Adolf Hitler Bronze Bust- Joseph Goebbels Attribution ( H.M Ley ) # 3579
This will likely be the last bust I will offer and I am pretty much done here. Third Reich Arts started as an informational site for Porcelain Manufacture Allach and for reference. But with trades and pieces in and out over the years it became a site where collectors could go and buy righteous material that was to my tastes and in line with the history. It was never really meant to be a churn and burn entity. Over the years I was able to acquire some very nice pieces for myself and then offered them as I moved to the next piece on my radar in what I would describe as an evolution in interests. I think I purchased my first bust of Hitler in 2001 or so and it was a double life Pagels, it was on a table offered from a museum looking to raise money and a vet bring back. At the time I was not sure what to do with it nor was I sure if I wanted a bust in my house, but I bought it and trudged it to a local pack and ship and sent it home. I put it in the living room and half heartedly cringed wondering what people would think. Within a couple weeks I had reminded myself that I really did not care what people thought and forgot it was there and it became what it was intended to be, an art piece. Since that time I have handled many Hitler busts and the busts of others people important to the time period by a multitude of artists.
This is one of the few examples I purchased with myself in mind as it is a beautiful example by Hedwig Maria Ley, it's stunning and very large at over 18 inches tall without a base. I have been waiting for a crappy bust with a base to show itself so I can grab a base for it which would put it at over 22 inches tall using the proper measurements. It is a very dark chocolate patina with verdigris accents. There is no damage, the flange is perfect and it's farking heavy, probably the heaviest I have had. The story on these busts is interesting and these busts by Ley are not only well documented, they were sent to the most prominent personalities in the Reich at the time.
In 1933 Adolf Hitler under guard by three members of the Shutzstaffel entered the studio of Hedwig Maria Ley and he sat for this model for several hours. The castings were then sent to WMF and cast and forwarded to Hess, Goebbels, Baldur Benedikt von Schirach, The Bormann's both Martin and his brother Albert, as well as Adolf Hitler and many others. A second foundry was utilized and a letter from the Royal porcelain Factory (KPM) may indicate the model use in porcelain.
The 1st 26 photos are from the personal photo albums and letters of H.M Ley, they are not included in the sale and a small sample of her papers. Included for this piece is a photo of the actress/confidant/spy that was gifted the piece by Goebbels in 1944. A letter on her letterhead from her associate in Rome Italy. The bust is probably the best conditioned example or at least one of them that I have ever had. It weighs 50 pounds on its own and dam near killed myself getting it in the house when I got it. It had previously been sold in 2005 and I am going to cut and paste that description as it is suitable. If you wish to own a really nice bust this would certainly fit the bill and they are getting near impossible to find, certainly ones like this.
Given to actress Kathe Dyckhoff, accused of being Goebbel's spy and confidante
A superb bronze bust of Adolf Hitler, one of the most recognized Hitler bronzes, believed to have been given by Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels to an attractive film actress who was accused of having acted as his spy in revealing subversives in the film industry. The 18" tall massive hollow bronze bust shows the dictator bearing a stern expression, very true to life. The rectangular 4" x 4 3/4" base bears three threaded holes which were once used to secure the bust to a larger base. The bronze bears a fine patina, with foundry mark "WMF GEISLINGEN-STG " (Wurttmburgische Metallwarenfabrik at Geislingen) on the bottom left of the base. The bust is also signed by the artist: "H. M. Ley" on the left side of the neck. HEDWIG MARIA LEY (188-1974) was a talented sculptress who established her practice in Munich in 1930. In 1933 Joseph Goebbels commissioned her to create this bust, which immediately became vastly popular throughout Germany. According to our consignor, this bust was owned by Goebbels who no doubt had several at his disposal to be offered as gifts. It was given by him to German film actress Kate Dyckhoff (d. 1998). The attractive young actress began her career in Germany in the Forties with the 1941 film "Illusion" (directed by Veit Harlan, who also directed "Jud Suss", 1940), and had her breakthrough with the 1943 film "Akrobat scho-o-on!". 1944 saw two particularly successful films for Dyckhoff, particularly "Familie Buchholz". We know that Goebbels himself attended the filming of that movie. There also is no disputing the fact that Goebbels was quite a lothario, carrying on affairs throughout adulthood, including actress Lida Baarova, and earning him the nickname "the ram". After the war, Dyckhoff married an Englishman and took the name "Katharina Williams". She returned to Germany in 1950 for "de-nazification" but faced questioning for having denounced an anti-Nazi judge and having been a "confidante" of Joseph Goebbels. The University of Hamburg today maintains much correspondence from German journalist and writer Axel Eggebrecht (1899-1981) condemning Dyckhoff as a (film industry) spy for Goebbels and a pro-Nazi subversive. He was in a position to know: in 1933 he was imprisoned for several months at the Hainewalde concentration camp, and after his release he used pseudonyms to eke out a living in the film industry as a screenwriter, assistant, and critic. Dyckhoff moved to Rome and in 1965 and gave the bust "for services rendered" to a close family friend, a German aristocrat who is our consignor. A letter of provenance, 1p. 4to., Rome, Feb. 18, 1986 is written on "Katharina Williams" Rome letterhead, in German. In full: "CERTIFICATION [Consignor's name] confirms herewith to Katharina Williams (nee Dyckhoff) the receipt of a Hitler bust from the artist Maria Ley, from 1933. The bust was given to Mrs. Williams at the end of 1944 by Joseph Goebbels in Berlin as a present. [Consignor signature and typed name]". Also present are two printed photos of Dyckhoff with our consignor in Munich, 1984. Excellent condition, spotless and very fine.
