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Click here to subscribeFerdinand Preiss (1882-1943) Art Deco bronze and ivory figure 'A Dancer'Depicting a dancing girl wearing a pink and silver dress with out swept arms, raised on shaped onyx plinth base, signed to rim, height 37cmNB: This figure cost £16 when produced and is featured on page 304 of the Art Deco and other figures book by Bryan Catley CONDITION REPORT: Light scratches to body, face and hands, needs cleaning (possible re-sprayed) otherwise good.
Ferdinand Preiss (1882-1943) Art Deco bronze and ivory clock'Girl on Clock', depicting a girl seated on an onyx clock, the dial with Roman numerals, height 32cm NB: There is a similar piece featured on page 305 in the Art Deco and others figures book by Bryan Catley CONDITION REPORT: Fingers slightly bent, light scratches to left leg very minor chip to right corner of base, light wear to dress, majority on back right arm slightly loose, possible resprayed
Eighteen Marvel and DC Comics predominately Bronze AgeMost notibly includes X-Men #83 August 1973 'Along Came a Spider', others include X-Men #84 October 1973 'Mekano Lives!', X-Men #85 December 1973 'We the Jury', X-Men #86 February 1974 'The Sinister Shadow of....Doomsday!', Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #96 September 1966 (Silver Age) , Worlds Finest Superman and the Teen Titans #205 September 1971 'The Thing that Took Over a Town!', Worlds Finest Superman and Batman #305 July 1984, New God's #1 March 1971, Journey Into Mystery #12 August 1974 and Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #3 September 1973, all in very good clean condition.
West Africa, Benin, ca. 19th century CE. A cast bronze "palace" plaque depicting a mudfish legged king (oba) holding a wild cat in each hand, flanked by a pair of attendants holding similar felines and playing flutes, created via the cire perdue (lost wax) technique with incised details. The king wears a high beaded choker, multistrand necklace, beaded cap headdress w/ pendants and a cross finial, beads and/or scarification marks on his torso and arms, a hip wrap decorated with three masks. Custom stand. Size: 12.875" W x 12.5" H (32.7 cm x 31.8 cm); 14.5" H (36.8 cm) on stand. The Oba's palace in Benin was comprised of an extensive array of buildings and courtyards as well as the setting for royal ancestral altars and elaborate court ceremonial rituals, many of which were depicted on relief bronze/brass plaques. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's catalogue entitled "Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection" the only historical reference to these plaques was a 17th century eyewitness description of the palace complex by Olfert Dapper which reads as follows: "It is divided into many magnificent palaces, houses, and apartments of the courtiers, and comprises beautiful and long square galleries, about as large as the exchange at Amsterdam, but one larger than another, resting on wooden pillars, from top to bottom covered with cast copper, on which are engraved the pictures of their war exploits and battles, and kept very clean." (quoted in Roth 1968: 160). Contrary to Dapper's account, these plaques were not engraved but rather cast in relief with details incised in the wax model. Provenance: Ex-private New Jersey Collection Condition: Losses and surface wear commensurate with age. Nice patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120079
Roman, 1st to 3rd century CE. An absolutely amazing and stunning piece of Roman glass, a double unguent jar, connected by an incredibly thin, translucent piece of glass. A looped handle is attached to the sides of the tubes and rises around the top. The original twisted bronze applicator is still inside one of the sides of the jar. These types of jars were used to hold precious liquids, like perfumes or oils. This is a truly fine example of an item that would have been used by someone elite. Size: 3.25" W x 6.8" H (8.3 cm x 17.3 cm) Provenance: Ex- Private Austin, TX collection Condition: Almost invisibly repaired at handle; fine archaeological surface and original bronze applicator stuck to interior. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #117073
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 4th century CE. A pair of lost wax cast bronze appliques. One is a human face with a pronounced nose and wild, swirling hair. The other is a fierce lion with a large mane and a wide open, roaring mouth. Appliques were made to decorate furniture, saddles, and many other everyday items in Roman life. Size of largest (lion): 1.45" W x 1.5" H (3.7 cm x 3.8 cm) Provenance: Ex-Private Orange, County CA collection acquired between 1990 and 1995 Condition: Both have patina and surface wear but designs are clear. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119963
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A miniature cast bronze bull head of a simple form, with horns splayed out from the top of its head and small incised circles for nostrils and eyes. Bucrania were common forms of applied decoration in the Roman world, with the motif repeated in architectural features, on pottery, on furniture, etc. They celebrated the religious practice of sacrificing bulls. Comes with custom stand. Size: 1.55" W x 1.4" H (3.9 cm x 3.6 cm); height on stand: 2" (5.1 cm) Provenance: Ex- Private German collection, 1970's Condition: Dark patina, especially on the lower half of the face; shape and details are excellent. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120145
