Anthony Alexander - "Rising From The Flames" - A Fun Bronze By An Unknown Artist

Here is another of what I call "mystery bronzes". The artist's name is Anthony Alexander, the piece is titled "Rising From The Flames" and it is number 3 of 50 (though whether or not 50 were actually made is another mystery). It is cold-painted with some attention to detail. I think it is a fun piece, and it definitely adds a bit of color to my collection. I'd love to find out more about the artist, so if anyone out there knows something, please let me know!


I've finally taken some pictures that I'm happy with, so I've updated them here.

"Rising From The Flames" by Anthony Alexander, 3/50, polychrome bronze, front

"Rising From The Flames" by Anthony Alexander, 3/50, polychrome bronze, left

"Rising From The Flames" by Anthony Alexander, 3/50, polychrome bronze, back

"Rising From The Flames" by Anthony Alexander, 3/50, polychrome bronze, right

"Rising From The Flames" by Anthony Alexander, 3/50, polychrome bronze, close up

"Rising From The Flames" by Anthony Alexander, 3/50, polychrome bronze, signature

Donner "Rusty" Houtz (1923-2012), Tribal Elder, Rodeo Cowboy and One Heck Of A Sculptor

I was again fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to buy this wonderful bronze by a very talented artist and all-around-nice-guy (I have that on excellent authority) Rusty Houtz (tribal affiliation: Shoshone-Bannock). Rusty was born in Idaho and was raised by his Indian grandparents. Save for a stint in the Army during WWII, he worked as a professional rodeo cowboy until injuries in 1957 forced him to give it up. He worked as an extra in many films, and later in life began sculpting (he was self-taught). His bronzes were often featured at the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Museum in Fort Hall, Idaho, where he volunteered regularly. He was a well-respected elder in his tribe, and well liked in his area.

This bronze, titled "Morning Prayer", was cast as a gift to his friend Steve Piper, who owned his favorite restaurant in town. This bronze sat proudly on display until it was offered for sale and I bought it. It was Rusty's first sculpture cast in bronze, dated 1983 and number 14 of 25. It's a wonderful piece, and I'm thrilled to have it in my collection.

"Morning Prayer" by Donner "Rusty" Houtz (1923-2012), 1983, 14/25, front

"Morning Prayer" by Donner "Rusty" Houtz (1923-2012), 1983, 14/25, right

"Morning Prayer" by Donner "Rusty" Houtz (1923-2012), 1983, 14/25, Indian close up

"Morning Prayer" by Donner "Rusty" Houtz (1923-2012), 1983, 14/25, back

"Morning Prayer" by Donner "Rusty" Houtz (1923-2012), 1983, 14/25, left

"Morning Prayer" by Donner "Rusty" Houtz (1923-2012), 1983, 14/25, signature

"Morning Prayer" by Donner "Rusty" Houtz (1923-2012), 1983, 14/25, dedication plaque

Fakes Were Made Back In The Day, Too!

Sometimes, even I can be fooled. Especially when the object in question was created expressly to fool someone into thinking it's something that it is not. This next statue is a perfect example.

This Indian holding a lasso over his head may look like a Vienna bronze, but in reality it's made from cold-painted spelter. A spot of missing paint on the back of the upraised arm gives the game away. I'm not even sure if the base is actually marble or tinted plaster with painted-on veins! There is a label on the bottom with the date 1927 on it - I don't know how accurate that is, but given the patina I wouldn't be surprised if that was correct. I believe it was made as a less expensive alternative to Vienna bronzes. After all, in the 1920's, what self-respecting home parlour or man's desk would be complete without a figurine or small statue or two? Well, if your budget was similar to mine, then this unsigned and non-hallmarked piece might just fit the bill without breaking the wallet. Actually, I believe these inexpensive copies are actually rarer today than the Vienna bronzes they copied. I'm happy to have it in my collection, even if it's not terribly valuable. For being a cheapie, it's very well done, with nice detail and good proportions, especially given the size.

Edit: Once again, I may be wrong! This could very well have been cast by the very same foundry that would have also cast it from bronze, if such a piece was ever even made. In doing my research I have come across many white metal versions of pieces that I have seen made of bronze as well. The castings were just as crisp as the bronzes and signed as well, which leads me to believe that the white metal versions were perhaps merely sold as an alternative to the bronzes instead of being a pirated copy. So this piece is very probably a Vienna sculpture as well!

"Indian With Lasso" by Unknown, 1927, front

"Indian With Lasso" by Unknown, 1927, back

"Indian With Lasso" by Unknown, 1927, bottom

Carl Kauba (1865-1922), Still In Demand Today!

