Lot 1575
  • 1575

VERY FINE AND RARE BRONZE-PAINTED CAST ZINC AND CAST IRON AMERICAN ELK, J. W. FISKE, NEW YORK, CIRCA 1892-1900

Estimate
50,000 - 100,000 USD
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Description

  • zinc, metalwork
  • Height 112 in. by Width 30 in. by Length 75 in.
Appears to retain its original untouched weathered surface. Base marked J.W. FISKE N.Y.

Condition

In excellent over all condition
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Standing over nine feet tall and made at the end of the 19th century and retaiing its original patina, this exquisite American elk by the Joseph Winn Fiske company of New York stands as one of the greatest outdoor 'garden' statuary. Due to their cost ($210 for a bronze painted copy) few were ever commissioned and fewer yet survive today. This majestic sculpture presents simultaneously the immense power and serenity of nature. The lifelike rendering of elk's mane and antlers is beyond reproach and may be based on a design by Berlin sculptor Christian Daniel Rauch (1777–1857). Due to their cost the majority of these elk sculptures were used in parks or other public spaces.  In April 1899 Reading, Pennsylvania erected Elk Fountain where an elk statue was placed in the center of an octagonal basin with eight drinking posts.  Other later elks may be found at Elk's Rest Memorial, Laurel Grove Cemetery in Totowa, New Jersey and once at the Newburgh, New York Elks Lodge. For additional information on Fiske and their sculpture see Carol A. Grissom, Zinc Sculpture in America: 1850-1950, (Newark, NJ: University of Delaware Press, 2009).