I have a pair of small bronze busts - which I finally identified as being Louis I, of Holland and Queen Hortense. The founder name is "Espies Freres" but I can not find anyone with info on it - it is the usual crossed hammers in a circle, "Espies Freres" and "Paris" Louis I has the extreme bicorne hat, and Hortense has a caleche bonnet. I believe it is circa 1810, but cannot find the dates for the Espies Freres operating. (I also include an 1869 miniature albumen print of Brady's portrait of Lincoln and likely printed in his NY studio, as an interesting sidelight, as the photo of the small founder mark is not that great.) .
The foundry name is Espíe. Appears to have been in business early 20th century. Here's some information which you'll have to run through Google Translate. https://e-monumen.net/patrimoine-monumental/espie/ Debora
This looks like yours, although in a more expensive version. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17119/lot/628/ Debora
Um --- modern French marks include "France" and not just "Paris" as far as I can tell (per international law). Your cite is specific for "A. Espie." who would likely be a descendant of the original founders. In addition the "crossed hammers" is typical of older marks, and was never used by "A. Espie" at all. I spent a few hours on this one, by the bye. Also the large "7" indicated that the two figures are a set of a very limited edition. Lastly, Bonham's did not recognize Louis I mainly because they only had Hortense. Thanks for your earnest effort, but the lack of "France" and the lack of the "crossed hammers" for that person seem to be decisive to me.
With all due respect, Dave... Seems as if you have your answers and are now searching for the facts to support them. Your items appear to be late-Victorian busts of an attractive couple wearing period costume. Bonham's identifies the sculptor as Jacques B. Beauvais, who was born in the 19th century and lived into the 20th. This is much more important information than the name of the foundry, which appears to have been a small operation run by a sculpturer and acquaintance of Rodin. I see nothing that would lead to their identification as Louis I and Hortense of Holland. If you clicked on the catalog link within the French link I posted, you would have found on Page 17 another piece (Molière) cast at the same foundry. It was sculptured by Honoré Icard who lived from 1845-1917. Those dates support the information from the French internet that the Espié foundry was in operation during the late-Victorian period. As to value, the Bonham's sale provides you with direction. The single female bust in a more expensive gilt and marble edition sold for just under $300. It's unlikely your pair would be worth more. Debora
Dave has been researching this for some time & did not share with us everything he already knows or has concluded: https://www.artconversation.com/forum/questions/71446-paris-foundry-mark-espie-freres
nope. if it was made for the home market, then the French are absolutely not interested in whatever international laws. furthermore: those round bases are very typical for post-WWII productions; very often they are sponged wood. good bye from France, fid
I doubt they are wood - they sound like porcelain when tapped, which would be uncharacteristic of wood. - and the nut holding the bronze to the base is square, with no protruding "screw threads" at all. and not a modern type of nut at all. And I wonder why anyone in modern France would want a figure of Louis I of Holland, really. Can you think of a reason? Bonhams did not have the pair, so they had no reason at all to look at the portraits of Hortense, as they said when I asked them. They noted that on "cheap goods" their descriptions are not guaranteed to be accurate. I was just hoping someone here would have the book on founders marks from 1800 to 1870. Merci bien. And Bonhams also noted to me that they have no idea who "J. B. Beauvais" was nor is he in Benizet. In fact their statement that they had no idea at all about the item except what thier overworked "instant describer" said was amazing.
OK - I did find out a few things - their bases are neither marble nor wood, but brown ceramic, carefully glazed. Small figures generally did have a post on them for mounting. And bronze smalls, even in France, have some indication of country of manufacture. "Louis the Rabbit", moreover, was known for wearing an exaggerated bicorne, as seen in the Rijksmuseum, and there is a portrait of Hortense with a similar bonnet in the portrait. I doubt any faker would think such a figure would sell at all, so, whatever it is, it is real. The only bronzeworker I can find is a "Beauvais" who did work for Marie Antoinette, who was a close friend of Josephine. His work is found in a room at Versailles. Benezet only notes Armand Beauvais (1840 - 1911), and Jean-Francois (1772 - ) as "sculpteur". Vol 1. pp 35-6, 1976 printing. Is Jean-Francois Beauvais' work, as far as I can tell. It is also possible that he doubled in making clocks (one source labels him an "horloger" and a worker in gold). He may have had children, who would follow their dad's work. https://books.google.com/books?id=5...ge&q="jean-baptiste beauvais" artist&f=false may be better as he signed "J.B. Beauvais", lived 1825-1892, and made a terra cotta bust of someone. It would not surprise me if he were J-F's son. Still, the subjects are indisputable. (only place I found this is in a list of cemetery sculptures in French originally). The sculptures could then easily date to the rise of Louis' son to being Emperor of France. Still, I can not fault Bonham's for not devoting hours when it took the pair of busts to identify either!
