Austin Productions 'Scholar with Abacus' Sculpture, 1961

Story

In 1961, as the world was racing toward the digital age, this sculpture was created to celebrate one of humanity's oldest computing tools: the abacus.

Maker / Origin

Founded in 1952 in Brooklyn, Austin Productions began by creating authorized museum reproductions for institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Condition & Value

The piece shows several 'flea bite' chips on the base and the edges of the abacus, revealing the white plaster beneath the dark finish. These are very common for Austin pieces of this age; while they reduce the value slightly, they can be easily touched up with a dark wax or artist's pen.