Antique Vienna Bronze Cold Painted Upright Hare with Red Eyes William Steig persistent faces Eleven swans a swimming

Eleven swans a swimming

8 1/2" x 7 9/16" x 3/4"

but they were made by Creative Playthings in their heyday of producing fabulous teaching toys

and which I'd be quite happy to keep for myself

a spectrum of races/ethnicities

Antique Vienna Bronze Cold Painted Upright Hare with Red Eyes William Steig persistent faces Eleven swans a swimmingI've never paid much attention to Vienna cast bronze animals, but how could I not pay attention to this hare when he jumped into view? Quite heavy and substantial; he'll still be hopping around long after we are all gone. C. 1900 I believe, with a perfect patina to my taste, much of his cold painted gold worn away, but enough remaining to make him glimmer and feel like a precious old gilded thing. Terrific posture, with wonderfully tall ears, and fine