Lot 139
  • 139

An impressive Russian silver and marble desk ornament, Johann Olsonius, Grachev, St. Petersburg, 1890

Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 USD
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Description

  • silver, marble
  • length of base 12 1/2 in., 31.8 cm
depicting a reclining bear, set on a stepped red marble base, 84 standard, the bear weighing 117.2 oz., or 3,644.92g

Condition

overall good condition, the bear with some rubbing to snout and some patination consistent with age
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

The figure of the bear is derived from the mother bear at the center of Nikolai Liberikh's 1866 design for a bronze "Hunting Desk Set." The figure of the bear was sometimes isolated on marble bases with a tree trunk inkwell. See A. Egorov, K. Zhuromskii, Nikolai Liberikh: Skulptura i grafika, Moscow, 2011, pp. 148-149, 225.