Brass Four Leaf / Fox Bowl Designed By Oskar Hansen For Virginia Metalcrafters

A vintage heavy solid brass four leaf clover with a raised fox in the middle of the bowl, made in Waynesboro, Virginia by Virginia MetalCrafters. The bowl was probably designed by Oskar Hansen, it is hand crafted, hand finished and of the highest quality, probably made in the 1960’s. The bowl is fully marked on the bottom. The bowl measures approximately 4 3/4 inches long, 4 3/4 inches wide and 5/8 inches at its tallest.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE ARTIST

Oskar J. W. Hansen (March 12, 1892 – August 31, 1971) was a Norwegian-born, naturalized American sculptor, but also did extensive writing on theology, astronomy and the arts. Before coming to America in 1910, Hansen went to sea as a cabin boy, traveling around the world five times as a merchant seaman for Norway.  He also joined the French Foreign Legion in North Africa, attaining the rank of General of Brigade.  In America, he served in the U.S. Army earning the rank of Major. When Hansen left the Army, he settled near Charlottesville, Virginia, devoting much of his time to sculpting in bronze, marble and wood. In 1948 Hansen began designing a series of dozens of brass leaf trays for Virginia Metalcrafters. The trays will be among VM’s best selling products for decades. Some of the trays were retailed by Williamsburg Restoration to raised money for Colornial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia. Other than Virginia Metalcrafters, Hansen was associated with the sculptures and art on the Hoover Dam and the Yorktown Victory sculpture in Yorktown, Virginia. Hansen was a complex and fascinating figure from the 20th century, he died in August of 1971.