does anyone recognize this sculptor: R Blohc?

The big yellow thing across his chest! ( on Debora’s post, not the bronze)
Don’t worry about me, I see things differently

 

Banana as accessory.

Debora

 

Lol, how to get from an amazing artistic (I want) bronze sculpture to Sesame Street in three steps .
Antiquers subject deviation at its finest!.

 

Or ASD as we call it around here.

Debora

 

And the answer is....

Roger Bloche:

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/paul-roger-bloche-1865-1943-25-c-22747f7aec

although the one shown above is apparently 6.5" taller than what was sold today (height given as 82 which I presume is cm). That lot does not show the actual signature and bidders passed on it (Im guessing it started at 1000 Euros).

The one I posted just sold for $600. I passed as the wonky signature and difference in height suggest this is some sort of restrike. Its probably a good price though.

 

Oh side note. I actually figured this out by pulling out my Benezit catalogue of artists/sculptures 1976 edition. I bought it about 6 months ago but have not found it to be of much use. But with a bunch of dead ends on the internet, I opend up vol 2 and found his name and then googled it.

This was definitely a fun detective exercise. I really appreciate the many comments here.

 

"French sculptor and medallist Paul Roger-Bloche - actually Paul Bloche - performed his military service in 1885, after enlisting in the Army, for whom he regularly conducted training courses. The 1870 war and World War I heavily influenced the art of Roger-Bloche."

Debora

 

Thank you for showing and telling such a lovely object. (And introducing us to a new artist.)

Debora

 

I've done some searching... it does kind of look like French Uniform...

 

I can't see misspelling the name on the bronze. I think the initial piece in this thread is a copy.

Here's the original by Bloche (according to the description, signed 'Roger Bloche'):

 

Thanks for following up.

 

OK but is it for sure that it says "Bloche" on the one on Invaluable? we dont' have an actual picture so we cant know. Or perhaps the auctioneer just knows the sculptor and knows that's how he writes it in a weird way but uses the correct spelling in the listing. Given how many odd things get into listings, its possible, no?

I am not sure either way at this point. BOth pieces have the same base so one would think they should be the same size. But the Invaluable listing says its 6.5 " taller. not sure that makes sense. And if you were making a knock off or whatever, wouldn't you take the trouble to spell the name right? I mean what's the point of making a $2000 knock off if you're just going to wimp out on the sig? Lots of questions here.

 

Misspelling the name is the kind of thing that I would expect from a Chinese copy - but that's just my opinion.

The bases do look different to me. On that first piece I just get the impression of a trifle less detailing - a smoother finish, but then the angle and the lighting are slightly different between the two, so I can't say definitely. The difference in height is a big deal.

Like others, I was impressed when I saw this figure. I still think it's an attractive bronze. I hope it's bronze, but now there's doubts about everything. I remember someone commenting that some copies are taken from casts of an original, but the cast shrinks when drying, making the copy smaller. Don't know if that would apply here.

 

well yeah my understanding is that the copy will be slightly smaller. But I cant imagine it being 6" smaller and still make it look like an identical copy. i am more familiar with cast iron doorstops and such. And you sometimes you can see the knockoff will be a little different because there might be some real intricate opening on the original, like say there's a small space between the arm and the body. And on the knock off that space will be filled in.

But I think with bronze they are little more professional. I guess the Remington's would be an example cause there's lots of knock offs but in that case they go by provenance, cause nearly every single original Remington has been tracked down.