Vintage 1977 Carl Wagner Bronze Cougar Mug Signed RARE EARLY CASTING w/TEETH For Sale
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Vintage 1977 Carl Wagner Bronze Cougar Mug Signed RARE EARLY CASTING w/TEETH: $295.00
Vintage 1977 Carl Wagner Handmade Bronze Cougar Mug Signed & Numbered RARE EARLY CASTING COUGAR w/TEETH!After doing some research, I was able to find out that Carl Wagner had 2 completely different castings of his cougar mug. The first casting was done in 1977. There were only 141 made in this year. They are marked 1/1000 through 141/1000. The second casting, with a completely new cougar face, was done in 1979. These are numbered 142/1000 to 1000/1000. I was able to verify this fact since my mug, the one that is being sold here, is #141/1000. It was made in 1977 and is the last one cast from the original casting. I was able to find a photo of #142/1000. (See the last 3 photos.)Starting with #142 and going forward, all of the rest were cast in 1979 and they have a completely different cougar face on it. In the first casting, the cougar is showing his teeth. In the second casting, the teeth cannot be seen. Also, the first casting is much more refined and finished. The lines for the fur are much finer and more detailed, the cougar's face is also smaller, and the color of the patina is much lighter. Another important difference is that the height of the wood handle is much lower in the original casting. After scouring the internet, I was not able to find another one from the original casting. Every single cougar mug that is currently for sale, or which was recently sold, is from the second casting. It is abundantly clear that the first casting is exponentially rarer than the second one. If you are a collector of Carl Wagner bronzes, you don't want to miss this piece. You may never see another one again in your lifetime!***Please note: The last 3 photos are of the second casting type. This mug is NOT being offered. The photos are there for comparison purposes only! I am only offering a first casting bronze mug. That is the mug that can bee seen in all of the other photos.The dimensions of the mug are 3.25" in diameter and 4.25" tall. The handle is 1.5" in diameter and 4.5" tall. It measures 7" from the tip of the cougar's nose to the back of the handle. The weight is 2 lb. 11oz.
