A Fine Gandharan Head of a Buddha Stucco with ‘earth pigment’ Some old ‘restoration’ to the nose Afghanistan 3rd Century AD Size: 26cm high, 14.5cm wide, 14cm deep - 10¼ ins high, 5¾ ins wide, 5½ ins deep Provenance: Michael Dollard, New York, USA John Stephens, circa 1986, London, UK Thence by descent, circa 2016 Brussels Private collection FOR SALE #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #buddha #head #stucco #antique #buddhism #statue #forsale
A Large European Carved Limestone Celtic Votive Head of a Male Warrior Wearing a Typical Flowing Moustache Small Beard and Curling Locks of Hair Stiffened with Lime Wash the Slit Mouth Open as if in Command Circa 1st Century BC - 1st Century AD Size: 31cm high, 22cm wide, 25cm deep - 12¼ ins high, 8¾ ins wide, 9¾ ins deep / 42cm high - 16½ ins high (with base) From about 500 BC, first Greek and later Roman historians mention peoples living in a large area of non-mediterranean Europe as Celts. These classical chroniclers seem to have recognised these communities as having sufficient shared cultural traditions to justify their being given a common name, ‘Keltoi’ by the Greeks, and ‘Celtae’ or ‘Galli’ by the Romans. Art was central to Celtic identity and was closely related to the objects which it decorated. The Celts were used to seeing art as an integral part of their everyday lives. Provenance: Ex Finch and Co Ex Private collection FOR SALE #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #celtic #head #warrior #limestone #forsale
A Very Rare Long Maori Paddle ‘Hoe’ Superb colour and patina Wood Maori / New Zealand Late 18th / early 19th Century Size: 217cm long - 85½ ins long Provenance: W.D. Webster, Bicester, no. 1307 Lt. Gen. A.H.L.F. Pitt-Rivers, acquired from the above 1897 Sotheby’s, London, 27th February 1978, lot 53 Ex Peter Adler, London Ex Private collection Literature: Pitt Rivers Ledger, add. 9455, vol. 8, pp. 2248 See: watercolour reproduced by kind permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library, add. 9455 vol. 8, pg. 2248 FOR SALE A fine and very long paddle, probably made for an important ‘war’ canoe. With a carved protective ‘ancestor’ stylised ‘tiki’ figure to the butt. On the blade we can see Webster’s collection number: ‘1307’; and to the reverse ‘impressed’ initials formed from a ‘branding iron’ or ‘stamp’ with the initials of the new owner or sailor who would have deposited the paddle in the ship’s ‘hold’ during the long voyage back to the Europe. FOR SALE #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #paddle #maori #newzealand #tiki #webster #forsale
A Fine and Rare Silver Mounted Hunting Hanger Displaying a ‘blackamoor’ head to the pommel Steel, silver, stag horn England Late 17th Century Size: 61cm long - 24 ins long Provenance: Ex Private collection FOR SALE The ‘blackamoor’ was a familiar subject in European decorative art, and can be found in jewellery, sculpture and decorative arts, including furniture, and in this case armour. The figure is shown blowing a trumpet, forming part of the guard, and was possibly a known musician in an English court or country house. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #hanger #hunting #staghorn #silver #england #forsale
A Hellenistic Funerary Stele in High Relief with Two Male Heads Marble Greek Hellenistic Circa 2nd Century BC Size: 20.5cm high, 38cm wide, 11cm deep - 8 ins high, 15 ins wide, 4¼ ins deep / 25.5cm high - 10 ins high (with base) Provenance: Ex Private collection, Paris, France, acquired early 20th Century Originally encased in an Art Deco plaster display mount with a grey polished surface Ex UK collection FOR SALE The fragment is probably from the upper part of a sizeable marble funerary ‘stele’. Decorated in high relief with two male heads. The head shown to the right depicts a youth gazing slightly outwards, while the head to the left depicts a man gazing upwards towards the youth. We can look at the scene as one of mourning, with the older man showing his respect and grieving the younger youth. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #greek #funerary #stele #marble #forsale
An Anatolian Marble ‘Star Gazer’ Figure Marble Anatolian Early Bronze Age / Circa 2700 - 2100 BC Size: 5cm high, 3cm wide - 2 ins high, 1¼ ins high Provenance: Private UK collection, acquired 1970s to 1990s Ex Rupert Wace Ancient Art Ltd, 2017 Ex Private collection FOR SALE Literature: For a similar complete example see Jurgen Thimme, ‘Kunst und Kultur der Kykladeninseln im 3. Jahrtausend v. Chr.’, Karlsruhe, 1976, no. 563, ill. p. 403, and Oscar White Muscarella (Ed.), ‘Ancient Art: The Norbert Schimmel Collection’, exhibition catalogue, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Mainz, 1974, no. 8. The highly stylised oval head with two small ears and long nasal ridge leans slightly back. A short neck to broad rounded shoulders, deep oblique grooves delineate the arms at the back, with the forearms bent upwards at the elbow to give them a wing-like appearance. The ancient kingdoms of Anatolia occupied most of what is now modern Turkey. An area referred to as the ‘ancient Near East’, it is considered one of the cradles of civilisation. It was here that intensive agriculture was first practised and this led to the rise of dense urban settlements, the development of centralised government, and organised religion and warfare. It also saw the creation of the first currency anywhere in the world, and codes of law. Early advances were made that laid the foundations of astronomy and mathematics and the invention of the wheel. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #stargazer #anatolia #marble #forsale
A Fine Fijian Chief’s ‘Yaqona’ or Kava Bowl Carved of vesi wood with traces of old residue deposits, with old ‘fibre’ tribal repair Wood, fibre Fiji 19th Century Size: 14cm high, 42.5cm dia. - 5½ ins high, 16¾ ins dia Provenance: Ex Pitt Rivers collection, Farnham Sotheby’s London Ex Private collection, Felicity Nicholson Ex Forge and Lynch Ltd, London, 2017 Ex Private London collection FOR SALE Kava is a ritual drink made from an infusion of grated, chewed or pounded dried roots of ‘Piper methysticum’, a species of pepper plant. It is a preparation drunk on many Pacific islands and the drinking of Yaqona, as it is called on Fiji, continues to be one of the most significant ceremonies performed in Fijian society. The bloom on this kava bowl was achieved by allowing the Yaqona to stand in the bowl and coat the surface. The resulting layer or ‘kani’ could then be scraped off and reused to make a more powerful version of the drink. The wooden bowls are called ‘tanoa’ and the older ones, such as this example, are thin walled with a shallow bowl and a carved lip that flares outward in a graceful curve. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealer #antiquedealersofinstagram #tribal #tribalart #kava #fiji #yaqona #forsale
An Agate Handled Mounted Hunting Hanger With an engraved hunting scene to the blade Steel, agate England Late 17th Century Size: 55cm long - 21½ ins long Provenance: Ex Private collection cf: For two similar hunting hangers see Finch and Co, catalogue number 25, winter 2015, item number 37 a. and b. Coming from the Dutch word ‘Hangher’ hangers were a type of short sword hung from a belt. No other European hunting blade has experienced such a comprehensive cultural and artistic development. Until the end of the Middle Ages weapons used on the battlefield and those used for hunting were very similar, but with the spread of firearms in the Renaissance weapons of war rapidly became very different. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #agate #hanger #hunting #steel #engraving #engraved
