Hi Diana,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Joe Brown was an American figurative sculptor best known for dynamic bronze sculptures of athletes. His work stands out in 20th-century American sculpture for its accurate depiction of athletic anatomy and movement, reflecting his own background as a competitive athlete and boxer.

He was born March 20, 1909 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up in South Philadelphia. He was an accomplished athlete and received a football scholarship to Temple University, where he also boxed. After leaving school he briefly became a professional boxer before turning to sculpture. His introduction to art came when he worked as a model at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he developed an interest in sculpture.

In 1937, Brown became the boxing coach at Princeton University, a position he held for decades. Because of his sculptural talent, he was also appointed Resident Fellow of Sculpture and later became a full professor of art, teaching sculpture until his retirement in 1977. His dual career as coach and sculptor was unusual and helped him study the human body in motion firsthand.

Herb Fitzgibbon (Herbert W. Fitzgibbon, 1904–1982) was a high-level American amateur tennis player in the early 20th century. He competed in national tennis tournaments during the 1920s and 1930s. While he was not one of the top-ranked international champions, he was considered a strong regional and national-level competitor in the United States. He ultimately turned to painting and illustrating.

While it appears from the letter that there was only one cast of "Overhead Smash" made, he made other sculptures of tennis players - also around this size - that usually sell at auction for prices ranging from $800-1,200.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

Joe Brown (American, 1909-1985)
"Overhead Smash (Herb Fitzgibbons)", 1967
bronze
10 inches tall
CONDITION: this appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$ 800-1,200*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia