Louis Emile Cana Sculpture

Q: Our statue of a peasant girl is 25 inches tall. She is sitting on a tree stump and holds a basket of cherries on her lap. On the round base, there’s a plaque in the shape of a scroll that says “La Cerises par Cana.” Wasn’t there a famous 19th-century French sculptor named Cana? How can I find out what it’s worth?

A: Louis Emile Cana (1845-1895) was a French sculptor of bronzes, but he specialized in sculpting animals. Another French sculptor, Francois Hippolyte Moreau (1832-1927) created a bronze sculpture titled “Les Cerises” (“The Cherries”) that matches the description of yours. His original bronzes are signed with his name. Known copies signed like yours were made of spelter, a zinc alloy. Still, if yours is one of those and is in excellent condition, it could sell for several hundred dollars. An original Moreau is worth more than $2,000.