A Wedgwood Black Basalt Library Bust of Cicero (106–43 BC) Roman Orator and Statesman Impressed ‘Wedgwood’ and ‘Cicero’ to the reverse England Circa 1780 – 1795 Size: 29cm high - 11½ ins high FOR SALE The production of basalt busts by Wedgwood was first undertaken in 1770–71 and the demand for them became considerable. One order from Dublin requested over one hundred. A basalt bust of Cicero was produced from a cast supplied by Hoskins and Grant in 1775. The works of the famous Roman politician, statesman and orator, Cicero were almost forgotten during the Middle Ages, but were rediscovered during the Renaissance. Cicero’s influence on European thought and literature then became considerable and ensured that what he found interesting and important in Greek philosophy became the philosophical curriculum of the Renaissance and Enlightenment. His greatest achievement was as the creator of a philosophical vocabulary in Latin and therefore as the transmitter of Greek ideas. He was a philosophical stylist unifying philosophy and rhetoric. He believed that rhetoric enables the statesman educated to wisdom by philosophy to prevail by gaining the consent of a free citizenry. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #cicero #wedgwood #ceramics
A Rare ‘Adelie’ Penguin Egg from the Australian 1911-14 Expedition Egg, paper, wood Adelie Land, Antarctic Early 20th Century Size: 7cm high, 5.5cm dia. (max) - 2¾ ins high, 2¼ ins dia. (max) Provenance: F.H. Bickerton Ex Private collection FOR SALE cf: An old note reads: 9, Osborne Place, Plymouth. ‘Adelie Penguin Egg from Adelie Land, Winter ( … ?) of Australian Antarctic Expedition 1911 -14. F.H. Bickerton.’ The egg inscribed in pencil: ‘Adelie Penguin Expedition 1911 - 14 F.H. Bickerton’ For another egg, from the ‘Terra Nova’ expedition, see: Sotheby’s, Travel, Atlases, Maps and Natural History auction, November 2022 The Adelie penguin ‘Pygoscelis Adeliae’ is a species found along the entire coast of the Antarctic continent, the only place where it lives. Together with the emperor penguin, the most southerly distributed of all penguins. The Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911-14) Was the first Australian led expedition to the Antarctic. Headed by Douglas Mawson, they explored the largely uncharted Antarctic coast due south of Australia. Francis Howard Bickerton (1889 - 1954) was an explorer, soldier, entrepreneur, big game hunter, aviator and film maker. Not only did he contribute to the Australian Expedition, he was later recruited by Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ expedition. Apart from collecting this rare egg specimen, the expedition also discovered the Adelie Land Meteorite, which identified the Antarctic region as the richest meteorite field on the face of the planet. Without doubt, Bickerton’s life and career, war-time antics, hunting expeditions, explorations, business investments, party going in London in the 1920s, were those of ‘legend’. Vita Sackville-West fell passionately in love with Bickerton and asked him to become the father of her child (an honour which he declined) however, she did take Bickerton as the model for Leonard Anquetil, the hero in her best novel, ‘The Edwardians’ (1930). #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #curiosity #egg #penguinegg #antarctica #expedition #forsale
A Very Fine Set of Persian Chiselled Armour Steel, gold, gilt, mail; iron and brass, leather Dated 1797 Persia Late 18th Century Size: helmet: 70cm long - 27½ ins long / shield: 38.5cm dia. - 15¼ ins dia. / arm guard: 35cm long, 9cm wide (max) 4cm deep - 13¾ ins long, 3½ ins wide (max) 1½ ins deep Provenance: Ex Paul Collection, Berlin, formed prior to 1945 Sold Hermann Historica, Munich, 36th auction, 1998, lot 423 Ex Private collection FOR SALE The three-piece set comprising of a helmet ‘Kulah Khud’, a shield ‘Sipar’ and a forearm guard ‘Bazu Band’. The skull of the helmet hammered in one piece in ‘wootz-Damascus’ (also known as ‘seric’ steel), a crucible steel characterised by a pattern of bands with a high carbon context. The technique first originated in the mid 1st millennium BC in southern India. The riveted crown plate also made of ‘woozt’ together with the adjustable nasal bar. The skull with chiselled decoration, depicting hunting and animal scenes. A continuous band of brass-inlaid calligraphic cartouches running around the lower edge, dated 1115 ‘Islamic calendar year’ (1797 AD) next to the nasal bar. Of particular note is the exceptional ‘aventail’ (from the French) or ‘mail’, attached to the helmet, made from iron and brass rings†, placed end to end. The domed shield made from ‘wootz-Damascus’ with an offset edge and four shield bosses. Chiselled hunting decoration with calligraphic cartouches to the outer rim, surrounded with tendrils of inlaid gold. The original lining complete with brownish velvet, straps and polished leather. The matching forearm guard made of ‘wootz-Damascus’ with chiselled hunting decoration and an ornamental gold inlaid edge. † The technique of creating patterns by combining rings of different metals first occurs in ‘mail’ shirts of the 16th century, such as an example in the Military Museum, Istanbul (inv. no. 2767). It became especially popular in India and Iran during the 18th and 19th centuries. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #persia #armour #forsale
A Finely Carved High Relief of St John Shown holding a candle together with a book Superb colour and patina Oak England 17th Century Size: 32.5cm high, 30cm wide, 11cm deep - 12¾ ins high, 11¾ ins wide, 4¼ ins deep St John the Apostle, one of the first generation of leaders of Christians, is often considered the most important person after Jesus in the history of Christianity. John’s own Gospel refers to him as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’ (see John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2), the one who reclined next to Jesus at the Last Supper, and the one to whom Jesus gave the exquisite honour of caring for his mother, as John stood beneath the cross: ‘Woman, behold your son… Behold, your mother’ (John 19:26b, 27b). Carved from English oak in high relief, St John looks restful; he gazes to his right, wearing a long billowing cloak. The sensitivity of the carving and delicacy of the fingers holding the candle, together with the ‘downturned’ expression on John’s mouth, present us with a ‘mournful’ feeling to this carving, in contemplation perhaps of the moment when Jesus was crucified. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealer #antiquedealersofinstagram #stjohn #oak #relief #woodcarving
A Rare Bronze Belt Ornament Depicting a horse being attacked by a tiger Rich dark brown glossy patina Bronze China / Ordos Region, Mongolia Circa 300 BC Size: 7.5cm high, 11cm wide - 3 ins high, 41⁄4 ins wide Provenance: Ex Rupert Wace Ltd, Grosvenor House Antiques Fair, 2002 Ex Private collection To the north and along the western perimeter of the main Chinese settlements of the pre-Han and Han dynasty (3rd to 1st centuries BC) lived a nomadic peoples whose cultures were different from those of their Chinese neighbours. Numerous belt plaques, horse-gear and weapons depicting animals, often in combat, were produced in the region and throughout the period. During the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) the Chinese made treaties with the Xiongnu peoples who dominated the Mongolian and Ordos area at the time. Many of the surviving animal bronzes were made by the Xiongnu. Their tombs at Noin Ula, Mongolia, were found to contain many Chinese items, such as silk and bronze mirrors, besides their own bronze plaques and ornaments. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #ordos #artdealer #antiquedealer #antiquedealersofinstagram #antiques #artdealersofinstagram #bronze #belt #mongolia #forsale
