Animal Sculptures

This important George III tazza is attributed to famed Scottish-Swedish architect Sir William Chambers. The magnificent piece features a base carved from statuary marble in the shape of a stylized dolphin, which relates to Chambers' extraordinary 18th-century architectural designs. A marvel of beauty and craftsmanship, the tazza is also inset with specimens of Derbyshire Blue John in both the plinth and bowl. Blue John is one of the most in-demand decorative stones in the world, and its inclusion in this piece elevates the tazza to a true Georgian masterpiece. Due to its popularity, the largest veins of Blue John had disappeared by the early 19th century, and only a small amount of the stone remains today. Because of its scarcity, most examples of Blue John furniture feature only small inset veneers. By contrast, this rare tazza features not one, but two substantial specimens of the stone. It represents some of the last ornamental wares created of such grand size and proportion, though other smaller examples still grace the stately British estates of Chatsworth, Hardwick, Kedleston and Haddon, among others. Not only does this tazza boast a highly rare material, but it was also designed by one of the most important architects and designers of the Georgian era. Sir William Chambers was a Scottish-Swedish architect based in London who was active during the reigns of Kings George II and George III. Celebrated for his combination of English Palladianism...

Group of five bird sculptures in gold leaf glass by Barovier & Toso (1939) a famous Italian company that specialised in Venetian glass, the birds produced circa 1950. This was part o...

Kangxi period (1662-1722) turquoise & aubergine glazed porcelain frog. Covered in an overall rich turquoise & aubergine glaze. This charming frog is m...

An old Italian wooden sculpture of a rampant carrousel horse. Modern metal base. Measure refers to the horse only. Italy, 1750 ca.

Phyllis Morris original poodle table lamp, signed, Blue, 1952 Hollywood Regency. Iconic American Pop Design. Signed. Rare custom blue poodle. With original harp and lace shade. From the 1950s to her passing in 1988, Phyllis created hundreds of designs blending the Hollywood Regency and California eclectic styles with her interpretation of Baroque-meets-Fantasy. Phyllis Morris’ first and most iconic design was the Poodle Lamp...

This carved oak woodwork was probably placed on the facade of the house, close to the roofing framework of a Norman house. The sculptor had depicted the salamender frontview in a sty...

Hedgehog by Walter Bosse for Hertha Baller.

This large and heavy ceramic bear was made in Sweden during the 1950s at Rörstrand and designed by famous Gunnar Nylund. Together with the fanatics pattern and the stunning glaze thi...

Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown opalescent white and caramel Italian art glass bunny rabbit sculpture / figurine. Documented to designer Archimede ...

Pendant China - Ming period (1368-1644) Green jade with brown shades, carved and incised.

Late 17th century French extremely fine carved wood polychromed and gold gilded pocket watch holder. It has a carved cup behind the front opening to hold th...

This series of elephants / mammoths, bears, deers etc was designed by the Danish ceramist Knud Kyhn (KK) all the way back in 1929-36. Hugely inspired by the sung glazes applied in Ax...

This large and heavy ceramic bear was made in Sweden during the 1950s at Rörstrand and designed by famous Gunnar Nylund. Together with the fanatics pattern and the stunning glaze thi...

Pair of large Asian heavy cast brass koi fish sculptors newly mounted on black lacquered wood and metal bases. Each fish is finely crafted and sightly d...

1950s bronze monkey bowl.

1950s French amusement park large decorative horse – Original paint 1950s French amusement park decorative horse. Originally this a ride on horse for ch...

Walter Bosse shoehorn shows a cat, circa 1950s Original condition.

Walter Bosse shoehorn shows a cat, circa 1950s Original condition.

Small Walter Bosse bear figurine, Vienna, circa 1950s Original condition.

Exotic parrot in multi-color ceramic by Royal Dux production from late 1950s.

Glass figurine made in Germany in the 1950s.

Bear ceramic by Knud Kyhn, Denmark, 1950s.

A striking Italian 18th century giltwood and polychrome statue of two eagles. The statue is raised by a most decorative polychrome ground and branch like designed base. Above are two...

