Giltwood Bookends

A powerful and dramatic pair of Italian neoclassical carved and gilt wood mythical animal figures on faux painted bases, mid 19th century or earlier, Italy. The fantastic beasts are well carved, with dramatic wings that follow the sensuous curve of the neck, and a sinuous body ends in an eel-like tail gracefully curled in upon itself. The bearded heads feature a flattened snout with sharp teeth and a lolling tongue, and pointed horse ears and mane. The long forelegs stretched out in front of them and ending in pawed and clawed feet. The beasts have characteristics of several different mythical animals, making them hard to positively identify. The most likely candidates would be dragons, hippocampi, or chimeras. The beasts are unfinished to the back, indicating they were originally part of a relief decoration, possibly from a mirror. They have now been mounted to wooden bases faux painted to imitate porphyry. They would make perfect bookends or mantle sculptures.

Pineider, Italian miniature sliding bookend, ca 1900 A sliding bookend made by Cartolerie F. Pineider, Italy. A small size of 7.5 cm high, 13-20 cm w...

This is a vintage extending book slide. A Venetian, gilt finished tulipwood bookrest, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1950. Delightfully presented book slide, with appealing f...

A most decorative pair of French early 19th century 1st Empire period patinated wood, giltwood, and faux painted marble bookends/busts. Each bookend is raised by a square mottled bas...

Pair of French Victorian silver and gilt plated metal birds standing among branches on a tiered rectangular base

These old world fragments from a time of ornamentation and decadence will pop any space with a feeling of classic royal nobility. They are sturdily mounted on clear acrylic so that o...