Cybis Porcelain

About Cybis Porcelain

Boleslaw Cybis

Cybis Porcelain was established by Boleslaw Cybis in Trenton, NJ in 1953. While unique, individual Cybis sculptures were made in the early 1940s (signed M.B.Cybis) the earliest production pieces from 1947 were marked "Cybis" and produced in tandem with Cordey China at the Church Street location in Trenton.

Cybis Finishes

Boleslaw Cybis

The early designs were often created using a variety of finishes and colors. Sculptures were offered in color or white bisque known as Cybis Parian. Glazed surfaces (in color and white) were termed "Stained Glass" Porcelain. "Cypia" is the Cybis signature finish in Sepia tones. Perhaps the rarest and most prized is "Old Coin Gold" in which 24k gold accents are combined with other finishes.

Marylin Kozuch

Boleslaw Cybis

Cybis Collections/Categories

After the death of Boleslaw in 1957 and his wife Maria in 1958, the studio was left to their protégé Marylin Kozuch (later Marylin Kozuch Chorlton). She was like a daughter, having been with them since 1939. As the studio's new owner, she assumed the title of Artistic Director appointing her husband Joseph as CEO.

Cybis Collections/Categories

Early publications classified sculptures as Limited Editions and Non-Limited Editions. As the product line grew, grouping sculptures together simplified marketing and created collector interest. Categories were introduced as named "collections". In later years collections became very numerous. To simplify this site, broad, logical categories are used in the navigation bar for locating sculptures.

Cybis Values Today

Cybis Collections/Categories

Building a Collection

The Cybis, Trenton, NJ studio ceased production in the early 2000's. Current trends in the porcelain arts secondary market have been on the decline every year for the last 25 years. Recent sales online and at auction, reflect pricing around 10-20% of the last published retail price lists from the early 1990's. Damaged items sell for 1-2%, if sold at all. This is a Collector's Market.

Building a Collection

Cybis Collections/Categories

Building a Collection

At today's prices most buyers can afford to build an impressive collection quickly. Seasoned collectors are usually focused on specific items for their collections. The key point any new collector should keep in mind is to buy pieces you like. Buying a piece because it's part of a category may later feel like it was a mistake. Art you love is art you'll be glad to keep a lifetime!

Frequently Asked Questions/Glossary

Please utilize the "Contact" form in the navigation menu if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What are current values?

Recent sale prices vary widely. As with any investment, values may rise or fall. Porcelain values over the last 25 years have been in decline. It is a buyer's market with average sales ranging between 10-20% of the last published price for items with no damage or repairs. Additional factors which may also influence value include issues such as missing a wooden base, no longer in an original frame, etc.

What is Mint Condition?

Mint Condition is a term used to describe a porcelain sculpture that remains in the same condition it was in when it was shipped from the Cybis studio in Trenton, NJ. This means the porcelain is perfect in every way. It is free from chips, cracks, scratches, broken or missing pieces and is free from sun bleaching which can over time cause certain colors and wooden bases to appear faded. Wooden bases should not be water damaged from cleaning and for painted bases the surface should have no cracks or flakes. A mint condition item has never had a restoration of any kind.

Is a sculpture worth anything if damaged?

Yes. Of course, value is determined based on the type and extent of the damage as well as the age and rarity of the sculpture. An item with a sun bleached wooden mahogany base may still sell "near market value" where a piece with chips, scratches or restorations would generally sell for 10-20% of the CURRENT MARKET VALUE. For instance, the Polish Bride, limited edition of 100, sold for $6,500 new. Many with damage have sold in the $100-$150 range. Other items, from the 1950's that are considered very hard to find, sold for less than $20 when new but have sold for premium prices with damage. These items may have chips or broken parts that are entirely missing, but will often sell in excess of $100.

How many different Cybis sculptures are there?

This question has no definitive answer. Cybis assigned a design number to each item released for sale. If the sum of all design numbers were counted from existing sources, the number could be expected to be in excess of 2,000. The 1999 price list alone had 349 unique items listed for sale. Unfortunately, no such lists exist for the studio's first 15 years. The studio released a partial list of older sculptures along with a statement in the 1972 catalog that states, "In the early years no formal records were kept. It is difficult to list each porcelain released at this late date." The first Cybis production items were released as early as 1947. No catalogs or brochures were printed from this time. Every year, items are found from the late 1940's and early 1950's that are added the growing list of pre-1963 Cybis sculptures. The total number of known Cybis sculptures will only increase.

