This very rare set of bookends is about the earliest made for this style featuring a parrot on a book with a rose bookmark, they are signed by the original artist, Kilenyi. The binding is inscribed 'Edgar A. Poe Poems'. Each bookend stands 6" tall, 4 1/4" wide, 4 1/4" deep and weighs 2 lbs. 2 oz. They are in very good condition with some finish loss and a flattened area at the binding. Each is signed 'KILENYI' on the rear. These antique bookends were made using the much coveted and highly collectible bronze-clad method of production which utilized electricity via an electrode built into the plaster mold of the subject piece. Bronze was then electroformed onto the plaster mold. This was extremely innovative in the 1920's. Unfortunately, it was also very costly for labor and materials. Some bookends could take as long as three days to be completed. They created some of the most detailed and sought after bookends we have today. They're getting quite scarce to find in good condition since they are somewhat fragile.
