Sepy Dobronyi

Baron Joseph "Sepy" De Bicske Dobronyi (April 20, 1922 – May 29, 2010) was a Hungarian-born American sculptor.

Dobronyi was known for his bronze and gold sculptures of celebrities, such as a 42-inch-tall golden statue of movie star Anita Ekberg. "The Ekberg Bronze" was featured in the August 1956 issue of Playboy magazine by Hugh Hefner, a friend of Dobronyi.

Early life Joseph De Bicske Dobronyi was born to József Dobronyi and Szidónia Petric, in the town of Bicske, Hungary, on April 20, 1922. He was raised by his mother.

World War II In 1940, Dobronyi was drafted into the Hungarian Air Force during World War II, serving as a pilot. He specialized in transporting the wounded to hospitals from the front lines for the Red Cross. Dobronyi was one of six pilots chosen to try out the world's first rocket-powered aircraft. In 1945, he was captured by the Red Army after his airplane was shot down over Hungary. By 1947, he had been selected to execute the design of the brooch that Folke Bernadotte gave to Princess Elizabeth on the occasion of her engagement to Prince Philip.

During this time, Dobronyi's studio was doing very well, and the reputation he had with society was positive, so he was able to dedicate some time to his first childhood fascination, African sculpture. He had always found time for his carvings throughout the years, and in the 1970s he made five expeditions to New Guinea in search of Asmat art. On December 20, 1963, 40-year-old Dobronyi, who had citizenship in Hungary, Sweden and Cuba, was sworn in a federal courtroom, as a United States citizen by Judge Emett C. Choate. The Federal Building held a pre-holiday session and this was a very special day for him as it had been a goal of his ever since the days of World War II. and Linda Christian Inger Anette Nordquist (1945-) (1969–1972) (divorced) Playboy Bunny Rita Lino (1958-) (May 9, 1977 – 1983) (divorced) Eszter Paula Barany (1971-) (1999–2002) (divorced)

Children Joseph (April 26, 1961 ) (born Joseph Bicskei Dobronyi Jr.) – with Amy Green Brown Dobronyi A modern "Native Bazaar," which centralized the display of the art and sculpture of 187 Cuban artists, put shirts on artists' backs and bankbooks in their pockets for the first time in the island's history.

Bodeguita del Medio Dobronyi was also the co-owner of the Bodeguita del medio which was the hangout for the jet-setters of that era. In 1951, Dobronyi convinced owner Angel Martinez to convert his store into a tavern. There, he became the focal point of both the art community and the social circles. Some of his close friends were celebrities such as Ernest and Mary Hemingway, Hugh Hefner, Nat King Cole John Wayne and Errol Flynn.

Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce In 1985, Dobronyi was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Discography

LP: Sepy Presents: La Bodeguita del Medio, The Music of Havana's Most Fabulous Cafe. Recorder by Riverside Records and Produced by Bill Grauer Productions, Inc, New York, 1957.

Death Dobronyi died of liver cancer on May 29, 2010, at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach at age 88. The Miami Herald reports that the story of the Royal panties has circled the web and print magazines, after their sale was first reported by celebrity news website TMZ.com.

Hansons Auctioneers and Valuers, the same auction house that handled the sale of Queen Victoria's undergarments back in 2008, contacted the estate and expressed their interest in handling the sale.