Ferdinand Preiss Decorative Objects

Johann Philipp Ferdinand Preiss (Germany, 1882-1943), Sonny Boy patinated cast bronze, incised signature to figure's right foot. A confidently standing youth figure depicted with tie and smart dress with hands in pockets, mounted atop a rectangular black marble base. Height: 11.5 Inches. Condition: Excellent with wear commensurate of age and use. Johann Philipp Ferdinand Preiss (13 February 1882 – 29 July 1943) was a German sculptor. He was one of the leading sculptors of the Art Deco period. Ferdinand Preiss was born in Erbach im Odenwald as one of six children to Karl Daniel Heinrich Preiss and his wife Katharine Preiss née Elisabetham. He attended school s in Michelstadt and had aspirations to become an engineer. Both of his parents died within a short time span when he was 15 and shortly thereafter he was apprenticed to the ivory carver Philipp Willmann and lived with his family. In 1901 he traveled to Rome and Paris. He became a friend and acquaintance of Arthur Kassler in Baden-Baden, which led to the founding of the company Preiss & Kassler operating from Berlin. Kassler became the business-minded partner and Preiss controlled artistic production. In 1907 he married Margarethe Hilme, producing two children, Harry and Lucie. Initially the company created small ivory carvings of children and statuettes of classical form, often carved from old ivory billiard balls. From 1910 the firm grew to specialize in limited edition Art Deco cabinet sculptures that used painted bronze with ivory...

Two dainty, finely crafted children's figures: Schoolboy with a book under his arm, his hands loosely tucked into his pockets and young girl in play jersey, holding a large hoop a...

Bronze sculpture portraying Charles Lindbergh. Signed with PK' monogram for Preiss and Kassler, Berlin, circa 1930. Patinated bronze, head and hands ...

A lovely statuette by Johann Philipp Ferdinand Preiss (Germany 1882-1943). Ivory, full-round carved and partly polished amber with a signature. A naked child...