Soviet Busts.

[JED]

Life-sized Stalin bust? I saw one my first week out here nearly a year ago, but didn't realize the rarity of it. I didn't buy it, thinking $350 was too much. I've been kicking myself in the ass ever since. I think it was some sort of aluminum casting, but I have not seen anything like it since. Lenin I can find in droves in all sizes. I have more than 20 different Lenins. I even have the cast iron "young Lenin", the university student Lenin. Probably one that seems the strangest is the cast iron one I have of him sitting on a park bench wearing a greatcoat with what appears to be a uniform coat on underneath. That one is strange since he's generally always wearing some sort of suit.

Yesteryday, I picked up a 37cm Iron Felix statue (full body) in that aluminum alloy. He's sort of stylized, and very thin. I think most castings from this material are no older than the 1960's, and generally 70's or even 80's production. Yesterday I also bought another 1933 terracotta-type Stalin, but got a considerably better deal than the last one I found a few months ago. I also passed up two porcelein Mao's. I'm not sure if I want to get started on another string of collecting. If they are there next week, I may change my mind.

$350, that's considerable less than I paid for my Lifesize Stalin! But don't kick yourself too hard about it, because there's a huge difference between ordinary metal aluminum castings and bronze castings in value. Just consider the fact that my Stalin bronze bust weights over 56 kg and since it's hard getting a grip on it, it takes about two full grown men to carry it! If you had found something like it in the bazaar, you couldn't carry it home by yourself!

I still envy you for having access to bazaars where you could wander around and just making your picks among many beautiful statues and busts!