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Anthropomorph Terracotta Vase
Located in Leuven , BE
Anthropomorph Terracotta Vase
Category
20th Century French Vases
Materials
Terracotta
Anthropomorph Terracotta Vase
Located in Leuven , BE
Anthropomorph Terracotta Vase
Category
20th Century French Vases
Materials
Terracotta
Polychromed Statue representing Sint Alexis of Edessa. Flemish school, Belgium
Located in Leuven , BE
The Greek version of his legend made Alexius the only son of Euphemianus, a wealthy Christian Roman of the senatorial class. Alexius fled his arranged marriage to follow his holy voc...
Category
Antique 16th Century Belgian Religious Items
Materials
Wood
Bronze sitting female statue, Kulango People, Ivory Coast
Located in Leuven , BE
This bronze statuette of striking modernity,in a minimalist and refined style is part of an eminently small corpus. The fluidity of the forms and the remarkable purity of the figurin...
Category
Early 20th Century Ivorian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Very early Monocolor Bamileke Elephant Mask embroided with white trade beads.
Located in Leuven , BE
Bamileke Kuosi Elephant masks comprise cloth panels and hoods woven from plantain fiber over raffia. On this background glass beads are stitched in geometric patterns. The basic form depicts salient features of the elephant—a long trunk and large ears. The hood fits tightly over the masker's head, and two hanging panels, one behind and one in front, partially conceal the body. The front panel is the elephant trunk, and the two large, stiff circles hinged to either side of the head are its ears, which flap as the masker dances. While the mask symbolizes an elephant, the face is human. Eyeholes provide visibility, and a nose and mouth with teeth are normally present. The glass beads used on these earlier masks were nineteenth-century trade beads of Venetian or Czechoslovakian manufacture, used as well in exchange for slaves. Elephant mask costumes...
Category
Early 20th Century Cameroonian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Beads, Organic Material
Ethnodesign Katoyo Mask representing the "Foreigner" with headdress from Angola.
Located in Leuven , BE
This unusual Chokwe mask is probably Katoyo, representing non-Chokwe individuals. The deviation of the mask from the more common Chokwe masks is mainly because they represent Portugu...
Category
Early 20th Century Angolan Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood, Fabric
Ethno Design early 20th Century, Drc, Selection of Three Bark Cloth Beaters
Located in Leuven , BE
Three old and well used bark cloth beater made out of a wooden shaft with a cross-hatched blackened tip which is lashed into position by a strip of cane. These grooved wooden beater were tools used to pound and soften tree bark, for the processing of bark cloth used as clothing. This tool has many different variations that are seen in indigenous cultures worldwide, yet all for a similar purpose. They vary in size, shapes, and materials. They are carved with parallel striations. Some bark beaters...
Category
Early 20th Century Congolese Natural Specimens
Materials
Wood
16th C Mechelen Doll-letter M carved in the back.Some leftovers of polychromy
Located in Leuven , BE
Mechelen dolls are rare wooden devotional figurines (mainly walnut was used), which were made by some members of the Guild of Saint Luke. The figures, all individual saints, were made from reference models using highly regulated carving and polychrome techniques. They had to meet several requirements. The shape of the rug had to meet certain criteria and the letter M (from Mechelen) had to be visible in the shape. These devotional or saint figurines...
Category
Antique 16th Century Belgian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Fruitwood
17th Century Flemish School, Wild Boar Hunt in the Style of Frans Snijders
Located in Leuven , BE
17th century Flemish Shool Antwerp, wild boar hunt in the style of Frans Snijders, oil on oak panel marked by Guilliam Gabron 1609-1662, Antwerp. The st...
Category
Antique 17th Century Belgian Paintings
Materials
Paint
17th C Stone statue of Saint Erasmus or Saint Elmo
Located in Leuven , BE
Saint Erasmus or Saint Elmo (Antioch, ca. 240 – Formia, 303) was an Italian bishop and patron saint of the sailors. His attribute was the capstan, a winch on which the anchor chains were rolled up. He died as a martyr for his faith, and his bones were transferred to Gaeta in the 9th century, where they are kept in the cathedral to this day. The electric phenomenon of Saint Elmus fire is named after Saint Erasmus and the 16th C humanist Desiderius Erasmus. Little is known with certainty about Saint Erasmus' life. However, many legends may have been passed on orally until the - no older writings are known with certainty. His birthplace was in present-day Syria. However, the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian forced him to flee to Mount Lebanon...
