Courtesy Neal Auctions.
This rather clunky bust hardly seems remarkable enough to head even this month’s humble blog post, but it proves to be noteworthy in several ways, not all of which are favorable. I think most of you would agree that a thing of beauty it is not, but what makes it unusual is that it is titled GENL JACKSON PRESIDENT, US. No other Staffordshire bust of Andrew Jackson (who served as America’s seventh president from 1829-1837) had been recorded when this example came up for auction late this summer.
This bust had a hard life. Apparent to the naked eye were the deteriorated enamels—grungy at best and “chewed” or flaked off at worst, but the damage was more than skin deep. The condition report revealed that there were “restorations to head…to nose, chin, large crack around head.”
I searched for a design source for the bust but quickly learned that Jackson looked rather different. In particular, he is typically shown with puffy rather than slicked down hair, usually brushed back rather than forward. Add to this, the features did not seem to resemble Jackson’s either.
This bust had a hard life. Apparent to the naked eye were the deteriorated enamels—grungy at best and “chewed” or flaked off at worst, but the damage was more than skin deep. The condition report revealed that there were “restorations to head…to nose, chin, large crack around head.”
I searched for a design source for the bust but quickly learned that Jackson looked rather different. In particular, he is typically shown with puffy rather than slicked down hair, usually brushed back rather than forward. Add to this, the features did not seem to resemble Jackson’s either.
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Jackson was in his sixties when he served as President (and the two images above date from that period). As the gentleman in the bust seems significantly younger, I thought a print of a more youthful Jackson served as the design source, but again, I failed to see any resemblance to this print of circa 1812.
Last of all, I could find scant association between the oak leaves liberally adorning the tunic of the gentleman in the bust and Jackson. Samuel Lovett Waldo’s portrait of Jackson, done in 1819, was the closest I could come, and here you can just see an oak leaf on the collar.
On the other hand, a tunic decorated with oak leaves screams Napoleon Bonaparte. From 1795, Napoleon's rank entitled him to wear a coat with red collar and cuffs embroidered with gold oak-leaves. Could the bust perhaps have originally been modeled to portray Napoleon? It certainly resembles Staffordshire busts of Napoleon, like the one shown below (and titled on the reverse). But who am I to argue with a name? The bust is clearly titled Jackson, so Jackson it must be.
Courtesy John Howard
I know there is a distinct market for Americana, but I was still surprised to see the battered bust fetch just over $4,000 with charges at Neal Auction Company. But for the title, it would not have fetched $400. I will admit that the price bothered me. Such silly money for a vastly inferior object just because of the name. But this was only the beginning of the story.
Fast forward a month or two, and an identical bust came up for sale at Bonhams, London. I say identical, but there were several differences. The Bonhams bust was in much better condition, but it lacked a title. Bonhams’ experts—no doubt aware of the Jackson bust—had nonetheless identified their bust as Napoleon modeled as First Consul.
Fast forward a month or two, and an identical bust came up for sale at Bonhams, London. I say identical, but there were several differences. The Bonhams bust was in much better condition, but it lacked a title. Bonhams’ experts—no doubt aware of the Jackson bust—had nonetheless identified their bust as Napoleon modeled as First Consul.
Courtesy Bonhams
In the same sale was this French porcelain bust of Bonaparte as First Consul. Notice the resemblance to the Staffordshire bust.
Courtesy Bonahms
In my humble opinion, Bonhams was correct. I believe that the bust was intended to be Napoleon, but somewhere along the line Jackson’s name was impressed into one (as best we know) example to make it suitable for the American market.
There is no telling what crazy money will pursue, and someone apparently thought that Bonhams’ untitled bust too portrayed Jackson. And what did the buyer pay? Are you sitting down: GBP 7,650 ($10,511). This price bothers me less than the $4,000 paid for the beaten-up, titled bust. At least Bonham's bust is a fine example….but it is unremarkable and only made the price it did because somebody thought it was Jackson!
So what is the value of a name? I have a beautiful bust of George Washington. It is titled AND it closely resembles him. Any one care to make me an insanely high offer? And I have a number of untitled busts. Buy one, and you can call it whatever tickles your fancy.
My thanks to that great collector, my friend Bob Carde, for making me think through this issue and for his invaluable input.
There is no telling what crazy money will pursue, and someone apparently thought that Bonhams’ untitled bust too portrayed Jackson. And what did the buyer pay? Are you sitting down: GBP 7,650 ($10,511). This price bothers me less than the $4,000 paid for the beaten-up, titled bust. At least Bonham's bust is a fine example….but it is unremarkable and only made the price it did because somebody thought it was Jackson!
So what is the value of a name? I have a beautiful bust of George Washington. It is titled AND it closely resembles him. Any one care to make me an insanely high offer? And I have a number of untitled busts. Buy one, and you can call it whatever tickles your fancy.
My thanks to that great collector, my friend Bob Carde, for making me think through this issue and for his invaluable input.
