Probably American, Large Sculpture of a Mermaid Triumphantly Lifting a Natural Sponge from the Sea, bronze, signed indistinctly and stamped PARIS 1926.
Note: the mermaid and natural sponge were the corporate trademarks of the American Sponge & Chamois Company (AMSCO) founded in 1869, based initially in Manhattan and later in Long Island City Queens New York.
This bronze was prominently placed in the lobby of AMSCO's LIC building and was possibly commissioned by the company.(SMAI1001)(TC)
Measurements: 23" H, 17" D, 16" W. Very heavy
Condition: dusty, otherwise good

Property Title: Property from the family estate of the late Samford and Dorothy Maier of New York and Connecticut.
Samford Maier was a descendent of Rabbi Joseph Kornfeld, who was named "Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary" to Persia by his fellow Ohioan, Warren G. Harding in 1921. Persia was an important, but politically unstable, oil producer at that time. In 1924, an American consular official was beaten to death by a mob, after which the embassy and Kornfeld were withdrawn.
An inscribed c. 1924 carpet (to be featured in our July Auction) and the 12 Persian silver dishes in this sale came into the family during that time.
Dorothy Maier was descended from the owners of the American Sponge and Chamois Company, long prominent in supplying natural products, and early pioneers of synthetic sponges.
The mermaid statue was for many years in the lobby of their Long Island City headquarters and supplied the imagery for their well-known "Mermaid" brand.

dusty, otherwise good