June 2014

This month, an exceptional piece is coming up for auction.  It’s a beautiful marble statue.  “Yeah I’ve looked at it” I remarked when someone inquired about it…and left it at that without offering anything further.  It wasn’t until someone ‘in the know’ pointed out that he found a signature on the sculpture that our antennae went up.   I had actually mis-identified it as a marble-dust composite statue up to that point.  Status quo.  Typical.  Then I looked again.  Boy, was I wrong.   So tickled by the intrigue of the mystery of a hard to read signature, we started doing research.  What we found surprised us in a way that we lie being surprised!  The item I’m speaking of is a great white marble statue of a genre scene that features a maiden with a water pitcher being courted and boasts of nicely executed craftsmanship.  Perhaps this is nothing that the untrained eye would even look at, heck, I missed it too!  You see, it’s not something that jumps out at you, instead this is the kind of sculpture that brings it home with a huge sense of understated refinement.  Far from the typical and resounding ‘here I am’ grandeur that accompanies so many quality pieces and is ever present in so many objects d’arte, this statue is grounded in its subtleties.  At approximately 31″ tall, the power of this sculpture lies within its quiet elegance.  This sculpture is the work of Pietro Bazzanti (Italian 1825-1895).  Records reflect that other examples of his marble work have gone up for auction at Bonham’s (London) and Sotheby’s as well and range from $8000-$21,000 in successful sales prices.  Condition makes me confident that this piece has lived outdoors, where it would be perfect near a pool or in a garden.  We’re impressed by this piece and think you will be too.  Without a clue as to what it will sell for, I’m just excited to have it here!  Want to see the action?  Come check it out and let’s see what happens…Pietro Bazzanti Marble Sculpture, this month at The Chattanooga Auction House.

Mike