1930s Animal Sculptures

A very stylish and typically Scandinavian Swedish mid-century hand painted graduated set of carved wooden horse figures by Nils Olsson and dating from around 1950. The figures are each similarly carved standing from a very miniature example to a very large horse. They are simply carved with shaped heads and raised ears and each is hand painted with a patterned saddle and harness and simple facial styling, The saddle is painted with a stylized floral design in tones of blue, black, orange and yellow against an off-white ground with with green/blue edging with the straps similarly decorated and painted against a bright orange ground. The miniature variant has a slightly different coloring and patterning due to the limitations of its size but is an original part of the set. The second largest horse is painted with initials G.E.B. and the three mid-sized horses all retain their original makers paper labels for Nils Olsson. The miniature horse measures...

Vintage Swedish Dala Horse by Nils Olsson for Grannas A. Olssons Hemslöjd, circa 1990s. The horse is in good vintage condition and is hand-painted red with decorative accents. This D...

Beautiful antique German toy, a pull toy, a pull horse toy. This antique toy horse, circa 1930s, is mounted on a wooden platform with wheels. The ca...

Antique wooden horse sculpture from northern Sweden. The horse is from around 1850 and has a body in pine with original paint. The sculpture is made by hand and a one of a kind piece...

Pair of terra cotta wall plaques modelled in high relief and painted, portraying an old couple looking out the window.

Wooden Carousel Horse - Fairground horse - Merry-go-round Horse. Smaller model, so easy to be placed. This Mid-20th century hand carved Animal Sculptu...

A pair of large and finely patinated bronze models of a standing bull and a running cow after models by Isidor-Jules Bonheur, Cast on a Naturalistic Base. French, circa 1890. Signed 'I BONHEUR' and stamped 'PEYROL EDITEUR'. Bonheur was a regular exhibitor at the Paris Salon and his naturalistic depiction of farm animals, including cattle, was one of his most popular subjects. The bronze was cast by his brother-in-law, Hippolyte Peyrol, who ran one of the most successful art foundries in Paris at this time. Isidore-Jules Bonheur (1827-1901) was the son of the painter Raymond Bonheur and younger brother of Rosa Bonheur, the famous sculptor. He was born in Bordeaux and studied painting, at first with his father and then with the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, moving on to sculpture in 1848. He made his debut at the Paris Salon in 1848 with a painting and plaster study of the same subject ‘African horseman attacked by a lioness’. From then onwards, Bonheur exhibited regularly at the Salon as well as other exhibitions, winning medals in 1865 and 1869 together with the prized Gold Medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1889. He was awarded the Legion d’Honneur in 1895. Most of Bonheur’s casts were by his uncle by marriage, Hippolyte Peyrol, whose tiny foundry mark is often very difficult to find. Bonheur’s studies range from farm animals, bears and tigers in a very naturalistic vein to equestrian groups. Although noted primarily for his small groups he did complete two large scale commissions, one to his sister Rosa, at Fontainbleau and the other, two stone lions at the steps of the Royal...

Beautiful 1930s Austrian horse toy. Wonderful patina.

A fine contemporary cast English sterling silver model of a setter; part of our animal related silverware collection This fine contemporary cast sterling silver ornament...

ABOUT An early 20th century carved wooden horse pull-toy covered in fabric with glass eyes, leatherette ears, leather saddle and halter, human hair tail and mane mounted on a shaped...

Utterly charming one of a kind wooden folk art horse. Totally scratch built from glorious elm and oak with leather bridle. Made in England during the early part of the 20th century. ...

Beautiful antique German Roy, a pull toy, a pull horse toy with cart. This antique toy horse, circa 1930s, is mounted on a wooden platform with whe...