Armand LaMontagne
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Armand LaMontagne ranks as one of America's pre-eminent sculptors of celebrated personalities. He is a self-taught artist who has honed his skills through practicing his profession. He is best recognized for his life-size wood and bronze sculptures. His significant sculptures of important personalities are sited at The Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, New York; the New England Sports Museum, Boston, Massachusetts; the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor, Fort Knox, Kentucky; and the Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield, Massachusetts
LaMontagne’s talents were brought to the national spotlight in the 1970s when he deliberately made a reproduction of a 17th century turned oak Brewster Chair (an iconic Pilgrim chair) to embarrass the “experts”. LaMontagne even soaked the chair in salt water to simulate aging. Eventually, the Henry Ford Museum purchased the “fake” from a dealer for $9,000. The museum was later notified of their error, when LaMontagne published an admission in the Providence Journal.
LaMontagne has also hand built several recreations of 17th century Rhode Island houses called stone-enders.