Cat, seated · BAG Turgi

A seated cat in solid brass, upright, the tail curled closely around the front paws. On the base it carries the stamp «BAG Turgi».

The cat is reduced to its silhouette: the body forms an almost closed cone from which only the ears and muzzle emerge. This kind of simplification is typical of the small sculpture of the post-war decades — one wanted to recognise the animal, not to count it.

Stamped on the base: «BAG TURGI · CH-5300 TURGI». Behind it stands the Bronzewarenfabrik AG in Turgi, canton Aargau — 5300 is the postcode of the place. That makes this piece a documented Swiss product and not an anonymous import, which for small sculpture of this kind is the exception: the great majority carry nothing at all.

The figure is cast in solid brass. It has gone lighter on the raised areas — that is how brass behaves when it is handled over years: the surface tarnishes, and where hands pass over it, it stays bright. Anyone wanting an even tone polishes it; most leave the patina that has grown, it belongs to the age of the piece.

• Solid brass, cast
• Solid cast, distinct weight
• Seated pose, tail curled in
• Ears and muzzle finely worked
• Flat standing surface
• Base stamped «BAG Turgi · CH-5300 Turgi»

Good. Complete, no breaks, no flaws in the casting. The surface is evenly aged, the stamp on the base clearly legible. Stands firmly.