Roman Empire, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A miniature bronze cast duck with gorgeous green patina and nicely delineated feathers, resting upon an orb-like form, perhaps an egg. Mounted to lucite block stand. Size: duck itself measures 1.25" L x 1.125" H (3.2 cm x 2.9 cm); 1.875" H (4.8 cm) on stand Provenance: Ex-Private Florida collection acquired in the 1980's Condition: Surface has aged gracefully with some expected wear; however, the feather detailing is still legible. Gorgeous green patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119232
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 2nd century CE. A bronze batillum (also vatillum, baetilum), a ritual item. It was cast in two pieces, the first a flat shovel bordered on three sides by raised bars with slight flares at the back corners. The second is the handle, which is a long cylinder shape that recalls a column with a flared design at its top and a flat base. These were hand shovels used for burning scented herbs and incense, often associated with Jewish ceremonies or the worship of the mystery cult of Mithras. Size: 7.5" L x 3.45" W (19 cm x 8.8 cm) Provenance: Ex-Private Orange County, CA collection Condition: Wear to edges with patina; slight loss to flat panel at end of handle. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #118221
Northern Europe, Viking, ca. 8th to 11th century CE. Incredible silver bracelet of a sizesuggesting that it was worn by a woman - and a wealthy one at that. Woven from two looping bands of bronze that intertwine to create a four-band bracelet. Stunning with gorgeous green patina. Size: internal opening measures 2.25" L x 1.5" W (5.7 cm x 3.8 cm) Weight: 36.9 grams Provenance: Ex-Hagar Collection, Ex-private NC collection acquired in the 1980's Condition: Nicely aged surface with wonderful green and russet patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119279
Russia, Western Siberia, Yamal Peninsula and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (District), 8th to 10th century CE. A beautiful bronze pendant, with a rounded, looping, central item composed of several individual bronze wires flattened and merged together, with three dangling crow's feet on short chains. There is a high level of detail throughout, including the webbing of the feet. We believe that these items were hung from hunting belts and later buried with their owners. Birds seem to have been very significant in this culture, with their heads often serving as protective features on human figures and their dangling feet often depicted on rustling, jangling artifacts like this one. Size: 2.25" W x 4.3" H (5.7 cm x 10.9 cm)In western Siberia during the Bronze Age, which there extended into what we in the west think of as the medieval period, there were sanctuaries in the forest where archaeologists and local people have found evidence of bronze and silver smelting, as well as bronze and silver artifacts. These sanctuaries seem to have accumulated, over many generations, metal gifts left to the spirits who patronized them. These sanctuaries played a role in local life into the early 20th century, with many people being afraid of disturbing the ancient metal items within; accounts of archaeological expeditions into the 1980s include much information on what superstitious activities the scientists had to go through before local informants would take them to sites. These objects are rare outside of the Russian world, and nearly all of the information published about them is in Russian. They often include stylized human figures and animal iconography. For humans, there is heavy emphasis in depiction placed on certain parts of the body, like eyes and hands; animals seem to be more naturalistically drawn (although not entirely). The relationship between this kind of a artistic expression and that of the Perm Animal Style (also Permian Animal Style) is not currently known, but they were contemporaneous and geographically close, and have many of the same elements. These people may also have been inspired by the Scytho-Siberians who came before them, and the Vikings who they could have had contact with in the west. Provenance: Ex-Private LA County collection Condition: Patina to surface as shown but all design elements present with clear details. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #117311
Northern Europe, Viking / Norse peoples, ca. 8th to 11th centuries CE. This is a beautiful example of an everyday object from the Viking world, a bronze brooch with a simple pin on a ring and two terminals of deep blue glass embedded in bronze settings. A large faience bead hangs from one side, wrapped there in very thin wire. The beads are probably Norse-made copies of Islamic glass beads. By 800 CE, the Vikings were trading across a huge area, from the islands of the North Atlantic (the first glass beads known from North America appear to have come from the Viking trading post at L'anse aux Meadow, Newfoundland) to northern Russia and the Islamic world; glass beadmaking was a standard in many of the regions they visited, and so they returned home and established beadmaking workshops in Scandinavia and traded them at the great trading emporia, wics like Hedeby or Birka. The faience bead has an equally distant origin: like us, these people were collectors of exotic objects from far away and faience beads traded from the Middle East like this one would have been prized. Size: 3" W (7.6 cm) Provenance: Ex-Private LA County collection formed over the period between 1980 and 2000. Condition: Slight bending to pin; wear to glass. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #117932