If you're not familiar with Carl Kauba, well, I don't know what to say. Do a simple search and you'll find far more information that I could post here.
I bought the first, rather small bronze of an Indian standing with rifle in hand in an online auction, at an almost give-away price. This one is not very old, but it is solid bronze and cold-painted, just like the original Vienna bronzes. It is not stamped with any foundry marks or "Geschutzt" (copyright) like an early Vienna bronze would be, however. I'm of two minds about this one. It's clearly newer (I'm guessing somewhere from the 1960's-80's?), but I don't think it's a copy per se, more of a continuation of the original castings. Many people are not aware, but the Bergmann foundry in Vienna is still in existence and still producing cold-painted bronzes! It is estimated that they have 20 to 30 thousand different molds, which they rotate through from time to time. I'm given to understand that the molds for Carl Kauba's bronzes are still in their store rooms, and occasionally a run of castings are made from them. As his works were never intended to be limited in production (beyond what they felt they could sell, that is), it's not even disingenuous to call this an original. It's just not very old. I'm not certain of the official title, but since the titles tended to be simple and obvious, I'm calling it "Standing Indian With Rifle." Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

The second piece is a bit better known. "Shot In The Eye" was a Chief of the Oglala Lakota who fought and lost his eye in the Battle of Little Big Horn. He was often photographed after. This piece is a modern reproduction of a Carl Kauba original. It may have come from the modern Vienna foundries, but I have no idea if it did or not. This is a very popular piece that has never really been out of production since it first came out, from what I can tell. I've had this for a couple years, and recently found it behind a stack of books, completely forgotten!

The third bronze is another modern Vienna casting, and is a new grouping of old models on a new base. I won this for an excellent price in an online auction because the seller misinterpreted and misspelled the signature. The Indian on the horse and the kneeling Indian scout were originally cast as individual pieces but have been grouped together here in one sculpture. What the Vienna foundries often do is to take the original models and either modify or group them differently to create a new work without creating an entirely new sculpture. One can often find the elements of a complex Vienna bronze in other iterations. I think it's rather cool. Considering the new bronzes are made in the same method and about the same quantities as the antiques were, they're still a very viable and collectible form of art, in my opinion.

I have several other pieces by Carl Kauba, or at least that are signed as such. I'll add those to this post in the near future.

"Standing Indian With Rifle" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, front

"Standing Indian With Rifle" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, left

"Standing Indian With Rifle" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, back

"Standing Indian With Rifle" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, right

"Standing Indian With Rifle" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, Indian close up

"Standing Indian With Rifle" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, signature

"Shot In The Eye" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, front

"Shot In The Eye" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, left

"Shot In The Eye" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, back

"Shot In The Eye" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, right

"Shot In The Eye" by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, signature

Two Indians by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, front

Two Indians by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, left

Two Indians by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, back

Two Indians by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, right

Two Indians by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, close up

Two Indians by Carl Kauba (1865-1922), bronze, signature

A Beautiful Bronze by Denny Haskew

I've been chasing after this work since I saw a picture of the monument size statue that adorns the National Museum Of The American Indian in Washington, DC. The original is called "Strength Of The Maker" and is an allegorical work about the relationship between God and Man, sculpted by master sculptor Denny Haskew (tribal affiliation: Potawatomie) of Colorado. I think it's just an incredibly beautiful work of art, regardless of the meaning behind it. Since I can't even afford to dream about owning a copy of the monument, and the (sold out) maquette size is still far beyond my price range, I found another version that I could afford. In 1987 Mr. Haskew made a similar bronze for The Franklin Mint titled "Preparing For The Hunt." Normally even this would be beyond my limited budget, but I happened to be fortunate enough to be in the right place, at the right time, and with a few bucks in my pocket to be able to pick this one up at a really good price. I know, it's more officially "collectible" than "fine art," but really, can't something of this caliber be both?

One day I shall own a true copy of "Strength Of The Maker," but until then, I present "Preparing For The Hunt" by Colorado artist Denny Haskew. The Franklin Mint didn't affix these bronzes to the bases, rather they put strips of felt on the contact points to deter damage. That's why the sculpture may seem to sit in different places on the base in these pictures - because it does! He's not darker on one side than the other, that's just the way the shadow fell.

It's just as impressive in real life, too. I'm thrilled that I've finally added this wonderful sculpture to my collection!

"Preparing For The Hunt" by Denny Haskew, bronze, 1987, front

"Preparing For The Hunt" by Denny Haskew, bronze, 1987, right

"Preparing For The Hunt" by Denny Haskew, bronze, 1987, back

"Preparing For The Hunt" by Denny Haskew, bronze, 1987, right

"Preparing For The Hunt" by Denny Haskew, bronze, 1987, close up

American Paper And Pulp Association Plaques and extras!

This particular odyssey began with a really good find and disappointing loss. I had been outbid in an auction for a beautiful bronze plaque and was really bummed. I'd had no idea what the plaque had been made for or for whom, but I knew that I really liked it. The artwork was exquisite though the left side of the front was oddly pockmarked and it had no writing on it. A brief time later, while searching the internet, I found an ad for this plaque. It was clearly the original version of the plaque I'd failed to win with all of the original wording on the front intact, and that answered my most basic questions. The best part was that the price was significantly less than my final bid had been for the reproduction! I snapped it up. It is actually a cast piece, though it is thin enough that it looks like repoussé from the other side. I believe it was a gift, meant to be hung in the office of the Association member who received it. Other than the obvious words on it and the "335" stamped into the back, the artist (as well as the foundry, one of which likely has the initials "CC" seen on the front) remains a mystery. If anyone knows something about this, let me know!

