18th Century and Earlier Animal Sculptures

Own a tangible piece of history with this captivating antique ceramic horse, a relic , probably from the illustrious Han Dynasty , This beautifully restored artefact offers a uniqu...

Just discovered and coming from a Shinto Shrine deaccession Call or message us for details or to reserve. Japan an early and superb pair (2) of mythical Shi Shi Temple Foo Dogs als...

Rare Pair French Retour D'egypt Terracotta Lions Sculptures Statues Los Angeles , Exceptional fine pair of Large French Retour D'egypt period terra...

An elegant Chinese Ming dynasty pottery figurine depicting a horse in a standing pose with polychrome finish (aubergine, light brown and g...

Large And Important Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) Pottery Horse TL Tested. China. Ca. 618-907 AD A beautiful pottery figure of a horse. The animal is shown in a...

These utterly captivating, hand-carved stone lions hail from Italy and date to circa 1600, possibly even earlier. Their regal couchant (lying down) posture adds an air of majestic charm to any setting. One lion gracefully rests its forepaws on a stone ball, while the other clutches a coat of arms shield. They are carved in the same stylistic manner as many of the medieval lions...

Rare wall sculpture in polychrome enameled ceramic representing four horses signed " SAN POLO VENEZIA "

Sculpture of a seated rampant lion, modeled in glazed earthenware and hand-decorated in vivid shades of cobalt blue, mustard yellow, and touches of black, typical of the traditional ...

This rare and charming pair of 18th-century French creamware lions was made circa 1790. Each lion reclines atop a tall rectangular base decorated with rich cobalt-blue swags, bright yellow tassels, and vivid green trim. The forms are bold and expressive. The lions' open mouths are painted in soft pink, and their manes are rendered in vibrant yellow and lined with dark brown, lending them an animated, almost theatrical presence. The lions rest on what appear to be stylized, draped cushions, adding a sense of comfort and reality. Their wide-eyed expressions and exaggerated features give the pair a whimsical character that blends elegance with humor—a hallmark of late 18th-century French design. Unmarked but unmistakably French in style, these figures make a striking decorative statement. Whether placed on a mantel or console, they command attention and offer a playful counterpoint to more serious classical forms. Dimensions: 6.5 inches tall x 6.75 inches long x 4.5 inches wide Condition: Excellent Price: $2,300 Decoration: Painted in yellow, cobalt, green, pink, and brown with molded drapery and tassel detail Material: Creamware pottery Style: French Neoclassical with Folk Art elements Origin: France Date: Circa 1790 Key Features - Rare pair of large 18th-century creamware lion figures - Expressive hand-painted decoration with bold color contrasts - Tall bases decorated with molded and painted swags and tassels - French origin, circa 1790 - Whimsical and animated expressions add charm and visual interest Background of creamware Creamware is the name given to a type of earthenware pottery initially made from white clays from Dorset and Devonshire combined with an amount of calcined flint. Creamware was first produced in England sometime before 1740. Foremost among the pioneers of creamware in the Staffordshire Potteries was Thomas Whieldon. The young Josiah Wedgwood partnered with Thomas Whieldon from 1754 to 1759. When Wedgwood left to set up his own business, he immediately directed his efforts to developing creamware. Around the same time, in the mid-18th century, French potters developed their creamware known in France as "Faience Fine...

This impressive 18th-century French cast iron horse head ornament is a striking piece of architectural decor originally designed as an exterior embellishment for a grand estate or st...

Wonderful and unique small hand carved oak lion fragment. Beautiful weathered. France circa 1650-1750 Weathered. measurements include the wooden pedestal. H:11cm W:6cm D:5,5cm

French Bronze Sculpture of Youth Wrangling a Horse by Guillaume Coustou (1677-1746). Best known for his monumental statues of horses, Coustou was the royal sculptor for Louis XIV an...

A superb terracotta lion, French 18th century Height: 70 cm Width: 38 cm Depth: 82 cm. Provenance: Private Australian Collection acquired in 1990s.

Bronze salamander Italy, 17th century Patinated bronze 4 x 17 x 10 cm This finely cast bronze salamander exemplifies the 17th-century fascination with naturalistic forms and animal ...

This mysterious Ancient Cypriot Ceramic Sculpture of a Horse on Wood Plinth Base originates from Cyprus, 4th Century BCE. Features a beautifully sculpted form with carefully graduate...

Chinese, Ming Dynasty. Pair, Ming Dynasty Gilt Bronze Diminutive Chinese Foo Dogs or Guardian Lions of extraordinary quality and casting. Procured from an important New York Collect...

