Joe Ursutz Bronze Wind Chime Bell-USA

Joe Ursutz Bronze Bell Wind Chime -Ornate Embossed Owl Sculpture made 1967-1969.
Wind chime bells were created by Paola Soleiri's groundbreaking style of ceramic and bronze sculptures and structures.
These things are pretty rare to say the least. From creation to present there are only a few sculptures to have ever made the "Bell Wind Chimes". Here is the story.....
This ingenious, well educated, Italian architect and urban planner named Paolo Soleiri received the award of "laurea" (master's degree) in architecture from the Politecnico di Torino in 1946. He then took a road trip to the United States in December 1946 and spent a year and a half in fellowship with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West in Arizona, and at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin. After hanging out with Frank, Paolo moved back to Italy and kept himself busy by building a ceramic factory, getting married, and having one of two children, and also Soleri changed the entire ceramics industry designing his award-winning production of ceramic and bronze wind bells and silt-cast architectural structures. In 1956, Soleri settled in Scottsdale, Arizona, with Colly and the elder of their two daughters; the younger was born in Arizona. Soleri built their home and studio as an all in one natural like structure, marked by terraced landscaping, experimental earth-formed concrete structures, and sculptural wind bells...he named it Cosanti. With Cosanti, Paolo experimented on a large scale with his “earth-casting” technique that created the innovative structures found at Cosanti. Built almost counterintuitively, from the roof down and outside in, many of these unusual spaces were created by first forming a concrete shell over mounded dirt. The soil beneath this shell was then excavated out (usually by hand) and what remained became a structure’s walls and - roof. The structures at Cosanti are experiments in passive solar heating and cooling, frugality, recycling, and cleverly building structures according to the sun’s position in the sky to warm the semi-outdoor spaces in the winter and cool them in the summer. These ancient concepts influenced Soleri’s thoughts on how humans can create a built world to live in that is in balance with nature. He called this idea “arcology,” a blend of “architecture” and “ecology.” Most of the structures were built with variations on earthcasting. Concrete was poured over mounds of densely packed earth; the earth was excavated after the concrete solidified. A modified earthcasting technique is also used to craft the bronze and ceramic wind-bells produced at Cosanti.
For more than 40 years, proceeds from sales of the wind-bells have been an important source of funds for construction that is meant to test his theoretical work. Ceramic and bronze bells continue to be produced and sold at Cosanti in Arizona and later at the new Studio at Arcosanti.
He began building Arcosanti in 1970 with the help of architecture and design students, as a place to test his urban design hypotheses. This "urban laboratory" (so-dubbed by Ada Louise Huxtable, who at the time was the architecture critic of The New York Times) became internationally renowned. Soleri went on to be one of Arizona's most generous philanthropist, designer of renowned structures, teaching students, and making wind chime bells until his death on April 9, 2013 in Paradise Valley, Arizona at the age of 93. Cosanti earned a place on the Arizona Registry of Historic Places. Including Cosanti, less than ten of his projects have survived. Okay that is how bell wind chimes got here....now here is how this one got here and how it relates to all that about Paolo Soleri and why people make the reference when mentioning or listing a bell wind chime.
Paulo Soleri had a foundry employee that was a major innovator and inspired several of the Bell Wind Chimes in the 1960's named Joe Ursutz Sr.
Joe Ursutz Sr. He started "The Bells of Carefree" bells, 1967-1969 and only sold in Arizona. He ran it a few years until his back gave out. He eventually sold his business to Jeff Cross who named the company "Harmony Hallow." These bells are made by and signed by Joe Ursutz Sr. One bell is slotted and thick, making for a deep, rich, resonating sound. The style is extremely similar to Paolo Soleri, an Italian architect.
Mr. Ursutz died in 1990.
Based on my research, I believe Mr. Ursutz made this one. It has a legible "U" on it and nothing indicating anything from Soleri.
Paulo Soleri had a distinctive artist proof symbol that is no where to be found. My assumption again....also there were two other makers of Bell Wind Chimes...the only other person could have been is Jeff Cross or his brother Bradley Cross....they both carried on making Soleri style bell wind chimes after
Jeff bought out Joe Ursutz foundry and studio in 1969 in Arizona. (mentioned above)
Jeff and Bradley then started Harmony Hollow Bell Works.
Jeff unfortunately passed away in 1977 and in the early 1980's, Bradley moved Harmony Hollow Bell Works to Ann Arbor Michigan and continued to be a town favorite making bell wind chimes.
The last known digital fingerprint or electronic mail from Bradley Cross and Harmony Hollow Bell Works was in 2012 and the rest is a mystery. VERY RARE!
Weighs 2 lbs
Loop to bottom tall 6" Tall
Diagonal Base Diameter 3.25" X 3.5"
Hanging Skeleton Yoke 12" Long
This bell has been cleaned of verdigris ( vinegar + baking soda) and treated with a bronze seal (olive oil)
which is a natural treatment for a natural bronze- there is a photo of patina before treatment....works:)

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