original Russian antique bronze scupture showing a cossack riding a sleigh
late 19th century
size (L x W x H): aprox. 23.5 x 8 x 10 cm or 9 1/4 x 3 1/2" x 4"
weight aprox 2 lbs or 0.9 kg
condition: very good, dark partina, one small scuff/chip to the base, right nostril is slightly deformed(ref: photos)
comments: beautiful casted bronze figurine, precisely detailed and finished; great piece with authentic character and history attached. The price reflects the current market which is very stable and rising. Grachev's larger pieces are sold for 20,000-45,000
Artist: Vaseli Yakovlevich Grachev (Василий Грачев) (1831-1905) , one of the leading Russian 19th century sculptors of Woerffel foundary. Son of a peasant he took 6 years apprenticeship to the Russian tzar minting master Andreev, St. Petersburg. Later the sculptor was commissioned by silversmiths, including I.S.Sazikov. Grachev also worked for famous foundary such as K.F.Woerffel, P.A. Ovchinnikov, I.P. Khlebnikov, where his wax models has been cast into bronze and silver. Since 1885 Vasili Grachev opened his own studio. Here is a rear example of artist career who has started with no noble or artistic connection and build up his reputation through pure talent, hard work and dedication.
Lep. Grachev is marked in Cyrilic on the base (Лbп. Грачев)
Foundry C.F. WOERFFEL , St Petersburg, Russia; marked in cyrilic on the base 'K. Ф. Верфель, Ст. Петерсбург.
Name of Woerffel foundary was known from 1840. In 1914 the foundary was owned by Carl Faberge
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