This is an original, astounding circa early-1920’s cold-painted bronze, gilded and carved bone sculpture by Johann Philipp Ferdinand Preiss (1882-1943). The sculpture is signed at the base, “F. PREISS.” The sculpture has a two-part octagonal marble base and shows an original bronze that is cold-painted and fielded showing a partially-nude woman with arms spread out standing atop of a base with a shawl draping from her arms. The hands, body, head and legs are carved from tusk i.v.o.r.y. bone which is in original condition. Ferdinand Preiss was born in Erbach, German Empire in 1882. By 15 years of age both of his parents had died and shortly after apprenticed to the tusk carver Philipp Willmann and lived with his family. He befriended Arthur Kassler and founded Preiss & Kassler in Berlin. The piece was crafted in the early 1920’s and is titled, “Spring Awakening”. A piece from this edition, sold at Quittenbaum’s November 2018 auction for 55,000 euro’s ($60,481 in US). Provenance: From the ex-collections of Carl & Doris Loomis and Jerry Loomis. Measures 14-inches high by 8.5-inches wide and the base is 4-inches across. The fingers are present in good condition but incredibly fragile and could possibly damage in shipping. This item qualifies as an ESA Antique and can be legally sold, please check your local and state laws before purchasing, will not be exported from the U.S. The bone has not been altered, repaired or restored and is a much smaller portion of the weight of this bronze and marble sculpture.