Joseph Famulari (20th Century), Metal Egrets Sculpture for Austin Productions. Eight distinctively thin egret figures, each on a single long, thin support, anchored to a rectangular stone base. Label on underside of base with title: "Group of Egrets." 

Size: 43 x 5 1/2 x 24 in. 

#1189 . 

Austin Productions began in Brooklyn, New York, in 1952, manufacturing reproductions of classical Egyptian, Greek, and Roman sculptures. By the 1960s they had expanded into African, Asian, and contemporary pieces as well. In 1971 the company moved to Holbrook, where they further expanded into the importation and production of home furnishings and decorative sculptures. Their product line eventually included wall decorations, mirrors, and clocks, in addition to increasingly more elaborate and diverse sculptures for homes, gardens, and offices. The company remains best known for its hand-cast Durastone and bronze reproductions and hand-painted marble pieces and eventually began producing more modern subjects, such as sports and movie celebrities and popular comic strip characters. Austin Productions developed a reputation for high-quality reproductions that became collectible despite mass production, particularly from the earliest years. In 2000 they closed their manufacturing facility in Corby, England and consolidated it all into a facility in Reynosa, Mexico to keep their costs low, while retaining headquarters in Holbrook where the original family that opened the business continued to work alongside designers and artists. The company produced thousands of pieces over the decades, but retired its entire line and closed down in 2009 due to the Great Recession, giving rise to an active market of dealers and collectors seeking to complete collections of some of their more beloved pieces.