Scarce Antique Hubley Cast Iron Puppo Doorstop Brown Color Variant Grace Drayton 1920s #75

Details

Description

Offered here is a highly collectible 1920s antique cast iron "Puppo" doorstop manufactured by the Hubley Manufacturing Company of Lancaster, … Read more Offered here is a highly collectible 1920s antique cast iron "Puppo" doorstop manufactured by the Hubley Manufacturing Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Designed by famed American cartoonist and illustrator Grace Gebbie Drayton—creator of the iconic Campbell’s Soup Kids and Dolly Dingle—this charming piece embodies Drayton’s celebrated wide-eyed character design.

The figure depicts "Puppo" in a seated profile posture with an intricate, hand-painted honeybee resting on his right rear hip (Hubley Catalog Design #75).

Historical & Design Significance: Created during the high-water mark of early 20th-century American cast iron production, this "Puppo" doorstop represents a key collaboration between the Hubley Manufacturing Company and celebrated illustrator Grace Gebbie Drayton. Featuring a scarce chestnut-brown color palette, this piece sits at the intersection of commercial character art, Americana, and decorative ironwork.

Curator's Note: Distinguished by its rare chestnut colorway and heavily-crazed original enamel, this authentic 1920s 'Puppo' doorstop offers distinct sculptural character and warm historic patina. A charming focal point for bookshelf styling, mantels, or rustic-chic interior compositions.

Listing Specifications & Details
Manufacturer / Foundry: Hubley Manufacturing Company (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)

Design / Model: "Puppo" with Bee on Rear Hip (Hubley Design Catalog No. 75)

Designer / Artist: Grace Gebbie Drayton (creator of Campbell’s Kids & Dolly Dingle)

Era / Circa: Circa 1914–1920s

Material: Cast Iron with Original Cold-Painted Enamel Finish

Dimensions: Approx. 4.75" High x 4.0" Wide at Base

Weight: 3 lbs 7.9 oz (Solid cast iron)

Construction: Single-piece solid casting with flat back (unpainted/hollowed back)

Color Scheme Variant: Rare Chestnut / Orange-Brown Patched Variant with off-white body, black eyes, and hand-painted bee on hip

Color Rarity & Collector Significance
While Hubley "Puppo" doorstops and banks are occasionally found in common black-and-white or black-and-tan color combinations, examples featuring this warm chestnut / orange-brown patched color scheme are significantly scarcer and rarely appear on the market.

The paint surface is 100% original, exhibiting a heavy, authentic 1920s cold-painted enamel finish with desirable deep micro-craquelure (alligatoring) and natural wear down to the dark underlying iron at high points—a hallmark of genuine undisturbed antique surface integrity.

Authenticity Assessment
Casting & Seam Quality: Fine-grained sand-cast iron showing crisp original mold detail with smooth edges, tight mold lines, and no heavy modern reproduction flash, grinding gouges, or coarse surface pitting.

Paint Surface & Patina: Pure, un-restored 1920s cold-painted enamel displaying uniform age-craquelure across the face and torso. High-wear areas show dark, naturally oxidized iron rather than artificial chemical distressing or raw bright metal.

Back & Cavity: The flat back exhibits proper Hubley sand-cast texture, authentic century-old dark iron oxidation, and correct edge contours.

Hand-Painted Details: The honeybee detail on the hindquarter displays authentic hand-brushed execution with proper aged pigment loss and thin wing outlines intact. See less