This is a humorous and masterful rendition of a mallard duck head in cold painted bronze, fashioned as a note holder or paper clip. This item dates to the 1890's. Although there is some minor wear to the pigment around the duck beak, it is a lovely piece, a solid desk item. The duck's eyes are made with glass taxidermy eyes, and the base of the animal head is textured. The duck-decoy can be mounted onto a wall, and notes can be clipped to it. The duck clip is spring-loaded, making it perfect for contemporary office use. This piece is a precursor to the fridge magnets, whereby notes could be organized in plain sight.
The cold-painted technique was popularized in Austria, and is quite special as it is a lost art today. The most famous of cold painters was the artist Franz Bergman, casting bronzes to be painted with several layers of dust paint. The paint remained unfired and therefore unfixed to the bronze. These art-works are often delicate pieces, with visible layers of radiant colors that are "cold painted".
The duck note holder measures 5 x 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 inches. This antique makes a great desk item, or can be hung on the wall.
