Pair of bookends made out of polychrome cast iron with owls and “The Lamp of Knowledge”. United States, 1925.

United States of America circa 1925.

A pair of polychrome cast-iron bookends produced by the celebrated H.L. Judd Manufacturing Company of Wallingford, Connecticut. This model (identified on the reverse by the catalog number 9886) is one of the most iconic and fascinating Art Deco creations produced by the American foundry in the mid-1920s (circa 1925).The design combines two classic symbols of study, wisdom, and culture:The Owls: Two mirrored figures of owls with outspread wings frame the composition. Since Greek antiquity (where they were associated with the goddess Athena), these nocturnal birds of prey have symbolized wisdom, reflection, and deep knowledge.The Oil Lamp (or Lamp of Knowledge): Standing on a pedestal at the center is a classic lit Roman oil lamp (the ‘lamp of knowledge’). It symbolizes the light of intellect and reason dispersing the darkness of ignorance.Cast Iron and Polychrome Finish The bookends are crafted from heavy sand-cast iron. The surface features a patinated bronze finish with details highlighted in a Pompeian red/rust lacquer or enamel (on the owls, the lamp, and part of the central pedestal), creating a warm chromatic contrast highly characteristic of 1920s American decorative metalwork. The reverse displays the typical ‘hammered’ or ‘orange peel’ texture characteristic of cast iron from the era, designed to mask casting imperfections.The Foundry: H.L. Judd Manufacturing Co. Originally founded in Brooklyn in 1869 and later relocated to Wallingford, Connecticut, the H.L. Judd Co. began producing a line of exceptionally high-quality decorative metal artware (including bookends, doorstops, inkwells, and desk sets) in the early 1900s. Their pieces were so finely designed and cast that they were even exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York during the 1930s. United States of America circa 1925.

4,7” – 12 CM H 4,7” – 12 CM L 2,5” – 6,5 CM D

REF: M5388