Austin Wood Sculpture

Q: A friend of mine gave me this sculpture when she moved out of state. She thought it was an Austin Productions sculpture, but I can’t find anything marked on it. The base is made out of wood and the sculpture is a different material. It weighs about 25 pounds and is 46 inches high. Can you tell me what it is and if it has any value?

A: Austin Productions was founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 1952 and was in business until at least 1996. The company started out making reproductions of famous artwork found in museums. It started making original pieces in the 1980s. The sculptures were cast from rubber molds and were made of Durastone, a special mixture that included crushed stone. They were hand finished to look like wood, stone, terra-cotta, bronze or other material. Most Austin sculptures are signed on the base and many are dated. Over 1,500 sculptures and statues were made. We haven’t seen one like your piece. Without a mark, we can’t be sure if it was made by Austin Productions.