Posted 10 years ago
ho2cultcha
(5051 items)
I think that these are made of weighted pot metal w/ silver gilding. I've had them for a very long time. I bought them in an antique store in Portsmouth, NH when i was around 20. I think that they are very beautiful. Each one has two number '501' printed on them. Does anyone know who made these and when? i'm assuming they are from around 1880-90.
Your "Proud Peacock" Bookends date circa 1930 and are made of Grey Metal and were marketed by ART METAL WORKS....Book Value $175
Info. Source: Collector's Encyclopedia of BOOKENDS by Louis Kuritzky and Charles De Costa.
thank you LOUMANAL! great info!
the ones i found from the 1920s/30s appear to be a 2nd generation casting of poor quality. i think these are actually earlier than that - maybe around 1900. the casting is much better on these ones, w/ lots of details on the edges and the back as well as the front.
hi found the 1920 listing but these are stamped 501 as well
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Antique-Circa-1920s-Art-Deco-PEACOCK-Bookends-501-Beautiful-Bronze-Brass-Tone-/171047743610
and again as art nouveau - https://www.etsy.com/listing/183414578/very-rare-art-nouveau-art-deco-proud (but dated 1930 which is deco)
In the reference book mentioned above, similar and older bookends show the Heads of the Peacocks sticking out over the top of the bookends. RER
thank you kat22 and LOUMANAL. the last one you post - the etsy one - is the correct one w/ a different finish [and in bad condition]. some of the ones which are inferior castings also say '501'. i can't see the pics in the previous ones from ebay. i wish i had that book to look through! bookends are often really cool, and mostly affordable too.