Antique & Meaningful Hand Carved Colonial 'East Meets West' Settee Hall Bench

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Antique & Meaningful Hand Carved Colonial 'East Meets West' Settee Hall Bench

About the Item

Stunning 19th century Dutch Colonial settee with tree of life symbolism and more. If you are looking for unique and amazing antiques then this one of a kind settee with its meaningful carvings could be perfect for decorating your home or business. The uniqueness of this settee creates an enormous presence and this piece grabs your attention, firstly, because your mind wants to understand what it is looking at. And if you take the time to try and better understand this settee (these antiques were never made without reason or meaning) then it will become even more interesting. The first thing you'll notice is the sheer amount of hand carved details. Looking closer you'll find that at the centre of the backrest is a rare Balinese, tree of life sculpture surrounded by an abundance of scrolling leafs and flowers. This meaningful symbol for growth on many levels (socially, spiritually and ancestry-wise) will have been very important to the family who commissioned this settee. At the centre and base of the lower teakwood panel are two birds (image 18). Looking closely at them, you will see that almost half of their bodies are outside the frame in which they are carved. It is as if they are entering a new state or dimension, but they are not quite there yet. We think we have learned to understand the meaning of this, but we would first like to draw your attention to the sides of this settee. Opposite to the design of the panels, they are clearly in a 19th century European style, but with an Indonesian twist. The lion heads are clearly European in design, but the Balinese sculptor has (probably unconsiously) given them a hint of an Asian look. The same goes for the accanthus leafs on either side of the backrest. Based upon all of the above we think that this unique settee was commissioned by a wealthy Dutch family whose relative got engaged (hence the bird sculptures) to a Balinese man or woman. Because of their totally different backgrounds we feel that the Balinese maker was asked to incorporate that fact in the design of this unique antique (hence the European style sides). If you read more about the tree of life and its beautiful meaning then this settee will become even more of a work of art. We love the idea that a mixed marriage stood at the root of this 'tree of life' and 'East meets West' settee. The family who commissioned this piece left us a work of beauty and a statement piece learning us how these marriages (on many levels) can bring beauty and growth to the world. We hope they are smiling down upon us and making sure this settee will find its way to the best custodians for it. May it be enjoyed, shared and passed on for many decades and centuries to come. Our fair price for this priceless antique even includes perfect packing (in a custom made crate) and also worldwide delivery from our store to your door in just 4 workdays. Maximum width x height x depth: 69.7 x 41.7 x 26.4 inches. Seat height 20.1 inches. We have a passion for the unique, for quality, for stylish yet practical and for craftsmanship of years gone by. Your purchases will be extremely well packaged and we look forward to serving you (again). You can shop all our 1000+ listings by pushing the button that reads 'View All From Seller'.

Dimensions:
Height: 41.7 in (105.92 cm)Width: 69.7 in (177.04 cm)Depth: 26.4 in (67.06 cm)Seat Height: 20.1 in (51.06 cm)
Style:
Colonial Revival (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Fabric,Teak,Ebonized,Hand-Carved,Hand-Crafted
Place of Origin:
Indonesia
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1890s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. This settee is as strong and stable as the day it was hand-crafted. A support was added to the back of the middle of the backrest and it is best used/placed with its back against a wall. Apart from minor imperfections it is in excellent condition.
Seller Location:
Lisse, NL
Reference Number:
Seller: FiGQ3218301stDibs: LU2341313716651