A Rare Double Roll of Pacific Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz, Red Feather Currency, ‘Tevau’ Good original condition Plant fibre, bark strips, red bird feathers, small shells, sharks skin, glass beads 19th Century Provenance: Acquired directly in 1983 on Temotu Island from Joseph Olu, a local Elder / Chief, whose family had owned the ‘Tevau’ for generations Ex Private collection FOR SALE These remarkable forms of Pacific Island currency are made of elaborate coils of red feathers taken from the scarlet honey-eater (Myzomela Cardinalis) and were the basis for a trading network between the neighbouring islands of the Solomons. In Polynesian societies the colour red was significant, it was the colour of the gods, used for the personal adornment of chiefs who believed they were the embodiment of the gods. The only source of a permanent bright red colour came from the feathers of certain birds and particularly brilliant red feathers are found on the scarlet honeyeater. Today with modern life dominated by coins, banknotes, cheques and credit cards it is difficult to understand how societies could function without conventional money. However, alternative forms of currency were once widespread throughout the world. Routine daily transactions relied on barter; a fisherman would exchange a few fish with a farmer for some of his crop, but bartering systems don’t work when you want to buy in quantity or obtain something of exceptional value. Thus, in the Solomon Islands the precious rolls of red feathers acted like a pile of banknotes or a large cheque, enabling pigs to be purchased for a feast day, or for a wife to be bought, with the whole community recognising these exchanges as being of great and permanent value. As both metal ores and fossil coal deposits are not found in the Pacific a currency based on metal coins did not develop. Alternative currencies based on objects made from scarce natural resources that took a great deal of time and skill to make were developed, of which the Santa Cruz red feathers money is the most intricate and spectacular. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #solomonislands #tevau #currency #forsale
An Extremely Fine Carved Polychromed Oval ‘Comesso’ Cameo of Christ Contained in an oval velvet lined leather box Signed: Lament Shell, mother-of-pearl, leather, velvet France Circa 1850 Size: 4.5cm high, 3.7cm wide - 13⁄4 ins high, 11⁄2 ins wide Provenance: Ex Private collection See: For another cameo signed by Lament, contained in a Victorian gold frame, see: The Fitzwilliam Museum collection, accession number M.24-1984 Christ is shown with a contemplative downward gaze, wearing a crown of thorns. His left hand holds a staff, close to his chest. The word ‘comesso’, also referred to as Florentine ‘mosaic’, is the practice of piecing together cut sections of semi– precious stones, gems and, in this case, shell to form intricate and meticulously crafted works of art. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #comesso #polychrome #shell #motherofpearl #mosaic
Henry Moore (1898 - 1986) ‘Reclining Figures’ 1939 Pencil, crayon, chalk, watercolour, pen and ink on paper, laid on thick card Signed and dated: Moore / 39 (lower right) British Provenance: Roger Senhouse, London Redfern Gallery, London Lew Kaplan Lefevre Gallery, London Private collection, UK Exhibited: Brussels, Palais des Beaux-Arts, ‘Henry Moore: Sculptures et Dessins’ (organised by the British Council), 1949 - 50, cat.no.71; the exhibition continued its tour to Paris, Musée d’Art Moderne, Amsterdam, Stedilijk Museum; Hamburg, Kunsthalle; Düsseldorf, Städtische and Kunstsammlung; Berne, Kunsthalle London, Tate Gallery, ‘Sculpture and Drawings by Henry Moore,’ 2 May - 29 July 1951, cat. no. 101 Berlin, Schloss Charlottenburg, ‘Moderne Englische Zeichnungen und Aquarelle’, 1951 - 52, cat. no. 38; this exhibition toured to Vienna, Graphische Sammlung Albertina; Linz, Neue Galerie de Stadt Hanover, Kestner-Gesellschaft, ‘Henry Moore’, 1953 - 54, cat. no. 43; this exhibition toured to Munich, Haus der Kunst; Frankfurt, Städelisches Kunstinstitut; Stuttgart, Staatsgalerie; Mannheim, Städtische Kunsthalle; Bremen, Kunsthalle; Göttingen, Stadverwaltung Göttingen; Berlin, Der Senat für Volksbildung Rye, Rye Art Gallery, ‘Henry Moore’, 10 April - 4 May 1968, cat. no. 31 London, Lefevre Gallery, ‘Small Bronzes and Drawings by Henry Moore’, 30 November - 23 December, 1972, cat. no. 42 Literature: Robert Melville, ‘Henry Moore: Sculpture and Drawings 1921 - 1969’, Thames and Hudson, London, 1970, pl.219 (ill. b&w) Alan Wilkinson, ‘The Drawings of Henry Moore’, Garland, London and New York, 1984, p. 286, pl. 210 (ill. b&w) Ann Garrould (ed.), ‘Henry Moore: Complete Drawings 1930 - 39 (Volume 2)’, The Henry Moore Foundation in association with Lund Humphries, London and Much Hadham, 1998, p. 232, cat. no. AG39-40.14 (ill.b&w) For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antique #antiquedealersofinstagram #henrymoore #watercolour #painting #sketch #inkonpaper #figures
A Rare and Fine Pair of Japanese Export Lacquer Portrait Medallions on Copper Decorated in Gold Hirahaki-E and Kinji on a Roironuri Ground Depicting Roman Emperors Lacquer, metal, gilt Japan Late 18th Century Size: approx: 12cm high, 9.5cm wide – 43⁄4ins high, 33⁄4 ins wide (each) 14cm high – 51⁄2 ins high (with ring) Provenance: Ex American Private collection Ex Finch and Co Ex Private collection See: Finch and Co catalogue no. 17, item no. 37, for two other examples Japanese Export Lacquer, 1580 - 1850, Oliver Impey & Christiaan Jorg, Hotei Publishing, Amsterdam, 2005 - Pages 49, 50, 51 and 216 for similar examples of oval medallions from the 1780s These portrait medallions were made by Japanese craftsmen in Sasaya, Japan under the direction of the Dutch East India Company expressly for export to the European market. All executed more or less in the same style and technique, they form part of several series of portraits depicting famous historical personalities. The Japanese lacquerer finely and carefully copied prints from ‘L’Europe Illustrée’ compiled by Dreux du Radier in six volumes between 1755 and 1765 and published in Paris. It contained 593 depictions of famous people from the early Middle Ages to the mid 18th century engraved by different artists who would often use earlier prints, drawings or paintings as their models. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has a collection of 19 medallions; some with portraits of historical figures others illustrating Roman Emperors, which is regarded as of documentary importance because of their number and that they were all acquired in 1829 as part of the Royal cabinet of curiosities of King William I in the Hague. The Japanese export lacquer portrait medallions entering England in the 1770’s may well have influenced Josiah Wedgwood to commercially exploit their popularity and produce his own ceramic medallions of famous figures in blue jasper and black basalt ware, especially as he made a special series for the Netherlands depicting famous Dutch personalities. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #japanese #japaneseart #japan #lacquer #SOLD
