two c1930 14 1/2" tall Football Player Statues - One Broken in Shipment

[CarltonHendricks]

c1930, 14 1/2" tall, plaster cast







I just spent about forty minutes unpacking two football statues I got on eBay....the one with his arms wide open had a cracked left arm when I got it...but I was really surprised when I found it had significant additional damage, a broken off foot, and additional cracks in the right arm and below the knee...I don't think I've ever seen a pack job that overkill....and the shipping box is in amazingly good condition...hard to figure how it could happen there was so much padding.....When I piece it back together it stands fairly stable...see above....then see below how it looked in the eBay listing...At least the other one with hands on thighs is fine.


Before shipment as appeared in eBay listing


Before shipment as appeared in eBay listing

The good news is it's plaster and hopefully easy to restore. I'm very happy with them, in person they look even better that I expected....very WPA 1930ish. I've been hunting antique figural sports pieces a long time and these are very rare...the size at 14 1/2" tall is monster!!!...I know they aren't for everyone....I sent photos to my friend John Gennantonio and told him I knew he would hate them....he replied back don't waste your money on that yard art!!!...I think if he saw them in person he'd "get it" though.

I have a little grouping of other white plaster football statues that these will fit in perfect with....the tall one below in a stance has his nose broke off and I intend to get it fixed...reminds me of the Sphinx in Egypt...purportedly some soldiers were having fun with a cannon and shot off the nose back in the 19th century I believe...I got it from Keith Tower in Berkeley Ca...When I spotted it at his house I knew it was something....He had no idea their history...but I speculate a UC Berkeley student may have made it in an art class back in the day....I think I paid about $350.00 for it....then later I flipped him an incredible 1930's large color illustrated U.C. Berkeley baseball poster he still talks about...found it out at Alameda and just wasn't for me but I knew it had Keith written all over it...I sold it for $300.00 I think it was and there was no lag time, he bought it no haggling...


Lineman in stance 21" tall