When was the Cybis Studio started?

The Cybis studio was legally registered as a New Jersey corporation in 1953. The narrative over when Boleslaw began producing porcelains under the Cybis brand name/hallmark/logo shifted over the years depending on who was writing the marketing material. Billing itself as America's oldest surviving porcelain arts studio, dates were used focusing on when Boleslaw and his business partners established Cordey China Company in 1942. In an attempt to shore up an earlier date supporting the claim of "oldest studio", 1940 became the new reference point, as Boleslaw had a home studio in one of the rooms he rented in the Steinway Mansion in Astoria, NY. Here he made cold cast items from plaster that carried his name. In 1980, marketing material celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Cybis studio. However, in a final attempt designed to boost sales and promote a 50th anniversary, Boleslaw's arrival in New York from Poland in 1939 became the new official date used since Boleslaw painted murals in the Polish Pavilion for the 1939 World's Fair. In 1989, the studio's official self proclaimed "start date" shifted to 1939 and the 50th Anniversary was born. While Boleslaw arrived in 1939 (1938 by some accounts) he did not begin selling any wares until 1940 which are the earliest dated items found. He did not perfect his porcelain formula until the mid 1950's (just prior to his death). All work produced prior was in fine china or plaster. The studio officially began advertising Cybis as porcelain in 1957. It appears the claim of America's oldest surviving porcelain arts studio may have been up for debate. Cybis technically closed in 2019 when the website was removed, all assets were liquidated and the building was sold. Ironically there was no mention of a 75th anniversary, let alone an 80th celebration. Perhaps the liquidation auction was held to celebrate the 80th anniversary, just without any marketing material.

Why did Cybis shut down?

Cybis was a generational phenomenon. It appealed to Americans who cherished beautiful things. Many who collected Cybis had become affluent after WWII when Cybis began creating porcelain art. Younger generations have largely had interests in other forms of art, if any at all. As the older generations stopped collecting, retired, downsized and passed away, younger people did not embrace what their elders enjoyed. Also, the porcelain studios had raised prices exponentially to remain profitable. This alone, along with declining quality, brought about the industry's demise.

When did Cybis go out of business?

There were three factors adding to the studio's demise, all of which were common to the decorative porcelain arts industry. The "porcelain arts" had become nothing more than a collectibles market. Prices had increased beyond the value of the items produced, quality deteriorated as new pieces were inferior, cost of production was unsustainable and younger generations had little to no interest in collecting. By 1990, Cybis lost many of its retailers who either were going out of business themselves or deciding to no longer carry the Cybis line due to slowing sales and quality issues. The last known printed price list is from 1999. The studio attempted to sell online through an eBay store and later through their own website. The last new items introduced were in the 2000's, prior to 2010. Orders were largely filled from existing back stock. The studio's website indicated special orders were still being accepted and customers could shop from items on hand. While the studio was open "by appointment" no staff was on site at the Norman Avenue address in Trenton. The website was taken down in 2019 and the remaining back stock was sold at auction.

Did the Cybis Studio air documentary films on television?

Yes! As a matter of fact, the studio produced several films about porcelain, how it's made and techniques used by the Cybis studio. At least one of these films aired on PBS in the early 1980's while others were shown across the country at special gallery events hosted by Cybis retailers. There are currently three known films. Two of the three have been rediscovered in the 2020's and are available for viewing on the Cybis Porcelain YouTube channel. Unfortunately, the film used for shooting the earliest documentary deteriorated due to chemicals used in film production in the early 1970's. While the video and audio play without issue, the color appears with mostly red tones. Later films were shot using advanced processing and this is not a problem. To view those films scroll down to the YouTube link at the bottom. Click the link and once the YouTube channel displays, look for episodes 14 and 10.

Why are the letters A.P. next to the Cybis signature on some sculptures?

