Contemporary and Decorative Sculptures Priced Under $1000
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Shih Tzu: Ray Cox.: Ray Cox, an American sculptor, has created a small shaggy dog, most likely a Shih Tzu or Lhasa Apso. The bronze is signed and dated 1985, and is cast number 7 of only 20 made. It has a dark brown patina and is mounted on a 7/8" thick walnut wood base. |
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Bear: M. Riley Austin.: M. Riley Austin is a contemporary American sculptor. He created this Bear standing by a log in 1978, and it is cast # 112 of 1500. The Bear is alert, looking for danger as he stands up on his hind legs. A nice small bronze that would make a good paperweight on a desk. |
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Pintail Ducks: Chris Lecter.: Chris Lecter is a contemporary American sculptor specializing in wildfowl. This is a well modeled bronze of a pair Pintail Ducks resting. The male is watching over his mate while she preens her feathers. The bronze is very well detailed, it is cast # 4 of 35, it has a rich dark brown patina and is mounted on a 1" thick by 6" long walnut wood base. |
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Wood Duck: Ron Herron.: Ron Herron is a contemporary American sculptor specializing in wildlife. He was born in Montana and his career spans over 40 years. This bronze of a Wood Duck drake is very well detailed, showing all the feathers. It is cast # 3 of 40, it has a rich dark brown patina and is mounted on a 3/4" thick by 5" long walnut wood base. |
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Eagle: Wah Chang.: Wah Chang and his wife moved to northern California in 1970 where he began sculpting small bronzes of American wildlife. He established a studio and created these small works up until his death in 2003. This proud model of a Eagle has great detail and was cast in 1973, it is cast number 197. |
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Borzoi: Unsigned American.: The Russian Wolfhound or Borzoi has been a favorite dog breed to portray in art. This rather simple impressionistic bronze was done in the 1930s when Borzoi were popular dogs. It is American but it is not signed by the artist. The bronze is a heavy solid cast and finished in a rich brown patina with a hint of green. |
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Wolf: Gorham.: A powerful model of a running wolf titled Shadow Runner, this bronze is a contemporary sculpture cast by the famous Gorham Foundry. Unfortunately the artist did not sign it but it is very well done and would be enjoyed by anyone interested in wolves or Western bronzes. |
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Sea Horse: Bill Hunt.: Bill Hunt, a California sculptor who specialises in marine life, has created a fine model of a Seahorse with its tail wrapped around a coral plant titled "At Anchor". It was created in 1984 and is cast number 50 of a limited edition of 500, it is mounted on a 3/4" thick green marble base, the bronze has a realistic mulitcolor patina with the Seahorse done in teal green and the rocks in brown. The marble base is a rich green. A charming model. |
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Fighting Sparrows: Unsigned French.: This French 19th century sculpture is made from regule which is a zinc alloy used during the 1870s. At that time, bronze metal was very expensive and hard to get due to the Franco Prussian war and many sculptors had their work cast in regule which is also known as white bronze. These casts are well detailed and finished, but they are quite rare today. The regule metal is softer and few have survived. The subject of Fighting Sparrows is a popular one, it was done by Comolera, Moigniez, Pautrot, Hingre, and others. This well detailed Combat de Moineaux has a bronze patina.
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Labrador Pup and Duck: Bob Winship.: Bob Winship is a contemporary sculptor living in Minnesota who specializes in hunting subjects including game birds and dogs. His bronze sculptures are well done and true to life, and his work has won many awards. This bronze of a Labrador pup looking at a Duck is one of his earlier sculptures. It is dated 1981 and measures 6 1/2" long by 3" tall, it is mounted on the 2" thick original walnut wood base. A nice composition of the pup looking at his future job of duck retrieving. |
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Polar Bear and Cub: Wah Chang.: In 1970, he and his wife moved to northern CA where he turned his hand to sculpting wildlife. He was a successful sculptor and continued to model animals and exhibit them up to a few years before his death in 2003. His small bronzes are excellent portrayals and are prized today. This bronze of a Polar Bear with her Cub shows the bond between a mother and baby. It is one of his earlier works done in 1973 cast in an edition of 250, this is cast #7.