Category
Antique 17th Century Belgian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Victorian Mens Sterling Silver Skull Shirt Collar Stud Button in Fitted Box
Located in Leuven , BE
Antique Victorian Mens Sterling Silver Skull Shirt Collar Stud Button with Fitted Box - Hallmarked Birmingham 1890 ?
Category
Antique 19th Century British Religious Items
Materials
Sterling Silver
Framed Mafo embroidered Leopard skin, 'guop n'gui koko'. Bamileke People, Bafous
Located in Leuven , BE
The panther skin is fully adorned with an intricate beaded design, rendering the feline in a highly stylized form. Its round head, fierce expression, wide-open eyes, and triangular w...
Category
Early 20th Century Cameroonian Decorative Art
Materials
Beads
A large handmade wooden sculpture, study of a Marlin, in skeletal form.
Located in Leuven , BE
A large handmade wooden sculpture, study of a Marlin, in skeletal form.
Category
20th Century British Animal Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Didactical Model of Cockchafer or May bug sold by the “ Denoyer-Geppert Company
Located in Leuven , BE
Beetle model (Melotontha vulgaris), strongly enlarged. One side shows the outer shape, the other the inner constitution and the viscera, legs and wings ca...
Category
Early 20th Century German Natural Specimens
Materials
Plaster, Paper
Flemish School, Painting of Madonna and Child, Oil on Panel, Framed
Located in Leuven , BE
This lovely 17th century painting was made in the last part of the European Renaissance period, also known as the high renaissance, late 17th century. This scene depicts the Madonna with her Child...
Category
Antique 17th Century Belgian Decorative Art
Materials
Paint
Collection of 57 Decorative Butterfly Taxidermy Cases.Real Butterfly Art Display
Located in Leuven , BE
In the past, amateur entomologists and scientists often collected butterflies. For example, in the Victorian age, it was a wide spread educational leisure activity. This restored and pest-free old collection has about 4.500 butterflies that have been dried and pinned. Thirty percent of the species are European. The origin of the remaining specimens lies, inter alia, in Africa, Madagascar, Formosa, India...
Category
Late 20th Century Decorative Art
Materials
Organic Material
Sculptured model of a smoked Mummie, Papua New Guinea, papier mâché, 20th C
Located in Leuven , BE
Sculptured model of a smoked Papua Mummie, papier mâché, 20th C
Burial practices vary in New Guinea, just as they do everywhere else in the world. Some cultures believe the soul is d...
Category
Early 2000s Belgian Models and Miniatures
Materials
Paper
The ‘medical examination’, Singerie by Belgian painter Jos Schippers (1868-1950)
By Joseph Schippers
Located in Leuven , BE
Singerie is a visual art genre that features monkeys imitating human actions, often dressed in stylish clothing, designed to amuse and offer a satirical take on society. The term ori...
Category
20th Century Belgian Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Sword and its scabbard-Diplomatic gift from Negus Menelik II Emperor of Ethiopia
Located in Leuven , BE
This prestige weapon was commissioned by Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia as a diplomatic gift for the renowned French Armenian merchant and honorary French envoy Matig Kevorkoff, a pr...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Ethiopian Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Iron
Selection of eight restored 19th C Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Windows
Located in Leuven , BE
The Color Experience: Stained-glass windows
“Color is a power which directly influences the soul” (Wassili Kandinsky, Moskou 1866 – Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1944)
“Color! What a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams!” (« La couleur ! Quelle langue profonde et mystérieuse, le langage des rêves », Paul Gauguin, Paris, 1848-Fatu-Hiva, 1903)
‘Color and feeling’, ‘color and meaning’, these are concepts that have gone together since time immemorial. Artists and craftsmen have a special bond with color. After all, it is a means of expression that can have a real reinforcing effect. Especially linking color with light offers unlimited possibilities. Glaziers and glass painters have tried to master both these ‘instruments’ for centuries.
The set of beautifully restored neo-Gothic windows in our collection are enough reason for us to let these works of art figure in a broader story. As a bonus, we would like to introduce you to the contemporary stained-glass artist and stained-glass restorer, Daniël Theys. whose workshop is in Sint-Pieters-Rode (Belgium). He talked to us about the materials and techniques he used for the restoration of our set of neo-Gothic stained-glass windows. A fascinating look at the tricks of the trade from a specialist!
A bird’s eye view of the history of the European stained-glass window.