Alan Davie (1920 - 2014) ‘Transformation of A.D No. 1’ 1970 Oil on Canvas Signed, dated and titled twice, verso: ‘Alan Davie/Feb 1970/Transformation/Of A.D. No.1./Feb 70’ British Provenance: Gimpel Fils, London Gimpel and Hanover Galerie, Zurich Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Milano Private collection, Italy Exhibited: Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Alan Davie: Retrospective 1952 - 1972, Edinburgh Festival, catalogue number 21. Later traveling to Braunschweig & Karlsruhe, Germany and Florence, Galleria d’arte, Il Ponte, Roma - London - Paris For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealer #antiquedealersofinstagram #alandavie #modernbritishart #modernart #oilpainting #forsale
Lynn Chadwick (1914 - 2003) ‘Pyramids IV’ 1965 Bronze Signed, titled, dated, numbered 1/6 and inscribed 490 to the underside Cast by Brutal Foundry in 1967 British Provenance: The Artist Acquired from Marlborough Fine Art in 1967 Private collection, USA Exhibited: Marlborough New London Gallery, London, ‘Lynn Chadwick’ October - November 1967 Literature: Marlborough New London Gallery, London, ‘Lynn Chadwick’ catalogue no. 41. Dennis Farr and Eva Chadwick, ‘Lynn Chadwick Sculpture, A Complete Illustrated Catalogue 1947 - 2003’ Lund Humphries, 2014, cat no. 490 (image incorrectly labelled as 491) p. 228, illustrated p. 229. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #lynnchadwick #lynnchadwicksculpture #sculpture #bronze #british #brafa #brafa2024
Alexander Calder (1898 - 1976) ‘Bled’ 1972 Gouache and Ink on Paper Framed American Provenance: Galerie Maeght, Paris, France Private London collection, acquired from the above in June 1974 cf: Alexander Calder Foundation ‘catalogue raisonné’ no. A26699 For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #calder #alexandercalder #guache #ink #painting #modern #modernart #brafa2024 #brafa #finchandcoartdealer #brafaartfair #antiques #forsale
A Fine and Rare Ancient Kushan Northern India Uttar Pradesh Monumental Red Sandstone Torso Fragment of the Buddha Wearing his Monastic Robe ‘Sanghati’ with Traces of a Lotus Halo the Body Well Defined with a Deeply Carved Navel 1st – 2nd Century AD Provenance: Ex Private collection Ex Spink & Son, London, 1999 Ex Private U.K. collection Ex Richard Philip, Grosvenor House, London, June 2009 Ex Private English collection cf: Kimbell Art Museum Fort Worth Texas has a similar sculpture illustrated ‘In Pursuit of Quality’ page 111 Mathura Museum has a similar figure found at the Mound of Katra in the Northern District of Uttar Pradesh (Inv. no. A1) published: ‘Treasures from the Silk Road’ no. 2, November 1999, Spink & Son, London Sold NOTE: an independent Academic report is available for this sculpture, please enquire for a copy #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #antiquedealersofinstagram #artdealersofinstagram #torso #buddha #uttarpradesh #sandstone #lotus #halo #forsale #available #provenance #history #finchandcoartdealer #brafaartfair #antiques #sold
An English Scrimshaw Decorated Tooth Signed: ‘Waite’ Whale tooth, fine colour and glossy patina Britain 19th Century Size: 18.5cm long - 71⁄4 ins long Provenance: Ex Private English collection To one side, a depiction of the ‘Foxhound’ sailing with full sail on calm seas, a polychromed decorated flag to the stern. To the reverse, the same ship in stormy seas, signed to the bottom left corner of the portrait: Waite. By their artistic depictions the ‘scrimshander’ created the common impression of whaling as a romantic and exciting activity, and it was true that on such occasions as the chase and the catch there were periods of high adventure, danger and excitement. However, it was the fact that for most whale-men these times were so infrequent, that created the necessity for the craft of scrimshaw to occupy the long hours of dreary idleness spent on board ship. The longest whaling voyage on record is probably that of ‘The Nile’ of New London, which made a voyage lasting from 1858 to 1869. It was during the boredom of these voyages that the art of scrimshaw flourished giving the sailor a way of combating and enduring his idleness; polishing, carving and engraving the ivory teeth of the sperm whale he had helped to catch. Sold #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #catalogue41 #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antique #antiquedealersofinstagram #england #scrimshaw #whale #tooth #sold
An African ‘Sande’ or ‘Bundu’ Mask Attributed to the Sogande (or Su Gande) workshop, Kenema Rich dark brown, ‘treacly’ overall patina Wood Mende Sierra Leone / Liberia 20th Century Size: 45cm high - 173⁄4 ins high Provenance: Ex Private London collection The women’s Sande, or Bundu, society, which can be found in Liberia and Sierra Leone, traditionally initiated young girls into womanhood by preparing them for marriage, family life, and participation in the ‘female sphere’ of community life. Upon the time when they were deemed ready, the society leader would introduce the ‘adult’ women to the wider community. The ‘water spirit’ and ‘guardian deity’ of the Sande society was channelled through the leader, wearing a costume, including a wooden helmet mask, embodying the aforementioned ‘sowei’. Although in most societies, only men would carve and wear masks, Sande masks are an exception, exclusively being worn by women; however, the male members still carved the masks. It is surmounted by an elaborate hairstyle, typically worn by the women during the mid 20th century. A high forehead crowns the ‘downcast’ eyes, and the partly closed mouth signifies a silence and ‘inner spiritual’ concentration. The ‘mask’ is a powerful conduit to represent the female ‘perfection’ and personifies women’s power. Literature: S. A. Boone, 1986, ‘Radiance from the Waters’: ‘Ideals of Feminine Beauty in Mende Art’, New Haven and London, Yale University Press R. B. Phillips, 1995, Representing Woman: ‘Sande Masquerades of the Mende of Sierra Leone’, Los Angeles, UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #catalogue41 #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiques #antiquedealersofinstagram #mask #sogande #sierraleone #wood #sande #bundu
Save The Date! We will be exhibiting at BRAFA in Brussels at the end of the month. Preview Day - January 27th Public Days - January 28th to February 4th We hope to see you there #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #brafa #brafa2024 #brussels #antiquefair #artfair
A Fine Silver Mounted Hunting Hanger The pommel mounted with a silver gilt recumbent lion. Steel, silver, agate, leather England Late 17th Century Size: 74cm long - 291⁄4 ins long / 77cm long - 301⁄4 ins long (with leather scabbard) Provenance: Ex Private collection cf: For two similar hunting hangers see Finch and Co, catalogue number 25, winter 2015, item number 37 a. and b. The hunting hanger was also a status symbol. Sometimes their ivory or agate handles would be richly embellished with jewels proudly displayed in sets of engraved steel hunting accessories and worn at the belt by European princes. Hunting and forestry officials could be distinguished by the design of their hunting swords and their manner of wearing them. Swords with cross guards and slightly curved blades were used by hunters of lower game whose task it was to cut up the carcasses. Today hunting has not lost its cultural significance, although it has, over the course of thousands of years of history, lost its vital role in human survival. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #hunting #hanger #catalogue41 #lion #silver #agate
