CYRUS E. DALLIN

In 1995 the Rockwell Museum in Corning N.Y. mounted an exhibition of Dallin's work titled "Cyrus E. Dallin: His Small Bronzes and Plasters" According to an essay in the exhibition catalog by Museum Director Kent Ahrens, Dallin initially exhibited a plaster cast of Appeal to the Great Spirit" in Baltimore in 1908. He then had the Jaboeuf & Rouard foundry in Paris cast a bronze edition. That edition won a medal at the 1909 Salon. Apparently, according to the essay, that same example was shipped across the Atlantic and exhibited outside the National Academy of Design in New York City in 1911. Thereafter it somehow made it's way to Boston and was placed on a temporary pedestal outside the MFA until money could be raised for it's procurement. Apparently, according to the Ahrens essay, even after the statue made it's way to MFA grounds the deal was teetering and other cites were vying for it. The essay provides that in the end Dallin sold Appeal to the MFA in 1912 for $12,000.00 with the stipulation he could make reproductions "not to exceed three feet in their greatest dimension"...The essay goes on in extensive detail how many were cast by the Gorham foundry in three different sizes totaling 399. Also in 1912 Dallin obtained a copyright for "Appeal". The essay supplies as much that by the 1920's the image had been widely reproduced and Dallin unsuccessfully litigated copyright infringement. Speaking of infringement...you'd never guess who else helped themselves to Appeal to the Great Spirit...The Beach Boys...They started their own record label called Brother Records in 1966 and chose Appeal as their logo.

On the subject of Gorham, if you ever run into a Gorham bronze you should be able to I.D. it by the first letter in the marking which is a "Q". My first bronze work was a trophy plaque of a polo match by Gorham, and was where I first learned of their "Q" mark.

SPORTS SCULPTURE

I'm always on the watch for antique sports sculpture, especially works by recognized American artist. Back in 2004 I stumbled onto a plaster statue of John L. Sullivan by Dallin. I didn't end up with it but just learning of it was meaningful. Speaking of sports sculpture by name artist, Bela Pratt was another out of the blue surprise. In May 2005 I saw a plaster statue of Amos Alonzo Stagg by Pratt in the Robert Edward Auction of that year. Then again in November the same year I saw another Pratt statue of Stagg in Lelands.com. If you click the photo to the left I've stitched the two works for a comparison. It's a little hard to tell for sure but the nicks on the bases appear to differ, therefore I think they were two different examples. It's remarkable Pratt reportedly sculpted the work while both he and Stagg were classmates at Yale, making it a very early example of his work! After Yale Pratt went on to a full and remarkable career in sculpture producing more than 180 works. From 1898 to 1917 he was head of the sculpture department at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. For some reason I didn't notice any works by him my visit. I guess I must have just missed them. 

THE WRAP

Wrapping up our visit to the MFA I'll mention one last standout work...and it was a sports related one...I speak of a c1910 sterling silver presentation punch bowl awarded for a polo match in Pasadena Ca. The work measured about 25" wide by 12" tall and was made by Clemens Friedell in a partially hammered Art Nouveau style. The inscription which was done in relief read: "Challenge Polo Trophy - Presented to William J. and Frank C. Hogan. Below was a relief of a polo player going for the ball. Around the bowl was relief of foliage and at least one polo mallet. It was one of the finest polo presentation pieces I've seen particularly for being from the last of the Art Nouveau era. Interesting it started it's life in Pasadena and now sits on display in Boston. Clemens Friedell who I never heard of till now is quite interesting as well...Born in Louisiana, grew up in Vienna and was apprenticed as a silver maker there, moved to Texas at age 17. 1901 moved from Texas to Providence Rhode Island where he worked for Gorham. 1911 moved to Pasadena Ca where he set up shop.....

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