18th Century and Earlier Sculptures

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

2nd Century Italian Stone Sculpture Roman Relief Aristocrat Mounted Antiques LA . Hand Carved Stone relief Aristocrat mounted on marble Private collector . ...

1 kg plus Massive Aquamarine Crystals Attached With Big Feldspar From Pakistan Weight: 1 kg plus Dimension: 16.4 x 15.7 x 11.8 Cm Origin: Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Gilgit Ba...

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...

Magnificent and enormous pair of 17th century Italian Baroque period carved giltwood putti wall figures. The pair maintained its original gilding and co...

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...

A pair of 16th Century Italian wood carved figures of Saint Ambrose Archbishop of Milan and Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo, two of the four original Doc...

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...

Roman Lion's Protome Sandstone Gallo-Roman, 2nd century AD - 3rd century Provenance : Private Collection Prof. Giesen (Konstanz on Bodensee), pré 1945 Most likely from the Chateau a...

A pair of Meissen bouquetiere figures Circa 1765, both with 'Christie's East' dealer stamps. Modelled by J.J. Kändler holding oval two-handled baskets, the tops pierced for flowers, ...

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...

Antique Venetian Sandstone Head of a Roman Gladiator is a captivating piece of art that showcases the exquisite craftsmanship of the Venetian artisans. This stunning sculpture depict...

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...

Japanese Haniwa terracotta head of a warrior, Haniwa figures are Japanese terracotta funerary figures that accompanied the dead buried in early Japan, ...

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 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 ...

An 18th to 19th century carved stone architectural fragment from Aragon, Spain. This antique architectural fragment from Aragon has been hand-carved of stone, featuring a raised shield-shaped design with curvy outline about it's perimeter, and is nicely presented upon on a custom black iron base. The stone has a fabulous patina with weathering, and some areas of wear and slight losses, showing it's rich history and prior use. This 18th to 19th century Spanish carved stone fragment...

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 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...

Antique Meissen figure in hand-painted porcelain. Boy playing the flute. Marcolini period 1774-1814. Measures: 20 x 9 cm. In excellent condition. Stamped.

18th century Italian "Florence fragment" with a fossil coral head on a fossil coral cluster base. This fragment is from a church in Florence. It was found ...

A pot feu (French for “fire pot”) is an architectural element that originated in the 16th century, designed to resemble a flickering flame. Most likely inspired by bible passages tha...

A pair of antique English oak figures depicting a knight and a maiden. These Georgian style sculptures depict handcarved details such as the maidens head dress, the knights armour a...

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...

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...

A carved architectural marble fragment depicting a boars head, reclaimed from Pentney Abbey, Norfolk. Dating to circa 1680, this freestanding animal sculpture displays a striking st...

Natural rock crystal sculpture.

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...

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...

Mounted naturally-formed Indian mineral: clear apophyllite An attractive specimen that reflects the light similarly to a multifaceted gem giving the specimen an unusual brightness. ...

An exceptionally beautiful antique French wood carving, made in the 17th century. It depicts Madonna standing with open offering arms .The...

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...

A Cretaceous period calcite septarian nodule, from Utah, resting on custom marble & brass plated stand. Exceptional crystaline interior shapes. Mid century modern stand...

White Rock Crystal Geode Natural Specimen Sculpture its divided into two parts.

This exceptional metatarsal from Camptosaurus, a plant-eating dinosaur of the Late Jurassic, offers a rare opportunity to own a genuine piece of paleontological history. Camptosaurus...

Natural amethyst crystal sculpture with multi peaks.

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

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...

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 ...

18th century Italian gold leaf angel wing with gold-plated kyanite on natural-forming aragonite. The angel wing originally came from a church in Liguria. It was once used as part of a decorative motif in angelic depictions in a historic Italian church. The gold-plated kyanite perfectly coordinates with the gold leaf of the artifact and looks as though it grew from the feather-like carvings of the wing. It is mounted onto the white aragonite...

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

This well preserved tooth is 40 to 34 million years old from the Late Eocene Period. Basilosaurus was first thought to be a reptile but was later identified as a genus of ancient cet...

This authentic raptor rib fossil, preserved in its original matrix, hails from the iconic Lance Formation of Wyoming, a site renowned for its cache of Late Cretaceous dinosaur remain...

Majestic ceramic Italian Baroque wall console , hand decorated polychrome and gold leaf. Production of Este's Ceramics. Suitable for every room in the house: entrance console or nig...

An Extraordinary and beautiful Neolithic stone artefact in the stylised form displaying a fine-honed surface. Now desert polished or what is often referred to as desert varnish, the ...

An exceptional 18th-century Spanish Baroque sculpture of the Immaculate Conception, carved in chestnut wood and richly polychromed and crowned. The sculpture retains its vibrant pi...

Trilobites, an early arthropod relative of spiders, horseshoe crabs, and scorpions, preserved in this level of detail only occurred as a result of very sudden underwater landslides c...

Beautiful Pair of Grand-Tour Style Polished Onyx Obelisks 5x5x19h

In the heart of ancient China, within the resplendent Ming dynasty, a masterpiece was cast in bronze, a testament to a culture steeped in mysticism and spirituality. This Taoist bron...

Natural rock crystal sculpture on stand Measures: 13”/L x 9”/D x 5”/H without stand.

Torso of Buddha Kingdom of Ayutthaya (1350-1767), 17th century. Carved sandstone, height (including base) 64 cm. Provenance: The Sassoon...

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 ...

Quartz (with multi-zoned inclusions) Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil 19.1 cm tall x 12.9 cm wide 12% of the Earth’s crust is quartz, making it among the most common of all min...

Rare grayish rock crystal sculpture with multi peaks.    

This Virgin and Child is wearing clothes with a limited number of folds and showing a thickness characteristic of the Burgundy region. As a result of the presence in the region of th...

Rare, large translucent amber rock crystal ball with beautiful veins.

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...

Fossil agate coral with a coordinating polished citrine crystal point. Fossil agate coral is Florida's state stone and is known for its unique formation that can take place over 20 ...

Prehistoric ammonite fossil.

This is a wonderful pair of figures of Arlecchino and Columbina, made by the Bow Porcelain factory in about 1758. These figures formed part of a series of the Commedia dell'Arte, a very popular series of theatrical figures that served as decoration at the dinner table in the 18th Century. The Bow Porcelain Factory was one of the first potteries in Britain to make soft paste porcelain, and most probably the very first to use bone ash, which later got perfected by Josiah Spode to what is now the universally used "bone china". Bow was the main competitor of the Chelsea Porcelain Factory, but where Chelsea made very fine slipcast porcelain, Bow made a different soft paste porcelain that tended to be softer and could be pressed into moulds. Bow served a larger public generally at lower prices. The factory was only in operation between 1743 and 1774, after which the tradition got incorporated into some of the later famous potteries such as Worcester and Derby. These figures were used to adorn the dinner table when dessert was served; groups of figures served to express something about the host, the guests, or to direct the conversation. The Italian Commedia Dell'Arte, a comical form of masked theatre, was very popular in those days and Bow copied many figures of the German Meissen series that were brought out in the decades before. This pair dates from about 1758, which was at the height of Bow's ability to make beautiful figurines often copied from Chelsea or Meissen. The pair is modelled after a Meissen pair by Kaendler. The porcelain is translucent with a beautiful milky glaze - Bow was probably the first pottery using bone in its porcelain recipe. Arlecchino (Harlequin) is playing the bagpipes, dressed in an odd costume of mismatched chintz and playing cards and wearing a funny black trumpet...