A Indian 18-19th century hand-carved wooden horse decorated with polychrome colors. In original untouched condition with a beautiful age-related patina, showing the antique authentic...

A gorgeous set of vintage Regency brass deer. A beautiful set of one buck and one doe. Acquired from a Palm Beach estate

Patinated bronze stags standing over rocky outcrop, signed after Jules Moigniez with marble base.

A very handsome 18th century Statue of an Eagle from the Lombardy region of Italy. Beautifully carved from gilt wood. A wonderful accessory for any table top or bookcase.

A fantastic pair of large Chinese tileworks sancai glazed Buddhistic lions and attendants, late Ming Dynasty, first half of the 17th century, Shanxi, China. Presented on custom 20th century wood and lacquer table-form stands. This pair of lions and attendants portray Buddhist lions...

Extraordinary wine-cooler in the form of a beautifully sculpted, gilt and polychromed Swan of impressive stature, makes certainly the conversation-piece of the party. The white paint...

Pre-Columbian Jade COSTA Rican Avian Effigy pendant Atlantic Watershed 500AD- 1500AD Measures: Length 9.75 inches Width 1.15 inches Depth .75 inch Very nice COSTA Rican jade (axe god...

Chinese Han Dynasty Pottery Horse Head. Crisply modelled with sharp features, including a gaping mouth, nostrils, eyes, ears and an alert exp...

Very rare carved and painted wood talbot, a now extinct breed of dog often found in heraldic devices in both England and Ireland, this example in original painted surface and possess...

A big hand carved painted stag sculpture in wood, early 18th century. Pre-owned by a collector. This sculpture are one of a kind. The stag deer are a symbol of spiritual authority, a deer stag is here depicted in all its magnificent elegance. Wooden sculpture of a life-size deer stag laying upon a rectangular platform base. The symbol of the stag: The deer’s antlers are one of the characteristics that have made it the figure of a spiritual superiority, according to some. Like a crown, the antlers grow beyond its body, bringing it closer to the sky and making it sacred. In many cultures, the deer is a symbol of spiritual authority. During a deer’s life the antlers fall off and grow again and the animal is also a symbol of reGeneration. In the Christian imagination, the deer is a symbol of piety, devotion and of God taking care of his children: men. The legend of Saint Eustace...

Beautiful handcarved giltwood bird ornament. Made out of wood with later chalk restorations. Italy circa 1780 . Weathered, losses and old repairs. Measurements individual and includ...

Pair of 1870s English carved wood lions.

A magnificent and large early Tang dynasty (618-906 AD) model of a prancing or dancing horse, circa 7th century. The majestic animal is caught mid-motion, one leg raised, head grace...

An amazing and rare Chinese silver Nine Phoenix Coronet or Crown, Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), late 16th to early 17th century, China. A delicate and...

An extremely rare Chinese painted pottery model of an armored horse, Six Dynasties period (220-581 AD), TL tested by Oxford Authentication. The stocky ...

A wonderful pair of Ex Sotheby’s painted Polychrome Equestrian Horse and Riders made from gray pottery, Presents beautifully and guaranteed authentic with provenance and COA. Measures: Height 11.5 inches and width 11 inches Condition: Possible professional restorations but not detectable. Provenance: Sotheby’s London. 16th November, 1999. Lot 12 (2 of 4 horses in that lot). Sotheby’s New York, NY September 14, 2019. The importance of the horse in the history and culture of China can be viewed, in part, through the artistic legacy of this great civilization. In sculpture, painting, and literature, horses were glorified and revered. Horses were believed to be related to mythological dragons, reflecting their sacred status within society. During the unification of China under the Han Dynasty, bands of mounted nomadic warriors from the north threatened the country. In order to thwart their attacks, the Chinese sought to import stronger, faster steeds from Central Asia (as opposed to the Mongol ponies used by the invaders), eventually leading to the creation of the Silk Road. This small sculpture of a mounted soldier reveals the crucial military role of the horse. When compared to the diminutive stature of the rider, the importance of the horse becomes readily apparent. This creature provided security and strength, allowing the Empire to secure its borders and expand its influences across Central Asia. The magnificent regalia of the horse, including a brilliantly painted saddle in red and green/gold, reflect the respect this animal received. The warrior as well is gorgeously decorated with a painted red tunic and gray chest...

This Ancient Cypriot Ceramic Sculpture of a Horse on Wood Plinth Base originates from Cyprus during the 4th Century BCE. The sculpture has an alluring dynamic and many details remai...

Pair of identical Sterling Silver realistically modeled fish with articulated sections allowing the body to move from side to side. Original purpose: fish spice box...

