1922 ARMOR BRONZE SKULL & BOOK ENDS POLYCHROME ART NATIONAL METALIZING CO NYC GC

Description: Well Documented Pair of SKULL and BOOK" Bronze Bookends as manufactured by Armor Bronze, a Division of the National Metalizing Company that was once located on 333 Fourth Avenue in New York City. The Company was started in 1900. Armor Bronze Catalog DC is the reference Catalog that I am using to describe these very cool pair of Macabre Bookends that look like they may have once belonged to Dr. Frankenstein's personal library. The Catalog itself is not print dated but in handwriting, it was presented to a gentlemen in September 1922. These Eerie Bookends are at least 100 years old as documented. On the top of page 5 of the sales catalog clear pictures of these indicate that you could have purchased the pair a century ago for $5. The Armor Bronze Catalog is entitled "Book Ends, Door Stops, Art Objects, Table & Floor Lamps". I found these items inside a prominent Antique Store right in the heart of Southport North Carolina. They were buried in the back of on a low book shelf that housed mostly new "chotski". Prior to purchasing anything, whether a dollar item or high-end, I use two things: what is inside my head and my sense of touch. I guess that would be considered "ol skool". I do not use an iphone to "google" to see what people price things at or to help determine what exactly it is I am looking at. I see a lot of people do this. I barely know how to use one of those phones to make a phone call! The Specifics: These skulls really baffled my sense of touch as I could not determine what they were made of. Initially I thought they were cast in ceramic. I would not be so quick to call this "Skull & Bookend" set "Solid Bronze". The catalog states that they were made using a "Seamless Armor of Pure Bronze cast over an everlasting core." Therein lies the secret and meaning to "Armor Bronze". The manufacturer is actually taking a very detailed cast form and then coating it with Bronze. It is this manner they were able to duplicate any piece of famous art that existed or even custom make any art piece for that matter. However this was not all that was throwing off my sense of touch. Armor Bronze actually used a coating process on top of their bronze on some of their products. In the case of these Skulls, they duplicated an ancient Eyptian and Chinese process called "Polychrome" whereby a soft tone color is applied to the bronze coating giving it a "permanent and beautiful" color. This is precisely the technique that is used on this pair. Polychrome makes it even more challenging to determine the material being used. I give a lot of credit to this company, they utilize creative processes both new and old to put out amazing products. When they use descriptive words such as "permanent" and "everlasting", they are not kidding. Dimensions: Each Skull & Book Casting is identical. There is no left or right. Each Measures 5-1/2" Tall with the base measuring 5-1/4" x 4". The Base is Green Felt lined. Each piece weighs over 3-1/2 lbs. As you will see from the pictures, one skull has more paint loss than the other. The Armor Bronze Insignia is cast on the side of the book. The words "SKULL AND BOOK" are Cast at the bottom of the book behind each skull head. It is strange to note that the backside of skull with less paint loss shows a "69". I am not sure if someone did this or if that is the way it naturally aged. Of course what would you expect from Skull Bookends that were made 100 years ago? Expect something creepy. You will find a rather low price on these considered what is out there: $2500 for a pair or $1250 for a single. The reason for this is rather simple: I am not King Midas and these are not made of gold. Total Weight is over 7 lbs. I will need the buyer to include UPS Ground Shipping based on 9 lbs packaged weight. We do honor the Global International Program that is offered by ebay.

Price: 1795 USD

Location: Liverpool, New York

End Time: 2025-01-02T00:29:26.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD