Ernest "Mooney" Warther’s amazing carvings have been appraised by the Smithsonian Instititution as “Priceless works of Art”, but the man behind the carvings was truly one of America’s unrecognized geniuses. Warther was considered by many to be an artist, mechanical genius, philosopher, inventor, collector, family man, showman, and knife maker who used his focus and determination to create so much with only a second grade education. Ernest considered carving strictly a hobby and refused fortunes for his works of art.