The funny thing about the reproduction (and I've now seen a few of them), the words were removed (cleaned off the mold and the area dimpled to match the rest of the background) before the recast was made. The area where the letters pass through the feathers was also stippled, making the feathers look weirdly chopped off. It's very easy to tell the difference between an original and a copy. I'm very, very glad to have purchased an original versus the reproduction.

 

 

 

American Paper and Pulp Association member plaque, bronze, no. 335, front

American Paper and Pulp Association member plaque, bronze, no. 335, obverse

American Paper and Pulp Association member plaque, bronze, no. 335, serial number

 

As the years have passed, I have seen a whole bunch and purchased several other examples of this organization's logo, on plaques, trade show medals, and even letterheads and books. Firstly, I bought another bronze plaque that is identical to the first (albeit shinier) that is numbered 126. Each of the plaques are numbered uniquely on the back, to the right of the hanger ring. I believe they were numbered sequentially. I have seen numbers run up into the 700's, so at one time there were quite a few of these out in the world! 

 

 

American Paper and Pulp Association member plaque, bronze, no. 126, front

American Paper and Pulp Association member plaque, bronze, no. 126, obverse

American Paper and Pulp Association member plaque, no. 126, serial number

One dated convention medal came to me sans its ribbon. It appears to be gilded bronze and has the date April 11-14, 1921 cast in the medal across the bottom. Stamped into the back is a small logo from the manufacturer, The Standard Emblem Company of Providence, RI. It is in excellent condition for its age, no damage or wear to the gilding present. It could use cleaning, but I've left it alone for now.

American Paper and Pulp Association medal, gilded bronze, dated April 11-14, 1921, front

American Paper and Pulp Association medal, gilded bronze, dated April 11-14, 1921, obverse

I purchased another medal that is very similar to the last but is slightly larger in diameter and is undated. Again, it was produced by the Standard Emblem Company of Providence, Rhode Island and is missing its ribbon. It is in amazing condition for being close on a century old.

American Paper and Pulp Association medal, gilded bronze, undated, front

American Paper and Pulp Association medal, gilded bronze, undated, obverse

 

I purchased two medals with their ribbons intact as well. The first is likely the oldest. I believe it is silver plated bronze, though it may well be sterling silver. It has a ribbon in the form of the American flag (very cool), though it is missing its back pin and possibly a top bar. There are no markings on the back save some dried glue from an old price tag. Again, for being roughly a hundred years old, the fact that the silk has survived at all is nothing short of delightful!

American Paper and Pulp Association medal, silver (plated?), undated, silk American flag ribbon, front

American Paper and Pulp Association medal, silver (plated?), undated, silk American flag ribbon, front, closeup

The second beribboned medal came from a meeting of the technical arm of the American Paper and Pulp Association called TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp & Paper Industry), which was formed in 1915. The medal is gilded bronze and is not dated in the medal but is dated on the ribbon. The upper bronze frame and pin are extant and in excellent condition. It was made for the fifteenth annual meeting of TAPPI on February 18-20, 1930 by the Standard Emblem Company of Providence, RI. The medal was used by TAPPI representative R. (Ronald) G. MacDonald. Mr. MacDonald was the editor of the TAPPI trade publication created from these meetings, the Technical Association Papers, in the 1930's and 1940's. Research is ongoing!

American Paper and Pulp Association, TAPPI participation medal, gilded bronze, dated 1930, front

American Paper and Pulp Association, TAPPI participation medal, gilded bronze, dated 1930, reverse

American Paper and Pulp Association, TAPPI participation medal, glided bronze, dated 1930, obverse

And last but not least for now comes this little sweetheart. This is a small sterling silver round medallion attached to a shield shaped wood plaque backing that is stained walnut color. In the center of the medallion is the Association's Indian chief head logo though this time he is surrounded by images of events in the history of paper making in the United States. After a good deal of research, I found out that this plaque was presented to the guests of the American Paper and Pulp Association's 50th Anniversary Jubilee dinner held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City on February 24, 1927. These plaques are very rare indeed! Mine is in excellent condition and has a small ring tacked to the back so it can be hung from a nail.

 

American Paper and Pulp Association, 50th Anniversary Jubilee plaque, 1927, silver on wood

 

The Standard Emblem Company was incorporated on July 2, 1918 in Providence, Rhode Island by George A MacCann, Thomas H. Foley and John G. Steele as a jewelry importer and manufacturer. I can find no information about the company after about 1937, so that may be a good date range for their medals.

That's everything from the American Paper and Pulp Association that I have right now. I have been contemplating displaying them in a shadowbox, but I have yet to find a layout that I like. As I purchase more from them, I'll add them here.