AI Appraisal Estimate

This is a fine lead crystal figurine depicting a hippopotamus, likely designed by artist Lloyd Atkins for Steuben Glass. The piece is crafted from high-quality, brilliant, hand-blown and hand-finished colorless crystal. It features a minimalist, stylized aesthetic common to late 20th-century American art glass. The form is smooth and rounded, capturing the heavy, volumetric essence of the animal with sculptural simplicity. Dimensions appear to be approximately 3 to 4 inches in length. Notable features include the integrated, stubby legs and a smooth, polished surface that reflects light with high clarity and no internal inclusions. While no maker's mark is visible in this specific angle, Steuben pieces are typically signed with a fine diamond-point script 'Steuben' on the base. The condition appears excellent with no visible chips, cracks, or significant fleabites. Minor shelf wear on the resting points of the feet is expected for a vintage piece of this age, likely dating from the 1960s to 1980s. The craftsmanship is superior, displaying the iconic 'liquid' look that characterizes premium crystal production.

Based on my visual examination of the images provided, this figurine appears to be the 'Hippopotamus' (Design #8222) produced by Steuben Glass and originally designed by Lloyd Atkins in 1969. The piece exhibits the quintessential high-clarity, colorless lead crystal for which Steuben is renowned. The form is characteristically modernist, utilizing smooth, rounded geometry to convey the animal's bulk without intricate detailing, a hallmark of Atkins' widely collected animal designs. The dimensions described (approximately 3 to 4 inches) align perfectly with the standard production size for this model. Condition-wise, the crystal displays excellent brilliance with no immediate evidence of clouding, cracks, or substantial impact damage. However, authenticity cannot be definitively confirmed without physically verifying the diamond-point 'Steuben' signature typically found on the base. Furthermore, Steuben glass is susceptible to very fine scratches or 'flea bites' that are often invisible in photographs but can impact value. To fully authenticate and grade this piece, I would require an in-person inspection to check for the signature and use magnification to assess the base for excessive shelf wear. The market for Steuben animals remains steady but has softened slightly from its peak. While rare, large-scale Steuben pieces command thousands, smaller 'hand coolers' and standard animal figurines like this hippo generally trade in the $100 to $225 range depending on the presence of original packaging (box/dust bag) and pristine surface condition. This specific model is relatively common in the secondary market, which keeps the price accessible for collectors.