David L. Spellerberg

David L. Spellerberg was born in 1947 in El Paso, Texas. He grew up in Fostoria, Ohio where he started his life-long study and appreciation of nature and the Native American people. From Methodist Church Summer Camps, Indian guides, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Order of the Arrow, Philmont, Eagle Scout Award, National and World Jamborees, David developed a rich appreciation for his environment, the wildlife of North America and the culture of the Plains Indians. As a boy growing up, visiting museums was one of David’s favorite activities. At 16, David was able to visit the great museums of Europe while attending a World Boy Scout Jamboree in Israel. Seeing the magnificent sculptures of Ancient Israel, Greece, Rome, Paris and London had a life-long effect on his appreciation and study of this three dimensional art form.
Public Nuisance
In 1988 David Spellerberg was cited and sued by the city of Beverly hills for a "feeding the meter" violation for parking one of his vintage Rolls Royce's in front of his prestigious gallery. The event captured worldwide media attentions and resulted in T.V. and media coverage for more than 1 1/2 years. Spellerberg was put under a restraining order by a superior court judge and ordered not to park any of his cars infront of his gallery for more than 1 hours. to beat the system, Spellerberg hired two full time chauffeurs to rotate a fleet of five Rolls Royces every hour on the hours for more than a year and a half. This became known as the "Rolls Royce Shuffle." In honor of the occasion, Spellerberg launched a fragrance and clothing line titled, "Public Nuisance."

History
Having served as President of his class, Vice President of the student body and a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, David graduated with honors from Miami University of Ohio in 1969.
In 1968, David worked as a congressional intern for his Republican congressman the Honorable Jackson E. Betts of Ohio and in the spring of 1969 traveled with Robert Kennedy as an aid on his Presidential Campaign.
Education
David went on to attend Ohio State Law School in Columbus, Ohio and after completing his first year decided that a career in law would not allow him to utilize his artistic talent and love of people. In the summer of 1969, David began as a sales representative for the World Book Encyclopedia and in three years worked his way up the corporate ladder to become the youngest Sales Vice President in the history of World Book. It was World Book that brought David to Southern California as a Corporate Executive.
Job Relevance
From World Book, David became a Sales Manager for Harry Abrams and Rizzoli, two of the finest art book publishers in the world.
In 1979, David founded the “fine art” bronze foundry, the National Heritage Collectors Society, which later became Great American Bronze Works, INC. of Westlake Village, California. It was through David’s direct contact and work that some of the top bronze sculptors in the country and through his understanding of the “lost wax” process that David began to develop his own artistic talents in the creation, design and development of bronze works of art. David’s love of the Native American culture and people resulted in his designing a collection of bronze sculptures titled, “The Epic of the Plains Indians.” The individual sculptures in this collection range in price from $2,500.00 to $60,000.00 and have been sold to many of the top art collectors in the world. David’s love of Eagles has allowed him to design, create and cast a collection of more than twenty different Eagle sculptures.
With the encouragement of his friends and clients, Gene Autry, Michael Wayne, and Burt Reynolds, David opened the prestigious National Heritage Gallery of Fine Art which was located at 315 N. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California for more than seven years. In 1992, David left the
retail gallery business to allow him more time to create and work with various sculptors to create a collection of more than 350 different bronze works of art which make up the collection of the National Heritage Collectors Society. These magnificent works of art are distributed by David and his staff to galleries, corporations and private collectors throughout the world.
David has always had an eye for composition, design and proportion. His unwillingness to compromise the quality of each work of art, has kept his production level down, but drastically increased the value of the sculptures he casts and the desire of his clients to collect the works of the National Heritage Collectors Society.
Characteristic Information

David’s foundry has cast and created in bronze a number of monumental works of art varying in price from $40,000 to $450,000, including a few of these¬ sculptures listed below.
• the heroic sculpture of Gene Autry and his horse Champion, titled “Back in the Saddle Again,” which is the centerpiece of the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles, California
• a heroic sculpture of Jesus Christ and the prodigal son for Dr. Robert Schuller and the Crystal Cathedral of Garden Grove, California
• heroic sculptures of Gene Autry for the City of Tempe, Arizona and Edison Field, the home of the Anaheim Angels
• a recent bronze commission by Kansas State University School of Veterinary Medicine to honor Dr. Robert Kind, titled “A Kind Touch”
• a commission by the U.S. Historical Society to cast into bronze 2,000 of the prestigious “Double Eagle” statues which is the official symbol of the Third Millennium
• a 14 ½ foot recreation of the Statue of Liberty entitled “Liberty Enlightening the World” for Neenah, Wisconsin
• commissioned by Merv Griffin to create 10 heroic equestrian sculptures for the Griffin Ranch and Saddle Club and the city of La Quinta, CA
• numerous individual and corporate commissions
David is extremely proud to have as clients many of the most successful people in the world including Burt Reynolds, Laurance Rockefeller, Barron Hilton, the late Leonard Firestone, Prince Abdul Aziz Al Ibrahim, Bud Adams, Ambassador Glenn Holden, Tom Fazio, Fred Couples, Karl Karcher, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jimmy Stewart, Dick Clark, Wayne Newton, Travis Tritt, Randy Travis, Marty Stuart, Zubin Mehta, Governor Jesse Ventura and Gunter Sachs just to mention a few.

David was commissioned by Gov. Schwarzenegger to create a very special gift for President George W. Bush, which was on display in the Oval office of the White House for the years he was in office.
Gov. Schwarzenegger has also commissioned David to create a walking California grizzly bear which he has given to various Heads of State who have visited him at the State Capital.
David Spellerberg resides with in Westlake Village, California. His daughter Heather, a pharmaceutical sales manager, lives in Newport Beach, California. His son, David Spellerberg the III , who is also in the bronze business, and his family reside in Westlake Village, CA as well. His late father David, Sr. and mother Jeanne along with his three sisters who are all married live in Fostoria, Ohio.
Personal Life
Any free time that David may have, is spent enjoying his collection of Native American art, riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle in full regalia through the canyons of Southern California, taking care of his dog Elliot, six large macaws and numerous parrots and finches, or grooming and trail riding one of his two horses.
The future looks extremely bright for David and the Great American Bronze Works, INC. David sees a rebirth and a new age of appreciation for the art of bronze sculpture and the 2,000 year old “lost wax” process.
 
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