Ivory bust, someone famous?

Hello

I bought a small ivory bust of a gentleman. He has quite distinct features, I wonder if someone recognizes him from their history lessons.

Thank you

 

Looks like President Woodrow Wilson.

 

Good suggestion, I should have mentioned that I am in the UK so I was expecting him to be British or European, but I won't rule him out

 

Not Wilson IMHO. Mouth and lips don't look right to me.

 

Wilson was taciturn and the sitter's collar & tie is wrong for era.

Debora

 

How about Sir Harold Wilson?

 

Could be someone whose bank account was even larger than his ego but who did not cut a high public profile. He would have done better not to smile.

Can't think of anything much less saleable now than an ivory bust of W. Wilson, so be glad it's not. Ears are wrong too.

 

How tall is the bust itself? Looks like a good sized chunk of ivory.

 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt?

 

That was my first thought, but there are no glasses on the bust.

 

Could/would you post a photograph of the bottom of the base?

Debora

 

He is not always shown wearing glasses.

 

He had a rather distinctive profile.

Debora

 

@Debora here is a photo of the base. Looks like 4 nails and some glue residue in the centre



@Bronwen ivory is 8cm high. You're probably right about it being an unknown wealthy fella, but with so much knowledge on the forum it's worth checking.

 

FDR was my immediate first impression.

 

I am seeing some very similar results to FDR, it's just the smile that doesn't look right. And maybe the nose is too long and pointed.

 

I would have done the same. I was just tempering expectations. I know from my own field that not every man who got his portrait carved was anyone of note. Although a solid ivory bust in the round is not the sort of portrait that just anyone has. Maybe someone with business in China who had it done there. Just speculating.

 

That's what I thought as well -- a corporate gift. Which would explain why it ended up on the -- how shall we say? -- secondary market. A commissioned bust would be less likely to leave the family.

Debora

 

George Raft? (Not seriously, but there is a resemblance.)