A Fine Large Wedgwood Black Basalt Library Bust of the Ancient Greek Epic Poet Homer Impressed Wedgwood Mark 1780–1812 Early 19th Century Size: 59cm high – 231⁄4 ins high Provenance: Ex Finch and Co, catalogue number 19, 2012 Ex Private English collection Homer, Greek author of the ‘Iliad’ and the ‘Odyssey’, is traditionally thought to have lived around 950 BC. Most representations of him seem to be based on a bust in the Naples Archaeological Museum. Wedgwood obtained a plaster cast of this bust from Hoskins and Grant, moulder and caster in plaster to the Royal Academy, and it was produced in black basaltes, after William Hackwood had worked on it, in two sizes in 1775. Josiah Wedgwood had a high regard for Hackwood’s modelling and wrote to Thomas Bentley in 1776 wishing they had ‘half a dozen Hackwoods’. It was deliberate policy on Wedgwood’s behalf to make his pottery considerably cheaper than marble and much more durable than plaster, and when given a slightly polished surface it was as attractive as either, and also a rival to any finely worked bronze. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #newcatalogue #catalogue41 #blackbasalt #ceramics #wedgewood #homer #bust #finchandcoartdealer #brafaartfair #antiques #forsale
A Fine Mesopotamian ‘Eye Idol’ Red Quartzite Northern Mesopotamia Circa 3200 BC Size: 3.5cm high, 3cm wide, 2cm deep - 11⁄2 ins high, 11⁄4 ins wide, 3⁄4 ins deep Provenance: Sold Pierre Berge, Paris, 27th - 28th October 2006, lot 484; property of a Private Foundation Ex Rupert Wace Ancient Art Ltd, 2018 Ex Private collection Literature: A larger terracotta version is in the Louvre, Paris (collection number AO30002) Carved from a red quartzite, the body of flattened bell shaped form, topped with a pair of ‘oversized eyes’ formed of two hollow rings. So-named for the disproportionate size of the ‘eyes’ and the eye imagery found in the decoration of the temple of Tel Brak where many were found, these simple but beautiful idols represent the human figure. They were left as votive offerings in the temple, probably intended to symbolise the donor dedicating their offering in thanks or appeal to the gods. Their simple abstraction lends them a ‘contemporary’ and ‘modern’ feel. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue41 #pure #mesopotamia #quartzite #eyeidol #artdealer #antiquedealersofinstagram #antiques #antiquedealer #finchandcoartdealer #brafaartfair #antiques #sold
THIS WEEK: Finch & Co’s bi-annual exhibition presenting our recent discoveries. A true 21st Century cabinet of curiosities, with objects from antiquities, to Renaissance works of art and ethnographica. Pictured: 1-3. (detail) A Very Rare Ottoman ‘Shaffron’ or ‘Chamfron’. Formed from a single piece of steel, boxed over each side of the muzzle, flanged around the eyes and ears, and widening across the forehead, the latter embossed with a pair of broad curved flutes, the lower ones extending along most of the length of the muzzle, the forehead incised with a shaped cartouche of quatrefoil form enclosing foliage and a panel inscribed ‘The Sultan’ against a ground of arabesques. --- @finchandcoartdealer @cromwellplace #FinchAndCo #FinchAndCoArtDealer #antique #AntiqueDealer #ArtDealer #artdealersofinstagram
A Massive Eight Fold ‘Byobu’ Screen with Nine ‘Manchurian’ Cranes Fine overall condition Paper, gold leaf, silk, ink, wood, metal After Sakai Hoitsu (1761 - 1828) signed: ‘Hoitsu Itsu’ / Rimpa School Japan Meiji Period / 19th Century SIZE: 179cm high - 533 cm wide / 701⁄2 ins high, 210 ins wide / 5 feet 101⁄2 ins, 17 feet 53⁄4 ins wide This exceptional, very large screen depicts seven ‘Manchurian Cranes standing and eating, while a ‘pair’ of cranes gently glide downwards to join the ‘flock’. ‘Byobu’, which means wind walls (屏 byo wall and 風 bu wind), are ornate and decorated ‘mobile’ walls used to separate interior spaces and provide privacy within a section of a room. As their name suggests, they were originally used as windbreakers in the ‘airy’ Japanese residences of antiquity. Born into the family of the feudal Lords of Himeji castle, Sakai Hōitsu had a privileged upbringing providing him the opportunity to study Noh drama, haiku poetry, tea-ceremony, music and painting. As was common during the Edo period, Hoitsu began his study of painting with the officially sanctioned ‘Kano School’, later receiving influence from and instruction in the contemporary Ukiyo-e, Maruyama-Shijo and Nagasaki styles. Taking ‘tonsure’ as a monk in 1797 Hoitsu freed himself of his significant familial obligations and immersed himself in the study of the life and art of Ogata Korin (1658 - 1716). He was inspired by the fact that a century earlier Hoitsu’s family had been among Korin’s chief patrons; numerous masterpieces by Korin were preserved in their family collection. In 1815, 100 years after Korin’s death, Hoitsu published ‘Korin Hyakuzu’ (One Hundred Paintings by Korin), woodblock print reproductions of paintings by the master. Besides honouring Korin in this way, he clearly traced the lineage of what would come to be known in a later age as the Rinpa (Rimpa) School. Hoitsu, while taking Korin’s works as his model, went on to create highly affecting works reflective of the refined tastes of his day. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealer #screen #cranes #japan #byobu #finchandcoartdealer #brafaartfair #antiques #forsale
A Rare Gold Insigne' Badge or Button Depicting an angel holding aloft a 'prayer' or 'chant' Gold Netherlands / Low Countries 15th Century SIZE: 2cm high, 2cm wide - ¾ ins high, ¾ ins wide PROVENANCE: Ex Private European collection For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #antiquedealersofinstagram #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealer #gold #badge
Pair of Chinese Bamboo Vertical Flutes ‘Xiao’ each Inscribed in Their Original Box Inscribed ‘Made by Zhang Lunshan of Yuping Guizhou’ A Scholar’s Object Early Republic / Circa 1912 - 1920 SIZE: 62cm long - 241⁄2 ins long (each) case: 4cm x 4.5cm x 65cm long - 11⁄2 ins x 13⁄4 ins x 251⁄2 ins long PROVENANCE: Ex Private Hong Kong collection Ex Hugh Moss 1994 Ex Finch and Co, catalogue item no. 17, catalogue no. 30, 2018 Ex Oliver Hoare Ltd. Ex Private collection The Chinese province of Guizhou is famous for its excellent bamboo flutes which are a symbol of the Chinese scholar. Its sound was sacred and was traditionally said to be carried by one of the eight immortals called Han Xiangzi. Each flute is inscribed with a poem extolling the inspiring sound that it produces and of the beauty of the ‘Jade Lady’ who plays it: ‘Under the bright moonlight to which family does this Jade Lady belong ? playing a song under a quarter moon the lofty thoughts of a scholar may match those of Sima Qian the ancient flying tunes of a thousand years past come alive in this Zhaoji studio’ Sima Qian was an ancient historian of the early Han dynasty (died 86 BC) and regarded as a paragon of scholarly virtues. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #antique #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #china #flute #bamboo
