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THBFine 19th C. French Gilt Bronze Turtle w/ Snake Lamp
Lot 226
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$5,000 - $7,500
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| $20,000 | $2,500 |
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| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Jun 1, 2023
Set Reminder
2023-06-01 10:00:00
2023-06-01 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Ancient | Asian | Ethno | Native American Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/ancient-asian-ethno-native-american-art-12905
Featuring classical antiquities, ancient, and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, more! All legally acquired, legal to sell. Satisfaction guaranteed. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring classical antiquities, ancient, and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, more! All legally acquired, legal to sell. Satisfaction guaranteed. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (264)
- Lot Description
Western Europe, France, ca. early to mid-19th century CE. A stunning bronze sculpture with a foundry mark faintly on the base, the snake twining around the bird's foot is gilt with 8.7% gold, and the shell dish has an 8.4% silver-gilt. This piece is modeled off both Classical Greco-Roman and Asian elements - the clawed foot gripping a tortoise that supports a scallop shell with a snake twining over the top, forming a handle. Ancient oil lamps dating to the Han Dynasty cast of bronze often depict cranes atop turtles, both animals were symbolic of longevity, while snakes entwined with the turtle also represented long life as well as the mythical symbol the "Black Tortoise" (Genbu). Ancient Romans and Greeks also found snakes as suitable handles, the arching body looping over the rims of oil lamps, kyathos, and kylix vessels, much like this sculpture. A striking combination of the "Orientalism" and "Neoclassicism" that was so popular in European art at this time. Size: 5.25" L x 5.25" W x 9" H (13.3 cm x 13.3 cm x 22.9 cm)
The snake is gilt with 8.7% gold across the bronze surface, and the shell is washed with a 8.4% silver gilding to contrast with the amber bronze of the tortoise. The desire for "bronzes d'ameublement" (functional and decorative bronzes) was prevalent amongst the wealthy, complex bronze guild systems arose to meet these demands. Compared to other known examples in institutions and museums, the barely visible mark on the base is most similar to "Vittoz Bronzier." Limited information is available in regard to Vittoz, but a bronze foundry operating under that name was active in Paris from the early to mid-19th century, and first recorded in 1818 with an entry in the Meeting of Manufacturers.
Provenance: private Rancho Mirage, California, USA collection, by inheritance in 2020; ex-Dr. TDR Berreth, California, USA, acquired before 1982
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.
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#179104Make mark is very faint on base and nearly indiscernible. Leg is slightly loose but secure to turtle. Fading and losses to gold-gilt surface on snake and silver-gilt shell. Minor surface wear and abrasions, but otherwise intact and excellent. Areas of green and white oxidation / patina and dark toning throughout.Condition
- Shipping Info
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