Fantastic sculpture of an ape with a lot on his mind, captured in great forms. Produced by Rörstrand and maker/designer Gunnar Nylund. Made in Sweden in the midcentury. Beautiful gla...

Small Richard Rohac Duck figurine, Vienna, around 1950s (Marked on Bottom) Original condition.

A fine midcentury vintage Italian ceramic figure of a resting puppy dog by Giovanni Ronzan. This figure is well modeled with molded and painted feature...

Vintage, beautifully rendered, bronze incense burner modelled on a dove/bird figure. Incredibly sculptural piece with verdigris and Brutalist design elements. The piece trascends its...

Small penguin by Walter bosse, around 1950s Marked Austria on Bottom Original condition.  

Small duck figurine by Richard Rohac, around 1950s Original condition.

A Beautiful Set of Murano hand blown Italian art glass sculptures. The glass is shaped like fish and will make a beautiful addition to your living room or home decor for years to come.

Large French wicker rooster, Circa 1950. Measures: Height / 19 inches. Lenght / 23 inches.

This is an unusual pair of 17th Century (or earlier) Flemish (?) carved lions that once formed part of a large cabinet or, perhaps, the feet of an elaborat...

A small black pony in the style of Walter Bosse/Herta Baller made of brass.

Pair of 1870s English carved wood lions.

Cat figurine by Walter Bosse Original condition.

A charming true pair of Italian 18th century white carrara marble statuettes of lions. Each statue is raised by an oval terr...

Each stylized elongated bird in a soft coral-to-clear glass.

Cute vintage Murano hand blown opalescent green, blue with controlled bubbles Italian art glass horse head paperweight / sculpture. Documented to the F...

A salt and pepper shaker donkey set designed by Walter Bosse and manufactured by Hertha Baller, Austria, Vienna, in midcentury in 1950s. The donkey is made of blackened brass. The shakers are made of teak wood. This charming piece is an eyecatcher for every kitchen or dining table. About Walter Bosse and Hertha Baller: Walter Bosse (November 13, 1904–December 13, 1979) was a Viennese artist, designer, ceramist, potter, metalworker, and craftsman noted for his modernist bronze animal figurines...

Beautiful set of vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso amber and gold flecks art glass dove bird sculptures / figurines. Documented to designer Archimede Seguso, with original labels un...

Walter Bosse brass monkey figurine pretzel holder, ring holder Austrian brass monkey figurine, usually made to be used as a pretzel holder, a decorativ...

Swan Murano glass Licio Zanetti murano glass brass red.

A large vintage French dog statue standing on his cushion begging for a cookie, weathered patina. Base 14' x 14'.  

Seal sculpture in bronze, circa 20th century Origin France illegible signature signed in the bronze back perfect condition with natural wear.

Walter Bosse brass cat figurine pretzel holder, ring holder Original condition.

Graceful resting hand-carved silvered brass deer lamp mounted on a black lacquered wooden base. Detailed on back and Head with extraordinary carvings....

