Exceptional and very rare small-format sculpture depicting the gait of a friendly penguin. This same penguin was used as a car mascot and is the work of renowned French sculptor Georges Colin (1876-1917).
Extremely rare sculpture produced by the prestigious French foundry 'Susse Frerès de Paris' (also well known for the works of Edouard Marcel Sandoz) around 1910. The sculpture is hand-engraved with the foundry's signature and the tiny copper-colored circular seal inlaid in the base. The artist's signature, 'COLIN', is also hand-engraved. Numbering or letters can be seen on the lower base, but they are very faint and not clearly visible (shown in photograph 9).
Examples like this one, with just the penguin and in the car mascot format, have sold for over €3,000 at auction (see Bonhams Cars auction), and patinated sculptures like this one have rarely come up for sale. Gilt bronze examples like this are extremely rare.
This is undoubtedly a small-format sculpture of exceptional quality. Its beautiful patina and extreme rarity make it a unique collector's item.
The sculpture is in very good condition, with obvious signs and patina of age. The only detail worth mentioning is the front of the base. This front part is slightly raised, about 0.3 to 0.5 cm from the ground. This may have been this way originally, or it may be due to a natural deformity or defect over time. I can't determine exactly what this is, but the base doesn't appear bent or cracked. I'd rather say it's intentional to give the penguin the more natural "feeling" of walking uphill. Please examine the photographs in detail, as they are part of the description.
Weight: Approx. 860 g
Height: Approx. 14 cm
Length: Approx. 13 cm
Width: Approx. 8 cm
