Antique .800 Silver Peasant Woman Sculpture Bruder Frank Vienna Austria Figural

Description

ANTIQUE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN .800 SILVER
FIGURAL WOMAN SCULPTURE BY BRÜDER FRANK
Available for purchase is an antique .800 solid silver sculpture by silversmith Brüder Frank in Vienna, Austria.  The sculpture depicts a peasant woman wearing traditional attire, holding a basket in one hand and her other hand outstretched.  She likely had something attached to her right hand (see photo), so I'm guessing this figural piece had a purpose beyond being merely decorative.  The inside of her basket and the top of her hat are rough enough to strike a match, so maybe she held a container in the other hand to hold matches (purely speculation).  Brüder Frank was active in Vienna from about 1883 to 1922 and made a variety of luxury decorative items and cigarette boxes.  According to the book
Art Nouveau and Art Deco Silver
by Annelies Krekel-Aalberse, "Bruder Frank was the only firm in Vienna to make silver that could rival good French Art Deco silver in both form and quality."
This lovely silver piece is mounted on a wooden base and stands about 9" tall (8" tall not including base).  The front of the silver base is marked with the Diana Head hallmark and the silver fineness number "3" (for .800 silver), as well as the letter "A" which indicates that Vienna was the city of assay.  The maker's mark "BF" in an oval appears next to Diana's head, which is the mark of Brüder Frank.  On the back side of her dress, there are several additional marks, including another "BF" hallmark and a "Dog Head" mark (very hard to see) for .800 silver.  Based on the date of use of these hallmarks and the time period Brüder Frank was active, this piece dates to somewhere between 1883 and 1922 (most likely the late 1800's).
As I mentioned, this sculpture is made of solid .800 silver and is quite heavy.  I did not want to detach the base, so the total weight is approximately 33.1 ounces (940 grams).  I'm guessing that the wooden base weighs no more than 5 ounces, so there is approximately 28 ounces of .800 silver in the piece.  This item is far too interesting and valuable to scrap, but it contains more than 0 worth of silver, based on spot value of .92 per troy ounce.  I purchased this piece at a recent estate sale that had many fine items.
Condition of this antique silver sculpture is VERY GOOD.  As I mentioned earlier, she once had something attached to her right hand (see photo).  She has a nice antique patina that I chose not to clean.  This Victorian-era sculpture looks fantastic and displays beautifully.  Please take a close look at the many photos I've provided and judge condition for yourself.  I'm confident you'll be very pleased with this purchase.
If you collect antique silver, especially figural pieces, don't miss your opportunity to purchase this offering.  This sculpture is quite unique and I've been unable to locate anything similar pictured online.  My BUY IT NOW price of ,149 is much less than other Brüder Frank pieces I've seen sold.  So buy this piece now before someone else beats you to the deal!
While you're here, please check out my other auction listings by clicking on the link below.  Whenever possible, I'll be happy to reduce shipping for combined purchases.
See my other listings
for more great items!
Closeup of Top Portion
Closeup of Bottom Portion
Side View
Rear View
Opposite Side View
Appears To Have Had Something Attached To Her Hand
Brüder Frank Mark & .800 Diana Head Mark
Brüder Frank Mark & Dog Head .800 Silver Mark
Payment is due immediately after purchase.  E-bay policy limits sellers to only accepting electronic methods of payment (i.e. PayPal).  If you have any questions regarding this policy, please let me know.  Virginia residents will need to add 5.3% state sales tax to the final purchase price.  E-bay has also started charging sales tax in many other states recently, something beyond my control.
For international purchases, I accept Paypal only.  The buyer is responsible for all customs fees.  The declared value listed on the customs form will be the final selling price of the item.  I will not list the item as a "gift" to avoid customs charges.
If you're the lucky buyer of this antique Brüder Frank sculpture, it will come to you VERY carefully packaged via Parcel Select or Priority Mail (your choice).  Shipping will be actual charges from zip code 22980 (packaged weight between 3 and 4 pounds).  Use the eBay shipping calculator to determine exact mailing cost to your location.  International bidders will need to e-mail me for a shipping quote.
E-bay no longer allows sellers to offer buyers the option of purchasing shipping insurance.  I will insure this item at my own expense.
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