Ancient Near East, northwestern Iran, Luristan, ca. 1000 BCE. A fantastic and wearable (for a small wrist) bronze bracelet. Made from a thin strip of bronze with terminals in a zoomorphic form with large eyes on either side. The outer face of the bronze has thin incised motifs of diamonds with circles inside of them. Custom stand. Size: 2.45" W x 0.45" H (6.2 cm x 1.1 cm); size with stand: 2.75" W x 1.95" L x 3.9" H (7 cm x 5 cm x 9.9 cm).The region of Luristan, which encompasses the rugged Zagros Mountain chain, is famous for its bronze work that was above and beyond the skill level of contemporary groups. The affluent group in Luristan society that patronized the metalworking industry and purchased fine items like jewelry were nomadic horsemen. They would travel into towns and purchase bronze and iron objects from craftsmen there. After death, elite Luristanis were buried with their metal objects; this bracelet would have adorned a woman's wrist in the grave. Provenance: Ex-Private Florida collection acquired in the 1980's Condition: Light green patina with very clear shape and vivid decoration. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119251
Ancient Near East, northwestern Iran, Luristan, ca. 1000 to 650 BCE. An elaborate bronze sword cast in a single piece with a large crescent-shaped pommel, representing some of the finest Bronze Age metal casting from the ancient world. Comes with custom stand. Size: 2.5" W x 17.3" H (6.4 cm x 43.9 cm); height on stand 18.5" (47 cm)The grip has a series of discs that would probably have had leather or some other perishable material wrapped around them. The body of the blade has a crescent whose ends almost touch at the guard; below that is a ridge composed of several narrow raised lines. The upper portion of the blade has round stamped designs in at least two places; the deep green patina may be hiding some shallower stamped impressions. The blade is triangular, with edges that flare above the guard. The region of Luristan, which encompasses the rugged Zagros Mountain chain, is famous for its bronze work that was above and beyond the skill level of contemporary groups. The affluent group in Luristan society that patronized the metalworking industry and purchased fine items like this sword were nomadic horsemen. They would travel into towns and purchase swords and other bronze and iron objects from craftsmen there. Although these horsemen were pre-literate, we know from the records of the Elamites and other southern neighbors that these tribesmen functioned as mercenaries in the constant warfare between the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Elamites. When they died, they were buried in rock-covered tombs with their swords. Provenance: Ex-Private LA County collection formed over the period between 1980 and 2000. Condition: Loss to one side of upper part of blade. Fabulous green patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119825
Ancient Egypt, Third Intermediate Period, ca. 1070 to 712 BCE. A cast bronze ibis, posed as if standing in the shallow waters on the shores of the Nile, with its large feet drawn beneath its ovoid body, its neck curved upward and its long, curving beak pointing downward. Small inset areas show where its eyes were and the feet have detailed joints. The bronze patina on this piece is particularly colorful boasting vivid turquoise and blue hues. Size: 3.6" L x 1.05" W x 2.4" H (9.1 cm x 2.7 cm x 6.1 cm)Larger ibises shaped just like this one but with bronze heads and legs attached to hollow wooden bodies were used by the Egyptians to hold the mummified remains of ibises. The ibis, an elegant, long-legged wading bird that lives along the shores of the Nile, was associated with the god Thoth. He was the god of wisdom and writing, and in worship to him many thousands of ibises were ritually sacrificed, embalmed, and mummified before being buried in underground galleries. Thousands of these burials have been excavated at Sakkara, near Memphis, Egypt's ancient capital. This piece, a miniature bronze model of these ibis containers, may have served as a votive item, to be placed inside a tomb, or perhaps one bought by a pilgrim visiting Sakkara. Provenance: Ex-Henry & Gretchen Burnett Collection, Santa Barbara, CA, acquired before 1970 Condition: Dark turquoise and blue patina overall. Smoothing due to age but form is still quite vivid. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120036
Byzantine Empire, ca5th to 10th century CE. Perhaps the finest example of a bronze bread stamp we have handled! Cast bronze implement used by bakers to identify their bakery goods - a form of early packaging and advertising. Circular with Greek lettering and a bird with early form of a Christian cross. Large ring on reverse so owner could easily punch the design into their bread while wearing it on their hand. Size: 2.5" W x 1.75" H (6.4 cm x 4.4 cm) Provenance: Ex-private east coast, USA collection Condition: Intavct and choice All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120450
