King of Siam
(untitled)
carved out of dark wood – either teak or mahogany sculpture
dimensions: approx. 12″h
by
Unknown Artist
these carvings are storied. Please see King of Siam – below
A very rare nicely done original limited edition sculpture executed in Teak by Unknown Artist.
This piece by Unknown Artist titled “Untitled”.
King of Siam
Sometime in the late 1920s or the early 1930s the King of Siam (Vajiravudh or Prajadhipok) visited with my uncle, now deceased) at his home in San Mateo California. My uncle was the owner and publisher of the daily newspaper in San Mateo and a prominent civic leader who headed several public projects, including the building of the first bridge to span the southern portion of San Francisco Bay.
I am told that the visit turned into somewhat of a drinking fest with the King of Siam urinating in the fireplace of my uncle’s home. At his departure, he left two statues with my uncle as gifts. Upon my uncle’s death, they were given to his longtime business manager. She, in turn, died and they were left to her husband. Her surviving husband called me some time in the late 1980s. He was dying at the time and wanted me to have the two statues as they really represented the lineage of our newspaper.
That’s the story that was passed onto me. I have no reason to doubt it and I do know that the Kings of Siam visited the Bay Area and actually purchased art pieces.