Although the Romans already used translucent glass plates to cover wall openings, the stained-glass window reached its peak in Europe between 1150 and 1500. A period also known as the era of the cathedrals. At that time, stained-glass windows became more than just a way to let in the light, and to keep the space closed off. From now on, their functionality was also found in their didactic value. The biblical and saints’ stories that adorned the stained-glass windows became a kind of poor man’s bible. They brought, as it were, the knowledge of the holy scriptures in an understandable, pictorial way. At the same time, the colored light provided additional symbolism. The invading light was interpreted as a manifestation of God. It is also no coincidence that the main altar was bathed in light. It was the place where the most important sacrament was celebrated, that of the Eucharist. How were these magical colors obtained? Well, during the 12th and 13th centuries, metal oxides gave color to the glass. Copper, for example, produced different colors in the various stages of oxidation. The metal could color the glass light blue, green and even red. It should be noted that from the 13th century onwards, clear glass, which was cheaper and at the same time allowed more light into the buildings, was used more often. A century later, in the years 1400 to 1500, glass painters frequently painted onto the glass with a ‘stain’ of silver chloride or sulfide. The painted piece of glass was heat-treated in a furnace. The heating process ensured that the silver ions migrated into the glass and became suspended within the glass network. The stain gave colors ranging from a pale yellow to a rather deep red. This new technique allowed glaziers to get more than one color on a single glass fragment. The shades produced by painting in silver chloride were well suited for depicting golden crowns, scepters and other gilded objects and ornaments. But the most important advantage of the technique was the fact that the glass painter could now make transitions from yellow tones to white without having to apply separations with lead strips! This also improved the legibility of the pictured scene.
You can imagine that the labor-intensive process of the production of stained-glass windows was a very costly affair and therefore it was often patrons who donated them to a church or a chapel. The benefactors were usually eager to propagate their social status and were moved by concern for their salvation.
In the 16th century, stained-glass windows also began to appear in secular buildings such as town halls, the homes of the wealthy and commercial premises such as inns. It is striking that during this period the use of lead strips that border many parts of the image was further reduced in favor of real painting on stained glass. This was due to an increasing love of detail. For example, one wanted realistically painted portrait heads. Working with enamel paints was cumbersome. Each newly applied color had to be burned into the glass before another color or overpainting could be applied. It was not only the coloring of the glass that was complicated, the process of obtaining flat glass plates required many steps as well. The glazier blew a glass bulb with a blowpipe and then cut it open. Finally, each half of the sphere was turned around so fast that it became a disc. In later periods, the glazier blew out his glass bulb into a cylinder. Once the cylinder had cooled, its closed ends were removed, and the long sides were cut open. The pieces of glass obtained were then heated and flattened. During the 16th century, there was a division of labor between the stained-glass designer, the glazier, and the glass painter. It happened as well that the stained-glass artist used prints as models for his stained-glass windows. Whoever drew the design, the glazier always needed a model on the right scale, the so-called cartoon. On the cartoon, the lead strips were clearly marked, and the use of colors was indicated. Contracts at the time show that the price of stained-glass windows was calculated per square foot. The price per square foot included the labor and material costs. The price of the cartoon was not included.
In the 17th century, the work of glass painters remained important. At the same time, there was a growing popularity of stained-glass windows with heraldic themes. In the Low Countries there were several high-quality glass painters active.
During the 18th century, glass painting went downhill in our regions. The French occupation of the Southern Netherlands resulted in the destruction and sale of religious stained-glass windows.
It was only around the middle of the 19th century that the young Belgian state experienced a revival of stained glass. The renewed interest in the Middle Ages, the so-called ‘gothic revival’, caused a wave of restoration of old stained-glass windows of churches and orders for neo-gothic stained-glass windows. The Sint-Lucas art schools in Belgium played an important role in this. Industrial developments in the glass and steel industries naturally had an important hand in the popularity of stained-glass windows. Stained-glass had a wide range of uses; think of stained glasses in winter gardens, domes, windows, and doors of large mansions. Significant glazier’ studios arose in several larger Belgian cities. In Brussels, for example, you had the workshops of Capronnier and Colpaert, in Bruges the studios of Coucke and Dobbelaere, in Ghent the companies of Ganton-Defoin or Ladon. During the 19th century, glaziers followed the style developments in the visual arts. For example, the number of windows in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style is large. The restored stained-glass windows with male and female saints that we offer for sale, come from a building in Laeken, near Brussels. They probably decorated the space of a church, chapel, convent, or Catholic school. In the results of the interview with glass restorer Daniël Theys, you will learn more about the particularities of these splendid windows.
