UnderMiner
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- Jul 27, 2014
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Ok, so there's this old building near me that was once an art studio. Today the building staff began gutting the studio and tossing everything to the curb in bags, bins, and dumpsters (2 of them!). I almost had a heart attack seeing all the priceless treasures! Unfinished bronze sculptures too heavy to lift, broken plaster busts, some well over 100 years old, but I tried my best to salvage what I could. So far I have managed to salvage a few of these priceless artifacts. This post will be about one in particular - an original 1914 bronze bookend made by none other than Laura Gardin Fraser, wife of James Earle Fraser (designer of the Buffalo Nickle and one of the men sent to collect the 7th Cavalry Regiment's dead after the Battle of the Little Bighorn)! Just before she gave up art to join the war effort Laura made this incredibly rare piece. If I ever find the matching end the pair will be worth over $5,000 easily. Examples of Laura Fraser's work are incredibly rare and sought after as she was perhaps the only professional woman sculptor at the time, not to mention one of the best, and wife of the famous James Fraser.
Also, interesting note: Laura Fraser competed to design the new Washington Quarter and won! But then treasure secretary Andrew Mellon ignored Laura's win and picked John Flanagan's design instead - the one we still have today. :/
This is the solid brass polo-themed book end made by Laura Fraser 101 years ago, the little removable polo pole is missing :/ the solid bronze sculpture weighs a hefty 11 pounds!
This is a little weighted sterling silver candle holder I found today too, it's broken but still worth something in sterling
Here is perhaps the most jaw dropping piece I found today, how could someone toss this 120-year-old beauty?
It is a solid plaster wall relief of women and cherubs riding a sea serpent made by an artist only known as "A.S" in 1895.
Currently doing research on this piece. I hope to restore it one day and put it on my wall somewhere. In the meantime I'm going to keep digging for more treasures in that building's trash.
Update: Just found an example of the matching set of original Laura Gardin Fraser polo-bookends for sale on ebay, holy @#*$ I hit the jackpot, just have to find the other one now
!!:
Polo 1914 Solid Bronze Bookends by L Gardin Fraser March 14 1914 6 75" Tall | eBay
Also, interesting note: Laura Fraser competed to design the new Washington Quarter and won! But then treasure secretary Andrew Mellon ignored Laura's win and picked John Flanagan's design instead - the one we still have today. :/
This is the solid brass polo-themed book end made by Laura Fraser 101 years ago, the little removable polo pole is missing :/ the solid bronze sculpture weighs a hefty 11 pounds!
This is a little weighted sterling silver candle holder I found today too, it's broken but still worth something in sterling
Here is perhaps the most jaw dropping piece I found today, how could someone toss this 120-year-old beauty?
It is a solid plaster wall relief of women and cherubs riding a sea serpent made by an artist only known as "A.S" in 1895.
Currently doing research on this piece. I hope to restore it one day and put it on my wall somewhere. In the meantime I'm going to keep digging for more treasures in that building's trash.
Update: Just found an example of the matching set of original Laura Gardin Fraser polo-bookends for sale on ebay, holy @#*$ I hit the jackpot, just have to find the other one now
!!: Polo 1914 Solid Bronze Bookends by L Gardin Fraser March 14 1914 6 75" Tall | eBay
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