When dolphins were fish

This pretty amethyst bowl with bronze doré fittings was for sale at auction, and caught my eye as something that would sit very well as the centrepiece on my dining table.

At present a small tureen fills this place. Both items use dolphins in their design. Stylised dolphins, which look more like fish than their better known real-life mammals. I do however like the stylised version, which had its design origins as far back as the time of the Greeks, and more recently in French heraldry, (as below), the symbol of the heir to the throne, the Dauphin.

Anyway, all somewhat academic, as I managed to talk myself out of bidding for the amethyst jewel, and will remain focused on bidding for pictures. Items within my desired genre seem few and far between at the moment.

The accountant is happy.

Asian roar

Thai Giltwood and Mirrored Figure of a Winged Dragon, the elongated figure in a crouching position with raised head, open mouth, raised wings and feathered tail, the body applied with mirrors representing scales,

l. 27-1/2". ESTIMATE USD50 - 100

Large Japanese Cast-Bronze Figure of a Lion, by Genryusai Seiya Sei, Meiji Period (1868-1911), the figure standing foursquare with head slightly thrown back with mouth open in a roar, the details realistically rendered and the patina dark brown, presented on a freeform wooden stand, h. 15-1/2", l. 26". ESTIMATE USD6000 - 9000

I'm not entirely sure if a dragon roars, but whatever the correct term, this Thai version of the mythical creature is attractive because of its stylised depiction, and a lot of objets in gold and with shiny bits, look attractive. There is a profusion of them here, so I'm less wowed by the piece, but it's worthy of comment.

The Japanese lion is however in a different class, and this is reflected in its price. Both items are for sale on 31 January, at New Orleans Galleries Inc. 

Roar art

Isidore Jules Bonheur (1827-1901) was the creator of these two bronzes of a lion, and lioness, below. They were recently sold at auction, but their prices probably reflect that they are more in the manner of than the real McCoy.

I have a genuine copy of the lioness, without her uphill plinth, and she patrols the entrance hall of my apartment. I am quite unashamedly declaring her duplicate status, as I believe good copies of famous artifacts work just as well as the real deal, which would probably run to many thousands of dollars.

The design of this area was kept very uncluttered, but nevertheless dramatic by its simplicity and starkness. The Japanese woodblock prints in rounded corner blackwood frames are C19th by Toyokuni III.

 

The white urns, vaguely reflected in the sandblasted glass, behind which is the office, provide a neoclassical contrast, paired as they are with two of the red lacquer Regency style chairs.

The front door directly faces the yellow lacquered square-within-a-square console. Symmetrical perfection.

Leading horses to water

A bronze statue weighing six tonnes, of a giant horse's head, by Nic Fiddian-Green was unveiled in June at Marble Arch in London, as part of a GBP2 million refurbishment of the area, which includes the upgrading of the fountains, which were installed in 1961.

I don't object to it all, but one wonders how such extravagance with public money can be justified. Perhaps it was commissioned during times when money was less tight. And horses were more amenable.

Good Schott!

This is out of my usual scope for auction items, but it is a very pretty piece - by Walter Schott (1861-1938) from the Gladenback Foundry, Berlin. Gilded bronze sculpture with chryselephantine face, arms, and including onyx base is 13 3/4" high, estimated at USD3,500-4,500.

Gone to the dogs, (and cats)

Frenchcab Galleries continues to provide beautiful and exciting pieces of Art Deco sculpture, such as these two examples. Atop: pair of greyhound metal and marble bookends, circa 1930, each bookend is 6" x 3 x 4½, price EUR400, and lower a Rulas sculpture of a panther, black/green patinated metal, circa 1930, signed 28.5" x 6.5" x 10", price EUR 900.

Both the epitome of elegance and refinement.

Bullish

Bronze bison with green/brown patina on verde antico marble base 17"h x 22"l x 9.25" w, unsigned, but in the manner of Isidore Bonheur. Estimated at USD700-1,000, sold for USD1,900.

Neapolitan School, oil on canvas. With frame 26.5"h x 33"w. Unsigned C18th. Estimated USD5-7,000. Sold for USD22,000.

Nice to know that some assets are going in the right direction. It would appear not all art is doing so well, however.

An elephant in the room

This Art Nouveau style elephant and mahout (bronze c. 1906) was sold at auction recently for USD2,000 - well above its estimate of USD1,200 - proving the enduring popularity of these delightful creatures. Now some might claim I have a prejudice, having decried the recent animal sculptures that I featured, but obviously as well as admiring the craftsmanship, the scale of this piece (23.5" high), versus those of the reptiles is a lot more forgiving.

Well, the mind boggles if this had been made on the same scale as the crocodile and the snake.

Although by his headress the mahout is obviously Indian, elephants are obviously popular creatures here in Thailand, as they are a native species, and include the rare white elephant; such is the esteem of these that one of the royal honours bestowed on the deserving few is a class of the Order of the White Elephant, established by King Rama IV in 1861. (The Order of the Elephant is also the highest order of chivalry in Denmark.)

The call of the wild

I never thought I was a fan of Art Deco, but I find myself being drawn to artifacts from that period, especially the bronzes depicting animals, and panthers particularly. These are some of the pieces from the Frenchcab Gallery, and I could happily find space for at least one. They are fairly large, the bottom one with its plinth is 17 inches long, but entirely suitable atop a chimneypiece, (we don't have many here), or a console table.

Base, metal

This is another of the bronze pieces made by AGAL, of a Bodhisattva torso. I changed the base to a polished brass piece, in a gun metal grey colour, and had this stand made by the company too, with a smoked mirror inset. Whilst the piece itself is unusual, and more reminiscent of Roman statuary, the metal base and the black wooden stand change the presentation, and the the overall visual effect. These presentational effects added considerably to the cost, but it demonstrates the concept of "staging" that I have discussed in earlier posts.

Mythical creatures

These mythical creatures, (top) Nang Kwan, a deer with a human body, and (bottom) Kinaree, a bird with a human body, are Thai, from the Rattana Kosin style, and are made by AGAL in Bangkok, who produce fine bronze work. These figures are used as decoration, and emanate from the Rattana Kosin era, when the Thai capital moved to Bangkok, (in 1782).