Antique Bronzes Offer Wide Variety In Subject & Price

BOOK REVIEW

Vienna bronzes, as the name indicates, come from Vienna, Austria. They were first made in small foundries in the mid- to late-1800s, and were cast from wax or plaster models. Following the casting, finishing details were added by hand. Chasing used a tool on the bronze to add texture. In the process of patination, oxides were applied and the piece was reheated, which gave an all-over monochromatic look. Other pieces were cold painted with oils; this process was frequently used on pieces that were plants or animals.

The bronzes are the subject of the book Antique Vienna Bronzes, by Joseph Zobel, recently released by Schiffer Publishing.

The most prominent companies associated with Vienna bronzes are those of Franz Bergman and Carl Kauba.

The Bergman Foundry was established in the 1880s. It is best known for its cold painted bronze groups, which included animals, Oriental scenes and erotica. The foundry closed in 1930 and in the 1960s, the molds were sold to Karl Fuhrmann and Co., who continue to produce new bronzes today.

Most Bergman pieces are signed with either a “B” placed within a double-handled urn and/or the word “Namgreb,” which is Bergman spelled backward. Some Bergman pieces are unsigned.

Kauba, whose foundry operated during approximately the same time period, is best known for his depictions of Native Americans – even though he apparently never visited America, he obviously was fascinated by the American West.

Most of his pieces were signed “C Kauba” in script.

By the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 50 foundries producing Vienna bronzes. Some were signed; many were not. Occasionally, a piece will be marked “Geschutzt,” which means protected or copyrighted.

As with many other antiques, fakes and reproductions are an issue with Vienna bronzes. Added to this is the fact that some pieces are still being made in Vienna today, using the old molds, which should probably be called reissues. The quality of these reissues is good, although not as good as the early pieces, and they lack the patina of the older ones. They’re sold, as they were originally, through higher end gift shops.

The two main sections of the book are the Animal Kingdom and the Human Condition. The former includes sections on reptiles, birds, rodents and swine, antlered beings and camels, felines and canines, wild animals and jungle beasts. It’s hard to think of an animal that hasn’t been depicted in bronze.

The Human Condition, has a section on females and males; Orientalists and decorative lamps, and naughty and erotic.

A final section includes the bronzes as useful objects, such as birdhouses, bookends, vases and letter openers.

The least expensive early Vienna bronzes sell for a few hundred dollars; the value can climb to many thousands of dollars for less common pieces or larger groupings. A value is included with the description of each piece pictured.

 Antique Vienna Bronzes (ISBN: 978-0-7643-2849-7) is priced at $79.95. See the online catalog at www.schifferbooks.com; contact Schiffer at (610) 593-1777; or check with your local bookseller.

Donna Miller

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Postcard Book Gives Memorable Look
At Early Portland

BOOK REVIEW

A recent addition to Schiffer Publishing’s series of postcard books highlighting American cities is Greetings from Portland, compiled and written by Mary L. Martin and Kirby Brumfield. If this is your city, you’ll love this look at its history, as over 380 vintage postcards from the early 1900s to the 1950s show you Portland as it used to be.

Among the topics -

“Hospitals: A Shot in the Arm for Portland.” See what St. Vincent Hospital and “Good Sam” looked like when they first welcomed patients. Both hospitals opened their doors in 1875. Good Samaritan was considered to be too far from downtown Portland at the time, however, especially when the wintertime roads became a muddy mess. It (the road) was called “a very terror to patients and physicians.”

“Portland Bridges Span Variety of Designs.”  Some of the city’s bridges are clunky and look like erector sets, say the authors, but the St. John’s Bridge should be classed as one of the most beautiful in the nation. The Hawthorne Bridge is special in that it is not only the oldest bridge in Portland, but is one of the oldest lift bridges in the world. The first Hawthorne Bridge opened in 1891; the current bridge was opened in 1910. And while we take the ease of passage between Washington and Oregon for granted now, that wasn’t the case until the Interstate Bridge opened on Valentine’s Day in 1917.

“The Oaks Amusement Park.”  Anyone who grew up in Portland looked forward to a day at Oaks, and that hasn’t changed. Now the oldest continuously operated amusement park in the United States, it’s been going since May 30, 1905. Today it isn’t the extensive amusement park it once was, however, when there was the Midway  with The Zip roller coaster, Noah’s Ark Carousel, and Shoot the Chute. John Philip Sousa performed for summertime crowds in the 4,000-seat auditorium.

“The Council Crest Amusement Park” opened two years later. Built on top of the highest peak in West Portland, it was a combination of scenic trolley rides, water canals, an observation tower, picnic grounds, roller coaster, dance hall, midway and carousel. It eventually went bankrupt in 1929.

“Commercial Buildings: Many and Varied.”  Every design and style possible seemed to be used as the city developed. There was the full-block Meier and Frank store, completed in 1932. It was more than a store; “under the clock” at Meier and Frank was the spot to rendezvous with family or friends. The Portland Public Market building was three blocks long. It opened just before Christmas in 1933, and went downhill from then on, and closed two years after it opened. The Navy leased the building during World War II. One postcard shows six seaplanes floating in formation in front of the building.

This is just a sampling of the 20 topics covered in this fascinating look at the city. It’s a fun and easy history lesson. Interesting and frequently humorous text accompanies each postcard. (For collectors, the postcard’s value is also included.)

Greetings from Portland (ISBN: 0-7643-2576-0) is priced at $24.95. It is available from Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310; online at www.schifferbooks.com; or check with your local bookseller.

Donna Miller

P.S. A companion book on Seattle will be available in the future.

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