Bronze Hound's Art Collection: Two Small Bronzes by Tom Knapp (September 28, 1925

I won these two pieces through sheer luck, and missed out on a third through sheer bad luck! These were listed in individual online auctions with low "Buy It Now" prices, which I (of course) paid immediately. Had I been smarter, I'd have waited to pay until the third one was listed. When I refreshed the page, the third bronze popped up and had already sold, also through "Buy It Now". RATS!!

I am, however, absolutely thrilled that I managed to purchase these two fine small sculptures by noted (and listed) Western artist Tom Knapp. They were cast as Christmas gifts for a company to give out. They both came with descriptive cards, which I have tucked away someplace safe and have thus misplaced. The first one, titled "War Dancer", is dated 1986, though is not numbered (and I forget the edition size). The second is titled "Eagle Dancer", though this is not on the bronze itself, and is dated 1984. Both are signed "Tom Knapp" and are also inscribed "JHB", which if memory serves are the initials of the company that commissioned these gifts. The wood bases have seen some scarring, but the bronzes are in beautiful shape.

Tom Knapp (born 1925) grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and lived and worked in Ruidoso, NM for a large part of his career before moving to San Miguel, Mexico. He not only sculpts, but he used to cast his own bronzes in his back yard foundry! His work is highly regarded and widely collected. Further works and biographical information are widely available and well worth the search. I wish I could afford his sculptures. I was very lucky indeed to be at the right place and time to buy these!

Why can't I find an employer as thoughtful as these folks? Receiving these sculptures as gifts would have made me one VERY loyal employee!!