Hand Carved Alabaster Horse Centrepiece Sculpture, Italy, 1970s

Centrepiece tray by the Italian designer Tommaso Barbi (original label still attached) in chrome, glass and bamboo. Made in Italy in the 1970s.

Huge squared ice effect centerpiece tray in Lucite and brass in the style of the Italian designer Willy Rizzo. Made in Italy, circa 1970.

Round centerpiece in rattan framed by brass border made in Italy in the 1970s.

Large basket with handler in rattan and brass details made in Italy in the 1970s.

Tortoiseshell Lucite handkerchief centerpiece vase Italy, 1970s.

Squared centerpiece serving tray in bamboo and rattan. Made in Italy in the 1970s.

Stylized plated or washed cast metal horse candleholder, weighs 1 lb.

Large round brass and bronze centrepiece series 'Labirinti', signed Ventrella GioiellIeri in Naples.

This one-of-a-kind Italian Work of Art, a sculpture bird by Antonio Pavia, is a rare highly collectible object, entirely handcrafted, with an ostrich egg as the body, decorated with ...

Rare aluminum centerpiece by Nerone Ceccarelli and Giancarlo Patuzzi, Gruppo NP2. Thick aluminum crumpled sheet piece, it shows connections with the succeeding "Paperbag" vase by Ta...

Italian 1970s Metal Hippopotamus Flower Vase.

A French 1970s Gold and bronze clam shell center peice sculpture with three large quartz and amethyst crystal clusters. Signed Biography: Claude Boeltz was born in Paris in 1937. The fourth generation in a line of artists, from his early childhood Boeltz was interested in disciplines as far ranging as sculpture, painting, ceramics, architecture, and blacksmithing. From the very start he was fascinated by what would become life long inspirations—anatomy and geology. His first apprenticeship was with the sculptor Henri Molins, which was followed by apprenticeships at the prominent Susse and Houdot foundries. His last was with Soudoun, under whose tutelage he was honored with the national “Best Worker in France” award. During these apprenticeships Boeltz took night classes at the Boule School, the Gambetta School, and at the Academy of Art in Paris. He would eventually take degrees from all three. On Sundays he went to museums, particularly the Louvre, where he sought out work in the Louis XIII - Louis XVI styles. He also spent long hours in study of the many artists he admired, such as Bersus, Meunier, Giacometti, Ponpon, Chipparus, Dali, Dajou, and Ruhlman. After these apprenticeships he tried to establish himself in the Riviera, where he befriended, and briefly collaborated with Picasso. Boeltz’s time in this vibrant community was, however, cut short—in the early 1960s he was called into the French military. While on tour in the Sahara he carved miniatures, and would carry them in his baggage from base to base. One that survived—a replica of the Arc d’triumph—was later offered to President Eisenhower on behalf of the French Army. Upon leaving the service Boeltz established a foundry in the Loire, and by the late 1960s his work, now enormously popular, was shown all over Europe. In the early 1970s he met the sculptor Cesar. The famous sculptor’s “compression” pieces inspired Boeltz to create the work for which he would soon become best known. Boeltz’s “exploded” bronze works were pieces plated with 24 karat gold made to look like liquid gold crystalized an instant after explosion. Boeltz augmented this unique medium with vibrant details, often with African emeralds, but with other stones or unusual materials as well. In his famous Cleopatra, dedicated to Elizabeth Taylor and installed in Georve V hotel in Paris, the artist employed metacrylite as a base and for its veil. The immediate success of these “exploded” works allowed Boeltz to build two foundries devoted largely to their creation, one in the Faubourg St. Honore’ in Paris, and the other in Fontenay Sous Bois. “Exploded” works from the foundries were presented and sold at Fred’s Jewelers...