Featured Now THAT's a Beautiful Tan (Bronze Statue)

Friends:

I'm posting this in the Antiques Discussion so that more people will see it. I recently found this gem at an auction. It's 24.5 inches tall U.S., weighs about 40 pounds, and is hollow. Yes, it's bronze alright. Unfortunately, I can't find this particular statue on the internet at all, although I've found many other bronzes by him.

Who's him you ask? Him was L. Gregoire from France, who lived from 1840 to 1890, a mere 50 years or so. He created a lot of beauty in that relatively short lifetime! I would date this peasant girl to the 1860s, due to the profusion of grapes, which was a very common decorative motif in that decade. She's wearing a mob cap but from what I can tell the rest of her clothing doesn't help much with dating. Even mob caps, for instance, were worn for about 2 centuries, form ca. 1700 to ca. 1900. Not much assistance there.

Anyway, I know we don't do values, but I'm thinking $2K U.S. for replacement. Does that seem high or low? I wish I could narrow it in better, but weeks of searching have not yielded another one.

Thanks for your help!!!

 

Very nice! I can't tell what's in her hand?

 

I believe it's a bird....kind of looks like a crested bird.......look below her LEFT hand and you'll see the tail feathers.......

It's a beautiful bronze, @Ghopper1924, too bad she's just not turning up.... at least not yet!!!! It looks like that artist was VERY prolific!!!!

 

I have my doubts.
1. round lathe-turned socle - not individually cast.
2. white hue on lower part - colorisation by humidity points towards bronzed or patinated régule
3. also offered on amazon; an absolute death sentence...
https://picclick.fr/Bronze-jeune-fille-au-panier-signé-Leon-GREGOIRE-254554350267.html

 

Odd, the underside doesn't look anything like the one on Amazon. Just 3 little screws holding the base on.

Yes, Aquitaine, it's a crested bird. Being fed grapes. And yes, he was prolific alright!

 

Interestingly, the eBay France seller doesn't claim his/hers is old. And it doesn't appear to be.

Debora

 

In any case there’s rusty iron on the bottom of eBay France sculpture. Not so with mine.
Well, with postage the French statue would come to about $1500 as a replacement for mine. That would be more than splendid.
I’ve subjected mine to a gauntlet of tests, including magnets, audible bronze “ring” , weight, and questioning the previous owners family for details. I’m satisfied and I’m glad you are, too!

 

Interesting to note the difference in weight between the two examples. Ghopper's at 40 lbs. versus the one in France at 26 lbs. I don't know what this means, but I'm guessing it's an indication of age.

 

I'd suspect it's the different between an original casting and a reproduction.

Debora

 

Thanks both of you. I suspect -and why not throw in a little dash of hope? - that you're both right.