Christopher Pardell "Crazy Horse" Mixed-Metal Limited Edition Bust, Legends

A multi-patina bust by Christopher A. Pardell for Legends, the Simi Valley, California atelier that defined high-end limited-edition Western and Native American sculpture through the late 1980s and 1990s. The figure is a Plains warrior in fringed shirt and fur-wrapped braids, arms crossed over a painted hide shield bearing a sunburst star and feathered medallion. Pardell exploits the mixed-metal process fully: warm copper flesh tones, silver-toned shirt and feathers, and gilt highlights across the shield, all mounted on a polished black marble plinth. Signed C.A. Pardell on the verso shoulder drape, with foundry marks LEGENDS © 1991, edition number 305/950, and stamp U.S.A. on the reverse base.

The subject is almost certainly intended as Crazy Horse (Tȟašúŋke Witkó, c. 1840–1877), the Oglala Lakota war leader whose image Pardell returned to repeatedly in his Legends portfolio. Pardell's busts in this series were individually hand-patinated at the Legends studio, meaning no two castings read identically — the copper, silver, and gilt tones shift slightly across the edition. The original Legends Collectors Society foil label is retained on the underside of the base, a detail that confirms original retail purchase rather than secondary-market stripping.

Legends Fine Art, operating from Simi Valley, California (address: 2665-D Park Center Drive), was among the most prominent American studios producing limited-edition mixed-metal cold-cast sculpture during the collector market boom of the late 1980s and 1990s. The studio distinguished itself from lower-tier resin producers by hand-finishing each piece with multiple patina layers applied individually — copper, silver, and gold tones — giving works an appearance closer to full bronze than their cold-cast construction would suggest. Christopher A. Pardell was one of Legends' signature sculptors, earning a strong secondary market following for his Plains Indian warrior portraits and Western subjects. His Crazy Horse portrayals in particular circulated widely in the collector community and continue to trade regularly on the secondary market, with comparable examples in this edition appearing at auction and through Western art dealers.

Signed C.A. Pardell in script at the verso shoulder drape. Foundry-stamped LEGENDS © 1991 and 305/950 on the reverse of the figure base, with a separate U.S.A. stamp. Original Legends Collectors Society foil membership label retained on the underside — consistent with an unaltered first-sale example. Construction is Legends' cold-cast mixed-metal process; the figure is not solid bronze, though copper, silver, and gilt surface layers are integral to the casting and finishing process.

CONDITION

Good overall with no damage noted. The multi-metal patina is intact and even across the flesh, regalia, and shield surfaces. The marble plinth shows only light handling marks consistent with age and display.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall: 13½" H × 6½" W × 5½" D
• Weight: 15 lbs 7.2 oz
• Edition: 305 of 950
• Sculptor: Christopher A. Pardell
• Publisher: Legends Fine Art, Simi Valley, CA
• Copyright Date: 1991
• Construction: Cold-cast mixed-metal figure (copper, silver, gilt patinas) on black marble plinth
• Markings: Signed C.A. Pardell verso; stamped LEGENDS © 1991, 305/950, U.S.A.
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale — Not Included