This series of funny, little resin figurines, playful caricatures of police officers, sculpted by Ray Kramer using his bare hands and a simple knife as his only tools; their purpose is to delight and amuse. From Ray’s mind comes the variety of characters that everyone in Police work would instantly recognize, the very first one, (below) obviously named the “Donut” Cop determined the over-all size (3-4″) and unique shape. Individual personalities on departments around the country were evolving from Ray’s perspective and soon there developed little figures that were mated with a cork and were used as real bottle toppers. There was the singing RCMP Trooper sitting a top a bottle of Canadian Windsor; a starched, white uniformed British Officer on a bottle of Bacardi Rum, and, of course, a Russian Cosack on, you guessed it, Vodka. Ha. So, began the next several dozen, the “high-speed chase,” the proud K-9 shepherd with a whole foot in his smiling mouth. But, with all those various booze bottles protected by little copper figures, it hit us, we’ll call them “Bottle Coppers.” It’s a more friendly name for law enforcement officers and so the series spread to include at least 60-some police figures. We’re sure you’ll recognize many of your partners in the photos below.
The most fun, however, was to watch crazy Ray create a series to make polite fun of firefighters (secretly admiring them for their bravery) and when mounted on corks as bottle toppers, they became known as ”Fire Stoppers” (it is, of course, what both firemen and corks do), so what would Ray think of next? Ahh, yes, since so many police and fire fund-raisers use golfing tournaments to raise money for a Memorial and other worthy causes, a series of funny golfer figures were created and were called (appropriately) “Bottle Duffers.” Anybody ever on a golf course has seen these guys and gals, ha, they are the hit of many tournaments because they lend themselves so well for the “Longest Drive” or the “Closest to the Hole” winning golfers, but would you have figured out Ray’s Humphrey Bogart character juggling two or three golf balls? A trophy for the biggest losers, a “triple boggie anyone?”
Design your next golf tournament around the “Duffers” and any and every police or fire function or fund-raiser could benefit by adding the humor and pure delight of figures that laugh back at us, but such a serious and deadly occupation as Fire/Rescue and Police Work (and Military) needs to step back and find humor and relaxation when they can. They are all made in Minnesota, that’s in the U.S., of course, & painted by hand.
Original "Bottle Coppers"
They sit on any shelf, they can be mounted on almost anything, they have been made into real bottle toppers and even used with a hook to adorne a Christmas Tree.
For additional details on our collectible “Bottle Coppers,” “Fire Stoppers” or “Bottle Duffers,” please contact us at 800-274-5194 or info@brodinstudios.com. You can see Gallery photos of “Fire Stoppers” and “Duffers” mixed with the “Coppers” on the several pages below. Many are also shown in the Fire/Rescue section of this website under “Products.” The Studios will send you a free sample figurine, just call and ask; it’s usually Danielle and Neil who answer, so, if that’s the case, you’ll be speaking with the company owners, both retired law enforcement.
