Akari Light Sculptures Illuminate

Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) was one of the 20th century’s most important and critically acclaimed sculptors. Through a lifetime of artistic experimentation, he created sculptures, gardens, furniture and lighting designs, ceramics, architecture, landscapes and set designs. His work was at once subtle and bold, traditional and modern. Noguchi’s Akari Light Sculptures are considered icons of modern design. Created by Noguchi beginning in 1951 and handmade for a half century by the original manufacturer in Gifu, Japan, the paper lanterns are a harmonious blend of Japanese handcraft and modernist form. A late March auction at Wright in Chicago, featuring more than 50 lots of early and rare examples, realized $646,721. Noguchi called his works Akari, a term meaning light as illumination, but also implying the idea of weightlessness. With the warm glow of light cast through handmade washi paper on a bamboo frame, Noguchi utilized traditional materials to bring modern design to the home. Like the beauty of falling leaves and the cherry blossom, Noguchi wrote, Akari are “poetic, ephemeral and tentative.”

 

 

John Rogers Sculpture

Q: I have a Sleepy Hollow plaster figurine I got from my uncle who passed. The base is marked “John Rogers, New York” and “Courtship in Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane and Katrina Van Tassel.” On the back it says “Patented Aug. 25, 1868.” It looks authentic but how would I know? How many were made and what sort of value does it or could it have?

A: John Rogers (1829-1904) was an American sculptor who made plaster “group” sculptures and painted them the color of putty. Rogers was known as “the people’s sculptor.” Copies of his sculptures were mass produced and sold at prices the middle class could afford. He worked from 1859 to 1892 and created over 85 sculptures, which were then cast to make over 80,000 copies. The “Courtship in Sleepy Hollow” sculpture was made in 1868 and released in time for Christmas. A slightly smaller size was made in parian, an unglazed biscuit porcelain resembling Parian marble. These were probably unauthorized reproductions, possibly made in England or France. The price of authentic sculptures has been going up since 2015. An expert would need to see your figurine to authenticate it and estimate its value.

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.