I have a bronze statue of a seated lady in grecian-like clothes who is playing some sort of musical instrument. My father bought her in the 1960's in a Torquay, England antique store. Unfortunately, the bronze has no marks or signatures on it to help identify its maker. My father once made an enquiry to Sotheby's in England by sending them a picture and description and they said that it was once part of a mantle clock and that it was french. There are no signs on the bronze that would indicate it was attached to anything though. I was wondering if anyone would able to date the bronze (I'm thinking late 1800's) and maybe indicate where she was made and by possibly by whom.
I have a picture of the bronze, which I hope that I can include with this posting. I had tried to post the picture with this post unsuccessfully before, but wasn't able, but I think I have managed to attach them at last!
Any help or advice about this would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Jill
Update June 2009: I've since found out that this circa 1870's French bronze was part of a three-piece mantel clock and it wasn't unusual for families to split the clock into pieces to give to family members due to their size. It isn't signed because the central clock would have been signed. I have looked on the internet for any similar bronzes that would have been separated from a clock, but haven't been able to find anything similar to mine (they are either attached to a clock, or originally made free-standing statues). I was hoping that I'd be able to find another possible figure that would have been paired with this one and/or similar pieces maybe sculpted by the same artist who did this one. Not sure, but would others have been sculpted out of this same mould or would this be an only piece? I'd appreciate any further information and help on this bronze as it would be good to know who made the piece. Does anyone have any ideas?
