Roman Bronze Works
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bronze casting foundry, Art foundry |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Founder | Riccardo Bertelli |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Bronze sculptures, Art castings |
Roman Bronze Studios, formerly known as Roman Bronze Works, is a bronze casting foundry located in New York City. Established in 1897 by chemical engineer and entrepreneur Riccardo Bertelli, it was the pioneering American foundry to focus exclusively on the lost-wax casting technique, rising to prominence as the foremost art foundry during the American Renaissance period (circa 1876–1917).
History
Riccardo Bertelli, merging his chemical knowledge with artistic insight, founded Roman Bronze Works, officially trademarked in 1900. The company broadened its reach by erecting a dedicated studio for sculptor Henry Shrady in White Plains, New York, in 1908. Having served for many years as a subcontractor to Louis Comfort Tiffany's Tiffany Studios, Roman Bronze Works moved in 1927 to Tiffany's manufacturing facility in Corona, Queens. In 1928, the foundry came under the ownership of the General Bronze Corporation, which held it for twenty years—a time marked by partnerships with distinguished sculptors including Paul Manship, Rene Chambellan, and Lee Lawrie.
Specializing in creating bronze sculptures from plaster and terra cotta originals provided by artists, Roman Bronze Works also produced reduced-scale versions of large-scale monuments for collectors. This contributed significantly to the visibility and market success of artists such as Daniel Chester French, Augustus Lukeman, and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Beginning in 1898, it served as the exclusive foundry for Frederic Remington and additionally cast pieces for Charles M. Russell. The foundry maintained production of Remington bronzes well into the late twentieth century.
In 1946, Salvatore Schiavo acquired Roman Bronze Works; his family had long-standing associations with the firm. His nephew, Philip J. Schiavo, later assumed the presidency until the foundry ultimately ceased operations.
Roman Bronze Works was also responsible for manufacturing the iconic Heisman Trophy statues awarded annually to outstanding college football athletes through at least 2008.
After its closure, original plaster models from leading American sculptors were auctioned off in 1988. Certain molds were relocated to storage facilities managed by American Art Restoration, Inc., while the company's archives were preserved at the Amon Carter Museum Library in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2002, Schiffer Publishing issued A Century of American Sculpture; The Roman Bronze Works Foundry, chronicling the firm's legacy through detailed ledgers and photographic records.
A noteworthy incident involved Brian Ramnarine, a former employee who founded Empire Bronze Art Foundry in Queens; he was implicated in a 2012 $11 million fraud case related to unauthorized castings of Jasper Johns' works. He entered a guilty plea in 2003 and agreed to make restitution.
Notable works
- Bronco Buster, a sculpture by Frederic Remington cast around 1901 by Roman Bronze Works
- Confederate Soldiers Monument Sculptures by Pompeo Coppini at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas (1903)
- The Marquis de Lafayette statue by Paul Wayland Bartlett, located in Hartford, Connecticut (1907)
- Studio of Leo Friedlander in Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York (1908)
- Statue of Stevens T. Mason by Albert Weinert (1908)
- Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial by J. Massey Rhind, situated at Indiana Plaza in Washington, D.C. (1909)
- McMillan Fountain by sculptor Herbert Adams (sculptor) at McMillan Reservoir, Washington, D.C. (1912)
- Equestrian statue of George Washington by J. Massey Rhind, located in Washington Park, Newark, New Jersey (1912)
- The Great Rivers—Missouri and Mississippi—by Robert Ingersoll Aitken, installed at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City (1917)
- Dante Alighieri sculpture by Ettore Ximenes at Meridian Hill Park, Washington, D.C. (1921)
- Ulysses S. Grant Memorial created by Henry Shrady, positioned on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. (1924)
- Pioneer Woman statue by Bryant Baker, located in Ponca City, Oklahoma (1930)
- Prometheus (Manship) sculpture (1934)
- Atlas, an iconic figure by Lee Lawrie, displayed at Rockefeller Center (1937)
- Thomas Jefferson statue crafted by Rudolph Evans within the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. (1947)
- The annual Heisman Trophy designed by Frank Eliscu produced between 1980 and 2008
Artists
Roman Bronze Works produced castings for a wide array of distinguished sculptors, including but not limited to:
- Herbert Adams
- Robert Ingersoll Aitken
- Carl Ethan Akeley
- Louis Amateis
- John Angel
- Joseph Bailly
- Bryant Baker
- Max Kalish
- Clement Barnhorn
- Richmond Barthé
- Paul Wayland Bartlett
- Chester Beach
- Thomas Hart Benton
- Edward Berge
- Karl Bitter
- Gutzon Borglum
- Solon Borglum
- John J. Boyle
- Caspar Buberl
- Alexander Stirling Calder
- Mary Callery
- Rene Paul Chambellan
- James L. Clark
- Matchett Herring Coe
- Pompeo Coppini
- William Couper
- Henri Crenier
- John K. Daniels
- Jo Davidson
- Donald De Lue
- Gleb Derujinsky
- Alexander Doyle
- Thomas Eakins
- Frank Eliscu
- Ulric Ellerhusen
- Rudolph Evans
- Avard Fairbanks
- Sally James Farnham
- Nicolai Fechin
- Gaetano Federici
- Beatrice Fenton
- Duncan Ferguson
- Alexander Finta
- John Flanagan
- James Earle Fraser
- Marshall Fredericks
- Daniel Chester French
- Leo Friedlander
- Harriet Whitney Frishmuth
- Sherry Fry
- Merrell Gage
- Rube Goldberg
- Charles Grafly
- John Gregory
- Walker Hancock
- Oskar J. W. Hansen
- Jonathan Scott Hartley
- Eli Harvey
- Herbert Haseltine
- Carl Augustus Heber
- Henry Hering
- Frederick Hibbard
- Malvina Hoffman
- Milton Horn
Partnerships
Roman Bronze Works forged vital alliances with leading artists that significantly enhanced its industry standing and expanded its offerings. A pivotal collaboration commenced circa 1901 with Frederic Remington through the creation of The Cheyenne, which coincided with the foundry’s transition from sand casting to the more refined lost-wax casting technique, resulting in superior quality sculptures. Remington maintained a close professional rapport with founder Riccardo Bertelli, frequently participating in the development and refinement of new models. Following Remington’s death, the foundry continued to produce his sculptures, utilizing both original molds and reproductions to maintain financial viability. Additional prominent partnerships included those with Charles M. Russell and Tiffany Studios, which broadened Roman Bronze Works’ market presence and reinforced its competitive position within the art casting sector.