Virtual Museum

Our Virtual Museum serves as a reference for collectors and documents the history of Walter Bosse’s work, as well as other makers working in brass in the 1920s–1980s. This is by no means a complete collection—only the pieces the museum has been able to acquire over the years. So if you do not see something listed here, that does not mean it is inauthentic! All of the items are displayed here for documentary purposes only. We also offer vintage items for sale here in our shop.

Walter Bosse Hedgehog Collection

Vintage original hedgehogs by Walter Bosse. Includes versions in patinated brass, polished brass, bronze, copper, nickel, german silver, steel, cast iron, chrome plated, and aluminum.

Walter Bosse Master Collection

Vintage original masters by Walter Bosse and Herta Baller. Includes bronze sculptures and everyday objects used for casting which are about 20% larger than finished items cast from these masters. All have been sitting unused since the 1950s and came from the original collection of the Bosse/Baller company in Austria.

Walter Bosse Large & Useful Objects Austria—1950s & Later

Vintage original Walter Bosse and Herta Baller large bronze sculptures and useful objects. Includes egg cups, ashtrays, dishes, corkscrews, pipe holders, candleholders, bottle openers, pretzel holders, toothpick holders, and more.

Walter Bosse Miniatures—Austria 1950s & Later

Vintage original Walter Bosse and Herta Baller bronze miniatures and keychains.

Walter Bosse German Castings—1960s & Later

Vintage original Walter Bosse miniatures and useful objects cast in Germany after 1960. Includes egg cups, ashtrays, dishes, corkscrews, pipe holders, candleholders, bottle openers, pretzel holders, toothpick holders, and more in bronze and aluminum.

Walter Bosse Pewter & Other Materials—Austria 1970s & Later

Vintage original Walter Bosse and Herta Baller items made in fine pewter (from the 1980s) and other materials (nickel and silver plated). Aluminum items are from the 1970s.

Walter Bosse Pottery

Vintage original Walter Bosse pottery and ceramics from Terra, Kufstein, and Achatit.

Walter Bosse for Karlsruhe Majolika

Vintage original Walter Bosse pottery from his collaboration with Karlsruhe Majolika in Germany.

Walter Bosse Castoffs

Vintage Walter Bosse unfinished castings, sometimes with inclusions or missing pieces. They often look similar to masters, but still have texture from flashing/casting, and are unfinished.

Werkstätte Hagenauer

Vintage original Hagenauer bronze, nickel, and mahogany figurines, sculptures, and objects.

Carl Auböck

Vintage original Carl Auböck bronze objects and printed wooden boxes.

Richard Rohac

Vintage original Richard Rohac bronze figurines.

Taxco Copies

Vintage copies of Walter Bosse bronze figures from Taxco in Mexico. Some are original-to-Taxco designs done in the style of Bosse, and not copies of Bosse’s designs directly.

French Copies

Vintage copies of Walter Bosse bronze figures from France. These are usually marked with a Chamois logo and “France.” They are mostly direct copies of Bosse’s work, but some are just inspired by his items.

Unknown Makers or Copies of Bosse Designs

Vintage items from unknown makers as well as France, Israel, and Austria. Also shown are some copies of Walter Bosse bronze figures from England.

26 thoughts on “Virtual Museum

  1. I personally desired to discuss this article, “Virtual Museum | Modern Vienna Bronze” with my own good friends on fb.
    I reallysimply just wanted to pass on your superb writing!
    Many thanks, Bridgett

  2. lovely collection, like it so much, not easy to find anything adequate in the web, thumbs up. Go on collecting. I´m curious all the time what´s new.
    Michael

  3. Hi, I have coat hooks by Walter bosse. Very nice to they are animal and 2 negro heads of girls 5 in total All for sale email me for pics and prices .

  4. I saw peasant-figure tiles in my Bosse book, but no sizes were noted. I aasume they are between 15 and 20 cm. Can you confirm this, please?

  5. great museum,can you tell me if any large bronzes app 600cm where produced of girls dancing or excersizing with hoops,very much decco style,regards mike

  6. I have found a strange piece and am looking for information on my find..
    In detail it is a mouse with a pointed tail, pointed nose and pointed ears. It is standing on its hind legs and is approximately 2′ tall. On the bottom or base is says “MADE IN AUSTRIA” and what I see a small circle with letters that I can not seems to make out. In all, It looks a lot like the Werkstätte Hagenauer mouse, marked with a WHW, on this page. I guess my questions are.. Where can I find more information on this piece? Can someone on here assist me?

  7. I’m hoping you can tell me about a reproduction I bought of a piggy bank made in Mexico. Do you know if these are being made currently or if these were copies made starting in the 60’s. I thought i was getting an old one but it looks suspiciously brand new. Thanks in advance for you help.

    1. The black & gold pieces that were made in Mexico (marked Taxco, usually) were definitely made decades ago, not recently. There used to be a small brass casting community in Taxco, but it hasn’t been done there for a long time. Usually the craftsmanship of those pieces is quite good—better than most copies of Bosse designs made in Europe.

  8. I am a button collector. I am fortunate to have some of Walter Bosse’s buttons. I will be giving a program to my button club May 12th on these buttons. I would love to be able to pronounce Bosse correctly. Have been all over the web trying to find the pronunciation. Can you help? thanks so much.

    1. Great! It is pronounced like “bow-say” (bow like “a bow and arrow” or “tying a bow”).

  9. I have a hand mirror that is marked Austrai Baller
    There is an African woman’s face.
    The handle is the women’s throat with many neck rings around
    Length is approximately 23 cm

    When I found this amazing digital museum but do not see a mirror, I thought to take this opportunity to ask if it is authentic and made ​​by Walter Bosse or by someone else, if so, how old it may be?

    Annika from Sweden

  10. I have a Gnome with a shovel and a rake marked “made in Germany”. I don’t see a Gnome in your pictures, do you think it is Bosse? Thanks so very much for your website!

    1. Yes! Bosse made Gnomes with little rakes and shovels. Not sure what they were originally used for but he made quite a number of versions of them.

  11. Good morning,
    I found a lovely hand ashtray. He is marked “graeter” or something like that. Is it a fake? Or what does it mean?
    Many thanks for your feedback.
    Ch. Kohler
    Geneva

  12. Hello I recently purchased a small ceramic figure of Aa violinist. It’s marked “Bosse”
    Are these valuable? I love it regardless

  13. I love the WALTER BOSSE LARGE & USEFUL OBJECTS particularly the lighter. Do you know how many varaflame are made? Were the lighter insets always from the same company? Thanks.

  14. I bought a brass dachshund letter opener in the Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris and I thought I’d look it up and somehow found myself on this page. Am I able to send you a couple of pictures to see if it is real? It is unmarked, so I am thinking it isn’t, but I thought I’d try.

    Martin, Canada

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