Chatting and browsing in the workshop of Daniël Theys
The Belgian Glass restorer and glass blower, Daniël Theys (), made a career switch at a later age and has been active in the profession since 1987. He is an important player in the field of stained-glass window art in Belgium. Moreover, he is the only one in the country who still masters the technique of glass etching. Daniël Theys receives many commissions from small parish churches to restore old stained-glass windows to their former glory. He made a name for himself in that niche and that is how Spectandum brought the set of 19th century stained glass windows to his workshop for reconstruction. They were delivered in old numbered wooden crates and Daniel had to start puzzling.
Numbered wooden crates with sections of the stained-glass windows
Normally a glazier starts working from a drawing with a scale of 1:1 (full size drawing), but in this case each piece had to be cataloged and photographed. The smaller pieces were grouped on the light box and photographed in their entirety. Then Daniël made a drawing of the remaining pieces that he had puzzled together with great care.
Smaller pieces identified and grouped on the light box
The restauration guidelines of the Agency for Monuments and Landscapes are not always the same as those of a restorer. For this reconstruction, Daniël primarily considered the purpose of the stained-glass windows. It had to be an aesthetic and salable set of stained-glass windows, so the choice of filling the gaps with neutral glass or epoxy was not really an option. Theys left well-executed previous restorations untouched. The windows may have been repaired three or four times in the past.
Piece of a cloak with glass shards from different periods (restorations)
Another problem Daniel faced during the restoration was the fact that some small parts of the old grisaille had been eaten away by microorganisms. The defect – caused by moisture – can be seen from the discoloration of the grisaille. The black-brown color is turned red.
This fragment shows well how the brown grisaille has turned red due to the attack of micro-organisms
The stained-glass windows of the 19th century are made of ‘in the mass-colored’ glass. This means that the colors were added to the liquid glass during its production process. This type of glass differs from glass colored with enamel paint, which became popular from the interwar period. The latter process involves applying enamel paint (this is a glass powder with a metal oxide to which a medium has been added) to the colorless glass. When firing the glass with the enamel paint, the powder fuses with the glass. The colors of email painted glass are less intense and less brilliant than those of ‘in the mass-colored glass’.
Jars with colored powder for the enamel paints
For the restoration Daniël only worked with mouth-blown glass, both with ‘in the mass-colored glass’ and with ‘verre plaqué’. This is blown glass composed of several layers of different shades. Over the years, Theys built up a large stock of old blown glass. Colored blown glass always has sliding shades. For example, a red piece of glass can have a color transition from bright red to light orange. These differences in shades are the result of the different thicknesses of the piece of glass. It allows the glazier to use a wide variety of shades.
The purple-red foliage with light blue accents was obtained by etching away parts of a piece ‘verre plaqué’. A small part of the lower glass layer is exposed.
The windows were completely re-leaded by the restorer because there was virtually no ‘lead net’ preserved. In general, lead strips only have a limited lifespan because of oxidation processes. Daniël removed the old lead remnants and placed new lead profiles. Then he applied putty between the glass fragments and the lead strips to seal the lead. A window must be made watertight. The current condition of the windows is excellent.
Decorative glass part with original lead remnants
New lead strip
The set of stained-glass windows we present today, originally consisted of windows of 5 to 6 m high. After all, they originally adorned a neo-gothic church. Since the original dimensions are not suitable for private buildings, it was decided to only restore the figurative representation.
The original spire of one of the windows
Thanks to a suspension eye, the window can be hung. There is also the possibility to place the window in an upright position.
Thanks to the craftsmanship of the Theys-Studio, we can once again enjoy the brilliance of color!