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Terrier: Christine Baldwin.: Christine Baldwin was a master at portraying purebred dogs and her bronzes were of many dog breeds. This little Terrier might be a Cairn, a West Highland White Terrier, or maybe a Scottish Terrier. This happy dog is sitting up begging for attention. He is signed and dated 1986 on the base and stamped as cast number 1 in an edition of 50 bronzes. |
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Cat: Cindy Burleson.: Cindy Burleson is a contemporary Texas sculptor who is noted for her large monument titled Fallen Warriors in Pflugerville Texas and a monument on the grounds of the University of Texas Austin.
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Bison: J. C. Dye.: J.C. Dye is a contemporary Western sculptor born in 1948. He lives in Montana and is a self taught artist influenced by his ranching life and the animals around him. Dye's sculptures are well modeled and detailed, and his subjects are primarily Western themes, Native Americans, and animals both wild and tame.
Here is a fine small bronze of a Bison lying down titled "Montana Monarch". It is a well detailed sculpture with a rich brown patina, mounted on a 1" thick walnut wood base. It is cast # 1 of only 40 made and it is signed and dated 1993. A nice bronze for a desk or library by a good Western sculptor.
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Indian Thunder Pipe: Juan Dell.: Juan Dell was born in 1933 in Texas and she became a sculptor in 1968. She specializes in Western subjects, creating sensitive portraits of Native American men and women. Her work is cast by the House Bronze foundry. This is a bronze of an Indian titled "Thunder Pipe" who must have been a Medicine Man with his pipe and horned headdress. The bronze has a brown patina, it is signed and numbered 6-50, it is mounted on the original walnut wood base. Her bronzes sell up in the thousands but we offer this one at a reasonable price. |
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Elephant: Dick Cross.: Dick Cross is a contemporary sculptor living in Oregon. He is known for his bronzes of Harley Davidson motorcycles and his humorous depictions of animals. This happy Elephant is titled "Jungle Baby" and shows a young African Elephant playing with a palm frond which he is holding over his head. The bronze has a multicolored patina, the Elephant is grey, the palm frond is green and the base is brown, the colors really enhance off this amusing piece. It is signed "Dick Cross", dated 1983, and numbered 7 of 20 cast. It is mounted on a 1" by 9" walnut wood base. |
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Indian on Horseback: J. C. Dye.: J.C. Dye is a contemporary Western sculptor born in 1948, he lives in Montana and is a self taught artist influenced by his ranching life and the animals around him. He is best known for his monumental sculptures but he has also won several awards for his smaller bronzes. Dye's sculptures are well modeled and detailed, and his subjects are primarily Western themes, Native Americans, and animals both wild and tame.
J.C. Dye portrays an Indian brave on his horse in this small bronze. The Indian is reining in his horse while he looks around, he is holding a bow and looking for game tracks to hunt. The bronze is signed and numbered 6 of 15, it is dated 1970, it measures 6 1/4" tall by 6 1/2" long, and it is mounted on the original 1" thick walnut wood base. A good early example of the artist's work and a low numbered edition.
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Bear with Jug: E. Egan.: This is an amusing small bronze of a Bear with a Jug leaning back against a tree trunk. It is signed E. Egan who is an American Western sculptor, and it was cast by the well known Heikka Bronze foundry. It is dated 1970 and is cast # 35 of 100. The Bear looks like he is enjoying life and perhaps relaxing with a jug of honey he has stolen. Bears are always popular in sculpture and this one would make a nice companion on a desk or shelf. |
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Chow Chow: Franz Ziegler.: Franz F. Ziegler was born in Hamburg, Germany on December 5th 1869, and came to America in 1892 where he first studied under Karl Bitter. In the early 1900s he became a contract artist for the Gorham Company foundry in Providence, Rhode Island until his retirement in 1932. He produced silver designs and bronze sculptures that were sold by Gorham in their store for several years. Little is known about this competent American sculptor.
