Bronze indian statue

[grettainsc]

I have had this for quite a while. I have had an archaeologist from Florida tell me it was either a grave marker or was on a bow of a boat. I have had antique appraisers tell me it might be early Rodan. I believe it is Seminole Indian. I found it in a box of my Grandmothers when I was a kid and we lived in Florida. Can anyone give me any input as to what this is, the maker and the age. Thanks

 

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[QUICKSILVER (appletree)]

way way to small for the bow of a ship let alone the bow of a row boat! unless that measuring tape is in feet instead of inches! lol!

 

[Blacksheep]

Welcome to TNET grettainsc!

It is very interesting but looking at the two "legs" I would be leaning towards it being part of a monument
of some type (possibly a grave marker). The silverish disc in picture three, is it a coin or some type of stamp?

It is a neat piece, I hope it gets solved!

 

[dg39]

May well be a fence post or gate top, because of the prongs at bottom.
Size is right.
DG

 

[grettainsc]

Welcome to TNET grettainsc!

It is very interesting but looking at the two "legs" I would be leaning towards it being part of a monument
of some type (possibly a grave marker). The silverish disc in picture three, is it a coin or some type of stamp?

It is a neat piece, I hope it gets solved!

If your taking about on the bottom. We believe there use to be four post instead of two.

 

[naturegirl]

If it looks Like there were two other "posts" they were probably just the gates, or vents used during the casting process. The circle looks like a cut-off gate to me.

 

[Michellets]

Since it looks cast there's gotta be a makers mark somewhere.... I'd imagine that those square pegs on the bottom were sunk into some stone or wood base. They might have been held in the stone with melted in lead... I'd look it over on the inside more carefully and then make a new base for it so you can display it...It doesn't have that modern, cheap, factory made look to it, especially if it's bronze. If it is cast bronze and not plated metal I'd say you have a nice "studio art piece" and a Nice find. The other possibility is that it's a smaller cast piece of a proposal for a monument... in which case it might be very valuable... HH M

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

it reminds me of the TRAIL OF TEARS. Or the Ghost Dance of the Lakota.

Yes it looks like an Indian in a blanket not typical Seminole Indian garb.

You must mean Rodin.

 

[grettainsc]

Since it looks cast there's gotta be a makers mark somewhere.... I'd imagine that those square pegs on the bottom were sunk into some stone or wood base. They might have been held in the stone with melted in lead... I'd look it over on the inside more carefully and then make a new base for it so you can display it...It doesn't have that modern, cheap, factory made look to it, especially if it's bronze. If it is cast bronze and not plated metal I'd say you have a nice "studio art piece" and a Nice find. The other possibility is that it's a smaller cast piece of a proposal for a monument... in which case it might be very valuable... HH M

Thanks for the reply. I have looked all over this statue and see no marking. But way up inside there seems to be harden sand. I am going to see if I can remove it and see if the mark is up there.

 

[naturegirl]

the hardened sand was from the casting process also, often it is left inside. To me, and this is just my opinion, it doesn't have a Native American look, and it has a 'Rodin' style, but I'm pretty ignorant about all he sculpted. The square mounting pegs would help in dating it, I think. You might try posting this in an art/sculpture forum, Russ Rupert's 'Sculpture Community' has some extremely savy people, especially about Rodin. A bronze statue is neat to hold, huh?

Oh yeah, I would be surprised if the foundry mark was hidden, normaly, it is put there to be seen.

 

[grettainsc]

the hardened sand was from the casting process also, often it is left inside. To me, and this is just my opinion, it doesn't have a Native American look, and it has a 'Rodin' style, but I'm pretty --deleted-- about all he sculpted. The square mounting pegs would help in dating it, I think. You might try posting this in an art/sculpture forum, Russ Rupert's 'Sculpture Community' has some extremely savy people, especially about Rodin. A bronze statue is neat to hold, huh?

Oh yeah, I would be surprised if the foundry mark was hidden, normaly, it is put there to be seen.

I am so excited by your info.. I have had this for about 20 years. I took some more pictures. On the inside there seems to be like a Xing pattern hopefully you can see it in the picture. Thanks again for the reply

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

it reminds me of the TRAIL OF TEARS. Or the Ghost Dance of the Lakota.

Yes it looks like an Indian in a blanket not typical Seminole Indian garb.

You must mean Rodin.

...

If you look at the picture in post 3 you will see the indian from the statue wrapped in the blanket. It is from the Ghost Dance when the Army slaughtered the Indians for dancing.

I agree with you that it is not Seminole.

I see at least 3 Indians wrapped in blankets. Which one is a match?

 

[RGINN]

It is not traditional Seminole dress; they had little need of blankets anyway. The features definitely resemble Native American. I was reminded of the Trail of Tears reference too. It does very strongly resemble one of Remington's representations of American Indians. Could definitely be wrong, but the styling suggests it was easy to create and put in mass production. Cool find, too!

 

[trixie charger]

The Sculpture is in the style of Rodin/Remington. It was meant to be attached to a base of some sort and with no makers
mark, it may be an experimental piece or an unfinished piece. My opinion is it more than likely is a Statue for a Headstone or grave marker.
Some of my Family that has passed have Statues of Bronze on their Gravestones and none have makers marks.

 

[grettainsc]

I found one that looks similar to the one I have. Thanks everyone for the information. It seems I am getting closer to answers.
http://www.bronzestatuesonline.com/Native_American_Bronze_Study_Spiritual_Meditaion_p/naibsssm.htm

 

[Kenosha Kid]

In your second set of pictures (the enlarged set); look in the bottom right corner of the first picture.

Maybe it's just me, but I see what looks like "S I P" or "S \ P"... I clearly see the "P", anyway...