Looking for the missing link
The set of 19th-century stained-glass windows came into the possession of Spectandum without a clear provenance. The renowned Leuven antiques dealer, Cornelius Engelen, recalls that the windows came from a church in Laeken. There is no solid starting point for a search for the provenance. Based on the style of the stained-glass windows – most probably the late 19th century -, their religious iconography, and their original shape (pointed arch windows) and dimensions (5 to 6 cm high), we can assume that they were once displayed in a (neo-)gothic cult building. On the one hand, the stained-glass windows may have been removed after storm damage or other calamities, on the other they may have been taken away during a renovation or a demolition of a church. The Church of Our Lady in Laeken is the most famous church building in that municipality that could qualify. In the early 1920s, the central windows of the transept were badly damaged by a hurricane. Today, glass fragments of these windows (dating from 1893-1894) with the names of the sixteen missing saints and an arch infill of the western window are officially known. It would be interesting to find out if our set of eight saints once were part of the transept of Our Lady in Laeken. Research in the records of the church administrators could provide clarification. Knowing that most neo-gothic stained-glass windows from the Church of Our Lady come from the Jules Dobbelaere’s glass studio in Bruges, it is useful to consult that company’s archive as well. It is kept in the KADOC (Documentation and research center for religion, culture and; in Leuven. Of course, the sizes and shape of the stone window openings of the transept can also provide an indication. If we stylistically compare the grisailles of the set of stained-glass windows with the work of Jules Dobbelaere, we do see some relationship. Especially with a stained-glass window in the chapel of Our Lady of the Saint Anthony Church in Aalst.
Another line of research that we could follow, is that of the iconography of the series. One of the saints depicted is Saint Roch. There once was a Saint-Roch church in Laeken with 19th-century stained-glass windows from the Brussels studio of Jean-Baptiste Capronnier. The company archive of the glaziers François and Jean-Baptiste Capronnier is owned by the Flemish government and can be consulted in the above-mentioned KADOC. We already searched the sales catalog of 1892, in which Capronnier’s drawings and cartoons are described one by one. The saints that are represented in our set of windows, does not correspond with the names of the saints mentioned for the church of St. Roch in Laeken. Building on this argument, it can be concluded that the eight saints were not destined for this house of worship.
In the absence of lavishly illustrated monographs on the various glazier-companies in Belgium, the execution of a comparative study of the stained-glass windows is time-consuming and complex. Although a limited number of old photos of stained-glass windows can still be found in the database ‘Balat’ of the KIK-IRPA (), this remains far too limited to get a good picture of the output of the various companies.
19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Saint Martin, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Most people know Saint Martin (Szombathely, ca. 316 – Candes, 397) as the Roman Tribune who cut his cloak in two with his sword and gave one half to a beggar. The artist of the stained-glass window has opted for a different, less common iconographic representation here. Saint Martin is presented as a bishop with a miter and staff. According to a legend, Martin was lured to the city of Tours with a trick to consecrate him as a bishop. He refused the ecclesiastical office and hid in a barn with some geese. The birds betrayed him with their twittering. In the end Martin received his episcopal consecration. The goose at the feet of the saint clearly refers to this event.
19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Angela, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Angela de Merici was an Italian woman who taught young women religion, health care, and household skills. She founded the monastic community of the Ursulines. They played an important social role as founders of schools and orphanages. Saint Angela died in Brescia in 1540. It should therefore come as no surprise that the saint on the stained-glass-window is depicted with
a girl by her side.
19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Charles Borromeo, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Charles Borromeo (Milan, 1538-1584) grew up in a noble family. He was already made Cardinal and Archbishop of Milan at the age of 24. With his writings he contributed to the implementation of the Church reforms determined at the Council of Trent. Among other things, he released a new catechism. With his book on the design of church buildings, “Instructiones Fabriacae et Supellectilis Ecclesiasticae”, he left a mark on Baroque church construction. At the outbreak of the plague in his diocese in 1576, he devoted himself to the care of those affected. Hence, people sometimes pray to him when they have been hit by a serious illness.
19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Roch, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Saint Roch (Montpellier, 1295? /1350? -1327? /1380?) was born with a port-wine stain in the shape of a cross on his left hip. It was interpreted as a sign from God. After the dead of his parents, he gave his money to the poor and went on to live the life of pilgrim. He cared for plague sufferers and healed some of them by making a sign of the cross. He is especially invoked as protector against the plague.
19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Bernard of Clairvaux (Fontaines, 1090-Clairvaux, 1153) decided to become a monk at the age of 21. In 1112 he entered in the monastery of Cîtaux. He was soon commissioned by the abbot to find a new monastery in Clairvaux. Because of his intellectual capacities and eloquence, he was consulted by various ecclesiastical and secular leaders. He ensured the expansion of the Cistercian order throughout Europe. As a Doctor of the Church, he wrote many tracts and sermons and established a new rule for the Templars. Above all, he was concerned with the discipline of the clergy. Therefore, he wrote a spiritual manual for the priests and bishops. Saint Bernard can be seen as a true mystic. He envisioned the union of the human soul with God as the most important goal in life. According to a legend, Bernard once had a vision in which the Blessed Virgin appeared to him and strengthened him with her mother’s milk. In the arts, the saint is mainly depicted with an abbot’s staff and a book with the Cistercian rule. His vision was also often portrayed.
