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Showing posts from May 20, 2011

LAMPS -WATERCOLORS - STATUES SIGNED KUPUR

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If you have a Lamp, Watercolor (Gouache), Bookends or Statue signed Kupur,  I can give you it's origin. Artist/Sculptor Frederick Cooper opened a studio in Chicago in 1923 specializing in Watercolors and Statues. At some point thereafter, he began producing lamps made from the sculptures/statues he was creating. This aspect of the business eventually took over most of his operation. In 1945, Cooper retired and sold the business, which kept his namesake. It turns out that as recently as the 1990's, Frederick Cooper Studios still controlled the trademark name "Kupur".  All of the water colors, lamps and statues that I have seen signed "Kupur" are similar is signature style and are on works from approximately the 1930's-1950's. Most often a hyphen (-) is at the beginning and end of the signature. It is of my opinion that once Cooper retired, the "Kupur" line and signatures eventually were phased out while the company went on to have some suc