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 ever 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.

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 embraced 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?

The last known printed price list is from 1999. After this, 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 the studio's back stock of 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.

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.

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 item available for purchase only at a 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-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
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

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