On view at the upcoming exhibition: Pan Amsterdam, 19th to 26th November DM for invitations A Set of Four Tuscan Carved Wood and Parcel Gilt Equestrian Reliefs Walnut, gilt, velvet Italy Circa 1580 SIZE: two reliefs: 25cm high, 48cm wide - 9¾ ins high, 19 ins wide two reliefs: 25cm high, 50.5cm wide - 9¾ ins high, 19¾ ins wide PROVENANCE: Ex A&E Foster Limited, Grosvenor House Antiques Fair; London, June 2004 Ex Private collection Four finely carved panels, from an Italian late Renaissance building. Originating in Italy and superseding the Gothic style, the Renaissance encompassed all aspects of design, architecture, painting and sculpture incorporating elements of ancient Greek and Roman art. The carved equestrian panels are reminiscent of ancient Roman sarcophagus military reliefs in technique and style. The sculptor undoubtedly was exposed to the many ancient reliefs being found throughout the Renaissance period in Italy. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #catalogue40 #artdealer #antiquedealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquesdealersofinstagram #italy #tuscany #relief #walnut #horse #panamsterdam
A Very Fine and Rare Headrest ‘Kali’ or ‘Kalimasi’ / ‘Kali Toloni’ Bamboo, wood, coconut ‘sennet’ fibre The ‘cross-bar’ (rest) engraved with triangular design reminiscent of ‘Tapa Cloth’ Two old paper labels, one stating African origin Superb colour and patina from age and use Tonga 18th - early 19th Century SIZE: 12.5cm high, 44cm long - 5 ins high, 171⁄4 ins long PROVENANCE: Tennant’s Auction Rooms, Yorkshire, July 2009, lot 314, entered privately from the grand daughter and descendant of an eccentric antiques dealer from Harrogate, who used to ride around the town in a ‘trap’ pulled by a zebra ! to the amusement of the townsfolk William Young (auctioneer, dealer, collector) died 1930’s Miss Young (grand-daughter) Ex Finch and Co, 2009 Ex Private collection SEE: ‘The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection’ 2010 EXHIBITED: BRUNEAF, Bruxelles, La tête dans les étoiles. Appuis-Nuque d’Afrique de d’ailleurs 6 - 10 June 2012 CF: Pierre Loos., Bayet T. et Caltaux S., La tête dans les étoiles. Appuis-Nuque d’Afrique et d’ailleurs, BRUNEAF, 2012: pg. 159 Of all the known types of Tongan neck-rests, known as ‘kali’, this type, ‘kali toloni’, which is known by the three piece construction and use of a ‘pole’ (bamboo) as a pillow (cross bar), is the least common and the most elegant. Used predominantly by Tongan chiefs (St. Cartmail, 1997), the present example is of a particularly enticing and elegant proportion, being long, wide and low in stance. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #catalogue40 #antique #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealersofinstagram #africa #headrest #kali #tonga
A Very Fine Maori Whalebone ‘Kotiate Paraoa’ of Exceptional Size Superb colour and patina through use Whalebone, shell New Zealand Maori Early 19th Century SIZE: 39.5cm long - 151⁄2 ins long PROVENANCE: Lyon and Turnbull, Edinburgh, 30 June 2010 (entered from a private collection in Glasgow) Ex Private collection War to the Maori was a form of serious sport carried out under firmly established rules using a limited range of weapons. Their chosen weapons required a very high degree of physical fitness and were only effective if used with considerable dexterity. War was regarded as a contest of skill rather than a bloody fight to the death. The preparations for war were ritualised and lasted far longer than the battles themselves. Invocations to the Gods, strict observance of all measures needed to appropriate all the evil influences, the composing of insulting ‘Ngeri’ to be chanted in the face of the enemy, could occupy a whole community for weeks. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #maori #whalebone #shell #newzealand #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antique
A Superb Pair of Neapolitan Carved Figures of Dwarves Attributed to Francesco Celebrano (1729 - 1814) Marble Naples, Italy 18th Century SIZE: Male: 36cm high - 141⁄4 ins high Female: 36cm high - 141⁄4 ins high PROVENANCE: Ex Private collection FOR SALE Francesco Celebrano was an Italian artist, sculptor and painter. He was well known for producing Neapolitan ‘presepio’ creche figures. A number of his ‘presepio’ figures are housed in museums, including Naples, Bavarian National Museum in Munich and the Metropolitan Museum, New York. Celebrano trained as a painter and from the 1760s worked as a sculptor, painter and designer in Naples. He painted a number of altarpieces, was commissioned for the sculpture of the Chapel of San Severo in Sta Maria della Pietà and designed the maritime chariot for del d'Ofri, which brought him to the attention of Ferdinand IV (1751 - 1825). He was appointed director of the Royal Porcelain Factory of Naples at Capodimonte in 1770 and remained as its head until 1781. During this time, many models of figures were created at the factory, which may have reflected Celebrano’s interest in and modelling of figures for the Neapolitan ‘presepio’ figures. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #antiquedealer #antiquedealersofinstagram #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #catalogue40 #figures #carvings #marble #italy
A Finely Carved Gandhara Head of ‘Atlas’ Grey schist India 3rd - 4th Centuries AD SIZE: 19cm high, 11cm wide, 12.5cm deep - 71⁄2 ins high, 41⁄4 ins wide, 5 ins deep PROVENANCE: Ex Simon Ray Indian and Islamic Works of Art, London 2007 Ex Private collection For Sale The finely carved dark grey polished head of a male complete with a refined moustache. Probably portrays ‘Atlantes’ who is often seen in Gandharan sculpture, and loosely based on the Greek god ‘Atlas. Gazing directly forward, his face is modelled with a serene expression in a stylised ‘Helenistic’ style. His hair is grouped into large curls that cover part of his forehead as well as flowing above and behind his ears. Remains of his turban can still be seen with its individual twisting bands of cloth. His protruding eyes are unusually large, sheltered beneath a heavy lidded brow. The strength and ‘trance- like’ quality of his eyes engage the viewer instantly, the emotive intensity drawn closer through the detailing of the pupils. According to Pratapaditya Pal, though ‘Atlantes’ figures are often loosely identified as ‘Atlas’, they should be distinguished from the individual in classical mythology who was ‘ordered to support the heavens’ on his shoulders. References Pratapaditya, Pal; ‘Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum’, Vol. l; Art from the Indian Subcontinent, 2003, pp.68 - 69, no. 35, where Pal illustrates and discusses a Gandharan ‘Winged Figure’ with similar eyes. According to Pal, 2003, p.68, Alfred Foucher was the first to suggest that the muscular figures are ‘yakshas’ in the guise of classical ‘Atlantes’, having borrowed the wings from Victory. (Alfred Foucher, ‘L’art greco-bouddhique du Gandhara’, 1905 - 1951, vol. 1, p. 208. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #antique #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiquedealer #head #ghandara #atlas #india
A Samurai Archer’s Glove (Mitsugake) 三つ弽 Deer leather, material, ink Edo Period / 1603 - 1868 Japan SIZE: 25cm long - 93⁄4 ins long PROVENANCE: Ex Private collection note: For a Japanese table scroll, detailing a very similar glove, lying next to a bow see: (photograph) by Yoshizo Shibahara, from a private collection. For Sale A rare survival, we are fortunate to have an ink inscription inside the glove allowing us to date the glove to 1683 寿永二年, together with the workshop where it was made: 〇武具店, O-armor. Kyūdō or ‘Kyūjutsu’ (the name used prior to 1919) was the martial art of archery within the ‘Samurai’ class of feudal Japan. The first ‘asymmetrical’ longbow recorded in Japan dates to the Yayoi period (circa 500 BC to 300 AD). For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #artdealer #collectionable #artdealersofinstagram #japan #edoperiod #glove #archery
