, too, can enjoy the sounds of Appalachian musicians with one of the Goods’ stunning instruments. Their expert level of craftsmanship is evident in everything from their woods—only the best of native hardwoods and exotics—to the walnut shell sound holes to the elegant lines of the instruments’ bouts. Dulcimers start at $400. mastertonedulcimers.webs.com
Wooden Toys
crafted by Blue Ridge Toy Company
Located near Shepherdstown, Vanessa Morris is becoming well known for her wooden toys. Each is pieced together from non-chemically-treated salvaged wood that is refined and sanded to a smooth finish. Great for the young and the young-at-heart. Prices range from $20 to $175. contact@blueridgesalvage.com, @BlueRidgeSalvage on Facebook
Onward and Pilot
Christian Lopez Band
This 19-year-old Martinsburg native is making waves in the music industry with his blend of traditional West Virginia picking, neo-Americana, classic rock, folk, and country music. Named Best Newcomer of the 2015 Americana Music Fest by Rolling Stone, Lopez is one West Virginia artist you’ll want to get to know soon. Pilot, $6.45, Onward, $9.99; available on iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, and Spotify
West Virginia Puzzles
photographed by Frank Ceravalo
Enjoying beautiful landscape prints in frames on walls is one thing, but when you’ve helped to craft the images yourself—painstakingly rebuilding each tree and water ripple piece by piece—they can mean so much more. Take the time to immerse yourself in West Virginia landscapes with a few of photographer Frank Ceravalo’s jigsaw puzzles. Ceravalo has been featured in publications including Wonderful West Virginia and National Geographic Adventure. Puzzles start at $16.95. vistawv.com
Dog & Gun
Dog & Gun
Alternative country-bluegrass band Dog & Gun released its self-titled debut album in 2014, fully written, recorded, and produced in West Virginia. Its sound, traditionally Appalachian yet undeniably modern, occupies a space somewhere between country, old-time, bluegrass, punk rock, and metal—all that from a classically stripped-down Appalachian string band with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, string bass, and fiddle. $15. dogandgunwv.com
Mandolins
crafted by Lee Chapman
Charleston-based artisan Lee Chapman is known for his fine craftsmanship. His instruments, special order only, are hand-carved using only the finest woods, inlays, and plating. This Aleyas F-style mandolin was constructed using West Virginia red spruce and West Virginia harvested sugar maple, an ebony fingerboard, gold-plated hardware, and mother of pearl inlays. Call or email for pricing and order information. 304.925.6233, dlchap7@hotmail.com
West Virginia: A Film History
West Virginia History Film Project and West Virginia Humanities Council
This two-disc DVD program was originally broadcast on public television. The 6.5-hour documentary narrated by Richard Thomas tells the unforgettable story of the Mountain State. Countless individual West Virginians are featured in 27 topical chapters. Insightful, educational, and entertaining—buy it for yourself or as a holiday gift. $29.95. 304.342.1848, wvbookco.com
Sock Monkies
crafted by Mountain Craft Shop Company
Eighteen inches tall and all traditional red-heeled sock fun, these sock monkey dolls are available in three colors and are 100 percent American-made, right down to the stuffing. Portions of profits from all pink monkeys sold will be donated to local cancer group Deb’s Gang of Hope. $29.95 each. folktoys.com
Guitars
crafted by Andrew White
This Morgantown-based guitar maker’s interest in instruments sparked during a college trip to Spain where he befriended a luthier while attempting to learn Spanish. After that trip he was inspired to create his own. One creation led to another and another. Since then he’s been crafting guitars, known for their serpentine lines, tight waists, and rounded shoulders, for customers far and wide. Base pricing starts at $6,900. Use promo code “wildandwonderful” for a $100 discount at andrewwhiteguitars.com.
Mountain Christmas
by Marc Harshman; illustrations by Cece Rose
Miracles await the reader in this instant West Virginia classic by the poet laureate of West Virginia, Marc Harshman, and the gifted painter Cecy Rose. Every page reveals a new glimpse of Santa coming to the mountains with his sleigh and reindeer. You do not have to be a West Virginian to enjoy this book, but natives will certainly recognize iconic scenes featuring familiar sights like the state Capitol building, Green Bank Observatory, and Blackwater Falls. Cecy Rose has crafted magnificent illustrations that add a rich layer of visuals to Harshman’s compelling voice. With poetic stanzas, each of which teases the coming arrival of Santa Claus, this is sure to become a keepsake volume for children of all ages. $15.95. 304.342.1848, wvbookco.com
This story was originally published in the December 2015 issue of Wonderful West Virginia.