Hen and Chick – Bronze Pen Wipe

Description of this Austrian “Vienna Bronze” pen wipe:

Description of the Pen Wipe:

• Figural Form and Material: The pen wipe is sculpted in the form of a hen, with realistic detailing of her feathers. A chick’s head is depicted popping out from underneath her body. The piece is made of bronze. Vienna bronzes are typically cast in multiple pieces and then assembled, with intricate hand-finishing and cold-painting applied.
• Brush/Bristles: The functional “pen wipe” component is comprises the hen’s body. It consists of a cluster of bristles, which would have been used to clean excess ink from a dip pen nib. These bristles are made of boar hair.
• Hand-Painted Details: The bronze is hand-painted, bringing the hen and chick to life with naturalistic colors. The hen is painted in shades of brown, black, white, mimicking the plumage of a real chicken.

Marking and Meaning:

The underside of the pen wipe is marked “Vienna” followed by “GES”.

• “Vienna”: This clearly indicates the origin of the piece as Vienna, Austria. Vienna bronzes (Wiener Bronze) were a distinct category of small, highly detailed, often cold-painted bronze figures produced primarily in Vienna from the mid-19th century through the early 20th century.
• “GES”: This is an abbreviation for “Geschützt”, which means “protected” or “registered” in German. It is a common marking on Austrian and German manufactured goods from this period, indicating that the design was copyrighted or protected by patent. It’s a quality mark, signifying original design rather than a copy.

Context and Age:

• Vienna Bronze Tradition: Vienna bronzes are known for their exceptional detail, charm, and often humorous or naturalistic themes. They ranged from small animal figures, often in anthropomorphic poses, to Orientalist scenes and desk accessories like this pen wipe. The cold-painting technique (applying paint after the bronze is cast and finished) is characteristic.