A Khoisan Tobacco Smoking Pipe Sopped or vaiegated green soapstone in the Dutch' style (small chip) 19th Century SIZE: 6cm high, 5.5cm wide, 2cm deep - 24 ins high, 2¼ ins wide, ¾ ins deep PROVENANCE: Ex Jacaranda Gallery LLC, New York City, USA, 2012 Ex Private collection For Sale The carving of pipes among the Zulu speaking peoples of South Africa represents an artistic use of form which is not found in other objects, despite other artefacts such as beadwork being of equal cultural and social importance. Among smokers, pipes were used as indicators of social status and in general men’s pipes had broader bowls which held more tobacco while women’s pipes had a smaller capacity. Smoking was an important communal activity, and a lit pipe would be shared within a group with each member having their own removable mouth piece. Traders from Europe first introduced tobacco to South Africa in the 16th century and within 100 years it was grown, dried, prepared and smoked by nearly all of the Black peoples of South Africa. Carvers in the Eastern Cape modelled the form on the original Dutch and English 17th century clay tavern pipes. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #artdealer #antiques #artdealersofinstagram #pipe #dutch #green #soapstone
A Rare Spirit Mask ‘Barak’ or ‘Yamburai Parak’ Wood, remains of polychrome Eastern Sepik Province, New Guinea Late 19th - early 20th Century SIZE: 45cm high, 35cm deep - 173⁄4 ins high, 133⁄4 ins deep PROVENANCE: UK Art Market Ex Private collection For Sale SEE: ‘New Guinea Art, Masterpieces from the Jolika collection of Marcia and John Friede, Fine Arts Museum San Francisco, vol. 2, pg. 89. ill. 39 Originally these masks were brightly coloured. However, after many years of exposure within the ceremonial houses the colour faded away through use and weathering. The mask was traditionally worn by a dancer whose plant fibre costume completely covered him, and was associated with an important male mythical being. The Barak (sometimes spelled ‘barag’ or ‘brag’) were situated to the west of the Sepik River. The Sepik River was first explored in 1885 by Otto Fisch. He wrote of the regions cultural diversity and beauty of the villages that he saw on the banks of the river over which towered the ‘men’s houses’. In the early 20th century collectors of primitive art were astounded at the sheer quantity of marvellous objects to be found in this region and the extraordinary inventiveness of the forms in this difficult swampy terrain. FOR SALE #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #antique #antiquedealer #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #mask #newguinea #barak
A Hellenistic Gold Finger Ring with Carnelian Set Intaglio The finely engraved intaglio portraying the Head of ‘Socrates’ High carat gold, carnelian Bactrian / Central Asia 1st Century BC SIZE: 3cm long, 2cm wide, 2.5cm high - 11⁄4 ins long, 3⁄4 ins wide, 1 ins high Approx ring size: ‘O’ PROVENANCE: Private UK collection, since 1970’s Ex Oliver Hoare Ltd. Ex Private collection FOR SALE Bactria was in central Asia in an area that comprises most of modern-day Afghanistan and parts of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. To the south and east, it was bordered by the Hindu Kush mountains. On its western side, the region was bordered by the Carmanian desert and to the north it was bound by the Oxus River. The land was noted for its fertility and its ability to produce most ancient Greek agricultural products, with the notable exception of olives. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #antique #antiquejewelry #antiquedealer #dealersofinstagram #ring #gold #socrates #intaglio #carnelian #bactrian
A Rare and Unusual English Regency Blue Glass Xylophone 'Idiophone Contained in the Original Mahogany Carrying Box Produced by John Betts of Royal Exchange London Wood, glass, felt, brass Early 19th Century SIZE: 7cm high, 48cm wide (max) 30.5cm deep (max) - 2¾ ins high, 19 ins wide (max) 12 ins deep (max) PROVENANCE: Ex Finch and Co London Ex Private Belgian collection 2018 Ex Private collection CF: A similar example was sold through Christie's, London in 2001 as part of the Humprey Whitbread Collection FOR SALE Additional idiophones came into use from the Renaissance on. The xylophone, long widespread throughout Asia and Africa, was illustrated in 1529 by the composer and music theorist Martin Agricola. In 1618 Practorius depicted an instrument with 15 bars from 15 to 53 cm (6 to 21 ins) in length, tuned diatonically. It remained little exploited until the Flemish carillonneurs combined it with a keyboard and transformed it into a practice instrument in the first half of the 17th century. The older form remained a folk instrument, chiefly in and east of Germany. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #sold #newcatalogue #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #antiques #xylophone #english #england #glass #blue #music #instrumental #mahogany
An Exceptional Samurai 'Kabuto' Tetsu sabiji 62 ken suji kabuto Lacquer, copper, iron, material, cord, gilding Signed: Jôshû-jû Saotome Iesada (EZ WE) 'Jo-Shu Ju Saotome Iesada' Japan Edo Period / Early 17th Century SIZE: approx: 32cm high - 12½ ins high / 50cm high, 19¾ ins high (with antlers) 35.5cm wide, 37cm deep - 14 ins wide, 14½ ins deep / 77cm high (with base) - 30¼ ins high (with base PROVENANCE: Luc Taelman collection Ex Private collection SOLD The helmets from the 'Saotome school, are of the finest examples of Japanese helmets. The founder of the 'Saotome' school was Saotome Chikara, a middle class 'vassal' of Tagaya Shigetsune. He was lord of Hitachi's Shimotsuma Castle with an annual income of 60,000 Roku. After losing his properties in 1601 due to his refusal to participate in the Battle of Sekigahara, his income reduced dramatically. Remaining in Shimotsuma he started the production of helmets, thus being referred to as the 'first generation' of the 'Saotome' school, where his descendants still live today. The bowl on our example is of a superior 'construction' and quality. Both the 'Haidate-Dai' and the 'Mabisashi' are 'Saotome' style. Two large original 'Wakidate' tsunomoto fixed either side on the 'Koshimaki'. The same 'Shakudo' are used to form a fukurin around the edges of the 'Fukigaeshi' and the 'Mabisashi'. The 'Tehen-no-Za' is formed of six layered fittings made from gilded copper and Shakudo. The 'Shikoro' are 'Tetsu Kuro Nuri' lame plates, in the six stage 'Hineno' style, Kon (dark indigo) ito 'Sugake-odoshi, the lower section showing 'Uname' and 'Hishinui', one layer of Hi-ito (scarlet) and the lower edge covered in a leather fukurin. The Fukigaeshi' are 'rounded square' in appearance, with black lacquered facings, and gilt copper 'Mongane' crests of Jiku-tsuki Mittsu Fuji Tomoe' (three wisteria branches swirling out from a central axis). To the inside of the reverse central plate signed: Jo-Shu Ju Saotome Iesada’. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #antiques #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #japan #samurai #lacquer #sold