19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. John Berchmans, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
The Belgian Jan Berchmans (Diest, 1599-Rome, 1621) was the eldest of five children. When his mother became seriously ill, he initially took care of her, but at the age of nine he was housed with the town’s priest. After a few years he moved to Mechelen to become the servant of a canon. It also gave him the opportunity to begin his studies in the seminary for priests. He eventually joined the Jesuits of Mechelen. He got their permission to study philosophy in Rome. In the Eternal City, he visited working-class neighbourhoods to teach the children about God. He died of an illness at the age of 22. Saint Jan Berchmans is the patron saint of school children and students.
19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Saint Clare...
Category
Antique 19th Century Belgian Gothic Revival Architectural Elements
Materials
Art Glass, Stained Glass
Rare antique colonial African Leather & Horn Throne Armchair
Located in Leuven , BE
This beautiful colonial chair made of horn and leather is African in origin and dates from the early 1900. Despite its age, this chair is in perfect condition, has a beautiful use-p...
Category
20th Century Dutch Armchairs
Materials
Horn, Leather, Rope, Organic Material
17th Century Flemish School, Saint Francis In Extasy, Oil on Oak Panel
Located in Leuven , BE
This 17th century panel painting is a depiction of a praying Franciscan monk, or of Saint Francis. The grey-brown habit, the skull and the book are ...
Category
Antique 17th Century Belgian Decorative Art
Materials
Oak, Paint
Pair of 19th C Carousel Decorative Female Torsos Attributed to Charles I.D. Luff
Located in Leuven , BE
This pair of female torsos presumably decorated a fair stand or an organ in a theme park. Most likely, they were part of an immense organ that was intended ...
Category
Antique 19th Century Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
19th C Oakwood Counter Top Cigar Store Indian Statue, Netherlands
Located in Leuven , BE
The cigar store Indian originated as a tradition, not in the United States but in Europe, where carved “Virginie men,” as Europeans called native Americans, were used for advertising...
Category
Antique 19th Century Dutch Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Butcher's Exterior Wall Mounted Shop Sign of a Steer Bull Head Wood covered Lead
Located in Leuven , BE
Antique French wooden steer's head,used as the exterior sign of a butcher’s shop (in French they would call it a boucherie). The sign must be over a hundred years old,still has his o...
Category
20th Century French Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Lead
Collection of 20 Decorative and Expressive Bembe Mudzini Reliquary Heads DRC
Located in Leuven , BE
These heads allowed the relatives to always have a link with the deceased, second half of the 20th century.
Category
Late 20th Century Congolese Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Textile
Blaise Bontems Musical Automaton Singing birds and Clock under glass dome
Located in Leuven , BE
This 19th-century French automaton from the late 1800s showcases a delightful ensemble of features: three vibrant animated birds, a cascading waterfall, a tree surrounded by rocky ou...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Taxidermy
Materials
Metal
Ibibio Anthropomorphic Standing Male Janus Figure, Nigeria
Located in Leuven , BE
This elaborate Janus statue is a rare example of an Ibibio free-standing figure to recall a well-defined ancestor in what seems a European outfit .The Ibibios lend supernatural power...
Category
20th Century Congolese Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
19th C Tobacco Shop Publicity Statue smoking a pipe - polychromed wood.
Located in Leuven , BE
19th C Tobacco Shop Publicity Statue smoking a pipe -polychromed wood.In perfect state -stands tall on its own.
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Hardwood
17th C Portrait of a Gentleman in three-quarter-length, Attr. to Nicolaes Maes
Located in Leuven , BE
The 39-year-old gentleman had himself portrayed as an aristocrat in an idyllic landscape. At the time, parks and forests were associated with the nobility's lands and pastimes. The s...
Category
Antique 17th Century Dutch Paintings
Materials
Canvas
The Texas-Mexican Rebellions, attributed to Leon Cogniet (1794-1880).
Located in Leuven , BE
The Texas-Mexican Rebellions,attributed to Leon Cogniet (1794-1880).
