Ever wonder where something came from?
Who might have designed it?
What inspired that person to
create that said piece?
As is the case with our fair maiden ~
who was the model?
Well, I have often wondered about this statue I found at a local Denton thriftshop as I was out finding my way around town during our first year here in Texas.
I happened to see a pin on Pinterest recently which named the artist and that got me curious…
Our sweet maiden gets lots of play here on my blog
and it’s only because this statue and her friends outside are rather photogenic, in my opinion.
🙂
love this antiqued version!
I found this photo and many others like it by doing a google search. One Pinterest photo shared that the sculptor’s name is Grinam Niam.
One chalkware bust of this same maiden found in mint condition is currently for sale on RubyLane for $468!
a colorized version
I’d say my $4.25 lady ~ who by the way was discounted 10% because I received a senior discount (for anyone over a certain age, yeah!).
I’d say the $3.85 I paid was a fabulous bargain!
Looking around some more I found another
Grinam Niam maiden bust open for bidding at www.liveauctioneers.com. This one has an opening bid of $150. Another I found is for sale for $50.
For a thriftshop find and never having been to auction before it is interesting to see what prices are being paid for these “ladies.”
🙂
Here the artist’s signature is clearly seen.
I know of two other people who have one just like mine: Lidy Baars who own the online shop FrenchGardenHouse and Cindy Blackenburg who owns an online shop and has a blog of the same name,
Edith and Evelyn Vintage.
My curiosity, now really peaked, I got up from my chair and took all the pearl jewelry off this little lady and gently turned her over.
Printed in big letters going vertically down the back of the neck pedestal says, “Mexico.”
LOL!!!
So my fair maiden isn’t the real McCoy at all but a clever copy that some good modeler made a mold from an original!
Well, rats in a poke! Nonetheless I still love my fair maiden even if she isn’t a real Grinam Niam. And I am going to continue loving her just the same.
😉
The only information was on one of the Pinterest photographs guessing that these original busts may have been made around the 1880’s. That wasn’t verified, and the writer said the same.
Oh, and I cannot find any information about Mr. Niam
except that his name is signed on the left shoulder of authentic maiden statues. If I do eventually find more info. then I will come back and update the post.
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| from last year’s Valentine’s table setting… |
Hope you enjoyed this quick little post! Now you know the rest of the story.
🙂
Happy thrifting!
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The bust is bases after a painting from the French artist Jean-Baptiste Greuze. The painting is called Jeune Fille (young Girl) is part of the Château de Chantilly collections. I’m looking for a Niam bust for myself. Saw one at 75$, same as yours, but wasn’t fast enough.
I owned the same beautiful maiden bust for 30 years. Found her at art show.
I am now downsizing to move, and took her to a consignment store today. They priced her at $150.00. I hope she finds a good home with someone who appreciates her as much as I did.