France - Figurines and Sculptures

An antique Chinese inside painted yellow glass mini snuff bottle with a translucent hardstone stopper. This wonderful little bottle is inside painted with a resting bird in a tree to...

An Exquisite 14K Gold, Diamonds, Emeralds, Rubies, Sapphires, and Semi Precious Stone Mounted Rhodonite Camel. Circa 1970, Italy A very good quality and unusual gold mounted jeweled object...

Chess the conquest of Anahuac, winner of the first national silverware award that Mexico was awarded in the contest of the world silverware fair in Brussels. 32 handmade pieces of br...

A rare carved Hawk's Eye agate tiger on a 14k gold mounted rock crystal base, circa 1960. "A Jeweled Sculpture" An incredible carved tiger made fro...

One of a Kind Statement Ring by American Artist-Designer Tom Castor features a Large, Solid, Natural Ethiopian Opal of 21.50 Carats. This Round, Dome cut Ge...

AMULET PENDANT WITH FIGA Spain, c. 1620–1630 Jet, silver, and enamel Weight 60.7 grams; dimensions 85 × 49 × 18 mm Large pendant in the shape of a hand carved from jet with a clinched fist in the figa (Spanish higa) gesture. In the palm of the hand is a heart carved in relief and on the back a six-ray star in a circle. The silver mount covers the wrist like a cuff and is decorated with a frilled border, and on the front with collet-set bosses with silver C-scrolls against blue enamel; on the back is a roundel in relief with floral motif. Domed base for the pendant loop in pea-pod form. The figa (also fica or higa) represents an age-old symbol of protection against the evil eye and other demonic threats. Its origins were pagan and buried deep in antiquity. Roman examples, such as one found recently in an archeological excavation in London, also make it clear that the protective qualities are based in a sexual symbolism–particularly the power of the phallus. The Roman bone figa/phallus in effect represents the phallus twice; that is, the gesture made by the figa hand is generally explained as fingers representing the female genitalia (vulva) penetrated by the phallus of the thumb. But other interpretations are less specific, including explanations that the left hand is the feminine principle, and the right hand is the masculine. In Spain, jet figa are common; we see one in the portrait of Anne of Austria the infanta (p. 75). That is not to say that the objects are not sumptuous or treasured. Jet was a very valuable material, and in many examples like this one, the figa is embellished with beautiful enameling or is even gem-studded. Comparable objects occur in equally sumptuous materials such as rock crystal. The enameled setting allows a dating of these objects that otherwise might prove difficult, given that the production of such objects in Spain is so consistent over centuries. Indeed, there is another, even more elaborately carved example in this collection, attached to the “magic belt” (no. 9). That example may belong to an earlier group. That figa includes deeply excavated carving, including on the upper surface, an M-shaped design that Walter Leo Hildburgh links to the heart shape (as it occurs more explicitly on this example). Hildburgh argues that its presence is especially common on these objects and that it originally represented the Sacred Heart of Mary...

A rare 18K gold, enamel and diamond mounted carved labradorite turkey bird sculpture on a petrified wood base, attributed to Manfred Wild, Idar-Oberstein, ...

“THE ROBBER” Silver Sculpture “The Robber” was designed and hand crafted by multi award-winning jeweller Paul Amey in Australia. Paul’s first ever sculptur...

This Amethyst Stalagtite has all around small purple crystals. On top is a Frog carved out of Nephrite. measures: 47x56x48 mm weight: 11,9 gr.

Spectacular natural coral pendant in the shape of a big heart. It has been hand-engraved on both sides and mounted in yellow gold 18 kt. with diamonds, brilliant cut, 0.60 ct. The go...

From Great Britain Paul Eaton VPRMS MAA sculpted a Greyhound dog head pendant (3/4"w x 1/2"h x 3/8"d). An elegant sterling-silver bespoke miniature Grey...

An 18K Gold and Gem Set Bust of a King, by George Weil London, circa 1970 This magnificent 18K gold and gem-set bust of a king, crafted by George Weil in London, stands as an embodi...