ANTIQUE GRIFFOUL SOLID BRONZE POLO PLAYERS BOOKENDS by L GARDIN March 14, 1914

Description: These solid bronze polo player bookends are as rare as a set as you will find. They will be the center piece of a collection. Whether you are a seasoned collector of antique bookends, equestrian, polo, or bronze sculptures, these may be for you. None have sold on eBay in the past 12 years, and no others are listed. As you can see by the photos they are in excellent condition. The original green felt on the bottom is quite worn but still there. Original March 14, 1914, signed by L. Gardin, bronze bookends made by none other than Laura Gardin Fraser, wife of James Earle Fraser (designer of the Buffalo Nickle and one of the men sent to collect the 7th Cavalry Regiment's dead after the Battle of the Little Bighorn)! Just before she gave up art to join the war effort, Laura made this incredibly rare pair of bookends. Examples of Laura Fraser's work are incredibly rare and sought after as she was perhaps the only professional woman sculptor at the time, not to mention one of the best, and wife of the famous James Fraser. Laura Gardin Fraser was one of the most prolific female sculptors of the early 20th century. Her output is lauded in both numismatic and artistic circles. Her work, from hand-sized to larger-than-life-sized, is the subject of numerous coins, medals, statues, and monuments.Jill Westeyn Gardin Frasers career in sculpture began with creating medals, coins, fountains, and animals for which she is well known. She was the first woman to design a coin for the US Treasury and was commissioned to do several monuments, including the double equestrian statue of Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson in Wyman Park, Baltimore, Maryland, the three relief panels at the entrance to the library at West Point Academy, and a white granite figure of Pegasus at Brook Green Gardens, South Carol On the back of each bookend is stamped "Cast by Griffoul Newark NJ". Some info about Griffoul: Auguste Griffoul had operated a foundry in Paris where he made a cast of the Thinker for Auguste Rodin in 1896. By 1905, he had opened a foundry in Newark, NJ, reported to have been the last foundry in America using French sand. Apart from Medicine Whip, Griffoul cast at least one other subject for Charles M. Russell also produced bronzes for Augustus Saint-Gaudens and James Earle Fraser. Please check out my other auctions for more antique Griffoul bronze, Pompeian Bronze, Armor Bronze, KBW, HUBLEY, and Judd Co cast iron bookends I will be listing over the next couple of weeks.

Price: 3869.96 USD

Location: Plainville, Connecticut

End Time: 2025-01-01T16:06:59.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD