Bronze Smiling Monk Bookend; What May Be Known About Him?

5 1/2" high, 6 3/4" wide, 3" deep; he weighs ~6 1/2 pounds!
I've had him for decades, picked up in SoCal in the '70s.

His smile may be benevolent an' benign...or lecherous an' scheming, depending on your viewpoint. I wonder what the other bookend may have depicted, if not a duplicate. He's hollow, of course...but massively cast, as if bronze was cheap. What else can I say about him? Is he European? How old might he be? Have I overlooked something significant? There's no hint of a signature, nor any other mark to tell his tale...so I'm a supplicant at this Temple of Wisdom. Thanks for lookin'!

 

He's magnificent Whit-he looks like a well fed Buddha.I'd say he's more of a Franciscan than a Jesuit-happy bathing in the flowers and bees.

 

With a “cat that ate the canary” look on his face!!!

 

I get a German vibe.

 

I think who ever cast him maybe didn't realize how heavy the molten metal would be, so they didn't hollow out enough from the bottom! Maybe he is a doorstop? He's happily made, nice details on facial features, even the back "hanger part" makes me think it could be student work. I like him too!

 

The 'Bookend/Doorstop Guy' (sorry-can't recall his name)-nailed down the maker of my basket of flowers 'Hubley' unlabeled knockoff piece.He's got an encyclopedic site.I'll tag it for you when i refind it.Folks here have mentioned him before.

 

Here's the Door Stop site- https://www.doorstops.com/
PS-Yours may be a book end,but chances are motifs are similar.

 

Not that I can justify it, AJ...bur so do I.
I thought broadly European because of the garb...the hood, specifically. Aren't many of those have been used here inna US.

 

Perhaps...but any person capable of molding an' pouring such a piece would probably me intimately familiar with such details, methinks.

 

I believe there were few, if any, emaciated Friars, bosko!

 

Then probably done that way to use as a door stopper.

 

I agree Whit (re plump friars)-hence Martin Luther.