c. 1876–1889
FB
Gold FB device is associated particularly with posthumous Barye editions.
stamped and gilded · gold · bronze · Paris, France
Other maker marks
Barbedienne foundry mark
Barbedienne foundry mark is associated with bronze sculpture and sculptural reductions from Paris, France. Barbedienne was active 1838–1954.
- Active years
- 1838–1954
- Country
- France
- City / region
- Paris
- Products
- bronze sculpture, sculptural reductions, decorative bronzes, lighting
- Marks
- 4
1838 is the Barbedienne–Collas partnership; the commercial antecedent dates to 1834. Maison closed in December 1954.
What to look for
- Read the sculptor’s signature and the foundry name separately. F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR names the casting business; BARYE or another artist’s name identifies the model’s sculptor.
- Look for a gold FB cartouche, a Collas reduction medallion or a surviving paper label. These carry different information and can coexist on one bronze.
- For Daumier busts, M.L.G. identifies publisher Maurice Le Garrec. Distinguish edition fractions and workshop numbers from foundry marks.
Marks & lettering
4 marks
Undated
REDUCTION MECANIQUE / A. COLLAS / BREVETE
Collas process medallion accompanies a foundry signature; it identifies mechanical reduction rather than the sculptor.
cast · bronze · Paris, France
Undated
F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR
Full foundry name and FONDEUR appear in a line, rather than the existing circular stamp.
stamped · bronze · Paris, France
Undated
Exposition publique / F. BARBEDIENNE / 30 Boulevard Poissonnière / BRONZES D’ART / ET D’AMEUBLEMENT
Paper trade label names the Boulevard Poissonnière showroom and differs from metal stamps.
label · paper on bronze · Paris, France
About Barbedienne
Ferdinand Barbedienne developed one of the leading Paris businesses for bronze sculpture and decorative metalwork. In 1838 he formed a partnership with Achille Collas, whose mechanical reduction system allowed large sculptures to be reproduced at smaller sizes. Their editions brought classical and contemporary subjects into domestic interiors. The firm also produced elaborate ornamental bronzes, including lighting and decorative furnishings.
Barbedienne combined a broad catalogue with work by living sculptors such as Paul Dubois and Antonin Mercié. International exhibitions helped establish the company’s reputation, and its workshops employed several hundred people during the early Third Republic. The foundry’s name appears separately from the sculptor’s signature. Collas medallions refer to the reduction process, while initials, workshop inscriptions and edition numbers have other functions.
Ferdinand died in 1892 and his nephew Gustave Leblanc-Barbedienne succeeded him; Gustave’s son Jules later joined the business. Sand-cast bronzes continued to carry the Barbedienne name. A separate Leblanc-Barbedienne enterprise made lost-wax casts from 1921. The firm also cast editions of Honoré Daumier’s busts for publisher Maurice Le Garrec. Demand for edition bronzes declined during the twentieth century, and the house closed in December 1954.
Also known as: Ferdinand Barbedienne · F. Barbedienne · Leblanc-Barbedienne · Leblanc-Barbedienne et Fils · Maison Barbedienne, Paris
Look-alikes & how to tell them apart
Susse Frères
Another major Paris bronze publisher and foundry. Read the name: SUSSE FRÈRES or SUSSE Fres is a different firm from BARBEDIENNE; the sculpture’s subject can be shared.
C. Valsuani
Later editions of Daumier busts can be Valsuani casts. The foundry wording and edition documentation separate these from the earlier Barbedienne series.