The letters A.P. stand for Artist's Proof. The concept of an artist's proof is for a minimal number of initial sculptures to be made as "patterns". These patterns were to be strictly followed in producing every copy made. This assured all copies met the same quality control standards. It was never intended for A.P. copies to be sold. These A.P. copies were shelved in the studio's archives after the editions were completed. This preserved the integrity of a sculpture's closed status and a restricted edition's size. In later years, many of these sculptures (marked A.P.) were donated to educational institutions, non-profit organizations (often for fund raising auctions) and to the state department for use as Gifts of State. During the 1990's the studio's A.P. policy changed and many of these pieces were offered for sale to customers visiting the Norman Avenue location in Trenton. After 1999, it appears the use of the A.P. hallmark became unchecked and excessive with numerous sculptures becoming available after editions had closed. All were marked A.P. Finally, many one of a kind items made by Boleslaw Cybis were auctioned with the mark of A.P. These marks are at best questionable considering the items were unique sculptures not used as patterns. No copies were produced. The decision to mark remaining back stock and archived items with A.P. never should have happened. It created confusion and cast doubt on the studio's previously sound practices and use of the A.P. hallmark. In light of this disappointing information, a serious collector should avoid items marked A.P. and wait for one with a legitimate edition number. The A.P. hallmark should not be seen as desirable. Items known to have been acquired from Cybis prior to the 1990's marked A.P. were likely legitimate Artist's Proofs.

Why is my Cybis sculpture not marked?

For many this is a perplexing question but there are three possible answers. First of all, the studio definitively stated in several written publications that all items produced were marked. That should be taken to mean nothing left studio as a normal retail piece without having an identifying signature, logo, hallmark or incised Cybis mark. If a piece is found today with no mark it is a result of one of the following:

For a brief period during the 1950's the studio applied adhesive stickers to products. These stickers were usually white with a red border and had "Cybis" stamped on the sticker. These stickers often had the design number hand written in pencil as well. If the sticker was removed or otherwise came off, the piece now is unmarked. Using the simple navigation found in this site anyone can locate an item and verify it is an authentic Cybis release. If your unmarked item is not found on this site, it does not mean it isn't necessarily a Cybis sculpture as there were hundreds of items made in the 1950's that have not yet been documented. Please use the Contact form to ask for help and assistance will be provided.
For marks and signatures applied with ink or paint, it is possible those have been inadvertently removed. Some owners have used cleaning products that contained abrasives or chemicals that actually removed the Cybis mark.
It is known that a few items made it out of the studio in an unfinished state. Those items were never marked and it is unclear how or why they made it out of the studio as an unmarked item.

Glossary

A.P. - Artist's Proof
CCS - Cybis Collector's Society-collector's club introduced in the 1990's
Closed Edition - Sculpture no longer made including limited editions canceled before all copies were produced
Completed Edition - Limited edition sculpture now closed with all copies produced
Cypia - Brown earthen "Sepia" tones used during the 1950's on some pieces
Event Piece - Limited production items (both restricted numbered editions and open editions) available for purchase only from a a retailer hosting a special Cybis event
Fully Subscribed - Restricted/Limited edition that sold out with all copies produced
Limited Edition - Sculpture produced for limited time or number
Mint Condition - An item in perfect condition with no damage or restorations-same as new
Old Coin Gold - Styling used in the 1950's where 24k liquid gold was used in painting
Parian - Unglazed porcelain in color or white
Restoration - Any action taken to repair damage of any type
Restricted Limited Edition - Production item with a declared issue in which all sculptures were numbered
Stained Glass - Glazed/glossy finish found on 1950's sculptures
Sun Bleaching - Fading found primarily on dark wooden bases which have received prolonged exposure to direct sunlight
Variation - Deviation (color or design ) from the original item introduced/released

Porcelain Art that Inspired a Generation

About Cybis Porcelain

Boleslaw Cybis

Boleslaw Cybis

Boleslaw Cybis

Cybis Finishes

Boleslaw Cybis

Boleslaw Cybis

Marylin Kozuch

Boleslaw Cybis

Cybis Collections/Categories

Cybis Collections/Categories

Cybis Collections/Categories

Cybis Collections/Categories

Cybis Values Today

Cybis Collections/Categories

Building a Collection

Building a Collection

Cybis Collections/Categories

Building a Collection

Frequently Asked Questions/Glossary

Visit the Cybis Porcelain YouTube channel!