Late 19th Century Italian Baroque Revival Gilt and Polychrome Table Top Vitrine

A powerful and dramatic pair of Italian neoclassical carved and gilt wood mythical animal figures on faux painted bases, mid 19th century or earlier, Italy. The fantastic beasts are well carved, with dramatic wings that follow the sensuous curve of the neck, and a sinuous body ends in an eel-like tail gracefully curled in upon itself. The bearded heads feature a flattened snout with sharp teeth and a lolling tongue, and pointed horse ears and mane. The long forelegs stretched out in front of them and ending in pawed and clawed feet. The beasts have characteristics of several different mythical animals, making them hard to positively identify. The most likely candidates would be dragons, hippocampi, or chimeras. The beasts are unfinished to the back, indicating they were originally part of a relief decoration, possibly from a mirror. They have now been mounted to wooden bases faux painted to imitate porphyry. They would make perfect bookends or mantle sculptures.

An impressive larger than life-size cast and gilt bronze left hand and arm of a bodhisattva, late 19th century or earlier, Tibet. The over-sized arm and hand of graceful proportions. The arm tapering down to a slender wrist embellished with a simple bracelet hiding the join between the hand and arm. The hand and arm richly gilt. The join to the elbow visible and exposed. The hand heavily cast, with nice detail to the fingernails and cuticles. The palm with simple incised lines. The hand, with the pointer and pinky fingers raised, and the middle and ring finger folded down touching the thumb, performs the gesture known as karana mudra, the gesture of dispelling evil. (Here in Texas we refer to this gesture as "Hook'em Horns!") Karana mudra is often associated with Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, known in Tibet as Chenrezig, and in China as Guanyin. The hand and arm would originally have been part of a much larger sculpture. Unfortunately many Tibetan Buddhist sculptures...

A gorgeous Majolica garden seat or plant stand, late 19th century, Italy. Decorated in a deep cobalt blue, with clusters of white hibiscus. Scrolling acanthus leaves in a pleasing da...

A simple and elegant Chinese demilune table in elmwood. Slight cabriole legs extend from a waisted apron with a decoration of low relief carved vines. The top features an inset woven...

This elegant 19th century French vitrine is designed in the manner of Louis XV, with flowing decorative ormolu trim that accents the highly polished veneer. A framed beveled glass li...

A fine and rare Italian 19th century Baroque style carved oak figural single-door vitrine cabinet. The upper surmounted on each side with a figure of a young fisherman holding a fish...

A most impressive and large scaled Italian 19th century Rococo Revival st. Ebonized Fruitwood and giltwood cabinet/vitrine. The four door cabinet is raised by a mottled plinth below ...

The splendid showcase vitrine, made of solid wood, dates back to the end of the 19th century. Made in France by a master cabinet maker of great ability, it’s in Louis XVI style. The ...