This will likely be the last bust I will offer and I am pretty much done here. Third Reich Arts started as an informational site for Porcelain Manufacture Allach and for reference. But with trades and pieces in and out over the years it became a site where collectors could go and buy righteous material that was to my tastes and in line with the history. It was never really meant to be a churn and burn entity. Over the years I was able to acquire some very nice pieces for myself and then offered them as I moved to the next piece on my radar in what I would describe as an evolution in interests. I think I purchased my first bust of Hitler in 2001 or so and it was a double life Pagels, it was on a table offered from a museum looking to raise money and a vet bring back. At the time I was not sure what to do with it nor was I sure if I wanted a bust in my house, but I bought it and trudged it to a local pack and ship and sent it home. I put it in the living room and half heartedly cringed wondering what people would think. Within a couple weeks I had reminded myself that I really did not care what people thought and forgot it was there and it became what it was intended to be, an art piece. Since that time I have handled many Hitler busts and the busts of others people important to the time period by a multitude of artists.
This is one of the few examples I purchased with myself in mind as it is a beautiful example by Hedwig Maria Ley, it's stunning and very large at over 18 inches tall without a base. I have been waiting for a crappy bust with a base to show itself so I can grab a base for it which would put it at over 22 inches tall using the proper measurements. It is a very dark chocolate patina with verdigris accents. There is no damage, the flange is perfect and it's farking heavy, probably the heaviest I have had. The story on these busts is interesting and these busts by Ley are not only well documented, they were sent to the most prominent personalities in the Reich at the time.
In 1933 Adolf Hitler under guard by three members of the Shutzstaffel entered the studio of Hedwig Maria Ley and he sat for this model for several hours. The castings were then sent to WMF and cast and forwarded to Hess, Goebbels, Baldur Benedikt von Schirach, The Bormann's both Martin and his brother Albert, as well as Adolf Hitler and many others. A second foundry was utilized and a letter from the Royal porcelain Factory (KPM) may indicate the model use in porcelain.
The 1st 26 photos are from the personal photo albums and letters of H.M Ley, they are not included in the sale and a small sample of her papers. Included for this piece is a photo of the actress/confidant/spy that was gifted the piece by Goebbels in 1944. A letter on her letterhead from her associate in Rome Italy. The bust is probably the best conditioned example or at least one of them that I have ever had. It weighs 50 pounds on its own and dam near killed myself getting it in the house when I got it. It had previously been sold in 2005 and I am going to cut and paste that description as it is suitable. If you wish to own a really nice bust this would certainly fit the bill and they are getting near impossible to find, certainly ones like this.
Given to actress Kathe Dyckhoff, accused of being Goebbel's spy and confidante
A superb bronze bust of Adolf Hitler, one of the most recognized Hitler bronzes, believed to have been given by Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels to an attractive film actress who was accused of having acted as his spy in revealing subversives in the film industry. The 18" tall massive hollow bronze bust shows the dictator bearing a stern expression, very true to life. The rectangular 4" x 4 3/4" base bears three threaded holes which were once used to secure the bust to a larger base. The bronze bears a fine patina, with foundry mark "WMF GEISLINGEN-STG " (Wurttmburgische Metallwarenfabrik at Geislingen) on the bottom left of the base. The bust is also signed by the artist: "H. M. Ley" on the left side of the neck. HEDWIG MARIA LEY (188-1974) was a talented sculptress who established her practice in Munich in 1930. In 1933 Joseph Goebbels commissioned her to create this bust, which immediately became vastly popular throughout Germany. According to our consignor, this bust was owned by Goebbels who no doubt had several at his disposal to be offered as gifts. It was given by him to German film actress Kate Dyckhoff (d. 1998). The attractive young actress began her career in Germany in the Forties with the 1941 film "Illusion" (directed by Veit Harlan, who also directed "Jud Suss", 1940), and had her breakthrough with the 1943 film "Akrobat scho-o-on!". 1944 saw two particularly successful films for Dyckhoff, particularly "Familie Buchholz". We know that Goebbels himself attended the filming of that movie. There also is no disputing the fact that Goebbels was quite a lothario, carrying on affairs throughout adulthood, including actress Lida Baarova, and earning him the nickname "the ram". After the war, Dyckhoff married an Englishman and took the name "Katharina Williams". She returned to Germany in 1950 for "de-nazification" but faced questioning for having denounced an anti-Nazi judge and having been a "confidante" of Joseph Goebbels. The University of Hamburg today maintains much correspondence from German journalist and writer Axel Eggebrecht (1899-1981) condemning Dyckhoff as a (film industry) spy for Goebbels and a pro-Nazi subversive. He was in a position to know: in 1933 he was imprisoned for several months at the Hainewalde concentration camp, and after his release he used pseudonyms to eke out a living in the film industry as a screenwriter, assistant, and critic. Dyckhoff moved to Rome and in 1965 and gave the bust "for services rendered" to a close family friend, a German aristocrat who is our consignor. A letter of provenance, 1p. 4to., Rome, Feb. 18, 1986 is written on "Katharina Williams" Rome letterhead, in German. In full: "CERTIFICATION [Consignor's name] confirms herewith to Katharina Williams (nee Dyckhoff) the receipt of a Hitler bust from the artist Maria Ley, from 1933. The bust was given to Mrs. Williams at the end of 1944 by Joseph Goebbels in Berlin as a present. [Consignor signature and typed name]". Also present are two printed photos of Dyckhoff with our consignor in Munich, 1984. Excellent condition, spotless and very fine.