Bronze Owl Perched atop Books

This Austrian cold-painted bronze inkstand features a figural owl perched atop a stack of antique books, mounted on a solid dark green marble or serpentine base.

Detailed Description

• The Owl: The owl is a finely cast “animalier” figure with detailed feathering and large, expressive eyes. The head is hinged and tilts back to reveal a glass inkwell insert.
• The Stack of Books: The owl sits on a realistic stack of three books with textured “paper” edges. The top book features a hinged lid (the book’s cover) that opens to reveal a two-compartment stamp box. A cast quill pen lies across the top of the box as a decorative handle.
• The Base: The entire assembly is mounted on a thick, polished slab of green serpentine marble.
• Additional Accessory: To the left of the books is a small, separate bronze well or pot, which served as a holder for a pen.

Origin and Estimated Age

Based on the materials, style, and functional design, this piece is an original Vienna Bronze (Wiener Bronze), likely produced between 1890 and 1910.

• Manufacturing Style: Vienna was the world leader in high-quality “cold-painted” bronze miniatures and desksets during the late 19th-century Art Nouveau period. Foundries like Franz Bergman or Karl Hagenauer were famous for creating these types of whimsical, multi-functional objects.
• Cold-Painted Technique: The bronze has a multi-tonal patina—often called “cold-painting”—where layers of oil-based pigments were applied to the cast metal without firing, resulting in the lifelike colors seen on the owl and the “aged” look of the books.
• Functionality: The combination of an inkwell hidden in an animal’s head with a hidden stamp box in a book is a classic hallmark of the “Vienna style,” designed to delight and surprise the user at their desk.

Technical Summary