Category
Antique 19th Century French Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Chinese 19 th C Workshop-Scaled model with 17 polychromed figures.World exhibit
Located in Leuven , BE
The Diorama was in a private collection for more than 20 years and is said to have been exposed at the China Exposition 1902 in Copenhagen.This group of Chinese polychromed-decorate...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Models and Miniatures
Materials
Terracotta
Set of 4 wooden Poplar chairs sculptured out of one piece inside or outside use
Located in Leuven , BE
Set of 4 wonderful wooden chairs with lovely use patina
Category
20th Century French Chairs
Materials
Hardwood
Three Decorative Beaded Flywhisks , Cameroon Grasslands
Located in Leuven , BE
The Royal Fly Whisks (ethnic names: see leng koko or beuka) used in dances are made of carved wood to which horse tails are attached. These tails are veritable war trophies cut from ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Cameroonian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Burlap, Wood, Beads
19th C Anatomical Didactic Model of a Torso with Removable Organs.
Located in Leuven , BE
Anatomical models have been used for centuries as an adjunct to teaching anatomy, and play an important role in the history of anatomical education. Models became popular over time f...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century German Models and Miniatures
Materials
Plaster
Bronze patinated Statue of Fencer by G.Devreese (1861-1941) .
Located in Leuven , BE
Godefroid Devreese (19 August 1861 – 31 August 1941) was a Belgian sculptor. He first studied with his father, then continued his studies at the academies in Kortrijk and Bruxelles f...
Category
Early 20th Century Belgian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Yombe Chief Staff "Mwaala", Publ: Kongo Art Magique, Yann Ferrandin, Paris 2009.
Located in Leuven , BE
A Wooden Yombe Mwaala Chief Staff, with three globular elements. The Finial is a finely carved female figure kneeling, the hands resting on the knees and with raised scarification ma...
Category
Early 20th Century Congolese Natural Specimens
Materials
Hardwood
Pair of Inuit Male Statues carved in Caribou bone-probably Nunivak, 20th Century
Located in Leuven , BE
This pair is a fine example of carving done by Inuit natives. Native Americans who live within and just below the Arctic Circle. Hand-made tools were improvised for carving and bow...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Canadian Natural Specimens
Materials
Bone
Collection of 8 plaster Model heads by Gustave Fontaine (1877-1952).
Located in Leuven , BE
Collection of 9 plaster Model heads by Gustave Fontaine (1877-1952).
Gustave FONTAINE ( Etterbeek 1877-1952 Brussels). Sculptor–painter. Took courses in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, contin...
Category
20th Century Belgian Busts
Materials
Plaster
17th C representation of a peasants couple, the man partly dressed up as a noble
Located in Leuven , BE
17th C representation of a peasants couple ,the man partly dressed up as a nobleman.Flemish school,Oil on panel.
Oil on panel, 22.7 x 34 cm. The woman is wearing the commoners outfit...
Category
Antique 17th Century Belgian Paintings
Materials
Hardwood
Sir Frederick Lugard-Colonial administrator Nigeria. Bronze by Herbert Cawood.
Located in Leuven , BE
Sir Frederick Lugard-Colonial administrator Nigeria. Bronze by Herbert Cawood 1938, 92 x 27 x 27 cm, 36 1/4 x 10 5/8 x 10 5/8 in:
Herbert Harry Cawood (1890-1957) was an English scu...
Category
Vintage 1930s Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Country landscape with cows, Mechelse school, 1838
Located in Leuven , BE
Country landscape with cows, Mechelse school, 1838
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Belgian Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Still live with Vase and flowers, Alex Lallemand (Ixelles, 1892-1963), signed.
Located in Leuven , BE
Alex Lallemand (Ixelles, 1892–1963)
Belgian painter. He had a predilection for landscapes, figures, flowers, and still lifes. His works are imbued with dreams, instimism, and sometim...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Paintings
Materials
Canvas
17th C Landscape Painting with Staffage, Noblewoman with Squire, Oil on Copper.
Located in Leuven , BE
17th C Landscape Painting with Staffage, Noblewoman with Squire, Oil on Copper.
Category
Antique 17th Century Dutch Paintings
Materials
Copper
Rare wooden Ceremonial Karaja doll with distinctive circles on the face, Brazil
Located in Leuven , BE
The Karajá people inhabit a 180-mile-long region in central Brazil, spanning the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Pará, and Tocantins. Currently, they reside in 29 villages throughout t...
