Polar Bear Figurines. A figurine (a diminutive form of the word figure) or statuette is a small statue that represents a human, deity or animal, or in practice a pair or small group of them. Figurines have been made in many media, with clay, metal, wood, glass, and today plastic or resin the most significant. Ceramic figurines not made of porcelain are called terracottas in historical contexts. Reference: Wikipedia
Below are some examples of polar bear figurines.
Polar Bear ca. 1923 François Pompon French A one-time assistant to Rodin, Pompon first showed this sculpture in plaster at the Salon d’Automne in 1922, when he was sixty-seven. Its popularity led to its production in a variety of sizes, from tabletop to full scale, and a range of mediums, including plaster, porcelain, and marble. It was a favorite model of his friend Ruhlmann, who used it in two of his interiors at the 1925 Paris exposition: a small version in the salon of his own pavilion and life-size version shown at the pavilion of the Société des Artistes Décorateurs. The Metropolitan purchased this sculpture from the Galerie Edgar Brandt in 1930.
Reference: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Polar bear figure by Wedgwood & Sons Made by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd in Barlaston, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe, c 1950.
This stylised polar bear in earthenware with white moonstone glaze was designed by John Skeaping in 1927 and made in England by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons of the Etruria Works, Barlaston, in the 1930s. Skeaping was an accomplished sculptor who worked for Wedgwood from 1927. Influenced by contemporary sculpture, Wedgwood’s new ‘art ceramics’ were offered at a modest cost.
During the first part of the twentieth century, companies in Europe and the USA increasingly engaged trained designers to produce everything from electrical appliances to decorative objects. Appealing, modern designs combined with efficient production became crucial to success in a competitive market.
While some designers created purely modernist objects, by the late1920s the fashionable and highly decorative Art Deco style had dominated the European market. The style was named after the ‘Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs’ in Paris which marked its high point. Initially developed in French ateliers, Art Deco became the twentieth century’s first Western mass market style.
Reference: Museum of Applied Art and Sciences
A Meissen white figure of a polar bear early 20th century modelled by Otto Jarl, crossed swords mark in underglaze-blue, incised T. 181., impressed 24 length 20 3/4 in. 52.7 cm
Sold for 6,875 USD at Sotheby’s in 2018
Dolomite Carving of a Polar Bear by Georg O. Wild Idar-Oberstein, Germany An arctic scene is evoked through the use of pristine white dolomite in this carving of a bear. Standing firm-footed on a “sheet of ice” he appears to peer through the thick slab of quartz to view his catch below. The eyes are set with small rubies. Signed GW for George O. Wild and numbered 939. Measuring 8 3/4 x 6 x 4 3/4in (22.9 x 15.2 x 12.7cm)
Sold for US$ 828 (£ 677) inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2019
A STAFFORDSHIRE MODEL OF A POLAR BEAR CIRCA 1820 Modeled standing foursquare on an iceberg, his back and base labeled JAMES ATKINSON’S BEAR’S GREASE, 44 GERRARD STREET 15 ½ in. (39.4 cm.) long
Sold for USD 2,375 at Christie’s in 2015
Connoisseur of Malvern Porcelain Figure of a Polar Bear Height 17 inches.
Appears to be in generally good condition; however, it seems there is now an absence or loss to one of the ice chunks that would otherwise be located at the front end of the iceberg base in the foreground; the teeth and claws and other areas appear to be in good condition; there is a black factory stamp mark on the underside with title and edition number “Ice Monarch”
Sold for $375 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle New York in 2016