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Pair of Maltese Art Deco Bronze Dolphin Bookends or Sculptures

About the Item

Vintage pair of bookends feature finely sculpted elongated dolphins with their tails playfully raised in the air. Highly detailed handmade figurines, combining function and decoration, can be used as paperweights or sculptures, enhancing a shelf or table decor with their elegant, attractive forms. The dolphins are signed on the bottoms with the foundry stamps, F. Abela & Sons, and Maltese crosses; please note the slight variations in the marks as shown in pictures. The bookends are in very good vintage condition with beautiful, age-appropriate patina. We are offering 2 pairs of the bookends, sold separately, at the time of the listing. Malta is an island state, located on the archipelago of three small islands in the Mediterranean Sea near Italy. Malta became part of the British Empire in the early 1800s, and one of the favorite tourist spots as early as in the 18th and 19th centuries. Dolphin door handles and door knockers are an ancient decorative feature on Malta buildings that enjoyed an immense popularity with the tourists, with the replicas showing up in England as early as mid-1800s. The popularity of the Malta Dolphin has inspired the 20th century production of brass dolphin door knockers and bookends by the local Maltese foundries.
  • Creator:
    F. Abela & Sons (Manufacturer)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 4.13 in (10.5 cm)Width: 3.15 in (8.01 cm)Depth: 3.75 in (9.53 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Style:
    Neoclassical Revival (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Brass,Cast,Hand-Crafted,Polished
  • Place of Origin:
    Malta
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    mid 20th Century
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Clifton Springs, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU4421144092882

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