Antique bronze philosopher bookends by KBW circa 1914

Place this world-weary pair of philosophers around your books which contain the most wisdom. They are in excellent condition with light wear from over a century of age.

These solemn bookends were cast by Kathodion Bronze Works around 1914 in New York City. They are signed by the company on the back. Before filing for bankruptcy in 1918, KBW produced many high quality bronze bookends and other decorative goods. Their bookends were comprised of a plaster core encased in a substantial layer of bronze. These are known as bronze-clad, bronze-armored, or weighted bronze bookends. They were able to create these using the laborious electroforming process.

The electroforming process went roughly as follows. First, the manufacturer would create a plaster cast of the master sculpture and spray it with an electrically conductive coating. Then, they would hang the cast in a tank of plating solution while running an electric current through it via a wire in its base. Over the course of several days the cast would build up a coating of bronze. Then the manufacturer would remove the product from the tank and apply the finishing touches. The hallmark of electroformed bronze is the indentation in the product's base where the wire was severed.

Each bookend is about 4 1/4" wide, 7 1/2" tall, and 4 3/4" deep. Together they weigh about 6 3/5 pounds. They have new felt.