Hi Randall

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Marcel Debut was a French sculptor best known for his Art Nouveau bronze depictions of historic figures like Mozart and Gaelic warriors, scenes from Greek mythology, rustic peasants in Tunisia, and pedigreed animals. Born in 1865 in France, he studied with his father the famed sculptor Jean Didier Début, who specialized in more traditionally realistic figurative work, as well as under Henri Michel Antoine Chapu, a renowned sculptor of bronze and marble, at the École des Beaux-Arts. Début began exhibiting both as a painter and sculptor at the Salon of 1883 up until the start of World War I, when the Salon was suspended. The artist died in 1933 in France.

The artist's works have gone up for sale at public auction 752 times, 705 of which have been in the sculpture category. The world auction record for the artist appears to be $105,270, realized in 1991 at Sotheby's, for a Marcel Debut clock. The market for his works has declined, with only five figure prices being realized since 2014.

This model of a farmer plowing is more usually depicted with two oxen rather than two horses; when this model comes to auction, it has traditionally been estimated at between $800-1,200 but rarely sells for more than $400-600. Note that the version with the oxen rarely exceeds $500 when sold at auction.

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

Marcel Debut (French, 1865-1933)
Farmer with Two-Horse Plow, nd
patinated bronze
Height approximately 5 inches; overall length: 18-1/2 inches; width: 6 inches.
CONDITION: This appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: Acquired at a garage/yard sale
$ 400-600*
*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