Berlin Iron Busts of Goethe and Schiller After Leonhard Posch

A Curated 19th Century Homage to Germany’s Literary Titans: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe & Friedrich Schiller

Offered here is an extraordinary, museum-grade collection that bridges the physical and literary legacy of the Weimar Classicism era. 
The set features a fine and rare pair of Berlin iron in patinated bronze portrait table busts alongside an evolutionary pairing of Rudolf Gottschall’s famous anthology, Gedankenharmonie aus Goethe und Schiller (featuring the scarce 2nd Edition and the spectacular 5th Edition).
These antique sculptures date to the era of the Enlightenment, Neoclassicism, and the Grand Tour, reflecting a period of far-reaching influence on style and taste in Britain, Continental Europe, and beyond—true elegance in the age of Napoleon. Perfect for a connoisseur’s cabinet or an upscale library, this set represents the absolute pinnacle of early 19th-century German metal casting and late 19th-century industrial bookbinding.

The Sculptural Masterpieces: 
These are an exceptional, fully magnetic pair of portrait busts. It is Berlin Iron in Patinated Bronze, featuring a highly sought-after chemical bronze finish (bronzierter Eisenkunstguss). This premium finishing technique was utilized by Prussian royal foundries to combine the razor-sharp sand-casting precision of iron with the classical warmth of bronze.

Manufacturer & Modeler: 
After Leonhard Posch (Austria, 1750–1831, Berlin). Posch famously produced a series of cast-iron portrait busts capturing the essential writers and philosophers of the early 19th century.

Signature & Marks: 
The sculpture of Goethe is inscribed underneath the back edge: Posch F., a traditional convention where only one bust in an intended pair bears the artist's mark.

Origin & Date: 
Austria/Germany, Circa 1810.
The Foundry History: Attributed to the master foundries of Berlin or Gleiwitz. The Royal Prussian Iron Foundry in Gleiwitz (modern-day Gliwice, Poland) was a royal ironworks established in 1796 by Friedrich Wilhelm II. It pioneered the use of British designs from Wedgwood to produce decorative ironware, cannons, and industrial products. Operating until 1872, it became a significant industrial site during Prussian industrialisation, contributing immensely to the region's development.
The Mounts: The busts are elegantly seated on premium Italian marble. They feature a green verdigris (serpentine) marble base resting upon a stepped white marble foot.

Condition: The iron retains a gorgeous, multi-toned patina with wear strictly commensurate with age. 
Please note that there are chips on the corners of the white marble bases, and slightly on the green serpentine marble as well. Please see the photos for a detailed view of the condition.

The Literary Legacy: The Antique Books

Accompanying the busts is a sequential bibliographical set showcasing the textual and aesthetic evolution of the poets' shared wisdom.
The 2nd Edition (1863, Hamburg)
Published by the Vereinsbuchhandlung during the anthology's early, regional era.
Features the scarce, early color plates illustrated by Jules Vogel.
Represents the delicate, transitional mid-century phase of German cloth gilding.
The 5th Edition (1875, Leipzig)
A spectacular Prachtausgabe (splendor edition) published by C.F. Amelang.
Bound by the legendary steam-powered J.R. Herzog Buchbinderei, complete with the original, intact green binder's ticket on the inner endpaper.
The vibrant, bright red textured cloth cover features a striking terracotta-toned composite cameo of Goethe and Schiller, designed by the Gerhold brothers, set into a crimson velvet underlay.
Contains eight beautiful color plates by renowned illustrator Paul Thumann.
Condition Note: The interior pages are clean and bright. As is typical for luxury bindings of this specific era and construction, there is historic chemical offsetting (ghosting) on the front and rear endpapers from the underlying binding glues and leather/cloth turn-ins. This is entirely stable and dry, posing no risk to the structural integrity.

Dimensions:
Goethe Bust
Height: Approx. 22.5 cm
Weight: 1459 g
Base Dimensions: Approx. 7.5 cm x 7.5 cm (at the widest points of the white marble foot)

Schiller Bust
Height: Approx. 22 cm
Weight: 1488 g
Base Dimensions: Approx. 7.5 cm x 7.5 cm (at the widest points of the white marble foot)

Books
Format: 8° (Octavo)

This collection will be professionally packed with the utmost care, utilizing custom-cut materials and double-boxing to ensure the Italian marble, early 19th-century iron, and antique bindings arrive in pristine condition. Shipped fully insured with tracking and signature required.
Please review all photographs closely, as they are a central part of the description. Feel free to reach out with any questions regarding the provenance, materials, or history of this remarkable Enlightenment-era set.