Magnificent very large early 20th Century cold painted table lamp modelled as a Bedouin Warrior with rifle mounted on his camel with young woman standing beside under a large palm tree, the underside of the tree with fitted lamp . The bronze with fine naturalistic colour and good detail raised on a portoro marble base, signed AUSTRIA and with the ‘B’ in an amphora vase.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Height: 53 cm
Width: 30 cm
Condition: Excellent Original Condition
Circa: 1910
Materials: Cold Painted Bronze
Book Ref: Vienna Bronzes by Joseph Zobel
SKU: 8596
ABOUT
Bergman Bronze Lamp
Franz Bergman Sculptures
Bergman is celebrated for his great attention to detail and wonderful vibrant colours, Franz Xavier Bergman (1861-1936) is, arguably, the most famous of the Viennese cold-painted bronze artists, delighting in producing Oriental, Arab bronze and animal subjects, including Harem beauties, Arab tradesmen, Scribes and Arab Warrior and almost every animal subject that was known at the time.His father, also Franz Bergman (1838–1894), was a professional chaser (embosser) from Gablonz, Austria who came to Vienna and founded a small bronze factory in 1860. Franz Xavier inherited the company and opened a new foundry in 1900. There he created numerous cold painted (so named because the numerous layers of polychrome paint, applied to the bronze, were not fired to fix them to the metal) figures. Many other bronzes were still based on designs by Franz Bergman, the elder.
Animal Subjects
Animal figures can, occasionally, be found for a few hundred pounds, though sculptures in pristine condition and larger figures can be worth several thousand pounds. Value is affected by condition. The cold painted decoration is relatively easy to damage and worn will reduce value considerably. Restoration can also reduce the value considerably, especially when done in a non-sympathetic manner.
Look out for Bergman’s distinctive signature marks: a ‘B’ in a vase shape and ‘Nam Greb’. This latter, which reads ‘Bergman’ in reverse, was often used on his more erotic pieces, which were not to the taste of his more conservative clients or his family. These include sensuous poses of young women in the style, sometimes the erotic nature of the subject was disguised by a covering that revealed all when a button was pushed or a lever moved. Carefully sculpted animals, such as owls, could often be opened to reveal an erotic female figure inside.
For a further selection of sculptures by Bergman please click on