Chow Chow dogs were very popular in the early 1900s. This portrait of a Chow Chow dog is a very well executed portrait of the breed, showing the thick coat and lion like head. It is signed and dated 1915, and finished the deep brown patina used by Gorham Foundry. |
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Indian: Les Welliver.: Les Welliver is a contemporary American Western sculptor from Montana. This unusual bronze is sort of a caricature of an American Indian standing with his spear. His proportions show that this is not a serious sculpture and is of more humorous nature. It is signed, dated, and numbered 1 of 30. It is mounted on a 2 1/4" thick piece of desert wood. |
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Rabbit: E. Samson.: E.M. Samson was a French sculptor working in the late 19th century and early 20th century. He specialized in animals and produced some fine small bronzes. This bronze of a Rabbit or Hare running has a rich dark brown patina. An amusing fellow that would be enjoyed by any collector and would be a useful paperweight for a desk. |
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Dog and Game: John Fincher.: John Fincher is a contemporary Western artist. He was born in Texas in 1941, and lives in New Mexico. He is best known for his paintings. This bronze of a Setter carrying a Pheasant is very similar to a work by Pautrot and may have been created as a study piece. It is signed John Fincher, dated 1978, and titled "Dog and Game". The bronze is finished in a rich brown patina and would be enjoyed by collectors of canine art and of sporting art. |
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Cat Washing: Irénée Rochard.: Irenee Rochard was born in 1906 in France and was best known for his Art Deco works, he won several medals at the various French Salons from 1931 to 1952. He did many animal sculptures which reflect the Deco style. This small Cat is one of his early works and it is a realistic portrayal of a Cat washing her leg. The bronze has a rich black patina and has the Fonte D'Art Paris foundry seal on the base. |
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Seated Cat: H. Gebhard.: Gebhard was a less known Animalier sculptor working around the end of the 19th century. He was a talented sculptor and this small bronze of a Cat is beautifully done. She has a sweet expression and this bronze is cast with great detail. She is finished in a rich mid brown patina and portrays the feline character perfectly. |
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Borzoi and Girl: Franz Gruber.: Franz Gruber was an Austrian sculptor who worked at the turn of the 19th century. Here he has created a fine small bronze of a young Girl with her Borzoi. The dog must have seen something as he is pulling away from his young mistress who holds tightly on to his collar. This amusing small group is cast with much detail and is finished with a gilt patina and mounted on a 3/4 inch thick by 5 inch long veined marble or onyx base. |
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Agricultural Plaque: Isidore Jules Bonheur.: This bas-relief plaque of cattle and sheep typifies the domestic animal subjects prefered by Isidore Bonheur. Even with a two dimensional medium such as a plaque Bonheur manages to get a wonderful feeling of depth as the heads of the bull and the cow rise out away from the rest of the sculpture. The plaque is mounted to a 7" by 10 1/2" oak panel with modern nuts on posts. There is a presentation which has been affixed to the oak panel which says Ste D'Enct A L'Agriculture De La Dordogne. 1929. This inscription and oak panel are newer than the plaque which dates to the late 19th century. This was a very common practice to use one of the older Animalier works and place an inscription on it for an agriculture prize or award. There are many such examples of this being done after the First World War through the 1930's especially with sculpture of bulls, horses, and sheep. Price: $895.00 |
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Mare and Stallion (mini): Pierre Jules Mene.: The Accolade was one of Mene's most famous works, and a model of this sculpture was first exhibited in the Paris Salon of 1852. It immediately met with vast public approval and success and was eventually cast in three sizes. This one is the smallest size and is considered a miniature. Mene did several of his full size models in miniatures and they are quite rare today. Interestingly, in this miniature version, both horses are stallions while the original model showed a stallion and a mare. The bronze has a light brown patina and is mounted on the original 1" thick by 5 5/8" long beveled rouge marble base. |
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Mounted Vaquero Horseman: Unsigned American.: This fine old American bronze of a Caballero or Vaquero on his horse is not signed but it is very well done. It shows a Vaquero mounted on his horse. Vaquero horsemanship is descended from the Spanish horsemen. In Old World Spain, only the wealthy rode horses but in the New World, the great open lands produced a working class equestrian which was a dramatic social change. This style of riding was popular in the West and in southern California in particular. The horses used needed to be agile and responsive to their riders because the riders used a one handed style of riding, using their legs to cue and control their horses with little use of the reins so that their hands were free for their reata or lasso.
This bronze probably dates from the 1930s because of the unique tack on the horse and the rider's costume and gear. The horse is a well balanced stallion, maybe an Arabian. The bronze shows the high spirited horse controlled by his rider. It has a rich brown patina but unfortunately the talented sculptor who created this piece did not sign it.
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