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ID #SA1207991
FOR SALE
£1,850
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Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman
Hickmet Fine Arts
for sale €2,165     $2,350
£1,850
Hickmet Fine Arts

Hickmet Fine Arts

Sellingantiques Verified Since Apr 2012
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  • About Us
    Established in 1936, hickmet fine arts is an international family run antiques business
  • Trade Associations
    Hickmet Fine Arts is a registered member of LAPADA  BADA  CINOA
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Id #SA1207991
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Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman

1900 - 1920
Description

A very fine Austrian Bronze animalier bronze study of a standing blackbird with excellent naturalistic cold painted colours and fine intricate detail, signed with the Bergman ‘B’ in an amphora vase

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Height: 12 cm

Width: 17 cm

Depth: 8 cm

Circa: 1900

Foundry: Franz Bergman Foundry

Materials: Cold Painted Bronze

Book Ref: Antique Vienna Bronzes by J Zobel

Page No: 85

SKU: 9590

ABOUT

Bergman Blackbird

Franz Bergman Sculptures

Franz Bergman (1861–1936) was one of the most celebrated Viennese makers of cold-painted bronze sculptures, renowned for his highly detailed and often exotic subjects. Working in Vienna during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Bergman produced a wide range of figures that captured the imagination of collectors, combining fine casting with meticulous hand-applied colour.

Cold painting, a technique in which pigments are applied directly onto the bronze surface rather than fired, allowed for remarkable realism and vibrancy. Bergman’s workshop became particularly known for its animalier subjects, including finely observed studies of cats, dogs, birds, and more unusual creatures such as reptiles. Lizards, frogs, snakes, and other small animals were rendered with striking accuracy, their textures and natural colouring carefully depicted through delicate brushwork. These pieces often conveyed a sense of liveliness and character, despite their modest scale.

In addition to animals, Bergman also produced Orientalist figures, erotic subjects, and humorous compositions, many marked with the distinctive “B” in an urn-shaped cartouche. His work reflects both technical mastery and a fascination with storytelling through sculpture.

Today, Bergman bronzes are highly sought after for their craftsmanship, condition of original paint, and variety of subject matter. Animal and reptile examples, in particular, are prized for their charm, naturalism, and decorative appeal, representing a unique fusion of sculpture and painting in early 20th-century Vienna.

Physical Dimensions
Height
12cm (4.72")
Width
17cm (6.69")
Depth
8cm (3.15")
Declaration

Hickmet Fine Arts has dated this Cold Painted Bronze Blackbird to the 1900s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1207991
Dealers Internal Reference
9590
Dealers Notes

Please contact us for a shipping quotes.

Viewing can be arranged at our gallery and everything sold by Hickmet Fine Arts comes with a full certificate of Authenticity and Valuation.

If you have enjoyed seeing this item and wish to see more quality pieces please visit our website www.hickmet.com

Description
A very fine Austrian Bronze animalier bronze study of a standing blackbird with excellent naturalistic cold painted colours and fine intricate detail, signed with the Bergman ‘B’ in an amphora vase

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

fig 1. An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
fig 1. Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman

Height: 12 cm

Width: 17 cm

Depth: 8 cm

Circa: 1900

fig 2. An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
fig 2. Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman

Foundry: Franz Bergman Foundry

Materials: Cold Painted Bronze

Book Ref: Antique Vienna Bronzes by J Zobel

fig 3. An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
fig 3. Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman

Page No: 85

SKU: 9590

ABOUT

Bergman Blackbird

Franz Bergman Sculptures

“
Franz Bergman (1861–1936) was one of the most celebrated Viennese makers of cold-painted bronze sculptures, renowned for his highly detailed and often exotic subjects.
Hickmet Fine Arts

Working in Vienna during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Bergman produced a wide range of figures that captured the imagination of collectors, combining fine casting with meticulous hand-applied colour.

fig 4. An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
fig 4. Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman

Cold painting, a technique in which pigments are applied directly onto the bronze surface rather than fired, allowed for remarkable realism and vibrancy. Bergman’s workshop became particularly known for its animalier subjects, including finely observed studies of cats, dogs, birds, and more unusual creatures such as reptiles. Lizards, frogs, snakes, and other small animals were rendered with striking accuracy, their textures and natural colouring carefully depicted through delicate brushwork. These pieces often conveyed a sense of liveliness and character, despite their modest scale.

fig 5. An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
fig 5. Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman

In addition to animals, Bergman also produced Orientalist figures, erotic subjects, and humorous compositions, many marked with the distinctive “B” in an urn-shaped cartouche. His work reflects both technical mastery and a fascination with storytelling through sculpture.

fig 6. An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
fig 6. Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman

Today, Bergman bronzes are highly sought after for their craftsmanship, condition of original paint, and variety of subject matter. Animal and reptile examples, in particular, are prized for their charm, naturalism, and decorative appeal, representing a unique fusion of sculpture and painting in early 20th-century Vienna.

Height
12cm (4.72")
Width
17cm (6.69")
Depth
8cm (3.15")
Date of Manufacture

Hickmet Fine Arts has dated this Cold Painted Bronze Blackbird to the 1900s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1207991
Dealers Internal Ref
9590
Hickmet Fine Arts
Hickmet Fine Arts
Sellingantiques verified Since Apr 2012

Established in 1936, hickmet fine arts is an international family run antiques business

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Hickmet Fine Arts Profile Page

Trade Associations

Hickmet Fine Arts is a registered member of LAPADA  BADA  CINOA

Relevant Links
PDF SHARE
SAVE
An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
1 / 12
Archive I An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.

Early 20th Century Cold-painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman

Archive II An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View II
Archive III An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View III
Archive IV An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View IV
Archive V An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View V
Archive VI An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View VI
Archive VII An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View VII
Archive VIII An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View VIII
Archive IX An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View IX
Archive X An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View X
Archive XI An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View XI
Archive XII An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak. View XII
Enlarged Archival View
Hickmet Fine Arts

Hickmet Fine Arts
Telephone 07971 850405
Location
Gallery Eighty Five
85 Portobello Road
London
W11 2QB
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/davidhickmet
Verified Since Apr 2012
Items For Sale 112
Items Sold 6
Hickmet Fine Arts
Hickmet Fine Arts
Verified Since Apr 2012
View Dealer Info
Location: Gallery Eighty Five, 85 Portobello Road, London, W11 2QB, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/davidhickmet
Verified
Apr 2012
For Sale
112
Sold
6
An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
Early 20th Century Cold-Painted Bronze "Standing Blackbird" by Franz Bergman
Ref: SA1207991
An early 20th-century cold-painted bronze figurine depicting a standing blackbird with dark plumage and a bright yellow beak.
Detail View 1
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Archival Detail

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FAQs

Cold-painted bronzes are cast bronze figures decorated with multiple layers of unfired enamel or oil paint after the metal casting process has cooled. Popularised in Vienna during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this technique allowed craftsmen to achieve rich, lifelike colours and realistic detail on small metal sculptures.

These figures were cast using the lost-wax method in heavy bronze. Once cast and hand-chased to create fine surface textures such as plumage or fur, artists applied specialized cold paint, using natural pigments to paint intricate features directly onto the untreated metal surface.

Authentic pieces by Franz Xaver Bergman often bear his foundry mark, which features a capital B enclosed within an urn or vase silhouette, along with a shape number. Additionally, genuine Viennese bronzes exhibit exceptional weight, extremely fine casting detail, and original polychrome paint layers showing delicate age-appropriate wear.

Small animal sculptures function exceptionally well as curios on styled bookshelves, mantelpieces, or deskscapes. Placing them alongside leather-bound books, brass accents, or natural wooden surfaces highlights their fine detail and historical texture.

Because the paint is unfired, liquid solvents, chemical polishes, and water will strip or damage the original painted finish. Preservation requires gentle dusting with a soft, dry camel-hair brush or microfibre cloth to remove dust from delicate crevices without abrading the surface.
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