Byzantium, ca. 600 to 900 CE. A cast bronze signet ring presenting intersecting ridged lines, akin to a cross or perhaps representing the cardinal directions, with incised crescent moon and star forms. Quite petite (too small for a ring sizer), most likely intended for a child's finger. Gorgeous green patina. Size: face measures .5" in diameter (1.3 cm); opening measures .625" L x .5" W (1.6 cm x 1.3 cm) Weight: 5.1 grams Provenance: Ex-Private Florida collection acquired in the 1980's Condition: Expected surface wear, gracefully showing its age. Stunning green patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119249
China, Shang Dynasty, 16th to 11th century BCE. An ornate white stone bi with a wide interior ring and a surface pattern of low relief designs that look like repeated scroll motifs connoting blowing winds of the celestial realm. Some of the scrolls are joined to others, forming angular shapes; others are on their own, all flowing around the body of the bi in a broad circle. Narrow smooth borders mark the edges. Custom stand included. Size: 4.75" W; height with stand: 6.1" H (12.1 cm; 15.5 cm).Yu, the Chinese word for jade, is also an idea - connoting steadfastness and reliability, mirrored in the carving techniques required to make these intricate works of art. Yu is also not bound by the mineralogical definition of jade. Over the millennia that jade has been carved in China, the people have had varying degrees of access to sources of jade and nephrite. Hence, yu is rather a more general term for hard stone, much of it white, like this piece. Bi discs are often associated with heavenly imagery, like this one, whose scroll motifs can be interpreted as blowing wind. From the Neolithic period forward, bi discs were buried with the dead, often broken or placed ceremonially on the body, usually near the stomach or chest, in high status burials. They also seem to have been used in life for rituals. The level of craftsmanship speaks to how highly valued this striking piece of sacred art was. Provenance: Ex-private Georgia collection, collected prior to 1990 Condition: Small chips to edges; slight encrustation in lower profile areas; on front a small patch and on back a larger patch of green bronze patina, presumably from being buried alongside a bronze item. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119831
China, Warring States Period, ca. 475 to 221 BCE. A bronze cast ferrule (the butt end of a lance or spear) in the form of a zoomorphic head, perhaps an elephant or pig given that long trunk or snout, extensively decorated with incised and low relief swirl/linear motifs, hollow to fit a special weapon. The sumptuous artistry of this piece arose from innovations during the late Eastern Zhou dynasty, when Chinese artisans, who were inspired by the nomadic art of the steppes, elected to add sophisticated designs to the surfaces of otherwise austere bronzes. Size: 3.75" L x 1.625" W (9.5 cm x 4.1 cm) Provenance: Ex-New Jersey Collection; ex-Lord McAlpine collection, West Green, England. Condition: Two chips to snout area, one to curled ear atop as shown, abraded edge. Surface wear commensurate with age. Rich green and russet patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120064
China, Warring States Period, 475 to 221 BCE. An excellent example of an ancient sword type. The narrow, straight blade is bronze, cast in one piece with a guard, grip, and pommel; the guard is bronze. This type of sword is called a jian, a double-edged straight sword that has been used in China for 2500 years; this is a fairly short, one-handed version of the type. Comes with custom stand. Size: 1.75" W x 18.75" H (4.4 cm x 47.6 cm)This style of hilt - with the twin rings around the grip, a small guard, and a round pommel that may once have had something inset atop it - is classic of the Warring States period. We know of some examples that had turquoise set into the pommel and studded along the guard - it is interesting to imagine this piece with similar decoration when originally made. Provenance: Ex-Private LA County collection formed over the period between 1980 and 2000. Condition: Shape is excellent; rough green patina overall with very slight nicks to the blade edge. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119824
China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A well-proportioned grey ware vessel with twin small handles low on either side of the body and a flat, unpronounced foot. The neck narrows from a wide shoulder and then flares outward into a spout with slightly rolled rim. The handles are painted a matte red that matches the swirling designs encircling the shoulder and spout. Size: 9.25" W x 8.45" H (23.5 cm x 21.5 cm)The swirls look almost like the visualization of the Fibonacci sequence, with the interior spirals sometimes outlined by white dots of paint. This said, in actuality they were made to imitate those on bronze and lacquered vessels and are a common motif in Han ceramics. Even at this early date, ceramic production in China was nationwide and regulated by the government, leading to uniform standards and styles across a vast geographic area.The grey color of this vessel resulted from firing it in a smoke-infused kiln. The surface decoration was painted on afterwards using mineral pigments, and is not protected by glaze. It is truly amazing that this vase has survived for 2000 years! Provenance: Ex-New Jersey Collection Condition: Both handles reattached. Much nice remaining pigment. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120069
