Italian 18th century 'Lavabo' Fountain

Early 19th century Italian hand-carved marble fountain in a form of a putto.

Although when most people hear the word “gargoyle”, they probably envision small, winged creatures with grotesque visages. However, the phrase has a deeper meaning, encompassing any carved head (animal or human) that function as waterspouts. From the Early Renaissance (late 1400’s/early 1500’s), our gargoyle fountain spout features a human-like face with pointed ears, possibly representing a centaur or a satyr. The roughly rectangular block of marble was hand-carved in Arezzo, in the Tuscany region of Italy. All sides except the front of the cream-colored stone have a sawed finish, resulting in a rough texture. The back has been excavated, adding to the character of the gargoyle. A 1 ½” diameter hole has been cut all the way through, forming an open mouth of the gargoyle. The gaping mouth was often a symbol used to conjure images of devouring giants and used to remind people that they are susceptible to certain forces. Our 15th/16th century marble...

Beautiful and rare 19th century buff terracotta quatrefoil fountain basin, by James Pulham and Sons of Broxbourne. This fantastic piece is in a very good condition and is beautifu...

Crafted in Normandy, France circa 1780, and mounted on a carved fruit wood door, the antique brass lavabo features the original two-piece lavabo; a demilune basin at the base, and a ...

Monumental 19th century French water pump fountain made by Louis Jonet. This large cast iron piece would have been mounted above a large stone trough to catch water. Reminiscent of t...

This elegant, antique fountain was crafted in Lyon, France, circa 1780. In the past, this kind of lavabos was actually used for hand washing. This water fountain is made of pewter with bronze faucets...