A sensational pair of Lion Sculptures from the Avignon area of France. Wonderfully carved from a hard calcareous stone. Fabulous patina. Perfect accent pieces for any traditional or ...

More information coming soon… Dating to circa 1700, this heavy stone armorial has been hand-carved in relief. The 9 1/2 inch thick stone was found on a chateau in Nice, France. Th...

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...

Pair of 18th century Italian gold-leaf fragment horse head sculptures. The pair is made of 18th century Italian water-gilt fragments mounted on scroll wood bases. The fragments come...

Prehistoric ammonite fossil.

Large Polychrome Fruitera Pedestal Dish, Cocle Culture, Panama A large pedestal dish with two hammerhead shark-like sea creatures in plum, ochre and b...

A large early 18th century carved gilt wood eagle, mounted on a square red velvet covered plinth. Originally used as a lectern adornment, this archite...

A European carved stone lion garden statue from the 18th century. This antique sculpture from Europe has been hand-carved in the image of a m...

Han Dynasty painted pottery horse and rider A Chinese Han Dynasty painted pottery horse & rider. Made from grey pottery and cold-painted in white, red and black pigments. The rider dressed as a warrior and in the pose of holding reins for the horse. Comes with a custom sturdy lucite stand. Measures: Height: 13.5 inches (33cm). Length: 13 inches Depth: 5 inches Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD 220). Condition: Very good with past restoration to legs. The great influence of the horse throughout the history of China can...

Fine Costa Rican Jade Axe God, Guanacaste-Nicoya region, ca. A.D. 1-1500 Of celt form depicting the mythical part human- part avian figure, with circular eyes...

18th Century Pearlware Pottery Figures of Lion & Lioness, Ralph Wood Type, The pearlware pottery figures depict a true pair of a lion and a lioness facing each other on a slightly d...

Beautiful large Greek mythology white porcelain figural group with Europa en Zeus. I never came across such a large model and think it's impressive by size, details and color. ...

MANTEÑA CHAIR OF POWER CACHIQUE OF PREHISPANIC ECUADOR The chair has been carved from a block of detrital sedimentary rock, in which fossil remains can be seen. It is a calcarenite o...

In Medieval Europe and even more during the early 16th century fantastic beasts could be found in Bestiaries, a literary genre close to poetry. A bestiary used the characteristics of...

A Chinese Ming Dynasty period (1368 - 1644) hand-carved stone Foo Dog guardian lion sculpture depicting a male placing his paw atop a ball. Created in Ch...

Italian Christmas Manger Animals. Set of six antique hand painted and modeled terracotta 17th century Neapolitan creche animals, in beautiful mottled...

A fine pottery model of an ox and cart, Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 577 AD), China. Realistically molded, the ox displays wonderful musculature and elemen...

Exceptional pair of aigles of the 16th century of Italy Superbe pair of wooden sculpted aigles from the Italian Renaissance. Very Fine and delicate sculpture The pair of eagles se...

18th century Chinese bronze duck incense burner, Qing period Please note that one foot is missing, broken off, see detailed image.  

One of the only known sculptures rendered in Blue John to exist in the world, this extraordinary George III panther exemplifies Georgian sophistication. Georgian — and later Regency — aesthetics revived classical themes of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. With a proud stance, gaping jaw and unyielding gaze, the stately panther closely resembles the grand ancient Roman panthers often carved from marble as trapezophoros table supports. The regal cat rests atop a plinth, also made of Blue John, with Siena and Ashford marble detailing. The intrinsic and richly hued mineral inclusions of the Blue John replicate the textures and colors of the animal’s fur. The rare stone is a variety of natural calcium fluorite found exclusively in Derbyshire, England. It was first discovered in the early 18th century, but its mining did not being until circa 1760. Blue John was a wildly popular material in the decorative arts during the Georgian and Regency...

Wer are delighted to offer this exceptionally rare pair of King James 1st 1615 English Heraldic Lion Newel Finials with period Polychrome paint Where ...

Pair of Chinese porcelain cats, circa 1750.

Han Dynasty life size Terracotta sculpture of a dog. TL Tested Buried in a tomb for thousands of years; this mingqi companion has decided to come back and accompany the living. I’m actually taking a liking to this pup; most probably a fierce pit bull...

Pair of Ming dynasty fish roof tiles, circa 1600.

Italian School, 18th century Pacing Horse Bronze with brown patina, on a rectangular marble base H 8 x L 8,5 x P 3 cm H totale 11 cm

Decorative 18th century wooden Phoenix bird with polychrome lacquer. From Henan Province, China. Untouched original condition. Measures: Height bird 21...