Latest Statue Addition - c1876 Hartford Blues Batter

[CarltonHendricks]

http://www.sportsantiques.com/pg3brimstory.htm
I got this little statue today and am very pleased...These figures were used on gas lamps...you see them both ways....as stand alone figures like this...and mounted on a base that was part of a lamp...The last one I saw in person was at the 2011 Brimfield...I remember I asked the price...and what ever it was it was so much I didn't even write it down...see link above and scroll down to the bottm the page to see the shot I took of it...I already had the pitcher to the left of it so this completes the pair...the other is darn near minty with the original paint...Although I kind of like the wear on this batter better..

[perezfan]

Nice addition Carlton... I agree that the aged patina looks best

But what the heck took you so long?? This one is much easier than all those other incredible statues and trophies you have displayed alongside.

What's the story behind the two taller statues with marble bases? They are also the ones shown on either side of your webpage logo. Never seen any others besides yours (and have always admired them lots). Any info on those is much appreciated!

Mark

[CarltonHendricks]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Nice addition Carlton... I agree that the aged patina looks best

But what the heck took you so long?? This one is much easier than all those other incredible statues and trophies you have displayed alongside.

What's the story behind the two taller statues with marble bases? They are also the ones shown on either side of your webpage logo. Never seen any others besides yours (and have always admired them lots). Any info on those is much appreciated!

Mark

Well those two statues are a story unto themselves....and there is a lot I don't know about them...but would like too....and really I should do a comprehensive story on them...which would likely require travel to eastern museums and libraries....First of all the two you see in my collection are not originals...The ones above are originals..I've had my pair quite a while and they aren't common...I wouldn't quite term then as modern...but they are not 19th century casts in my opinion...I do have an original of the one with his hands in the air...but it's not on a marble base...

Anyway....here's what I do know about them...Although they look like a matched pair...they are actually by two different 19th century American sculptors...The one with his hands in the air is by Jonathan Scott Hartley (1845-1912)...while the other is by Henry Kirke Bush-Brown (1857-1935)...both noted American sculptors..

Now the reason I would like to do deep research is....the one with his hands down is not signed...So I'm saying it's by Henry Kirke Bush-Brown only because I've read it over the years and it seems to be generally accepted...only I've never actually seen documentation from the period to substantiate it....It probably is by him....I would just like to see the proof...the one with his hands in the air is signed..with the foundry. the original one that I have states verbatim: "The Henry Bonnard Bronze Co. N.Y. 1886 J.S. Hartley Sculptor NY Copyrighted"

Another reason I want to research them sometime is why are they so similar...Did the two sculptors know each other? Did they intentionally make them to be a matching pair?......That's always been very curious to me...In my subjective opinion I've always considered them the quintessential 19th century baseball sculpture....Partly I guess because they look like a matched pair. I was offered a pair of originals a year or two ago for about $11,000.00 if I recall right...but didn't want to spend the money.

[perezfan]

Thanks Carlton... much appreciated. Those are truly beautiful sculptures... original or not!

[khkco4bls]

Carlton here are mine. I put the batter together myself. Need parts to make a lamp with the pitcher.

[mjkm90]

I've always loved these figures Carlton. Everyone should aspire to acquire the pair IMO.

Here is a link to another discussion from this board about them.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=126786