The Traveling Magician Statue Here is a rare opportunity for you to own a Traveling Magician statue!
Sculpted by:	John Rogers
Year:	1877
Country:	United States
One of the most desirable examples of magic as art is the Traveling Magician statue, sculpted by John Rogers in 1877 and produced in plaster by his New York firm. An unusual subject for a piece of artwork for the home, it is a popular collectible today, especially among magicians and performing artists. In fact, we are interested in purchasing your Traveling Magician statue, or any other John Rogers group you may have, for our collection. Please contact us by phone or email. The statue depicts a magician entertaining a man and his son while a young girl (the magician's assistant) has fallen asleep, obviously bored at having seen the rabbit pulled from the hat many times before. The spectators appear totally baffled by the magician's skill- but if the statue is viewed from the back, part of his magical secret is revealed. The magician's apprentice is apparently hiding under the table, and is secretly handing the magician a dove! (See arrow). John Rogers (1829-1904) was a machinist from Manchester, N.H., who turned his hobby of sculpting into a financially successful venture. His idea was to create vignettes or interesting scenes, and mass produce them in plaster to be marketed as relatively affordable decor items. From originals meticulously sculpted in red clay, he had bronze master molds made from which plaster copies were cast. The plaster statues were then painted, usually one overall color, and usually a neutral shade of deep tan or green. Because of the fragile nature of plaster, almost all of the statues found today have been repaired at one time or another. Some have also been repainted. The value of a Rogers statue is heavily dependent on its condition- the closer it is to original, the better. Rogers specialized in five topical areas: the theater, the Civil War, Shakespeare, equine imagery and scenes from everyday life. The statues range in size from about a foot in height (tabletop size) to life-size. Rogers sculpted about 150 different subjects between 1859 and 1892, each one of them noted for its outstanding expressiveness. Examples of each of John Rogers' sculptures can be seen in John Rogers Statuary: Paul and Meta Bleier (A Schiffer Book for Collectors). Also, check out the informative website hosted by Bruce Bleier.

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