Thailand, 17th to early 18th century CE. A Bronze Ratanikosin Buddha. The cast bronze Buddha is seated on top of a multi-tiered base, with red and gold paint, flame decoration at knees, shoulders and head. Tall flame finial. Size: 7.5" H (19 cm) Provenance: Ex - S.D. Collection, West hollywood, Ca Condition: Signs of wear, with slight green patina around base and some missing gilding; however, form and color are very clear. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #115338
Southeast Asia, Burma, Ava Period, ca. 18th to 19th centuries CE. This is a gilded bronze votive temple with four open-sided walls and a dramatically decorated roof capped by a tree-branch-like spire. This type of building is known as a pyatthat, a multi-tiered and spired roof found in Burmese royal and Buddhist architecture. This item was cast during the Ava period, a time of transition and upheaval in Burmese history, when ties with India - previously very strong - began to fall away because of the ongoing warfare and lack of centralized power. This is a really gorgeous example of a votive temple, probably made to be placed upon an altar. Comes with nice wooden custom stand. Size: 3" L x 3" W x 9.5" H (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm x 24.1 cm) Provenance: Ex - B. Mussin Collection, San Diego, CA Condition: Wear to gilding, with dirt encrustation and some patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #116037
Southeast Asia, Thailand, ca. 19th century CE. Two exquisite Bangkok Style (Ratanakosin) lacquer and gilt bronze Buddhas seated in half lotus position with hands in the samadhi /dhyana / meditation mudra, atop a three-tiered, flame spiked throne with front canopy. Red pigment embellishes the tops and back sides of the canopies. These pieces are quintessential examples of the Ratanakosin style Buddha with its sharp pointed spire (rakshmi) atop the head, flame-like motifs emerging from the shoulders and ears of the crown, beautiful robe with a floral design, elaborately decorated pedestal, and of course the brilliant gold gilding and highlights of red lacquer. Just look at those never-ending details! Clearly this pair is a lovely ensemble of spiritual art. Each example must have taken hours upon hours to create! Size: 5" x 3-1/4" x 1-1/2" (12.7 x 8.3 x 3.8 cm)The Ratanakosin style is the continuation of the Ayutthaya style that rose after the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. Wood became less important than it was in the Ayuttaya period, and bronze became the material of choice. Provenance: Ex-private Loveland, Colorado collection. Condition: Nicks to tip of flame-like motif on right ear of crown of one figure and tips of finials on both figures. Rakshmi missing on one Buddha. Scrapes and abrasions to gilt surfaces. Overall in excellent condition. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #110940
Asia, Japan, early Meiji Period, ca. 1868 to 1900 CE. A bronze vase of simple inverted-pear form, standing on a disc foot, and with a flat disc rim. With raised silver detail, and areas that appear to have been inlaid, designs flow around the body, liberally gilded for dramatic effect. A bird with a long tail perches on a thick branch; thinner branches covered in flowers and foliage populate the rest of the vase, more sparse on the side without the bird. The foot has inlaid gilded silver wire in a leafy pattern. Size: 5.25" W x 11.7" H (13.3 cm x 29.7 cm) Provenance: Ex-Adeon Gallery, Chicago, IL, acquired prior to 1970. Condition: Bronze and silver have lovely dark patinas; very tiny areas of surface scratching, loss to design, and gilding. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119191
Greece, Geometric period, ca. 8th century BCE. A simple and suggestive abstract figure of a bull with a long tail, large phallus, long legs and face, and twin horns curved inward towards each other. Animals were very popular motifs in the Geometric period, and small bronze figures were given as votive offerings at temples. Bull figures, like this one, were given as offerings at the Temple of Zeus of Olympia. See a similar figure at the Walters Art Museum. Size: 2.25" L x 1.6" H (5.7 cm x 4.1 cm)We look to the Geometric period (ca. 900 to 700 BCE) for the roots of Classical Greek civilization as well as the mythos that much of Western culture is built upon: this was when Homer composed the Iliad and the Odyssey, and when graves full of rich and rare metal objects alongside the monumental kraters that served as grave markers told the story of warriors riding into battle in chariots for heroic (or sometimes villainous) rulers. Beyond the world of warfare and kings, the common people engaged in a difficult agricultural cycle whose vagaries led people to worship at the cults of outsized and often capricious gods. Artistic figures like this one show a strong command of form and shape, and the ability of artists at this time to create instantly recognizable representations with simple forms. The market for votive figures shows that farmers placed their trust - or at least felt it was a worthwhile investment to do so - in praying to the gods for help. Provenance: Ex-Sieling collection, Virginia Condition: Encrustation in low profile areas; slight smoothing of form, but shape is very clear. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #119929
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