ANTIQUE JENNINGS
BROTHERS LION OF LUCERNE
BRONZE BOOKENDS 1920
These Antique Jennings
Brothers Lion Of Lucerne Bronze Bookends are from around 1920 to 1930 and on
the back is marked JB 2146. They are replicas of the historical Lion of Lucerne
(Luzern) monument which is in Lucerne, Switzerland. The monument
was carved by master artist, Bertel Thorvaldsen and was commemorated to the
over 700 Swiss Guards who died while defending Marie Antoinette and King Louis
in the French Revolution. (See history
below)
This master craftsman
captured so much of the fine details and emotion of the lion such as the lion’s
mane, the wound with a broken spear protruding from his side, and the sadness
in his eyes. (Please see picture of the
original lion monument for comparison.) He’s resting amongst shields with the
Swiss cross & French fleur-de-lis that are carved in them, and other fallen
weapons.
They measure 4 5/8" tall,
4 " long, and 2 5/8" wide and weigh over two pounds each. These Bookends have EXCELLENT Early Patina,
with barely any tarnishing, but the Felt is missing off the bottom
There is no other major
metalwork foundry from this era with finishes as durable as Jennings Bros and
the complexity of their designs is highly prized. The Jennings Brothers began
their metalwork foundry in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1891 and remained open until the early 1950s.
Jennings Brothers produced some of the most finely crafted art metal pieces
that exist to this day. Jennings Brothers metalwork is highly prized and their
distinctive "JB" mark, which marked all of their products, is highly
sought after by collectors world-wide.
These are a Highly Sought
After Collectors Item, so don't miss out.
THE LION OF LUCERNE HISTORIAL INFORMATION:
"The dying Lion
of Lucerne" is one of the world's most famous
monuments. It was hewn out of natural rock in memory of the heroic death of the
700 Swiss mercenaries at the Tuileries in 1792. Carved in deep relief into the
sandstone cliff above the town, the monument is an allegorical reference to the
bravery of the Swiss Guards who died in the Tuileries of Paris in 1792 trying to save the life and honor
of Marie Antoinette. Designed by the great Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen,
it was dedicated in 1821. Today the statue is a major attraction in Lucerne. The sad eyes and poignant expression on
the dying lion's face is almost hypnotizing. During a visit to Lucerne, American writer Mark Twain described the
Lion of Luzern as ‘the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world.’
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