BRASS HAS BEEN USED in decorative objects since antiquity. But in the 1960s, it took a peculiar and charming form as shiny objets d’art. Small, often animal-shaped, figures became wildly popular decorative accents, continuing a trend that began in the Art Deco era. However, in the mid-century, their forms became simplified and stylized, just as everything else in modernist aesthetics.
Highly collectible and valuable examples can be found from artists like Walter Bosse, who became known for his signature chunky forms in black and gold brass. Simon Kops’ designs spanned the other end of the spectrum; his animal metalwork was thin, wiry and minimal. Josef Hoffman’s animals bore an earthy patina and were Rubenesque in their proportions yet lithe with their details. Companies like C. Jeré became known for using…
