A superb bronze sculpture of a bear ("Sweet September"), by Don Stone. Excellent condition. Don Stone (1929-2015) is an internationally known modern impressionist painter known for his marine and landscape paintings. After Stone graduated high school, he was drafted into the Navy. While there, he painted portraits of the ship's officers. After returning from the Navy, Stone taught at Vesper George and the New England School of Art. He was also a part-time commercial artist and cartoonist at the Boston Post and Lowell Sun. It wasn't until the 1950's that Stone realized he wanted to be a fine artist. Inspired by a painting trip in Monhegan Island, ME, with a fellow artist, Paul Strisik, Stone spent the rest of his life painting Monhegan and the residents who lived there. Stone held memberships in the National Academy of Design, American Watercolor Society (Dolphin Fellow), American Society of Marine Artists (Fellow), Salmagundi Club (Honorary Member), and the New England Watercolor Society (Lifetime Honorary Member). Stone's work has been exhibited in public museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Museum of Art and Cape Ann Museum.
17"L x 10"W x 9"H Approx. 23 lbs.
Hi Dave,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
While Stone has a large body of auction results for his wonderful landscapes, his bronzes remain somewhat elusive at auction and there are few comparable auction records (what Mearto bases our appraisals on) to follow; the price range for works offered is about $500-2,000; your bear sculpture would be at the top end of that range.
Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:
Don Stone (American [Maine, New Hampshire], 1929 - 2015)
"Sweet September", 1988
bronze, on a wooden plinth base.
number 1 from an edition of 20
inscribed in the casting
9 inches high, 17 inches long, 10 inches wide
CONDITION: appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: inherited
$1,500-2,500*
*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, and thank you again for using Mearto.