18th Century and Earlier Sculptures

A genuinely extraordinary fossil shell mortality bedrock plate, expertly prepared. This remarkable specimen showcases a breathtaking array of uniquely detailed specimens. Conserved,...

This extraordinary museum piece Enthroned Virgin Mary/Madonna with child on her lap comes from the Rhone region in France. The saint symbol and protec...

This is a very old Japanese "si-si" mask made in the middle to late Edo period. (Japanese ``si-si'' is an imaginary animal that deifies a lion.) It is thought that materials such as...

Wonderfully ornate gilt gesso over carved wood processional cross, probably northern Italy late 18th century. The large floral wreath with carved gilt ribbons, a small cross to the c...

Antique fish sculpture made of 18th century fragments. (Recently assembled and put on a base). An interesting piece that is sure to spark a conversation! Circa 1870 28w x 8d x 17h

A collection of striking large abalone shell specimens from a private collection, each presented on a bespoke painted plaster display plinth. The shell...

18th century Italian 'Florence Fragment' base topped with a variety of fossil shells in matrix and mounted on a rock coral base. This fragment is from a church in Florence. It was f...

18th century Italian gilded bouquet fragment mounted on a golden, polished hematoid slab and adorned with baroque pearls. The piece is put together by Jean O'Reilly Barlow, the art...

A set of three Thai ceramic fertility figures from the 14th or 15th century. Created in Thailand during the 14th or 15th century, this set of petite ...

400-600 year old sandstone figure of a "Demon" carved in deep relief. In good original condition with a natural age-related patina that emphasizes the figure's age and authenticity. ...

A 19th century French bisque porcelain figurine of a couple seated and engaged in a conversation. The figurine is marked on back and ...

Sculptural 18th century Italian hand-carved angel wing mounted on a calcite crystal cluster and adorned with citrine points and joined with an angel head or "Putto". A Putto is a che...

A hand carved late 18th/19th Century mythological marble Satyr mask with horns, weathered patina in good condition. The hand sculpted Italian Carrara marb...

French terracotta bust of young man resting on circular marble plinth. Signed Houdon, Late 18th century.

Italian baroque marble angel. Partly painted, in original untouched condition. Is missing a few fingers. Previously repaired (see photos). Italy, 1680...

SAINT CATHERINE OF ALEXANDRIA ORIGIN : SWABIA, ULM REGION PERIOD : ca. 1510-1520 Height : 118 cm Length : 39 cm Depth : 17 cm Limewood...

Original 18th Century Roman Marble Lion Bath It has the Lions head to the front, rings either side,with a beautifully veined patina These ...

Hematite included Calcite from Fengjiashan Mine, Edong Mining District, Daye Co., Hubei Province, China. Large cluster of sharp scalenohedral crystals of calcite with red hematite...

Spinosaurus (meaning "spine lizard") is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what now is North Africa, during the upper Albian to upper Turonian stages of the Cretaceous period...

Trio of Pre-Columbian Foot Vessels, West Mexico The first is a reddish brown pottery shoe vessel from the Chipicuaro culture (ca. 500 BC – 300 AD) with a burnished surface and a wid...

18th Century Italian Marble Bust of Caesar Augustus. His draped robe is hand-carved in red rosso levanto marble with the face modelled in contrasting white Carrara marble. The piece ...

Black Glazen column krater, mid-4th century BC, Apulia. With broad avoid body on a short echinus foot and thick mouth. The two handles form loops around t...

500-600 year old sandstone carving. The sculpture is depicting 'Two demons riding on elephants'. From Buddha pagoda / temple in Arakan, Burma, 1400-1500. Untouched and in original condition with great patina. Mounted on light sandstone plinth...

18th century or earlier Carved wooden Buddha Statue of Nezha; . A wonderfully carved interpretation of the manifestation of the Chinese Buddha Nezha, displaying his three heads and...

Wonderful polychrome porcelain sculpture depicting the allegory of the four seasons. The figures personifying winter, autumn, spring and summer are harmoniously arranged around a tre...

This is a wonderful little figure of a boy or putto made by the Bow Porcelain factory in about 1760. The Bow Porcelain Factory was one of the first potteries in Britain to make soft...

A pre-Columbian figural vessel from West Mexico Colima culture (circa 300BC-400AD). Made of molded clay, the stoneware vessel depicts a seated hunchback...

MARBLE FIGURE OF THE MINOTAUR, 17th Century Baroque Style, Italy. Beige/grey marble. Minotaur on a rectangular "Rosso di Verona" base. H (without base) 81 cm. H (without base) 81 c...

A beautifully sculpted Thai/ Siam Southeast Asian bronze Buddha head on a custom wood stand. The Buddha's eyes are closed in serene meditation. This beautiful gem has a wonderful feel and heft to it. Very well well crafted with a gorgeous natural organic patina acquired over age. This bust/fragment likely belonged to a larger Buddha statue...

Purchased in Rome in the 1980's, the well-carved chubby winged putti in opposing stances and poised on one foot over a rock-work base; depicting the grape harvest also known as the a...

A spectacular large polished labradorite freeform sourced from Madagascar. Characterised by its iridescent colours, principally blue, this huge high grade labradorite is a stunning specimen, the lustrous colours fluctuating as it is observed from different angles. It is freestanding, making a striking sculptural piece for an interior, with a polished face to one side and a naturalistic reverse. Labradorite is named after the region of its discovery at Paul Island in the Canadian province of Labrador, first discovered here in 1770. Madagascar is currently the main source of labradorite. To expose its stunning colours, the stone is highly polished, revealing its natural beauty. This in itself is a talented skill, with only a small percentage of labradorites yielding positive results, making this specimen a rare discovery. We also have two other large labradorite...