Category
Early 20th Century Brazilian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Traditional Tribal Mandau (Parang Ilang) Sword – Dayak People, Borneo
Located in Leuven , BE
Traditional Tribal Mandau (Parang Ilang) Sword – Dayak People, Borneo
The Mandau is a traditional sword of the Dayak people of Borneo, revered both as a cultural artifact and a weap...
Category
Early 20th Century Indonesian Antiquities
Materials
Metal
Female Caryatid standing Figure on a circular base, DRC
Located in Leuven , BE
A standing female figure with prominent breasts below a columnar neck resting between broad shoulders that lead to elongated arms which bend at the elbows to support the seat above. ...
Category
20th Century Congolese Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Ceremonial Monkey Figure on a Snailshell, German Collection, Bulu People
Located in Leuven , BE
The eye-catcher of this bell jar is the centrally placed blue bird with spread wings. It is an Indian Roller that occurs mainly in West Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
Provenanc...
Category
Early 20th Century Cameroonian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Organic Material, Terracotta
Self-portrait of Sarah Bernhardt in the form of monstrous chimera.Thiebaud Frere
Located in Leuven , BE
A fabulous discovery—this bronze chimera represents a self-portrait by the famous Sarah Bernhardt in the form of a monstrous chimera! A bronze reduction...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Male anatomical model in painted stuccoed fiber. First half of the 20th century.
Located in Leuven , BE
Male anatomical model in painted stuccoed fiber. First half of the 20th century. Beautiful patina. Height: 30 cm.
Category
Early 20th Century French Scientific Instruments
Materials
Natural Fiber, Parchment Paper
Ceremonial pectoral plastron in the form of a half moon, Tibet, 19-20th C
Located in Leuven , BE
Old large pectoral necklace in the shape of a breastplate, originating from Tibet. Magnificent color work with a mixture of turquoise stones, red beads, silver and copper. The suppor...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Tibetan Collectible Jewelry
Materials
Multi-gemstone
Ceremonial hardwood Skeleton from a single piece of wood, Nigeria.
Located in Leuven , BE
An uncommon form, the abstract teeth filled mouthed figure standing straight on an integral base.
Category
20th Century Nigerian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Hardwood
Antique Eyeglasses in nicely decorated Case, China Circa 1900
Located in Leuven , BE
Antique Eyeglasses in nicely decorated Case, China Circa 1900. The core is in wood and the case in shagreen, tinted with copper oxide. Shagreen is s...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Scholar's Objects
Materials
Glass
Tibetan Left turn Conch Shell Trumpet with Silver Mounted decorations.
Located in Leuven , BE
Tibetan Left turn Conch Shell Trumpet with Silver Mounts
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Tibetan Metalwork
Materials
Shell
Seated terracotta Figure with nose-ring, Quimbaya culture, 17th C
Located in Leuven , BE
Seated terracotta Figure with nose-ring, Quimbaya culture, 17th C
Category
Antique 17th Century Colombian Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Nepalese ritual Large Lingzhi Fungus Terai Mushroom Mask.
Located in Leuven , BE
Nepalese ritual Large Lingzhi Fungus Terai Mushroom Mask. Important and rare mask carved in wood fungus, of the tinder fungus type (fomes fomentarius), of rounded triangular form, wi...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Nepalese Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Organic Material
Ethnographic Fish Scale Hat Handmade Molucca, Indonesia.
Located in Leuven , BE
Ethnographic Fish Scale Hat Handmade Molucca, Indonesia.
Category
Early 20th Century Indonesian Antiquities
Materials
Animal Skin
Chancay original Mummy Bundle Mask
Located in Leuven , BE
A hand-carved funerary mask meant to attach to a larger mummy bundle. The plank-form mask is painted with a broad red face accented with white, diamond-shaped eyes, a rectangular mou...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Peruvian Native American Objects
Materials
Textile, Wood
Mexican colourful Bat dance mask, hammered in copper, Nahua people, 19-20th C
Located in Leuven , BE
Rare and spectacular bat dance mask from Mexico. Crafted in the late 19th to early 20th century, with later retouches to the polychromy. This type of mask is made of hammered copper ...
Category
Early 20th Century Mexican Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Copper
Unusual Filipino representation of Saint Roch in a Spanish colonial style.
Located in Leuven , BE
Unusual representation of Saint Roch in a Spanish colonial style. A Filipino work in exotic wood from the period of evangelization under the Spanish Crown. The type of wood used and ...
Category
Antique Late 17th Century Philippine Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Hardwood