Gorgeous Swiss metalwork rooster from pop up flea market; signature help asked for

[HistoryTeacher]

I picked this up from my favorite pop-up flea market--it meets in a parking lot about once a month during warm weather. It was only $20 and thought it looked pretty cool so I got it, put it in my car and kept shopping. Now that I have it home, I really like it. It is about 8.5 pounds and is about 19"x14". The sticker seems to show that it was sold at Albert Manser Möbelhandwerk in Appenzell which may have been the retailer. Ai says that the signature is "J. Freale." A similar work on line interprets the signature as "G. Huele." https://www.ebay.com/itm/167754541227?utm_source=copilot.com
I cannot find any information about an artist with either name.
What do you think? The base appears to be iron with copper and brass and aluminum?

 

[tamrock]

Good find. Someone other than you is gonna want that and who knows what they'll pay to have it.

 

[russau]

Yep I would have pluncked my $$ down also ! Beautiful peice !

 

[pepperj]

You have lots of room for the up sale. Congrats on the unusual piece.
Good buy.

Based on the dimensions and weight you provided, this is one of the
larger wall-hanging versions of Giovanni Schoeman's work, which places it at the higher end of his valuation range.
The label from Albert Manser Möbelhandwerk confirms that while Schoeman created the sculpture, it was sold through a high-end furniture and craft house in Appenzell, Switzerland. This provides excellent provenance and confirms the high quality of the original mounting.

Estimated Market Value: $800 – $1,200

• Size Factor: At 19" x 14", your piece is significantly more valuable than his common 6-inch desk figurines. Large wall plaques are the most sought-after by collectors of Mid-Century Modern and Brutalist art.
• The "Manser" Connection: In the Swiss market, the Manser name adds a layer of local artisanal prestige. While it is not a painting by the artist Albert Manser, the fact that it was sold by his family's renowned woodworking shop (Möbelhandwerk) makes it a desirable "original" set for a collector.
• Retail Value: In a curated vintage gallery or online marketplaces like 1stDibs, a Schoeman sculpture of this scale and subject matter often lists for $1,100 to $1,400.
• Auction Value: If sold at a standard art auction, you could realistically expect a hammer price between $400 and $700.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

You have lots of room for the up sale. Congrats on the unusual piece.
Good buy.

Based on the dimensions and weight you provided, this is one of the
larger wall-hanging versions of Giovanni Schoeman's work, which places it at the higher end of his valuation range.
The label from Albert Manser Möbelhandwerk confirms that while Schoeman created the sculpture, it was sold through a high-end furniture and craft house in Appenzell, Switzerland. This provides excellent provenance and confirms the high quality of the original mounting.

Estimated Market Value: $800 – $1,200

• Size Factor: At 19" x 14", your piece is significantly more valuable than his common 6-inch desk figurines. Large wall plaques are the most sought-after by collectors of Mid-Century Modern and Brutalist art.
• The "Manser" Connection: In the Swiss market, the Manser name adds a layer of local artisanal prestige. While it is not a painting by the artist Albert Manser, the fact that it was sold by his family's renowned woodworking shop (Möbelhandwerk) makes it a desirable "original" set for a collector.
• Retail Value: In a curated vintage gallery or online marketplaces like 1stDibs, a Schoeman sculpture of this scale and subject matter often lists for $1,100 to $1,400.
• Auction Value: If sold at a standard art auction, you could realistically expect a hammer price between $400 and $700.

Thanks. Sadly, the AI has it wrong. It is not a Schoeman. Definitely not his signature, but the style is right. Neither I nor the all the King's AI's have been able to id the artist. The second photo has the signature.

 

[pepperj]

Thanks. Sadly, the AI has it wrong. It is not a Schoeman. Definitely not his signature, but the style is right. Neither I nor the all the King's AI's have been able to id the artist. The second photo has the signature.

Here's another version. 😁

The signature in your image belongs to the South African artist Giovanni Schoeman (1940–1981).
Artist & Signature Details
The Signature: While the stylized script can sometimes be misread as "Feule" or "André," it is the authentic signature of Giovanni Schoeman.
The Technique: This piece is a prime example of his "cold-cast" method. He mixed various metal powders—typically bronze, copper, and nickel silver—with a resin base to achieve the distinct multi-tonal metallic look seen in your photo.
Style: The hammered texture, raised "beaded" edges, and intricate geometric patterns are hallmarks of his Brutalist and Mid-Century Modern style from the 1960s and 1970s.
Your Piece: The Bird Sculpture
Based on the full image and this signature, your object is a Brutalist wall-hanging bird sculpture. Schoeman was famous for creating these "techno-organic" creatures, including peacocks, roosters, and stylized birds in flight.

Value and Collectibility
Provenance: Schoeman's work is internationally collected, with many of his larger wall plaques being sold through high-end vintage galleries like Pamono and 1stDibs.
Market Price: Depending on the size and condition, similar bird sculptures by Schoeman typically sell for anywhere between $300 and $1,500+ at auction or through specialized vintage dealers.

 

[Puff the Tragic Wagon]

Here's another version. 😁

The signature in your image belongs to the South African artist Giovanni Schoeman (1940–1981).
Artist & Signature Details
The Signature: While the stylized script can sometimes be misread as "Feule" or "André," it is the authentic signature of Giovanni Schoeman.
The Technique: This piece is a prime example of his "cold-cast" method. He mixed various metal powders—typically bronze, copper, and nickel silver—with a resin base to achieve the distinct multi-tonal metallic look seen in your photo.
Style: The hammered texture, raised "beaded" edges, and intricate geometric patterns are hallmarks of his Brutalist and Mid-Century Modern style from the 1960s and 1970s.
Your Piece: The Bird Sculpture
Based on the full image and this signature, your object is a Brutalist wall-hanging bird sculpture. Schoeman was famous for creating these "techno-organic" creatures, including peacocks, roosters, and stylized birds in flight.

Value and Collectibility
Provenance: Schoeman's work is internationally collected, with many of his larger wall plaques being sold through high-end vintage galleries like Pamono and 1stDibs.
Market Price: Depending on the size and condition, similar bird sculptures by Schoeman typically sell for anywhere between $300 and $1,500+ at auction or through specialized vintage dealers.

I believe you’ve nailed it Pepper, here’s another example of his work that’s very similar.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I need help on the signature. Can you put human eye's on these photos and tell me what YOU think/see. I don't see Giovanni Schoeman. The style of art is the same, but what is up with the signature?
Here is mine:

Here are online versions of Giovanni Schoeman's signature.

 

[Red-Coat]

From AI search, although it doesn't help much:

G. Heule is a Swiss artist known for creating mid-century modern, embossed metal wall sculptures, often featuring mixed-metal techniques with brass and copper mounted on wood. These artworks typically showcase intricate textures and decorative scenes, frequently associated with Swiss designer Albert Manser in vintage art listings.

Style: Relief wall sculpture, often featuring embossed metallic textures (copper/brass).
Signature: Pieces are often signed "G. Heule".
Context: Associated with mid-century, decorative, and folk-modern styles.
Association: Known works are sometimes attributed to or created for Albert Manser.
Biography: While "G. Heule" is a common signature on these items, there is little widely documented biographical information on a sculptor by this specific name in major art databases [I could find none at all], which suggests these may have been commercially produced or part of a specific regional craft tradition.

 

[Trezurehunter]

That's a neat looking piece.

 

[Puff the Tragic Wagon]

Hear me out please as I speculate on this. Lol

Giovanni Schoeman (1940-1981) was born in South Africa and studied in Johannesburg, Groningen, London, and Milan. He was known for his amazing sculpting skills and his work sold around the world.

I’m going out on a limb here and suggesting his studies in Groningen, Netherlands may account for the “G Heule” signature….with a slight variation. Could it actually read “G Haule” instead of “G Heule”?

Groningen (city) is relatively near Haule, Netherlands, with a distance of approximately 30–35 km. It takes about 40–50 minutes to travel by car or bus between the city of Groningen and the village of Haule in Friesland. It is quite possible the signature is not a signature at all, but a place designation on works he made while studying in the Netherlands. The G of course being for Groningen.

A stretch, maybe, but in my opinion the artwork is obviously attributable to Giovanni Schoeman. And it appears that an artist named “G Heule” never existed outside of an untraceable association with Swiss painter Albert Manser. JMHO

 

[HistoryTeacher]

Hear me out please as I speculate on this. Lol

Giovanni Schoeman (1940-1981) was born in South Africa and studied in Johannesburg, Groningen, London, and Milan. He was known for his amazing sculpting skills and his work sold around the world.

I’m going out on a limb here and suggesting his studies in Groningen, Netherlands may account for the “G Heule” signature….with a slight variation. Could it actually read “G Haule” instead of “G Heule”?

Groningen (city) is relatively near Haule, Netherlands, with a distance of approximately 30–35 km. It takes about 40–50 minutes to travel by car or bus between the city of Groningen and the village of Haule in Friesland. It is quite possible the signature is not a signature at all, but a place designation on works he made while studying in the Netherlands. The G of course being for Groningen.

A stretch, maybe, but in my opinion the artwork is obviously attributable to Giovanni Schoeman. And it appears that an artist named “G Heule” never existed outside of an untraceable association with Swiss painter Albert Manser. JMHO

The style screams Schoeman, but I wonder if it is in imitation of him since the signature looks so different from his normal signature. I am open to the G for Giovanni and maybe the rest of it a place name. I think a saw a piece of his that had his signature and a place but now I can't find it. I just emailed a London store that has sold some of his pieces to see if they can illuminate me. I've been arguing for a full two days with my AI. My AI is convinced it is absolutely not Schoeman. I think it is getting mad at me.

 

[Puff the Tragic Wagon]

Oh don’t do that, tick off AI and you might wake up tomorrow to find all your passwords changed.

I agree with you, it’s definitely a head scratcher. I’m looking forward to hearing your reply from the London store. Keep us posted. 👍