Huge, museum-quality, Himalayan quartz generator crystal, sitting on a large, white Feldspar crystal, both perfectly terminated with top luster. This pi...

Quartz spheres are cut and polished pieces of quartz that have held cultural significance since (at least) the 1st century when they were first recorded by Pliny the Elder. They were...

This is a very rare and impressive large figure of Juno with an eagle, made by the Bow Porcelain factory in about 1765. This figure formed part of a series of the Four Elements, with...

This extraordinary fossil specimen captures a dramatic moment from the Upper Cretaceous period 70 million years ago: a Leidyosuchus crocodilian tooth embedded in the fossilized shell...

AFTER A MODEL BY GIAMBOLOGNA (1529–1608)
 Pacing Bull
17th century
 Bronze, on an ebonised wood base H totale 15 x L 11,5 x P 8,2 cm Since antiquity, the bull has been venerated as ...

C. 386-534 AD. Chinese Northern Wei Dynasty. A pre Tang Dynasty terracotta brick in a cream-coloured fabric featuring a beautiful depiction of a...

Natural rock crystal sculpture.

OUR LADY WITH THE BOY JESUS Indo-Portuguese sculpture, !7th Century in polychrome, upholstered and gilded wood. The figure is represented standing, holding the Baby Jesus with his l...

Natural amethyst crystal sculpture with multi peaks.

18th century Italian sliver leaf and mecca cross adorned with gold and silver plated crystal points and mica mounted on a mica and tourmaline in calcite matrix base. The crucifix originally came from a church in Tuscany. The gold and silver plated crystal points replicate the original sunrays or halo around the cross. The piece is mounted on a mica and tourmaline cluster that is in a matrix of calcite. The mica holds a shimmery appearance that can reflect light - like nature's disco ball. It perfectly coordinates with the silver leaf and mecca painted cross...

Carved wood depicting the resurrection of Christ ORIGIN : SOUTHERN NETHERLANDS, ANTWERP PERIOD : EARLY 16th CENTURY Height : 67.5 cm Len...

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...

Mayan Pre-Columbian Carved Stone Maskette, on a fitted metal stand. Overall: 4.5" H x 2" W x 2" D. Provenance: From the Upper East Side Apartment of a Former Ambassador.

Black Glazen Column Krater mid-4th century BC, Apulia With broad avoid body on a short echinus foot and thick mouth. The two handles form loops around the...

Majestic 18th century Italian baroque polychrome Santos icon sculpture of a young man. The carved icon is depicted standing and wearing a flowing robe with graceful movement. He has ...

This 18th-century English carved giltwood eagle, hailing from the Georgian period, is a magnificent example of artisan cabinetry from the era. The eagle carving is expertly carved from giltwood and gessoed, showcasing the skill and artistry of the period. The eagle is depicted facing left and is perched on an oblong ring, adding a sense of movement and realism to the carving. The details and intricacies of the carving highlight the craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into its creation. Mounted on a later two-tiered lucite pedestal base...

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...

Originally an architectural for the roof of a Belgian building, this granite finial dates to the 1700s. The foliate finial has deep carvings, making it presentable from all sides. La...

18th century Italian "Florence Fragment" candlestick base with a rock coral head and coordinating elestial quartz crystals crafted to the coral and the feet of the candlestick. This fragment is from a church in Florence. It was found and saved from the historic Florence Flood of 1966. It is part of the The Florence Fragment Collection which is exhibiting with Museo de’ Medici this fall. This is a collection of historical fragment...

Pair 18th century hand-carved wooden angels were sculpted by a talented artist from solid blocks of hardwood, and feature exquisite features and d...

Gem grade Amethyst Geode sculpture The amethyst geodes from Uruguay are mined from the same rock formation as their relatives just to the north across...

Painted pottery figure of an opulent Chinese court woman with up-swept hair and standing in a simply draped robe from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). Her beauty is illuminated by the ...

An all original, 18th century, hand carved, solid wood statue of a young Ming warrior on horse. Warrior wears a full, elaborate armor fronted with a shield under a large circular col...

Slice cut agate geode specimen from Botswana in shades of brown and white, mounted on a custom stand.

This is a stunning porcelain figure of Neptune with a dolphin standing on a sea shell, made by Derby around the year 1785. The figure is in beautiful original condition. We have one other Neptune figure from 1765, please see separate listing. The Derby Porcelain factory has its roots in the late 1740s, when Andrew Planché, a Walloon Huguenot refugee, started making simple porcelain toys shaped like animals in his back yard. In 1756 Staffordshire enameller...

Pair of 17th century Italian 'Florence Fragment' bases from Tuscany topped with polished ammonites and adorned with citron crystal quartz points. These fragments are from a church in...

Galena from Krushev Dol Mine, Madan District, Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria. Bright metallic galena crystals with mirror-like surface luster with minor quartz. The galena crystals h...

Religious sculpture representing the nativity, carved wood from the 16th century. Carved wood sculpture, walnut wood and oak wood base, sculpture representing the nativity, circa 16...

Chinese export porcelain large mythical figures, Probably of Shouxing, God of Longevity Circa 1775 The two Chinese Export figures stand on green shaped bases and although they a...