We are constantly adding to our current collection of pieces, which are featured in our Recent Additions collection page.

How can an item be a "recent addition" when your pieces are from vintage molds and casts?

We currently offer about 700 pieces in a wide range of sizes that span from ancient art to art of the early 20th century. At the height of the P.P. Caproni and Brother company's success, the collection consisted of around 4,000 pieces. Many pieces and molds were lost during its decline in the middle of the 20th century. Beginning with Lino Giust, we have been rebuilding the collection through such means as auctions and donations of Caproni casts. When we acquire a cast that will be reintroduced into the collection, we restore it if necessary. Then we make a negative mold of it and from this mold, plaster reproductions can be cast.

De-molding a cast

Why do you add some new pieces after the Capronis’ time?

You may see a few casts in our current collection that were added after the Caproni family sold the company in the 1930s. We continue to add pieces today, but we put a lot of thought into this action. If we have an item we are considering, we determine if it would fit in well with the original P.P. Caproni and Brother offerings. We judge possible additions critically for artistry and quality before determining whether to include them in the Caproni Collection. These pieces were created up until the early 20th century or so and include traditional figurative sculpture and ornamentation.

Do you ever create any new sculptures for the collection?

At times, our team of in-house artists may create a sculpture. One reason is if numerous customers have put in a request. For example, in the late 2010s our collection gained three geometric shapes and a reduction of our large Alexander Hamilton bust. P.P. Caproni and Brother often sculpted or created life-casts of desirable artist studies, which we will continue to do. In regards to reductions like the Hamilton bust, Caproni and Brother periodically created their own reductions of pieces, such as the Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Melo, and we are continuing that tradition. The original collection formed around sculptures and artist studies that were famous or in vogue at the time, and we realize the need to evolve the collection where appropriate. We also welcome opportunities to include sculptures and portraits that are more inclusive as a whole.

Alexander Hamilton bust, original size and reduction

How do customers know if they’re purchasing a sculpture from the original Caproni catalogs or a more contemporary addition?

As you browse through the Caproni Collection's offerings, you will find that most pieces have a notation as to their original P.P. Caproni and Brother catalog number. The lack of a Caproni and Brother number signals the later introduction of the item. You will also find some pieces with a notation as to their Giust Gallery catalog number, which means the item was added to the collection between the 1970s and 1990s.

View the pieces most recently reintroduced to the collection.

How do you identify a vintage Caproni cast?

There is a metal hallmark on or near the bottom or on the reverse of the piece. Antique Caproni casts have one of several versions of metal hallmarks with the company’s information. These small pieces of metal were inserted into the wet plaster during casting (see example below). Starting in the 1960s when the name changed to the Giust Gallery, the company began using a stamp that was pushed into the wet plaster to create incised text (see photo below). We continued to use the Giust Gallery stamp until 2020, soon after we changed our name to the Caproni Collection. The Capronis through to the Shures (the current owners) identify their casts in these ways to signal the pieces’ provenance and quality.

Can you identify a cast for me?

Yes. If you have an antique plaster cast with a metal hallmark or stamp (see some examples below), you can contact us for information and an estimation of when the cast was created. 

Hallmark dating from c. 1922 to 1960

Hallmark stamp dating from the 1960s to December 2020