Ebury Trading Ltd Animal Sculptures

A large, cast iron unicorn with a custom attached base stand. Great detail can be seen in the creature’s mane, head and musculature.

Plaster sculpture of a naked young boy holding fishes aloft. This charming sculpture is believed to be a maquette of John Hodges' fountain sculpture in Braintree, Essex. A maquette is a three-dimensional object made as a preparatory study...

19th century jockey striker from England made from polychromed spelter. It is a lovely model of a mounted jockey on horseback with reins in front of a hitching post, which is the str...

19th century Anglo Indian papier mache and painted wood pull toy, a striped yellow tiger on wheels.

19th century hand carved Black Forest clothes brush in the form of a bear. The bear is recumbent, and his face is so sweet - he will look good anywhere you decide to place him in yo...

This large and substantial sculpture of a horse's head is unsigned, but believed to have been made in Canada in circa 1980. The sculpture is made completely of pieces of driftwood...

A magnificent and iconic piece that merges art and design, this gypsum sculpture will make a refined statement when showcased in any traditional or mo...

A superb quality and finely carved 19th Century black forest linden wood bear hall stand with a cub playing in the branches above, the bear below with glass eyes looking up towards h...

This charming antique Black Forest inkstand dates from circa 1880. Beautifully modelled, hand carved from linden wood, with mother and baby bear on a naturalistically carved rocky outcrop. The inkwells are in the form of a pair of tree trunks with fluted glass wells with carved lids and a useful pen tray in front. Condition: In excellent condition. As an antique item, it shows signs of use commensurate with age, these minor condition issues are mentioned for accuracy and, as seen in the accompanying photographs, the inkstand displays beautifully. Dimensions in cm: Height 15 cm x Width 23 cm x Depth 14 cm Dimensions in inches: Height 6 inches x Width 9 inches x Depth 5 inches History of Black Forest Carving The idea behind the success of Brienz wood carving was quite simple. After a disastrous famine in 1816 in the Brienz area people were forced to find new areas of revenues. Driven by the need to create jobs in the Bernese Oberland, an economically underdeveloped region, the Swiss government encouraged the existing resource of timber industry to liaise with the traditional wooden craftsmanship. It took some time to improve from home requirements to sophisticated designed arts but the process was supported by the rising amount of tourists visiting the region. Christian Fischer and other founders Christian Fischer (1790-1848) started self-taught from simple turneries (carved bowls and other articles of daily use) to unsophisticated regional animals and people. Due to his success and the interest of the tourists, other carvers started also following his idea of carving the pristine naturalism. The Swiss government supported these start-ups with additional training of apprentices at special trade school. Brienz School of Wood Carving In 1884 the "School of Wood Carving, Brienz" was founded. It became an important educational institution to strengthen and develop the artistic backgrounds and exhibit an area of creativity. During the years of war in the 20th century, the demand for wooden sculptures came to rest and led to the re-orientation in areas such as toys and carvings for constructions. Beyond that the Brienz wood carving articles had to face an enormous competition from abroad. The School of Wood Carving had to get through difficult economic times but in the late 1970s wood carving enjoyed a renaissance. A lot of young people searched for elemental jobs and added a new value to school education. Today Brienz School of Wood Carving is combined with the education of turner, basket makers and coopers. The school still claims high-quality standards and follows old principles with regard to future perspectives. Wild animals At all times wild animals fascinate people. The highland around Brienz has large variety of different wild animals. Bears are among the most popular models for carvers. On the one hand bears are easy to cut and on the other hand they have a strong symbolized image. The enthusiasm for bears in art...

A fine cast of a 20th century, plaster Roman head possibly Caesar. Standing on a contemporary metal stand.

Late 19th century hand carved bear brush from Switzerland. The bear is expertly hand carved and has a very whimsical look. Such an adorable souvenir, these were small tokens travel...

Wonderful large horse head in plaster. Big scale and great details and patina. The white plaster creates a beautiful interplay of light and shadows. Shows great movement in the way the head is depicted. Reminiscent of equivalent plaster casts of horse heads from the Parthenon frieze...