19th Century Spanish Torero / Bullfighter Bronze Sculpture, by Vallmitjana

Braziers (known as "braseros" in Spain) were used to heat areas of a home (or castle) by holding burning "picón" or charcoal in its concave bowl. Braziers of various designs have bee...

Exhibiting the fine design and craftsmanship of French clockmakers Raingo Frères (Raingo Brothers), this impressively large clock, measuring over 1 meter tall ( 3 feet +), is an example of the “Second Rococo” period beginning circa 1830, when the highly ornate "Cartel" style of the early 18th century came back into fashion. The clock is crowned at top center by the figure of a putto or cherub, holding in one hand a dove and the other a garland of flowers. This allegorical figure can represent innocence or purity, and was a popular subject for sculptors of the 19th century. The term "Cartel clock" comes from the French "Pendule à Cartel" meaning roughly "clock in a frame for the wall" - the word "Cartel" meaning in this context "decorative frame". These clocks were almost always made from gilt bronze (also known as "ormolu") and highly decorated. The clock is complete and includes a winding key, and will be checked by our specialist clockmaker to ensure it is functioning properly before shipping. Established in the early 1800s, Raingo Frères was one of the leading makers of precision clocks...

Completely hand-crafted in 18th century Spain, this sculpture of the Virgin stands 1.5 meters / 5 feet tall and was most certainly created for devotional purposes, to be displayed in a church or chapel. Besides its impressive size this sculpture is an excellent, museum-quality example of the Spanish “Estofado” polychrome technique, developed during the Gothic period to imitate rich brocade fabrics. The finely carved “fabric” areas of the sculpture would be first covered in gesso, and then a layer of gold leaf would be applied. The gold leaf would then be painted over with various colors of tempera paints. Once dry, the painted surface would be incised or scratched away in patterns, revealing the gold beneath. The sculpture was professionally restored in 2022 by a firm that is often hired by the Spanish government to work on historic building interiors and museum pieces. The virgin was carefully cleaned, repaired and its condition stabilized. A complete and fully-illustrated restoration report will be included with purchase. Often confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, the belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary herself was conceived “immaculately” without original sin has been variously defended and debated within the Catholic Church since the pre-Middle Ages. For centuries, artists struggled to create an acceptable visual representation of this highly abstract concept, in part taking inspiration from the Book of Revelation and other scriptural sources. We see the Virgin standing on a half moon (biblically inspired, though also an ancient symbol of chastity) with her long natural hair loose down her back, another indication of purity. Both her white tunic and flowing blue mantle...

This highly decorative silver holy water font or stoup, is stamped with hallmarks placing its manufacture in Aspiazu, Bilbao, Spain during the l...

A very good quality 19th century bronze statue of French courtier, with a feather hat, cloak and horn. Signed; Duboy Paul Duboy (1830-1887).

Large 19 century French Silvered Bronze Sculpture of a Spanish Cavalier. Apparently unsigned.

A wonderfully impressive and amusing classical 19th Century patinated Bronze statue of a Court Jester, signed A. Bolle. Batch 73 CZZK 60825

An exceptional French 19th century patinated bronze statue signed P. Dubois and F. Barbedienne. The statue entitled Le Courage Militaire, is raise...