Sea monster Carrara marble mouth fountain Italy, late 16th century It measures 13.8 x 31.5 x 18.9 in (35 x 80 x 48 cm) State of conservation: some small evident gaps and widespread signs of wear due to outdoor exposure. The gray marks crossing it do not come from restoration, but are rather the natural veins of the marble. This work has some morphological characteristics typically associated with the iconography of the sea monster: an elongated muzzle, sharp teeth, protruding eyes, elongated ears, and a coiled serpent's tail. An in-depth series of studies on artistic depictions of the sea monster attempted to verify how this symbol evolved in antiquity in the European and Mediterranean contexts and how it gradually changed its image and function over time. The iconography itself is mutable and imaginative and its history is rich with cultural and artistic exchange, as well as the overlapping of ideas. This occurred so much that it is difficult to accurately pinpoint the "types" that satisfactorily represent its various developments. However, we can try to summarize the main figures, starting from the biblical Leviathan and the marine creature that swallowed Jonah (in the Christian version, this figure was to become a whale or a "big fish", the “ketos mega”, translation of the Hebrew “dag gadol”). Other specimens ranged from the dragons mentioned in the Iliad (which were winged and had legs) to "ketos” (also from Greek mythology), the terrifying being from whose Latinized name (“cetus”) derives the word "cetacean". See J. Boardman, “Very Like a Whale” - Classical Sea Monsters, in Monsters and Demons in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds, in Papers presented in Honor of Edith Porada, Mainz am Rhein 1987, pp. 73-84). In Italy the monster underwent yet further variations: it can be found in Etruscan art on the front of some sarcophagi representing the companion of souls, while among the Romans we find the “Pistrice” (cited by Plinio in Naturalis Historia PLIN., Nat., II 9, 8 and by Virgilio in Eneide: VERG., Aen., III, 427), which appeared in the shape of a stylized hippocampus or a very large monstrous cetacean and evolved into a hideous being with a dragon's head and long webbed fins. During the Middle Ages, the sea monster was the object of new transformations: at this time, it is often winged, the head is stretched like a crocodile, the front legs are often very sharp fins - sometimes real paws - until the image merges with dragons, the typical figures of medieval visionary spirituality widely found throughout Europe (on this topic and much more, see: Baltrušaitis, J., Il Medioevo fantastico. Antichità ed esotismi nell’arte gotica, Gli Adelphi 1997). In Italy during the 15th and 16th centuries, the revival of classicism - representative of the humanistic and Renaissance periods - led to a different reading of these "creatures". Indeed, the sea monster was also to find widespread use as an isolated decorative motif, especially in numerous fountains and sculptures where dolphins or sea monsters were used as a characterizing element linked to water (on this theme see: Chet Van Duzer, Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps, London, The British library, 2013). From the morphological point of view, the "sea monsters" of this period are mostly depicted as hybrid figures, in which the body of a mythological or real being (a hippocampus, a sea snake, a dolphin), is joined to a head with a rather indistinct appearance. It was usually characterized by large upright ears, an elongated snout, sharp teeth and globular, protruding eyes; a complex and indefinite figure, both from the symbolic point of view and from that of its genesis. The work we are examining is placed as a cross between the medieval sea serpent and the Renaissance dolphin, with stylistic features which recall the snake as often used in heraldry (such as the "snake" depicted in the coat of arms of the Visconti - the lords and then dukes of Milan between 1277 and 1447 - and which, for some, may be derived from the representations of the “Pistrice” that swallowed Jonah). In the search for sources, Renaissance cartography and in particular woodcuts should not be neglected. See for example the monsters of Olaus Magnus, from the editions of the “Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus” (“History of the peoples of the north”) and the natural histories of Conrad Gesner, Ulisse...

Royal dux ceramic statue of a blue macaw, perched on a stand in typical inquisitive stance. Having a pink triangle to base, together with printed and impres...

Richard Rohac figurine pretzel holder, ring holder, Vienna, 1950s Original condition.

Pair of glazed ceramic foo dog sculptures for birks resting on painted on wooden base Marked: "Made in Spain for Birks" and bearing sticker marked Birks with inventory number.

Pair of 1950s Indian handcarved sandstone main door guard lions.

Large oval Majolica Palissy crab and fish wall platter Vallauris, circa 1950 Large crab in relief, fish’s, shells and seaweeds.    

Mid-Century Modern Italian white glazed terracotta wild boar statue in the style Aldo Londi Bitossi for Raymor. Statue is free of repairs, signed with arti...

Sculpture bird Archimede Seguso green and gold dust 1940 original label.

Bookends horse faux ivory and portoro marble Italian design, 1950s.

Bull head figurine by Walter Bosse vienna around 1950s Original condition.

This piece is a limited edition, Mid-century decanter by Seguso Alabastro for Girolamo Luxardo in Torreglia, Italy. The bottom of the decanter is a r...

Small rooster figurine by Walter Bosse, Vienna, around 1950s Original condition.