The Cybis studio was known for their limited-edition human figures, especially the series that was marketed as the ‘Portraits in Porcelain’ collection. However, the identity of the artists who actually created (sculpted) them was never publicly revealed.
What we regard as the modern Cybis studio began after Marylin Chorlton took over the artistic reins after the deaths of Boleslaw and Marja Cybis in 1957 and 1958. The concept of designated collections wasn’t implemented until 1972; a look at earlier price lists only shows a few general categories. In fact, a few of the 1960s price lists merely separated the limited from the non-limited (“open”) editions.
The 1972 and 1973 price lists included a collection called Personages. It contained less than a dozen sculptures, three of which were cited as already completed and thus no longer available to order.
In the Spring 1973 price list the Personages section appeared with a new heading: Portraits in Porcelain. It contains six currently-available editions, with seven others listed below them and noted as “closed.” Oddly, three already-retired open editions were listed as well: Dawn (1960-1964), Robin Hood (1964-1967), and Ballerina ‘On Cue’ (1963-1970). This was not a typo, because they remained under the Portraits section in the 1974, 1975, and 1976 price lists. However, the 1978/1979 catalogs have an Appendix showing all three of them as being part of the Children to Cherish collection instead…which isn’t really appropriate either, based on their physical appearance! I would never consider those pieces to be part of the Portraits, nor to be a child figure. All three are anomalies either way.
There were 49 sculptures that appeared under the Portraits in Porcelain collection heading, not counting the three open editions from the 1960s. I made a judgment call regarding Beau Brummel and decided to not include him because he does not appear in any Cybis retail price list, catalog, or advertisement that I’ve found. The only example of him that I have seen is marked A.P. and has a copyright year of 1982; this does not necessarily mean that he was ever produced for retail.
The list below is grouped according to the retail introduction decade. The sources of the attributions are given below the list. I hope to be able to attribute more of the Portraits in Porcelain in the future, and will be adding those names to this list when I do. Any additions will also be noted on the monthly What’s New page update.
1960s
Beatrice (1965) – Laszlo Ispanky
Juliet (1965) – Laszlo Ispanky
Hamlet (1965) – Laszlo Ispanky and Marylin Chorlton
Folk Singer (1967) – Laszlo Ispanky
Guinevere (1967) – Laszlo Ispanky
Scarlett (1968) – Laszlo Ispanky
Ophelia (1969) – currently unknown
1970s
Eleanor of Aquitaine (1971) – Patricia Jean Eakin
Kwan Yin (1972) – Harry Burger
The Enamoured Prince Florimund (1973) – Harry Burger
The Enchanted Princess Aurora (1973) – Harry Burger
Eskimo Mother ‘Alea’ (1973) – Helen Granger Young
Portia (1973) – the original concept sketch was done by Marylin Chorlton; the sculptor of the piece is unknown at this time
Queen Esther (1974) – Dolores Valenza
Lady Macbeth (1975) – currently unknown
Abigail Adams (1976) – Lynn Klockner Brown. Lynn originally created her as Betsy Ross sewing the flag, but the studio slightly altered the model to depict Abigail Adams writing a letter to her husband.
Priscilla (1976) – Dolores Valenza. The artist wrote, on the underside of the piece given to her by the studio upon production, that her original model had been “drastically altered” from the model that she had sold to the studio.
Court Jester (1978) – currently unknown. This piece was subsequently moved into the Theatre of Porcelain Collection when that collection heading appeared on the Spring 1980 price list.
Good Queen Anne (1978) – currently unknown
Berengaria (1979) – This sculpture is a combination of the lower body of Eleanor of Aquitaine (by Patricia Jean Eakin) with a new upper body created by Lynn Klockner Brown.
Nefertiti (1979) – currently unknown
1980s
Harlequin (1980) – currently unknown. This piece was relocated to the Theatre of Porcelain collection in Spring 1981. It is possible that its original assignment to the PIP was done in error.
Jane Eyre (1981) – currently unknown
Desdemona (1982) – Lynn Klockner Brown
Persephone (1982) – William Pae
Lady Godiva (1982) – Lynn Klockner Brown
Queen Guinevere (1983) – Lynn Klockner Brown
Camille (1983) – Gertrude Fass
Othello (1983) – Gertrude Fass
Richard the Lionheart (1983) – currently unknown
Madame Butterfly (1983) – currently unknown
Bathsheba (1984) – currently unknown
Pagliacci (1985) – William Pae. This was the only open-edition Portrait in Porcelain assignment. The piece was produced for only one year.
Romeo and Juliet (1985) – currently unknown
King Arthur (1985) – Lynn Klockner Brown
King David (1985) – Gertrude Fass
Tristan and Isolde (1985) – currently unknown
Carmen (1986) – currently unknown
(The) Lady and the Unicorn (1986) – Lynn Klockner Brown
Sir Henry, the Knight (1986) – the main figure’s designer is unknown at this time; the details of the shield and the chain-mail were done by William Pae and Susan Clark Eaton.
Queen of Sheba (1987) – Gertrude Fass
King Solomon (1987) – currently unknown
Elaine, Lady of the Lake (1987) – Lynn Klockner Brown
Swan Lake’s Odette (1988) – currently unknown
Scheherazade (1989) – Gertrude Fass
Cleopatra Bust (1989) – currently unknown
Marc Antony Bust (1989) – currently unknown
1990-2008
Nefertiti Bust (1990) – currently unknown
The Buccaneer (circa early 2000s) – currently unknown
Attribution Sources
The following artist links go to that person’s Profile if I currently have one here. I will be adding more Profiles in the future.
Harry Burger – Harry’s sculpting style was unique and extremely recognizable. Each of the pieces he created had the same unusual style of face, hands, and body.
Lynn Klockner Brown – a list provided by the artist herself
Patricia Jean Eakin – mentioned in a Trenton Times article describing her memorial service
Gertrude Fass – a list provided by the artist’s family
Laszlo Ispanky – listed in self-published book, Ispanky, in 1986.
William Pae – a list provided by the artist himself
Dolores Valenza – the artist’s website, and a published 2004 interview; awaiting further information from the artist’s family
Helen Granger Young – several newspaper articles and published photograph captions.
If anyone happens to know who created the Portraits in Porcelain sculptures listed as “designer currently unknown”, I’d love to hear from you! There is a contact-form page link below.
Name Index of Cybis Sculptures
Visual Index (for human figures/busts only)
About the Cybis Reference Archive
What is Cybis?
Images of Cybis porcelains are provided for informational and educational purposes only. All photographs are copyrighted by their owner as indicated via watermark and are used here only as reference material. Please see the Copyright Notice in the footer and sidebar for important information regarding the text that appears within this website.
The Cybis Archive is a continually-updated website that provides the most comprehensive range of information about Cybis within a single source. It is not and never has been part of the Cybis Porcelain studio, which is no longer in business.
THE CYBIS ARCHIVE 