Bust of the Boss

For James Farmer, the mystery began at a Willow Springs estate sale.

Perched on a table inside the home was a bust of Richard J. Daley, the late mayor’s smiling eyes staring at the laid-off factory worker.

Although he’s gradually lowered his asking price – he originally wanted $1,500 – no one’s buying.

“It was such a piece of history and fine art that I thought it would go,” Farmer said. “It’s even got his mole on it.”

More perplexing for Farmer than the lack of interested buyers is the plaster bust’s origin.

Farmer said the original owner was a widow who claimed her husband was one of Daley’s bodyguards. He remembers the woman saying it was only one of seven or eight ever created and distributed posthumously to Daley’s inner circle.

A self-described “research nut,” Farmer went online in search of answers.

He posted pictures and inquiries on art Web sites and called appraisers, all to no avail.

“If it’s not a king, it’s not a big deal,” someone told him online.

“You don’t know your history,” replied Farmer, a longtime Chicagoan who now lives in Oak Lawn.

Mayor Daley was no mere king – he was the Boss. He passed away Dec. 20, 1976, having served 21 years in office, the last of the nation’s “big city” bosses to rule with undisputed authority.

An inscription on the back of the bust reveals another clue.

It reads: “Potthast 1977.”

But the only “Potthast” Farmer could find was the American impressionist painter Edward Potthast, and he died in 1927.

“I finally got fed up with researching,” Farmer said. “I couldn’t find out nothing. I don’t think anybody’s gonna know.”

Reached by phone Wednesday, Richard M. Daley’s press office didn’t have any answers.

Nor did artist Peter Fagan, commissioned in 1981 to create the large bronze statue of Richard J. Daley on display in the state Capitol. Daley had served 10 years in the General Assembly before becoming mayor.

Researchers at the Chicago Historical Society, librarians at the Chicago Public Library’s municipal reference collection and staffers at UIC’s Richard J. Daley Library were also stumped.

In more than two years of searching, Farmer said he’s had only one bite in an online message board, where a commenter known as “Radiopro” said he owned a similar bust for more than 30 years, claiming to have inherited it from grandparents who were city workers.

On Wednesday, Farmer lowered the price of the bust to $1 on Craigslist, down from $800.

He figures that leaves some room for bargaining.

“Maybe somebody sees it and knows what it is. Maybe somebody’s willing to give me more,” he said, hinting that maybe the current Mayor Daley might be interested.

“It could be a paperweight at his desk.”