A Rare Pair of Carved 'trompe-l'oil' Hanging Fish Attributed to the workshop of Grinling Gibbons (1648 - 1721) Wood, (later) paint English Late 17th to early 18th Century SIZE: 26cm high, 23cm wide, 8.5cm deep and 25cm high, 23cm wide, 7.5cm deep SOLD A drawing by Samuel Watson, circa 1685-95, from a sketchbook housed at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, depicts a very close related 'grouping' of hung fish, drawn from Gibbons's St James's altar piece design for a proposal for a 'game' overmantel. Grinling Gibbons (1648 - 1721) was an outstanding wood carver who by 1680 had been presented to Charles II and made 'The King's Carver'. Although he also worked in marble, stone and bronze; Vertue says that he was neither well skilled or practised in marble or bronze for which work he employed the best artists he could procure'. His wood carving was so fine that it was said a pot of carved flowers above his house in London would tremble from the motion of passing coaches. He was employed by Sir Christopher Wren to work on St Paul's Cathedral and was responsible for the wood work on the choir stalls, choir screen and organ case, as well as an altar piece which was bomb damaged during the Blitz in the Second World War. Dead game was a recurring theme of Gibbons's work and output. The highly realistic 'trompe-l'œil' (optical illusion) three dimensional carvings of hanging fowl, fish and other game were a 'trademark' of his style, as can be seen in the overmantel at Sudbury Hall, Derbyshire of 1678; the overmantel Badminton House, Gloucestershire, of 1683; and more closely related the 'side drop' from the original Badminton House overmantel, now hung separately depicting a grouping of 'trompe-l'oil' fish. One should also compare closely the Kirtlington panel, circa 1690 - 1700, Kirtlington Park. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #newcatalogue #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #fish #trompeloeil #carving #carvingwood
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An Elegant Maori 'Patu Paraoa' Superb colour and patina Whalebone New Zealand Maori Early 19th Century SIZE: 44cm long - 17¼ ins long PROVENANCE: Karim Grusenmeyer, Asian Works of Art, Belgium 2008 Ex Private collection FOR SALE SEE: "The Maori Collections of the British Museum' Dorota Czarkowska Starzecka, Roger Neich, Mick Prendergrast; plate 119 ill. 712, 714, 716, 722 and 724 Unlike other hand clubs elsewhere in the world used for bludgeoning downward blows, Maori 'patu' were designed for jabbing and thrusting movements, for quick fighting in which a split second was too important to waste in raising the weapon to strike a blow. The whalebone was cut from the pan-bone of a sperm whale with a sandstone saw. Grooves were then cut from the front. The back was then sawed away to take out the resulting slab. This was then formed into a club shape by chipping and sawing with stone tools. Each individual club was weighed and balanced to suit the hand and preference of the warrior for whom it was being made. Such clubs were used over many generations and became associated with the Maori who wielded them. These heirlooms were "Tonga Tuku Iho' - treasures passed down from the ancestors. FOR SALE #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #artdealer #antique #artdealersofinstagram #forsale #club #maori #newzealand #whalebone
A Rare Anthropomorphic Tsonga Headrest An old paper label: African Pillow Bt. Webster. Sep 1897. P.: Fine colour and patina through use Wood, pigment, paper label Zimbabwe 19th Century SIZE: 11.5cm high, 15cm wide - 4½ high, 6 ins wide PROVENANCE: Ex Pitt Rivers Museum collection, inventory number: '1342' Ex Webster collection, 1897 Galerie Monbrison, Paris, France, 2012 Ex Private collection Literature: Illustrated in: 'A Naturalist in the Transvaal', W. L. Distant; London, 1892, pg. 102, no. 7 (described as Magwamba Head-Rest) Ancestral spirits were believed to communicate with their living descendants through dreams and thus the 'support of dreams' (Falgayrettes 1989), the headrest, manifested this interdependence in a material form. Headrests were often gifts taken by a bride to her new home when she married and this custom symbolically linked her ancestors with her husbands. Wood carving was an exclusively male occupation and headrests provided great scope for the skill of a carver to elaborate on various local styles. Representational animal figures, mostly antelope and cattle, appear very rarely in the art of South African headrests. However, because of their appeal to western aesthetic sensibilities they appear in museums and collections in numbers that outweigh any properly balanced selection. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #forsale #antique #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #headrest #tsonga #wood #zimbabwe
A Fine and Early Long Rootstock Club with Inlaid 'Teeth' Excellent Colour and Patina Wood, teeth Fiji Late 18th / Early 19th Century SIZE: 111.5cm long - 43¾ ins long PROVENANCE: Ex Private Scottish collection Ex Private collection FOR SALE At the beginning of the 19th century in Fiji few people lived to die of old age; men did not dare to move about the islands unarmed. William Mariner wrote of Fiji in the early 1800s: a man seldom goes out, even perhaps with his greatest friend, without being armed, and cautiously upon his guard.' (Mariner 1827: 208). Heavy clubs, spears and other weapons accompanied the wary Fijian on even short walks beyond his village. These clubs are made from the buttress roots of an uprooted sapling that was planted and carefully trained to produce the desired shape. Clubs were the Fijians, favourite weapon, who in the early 19th century lived in a virtually constant state of warfare. A greater variety were made on Fiji than in many other Pacific islands, but by 1870 the iron axe had almost superseded the wood club as a fighting weapon. The hatchet or splitting axe head was hafted onto long club type handles. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #artdealer #antiques #artdealersofinstagram #club #fiji #teeth
A Western Australian Aboriginal Shield Wood, pigment Australia 19th Century SIZE: 75cm high - 29½ ins high PROVENANCE: Ex Adam Prout, 2013 Ex Private collection SOLD The Australian Aborigines lived in a country where agriculture was not practised and where no animals except for the dingo dog were available for domestication. So they were forced to remain hunters and gatherers. Consequently much time was spent making and decorating weapons which they mainly used for hunting. The arsenal of the Aborigine consisted of boomerangs, shields, clubs, throwing clubs, sticks, spears and spear throwers, all made from wood. These flat slab shaped shields were used for protection from spears and boomerangs, although inter-tribal warfare was uncommon and most personal disputes were settled by ritual contest. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #sold #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #artdealear #artdealersofinstagram #aboriginal #shield #australia #wood
A Huge and Exceptional Eskimo Walrus Tusk Ice Cleaver Walrus Tusk 'Odobenus Rosmarus' Superb golden colour and patina Arctic / Bering Strait 18th Century or earlier SIZE: 62cm long - 7.5cm wide (max) - 24½ ins long, 3 ins wide (max) PROVENANCE: Ex Private French collection Ex Finch and Co, September 2015 Ex Private collection SOLD Of immense size and weight this ice cleaver / ice knife / scraper probably served a number of tasks during the building of an 'igloo'. The extra weight of this knife compared to normal 'snow knives' suggests more of a 'chopping' motion, rather than cutting, and a 'shaping tool rather than the knives used to dust off freshly fallen snow. It is possible from the colour and size of this very large example, that the 'blade' or cleaver was fashioned from a very large 'excavated' walrus tusk, rather than freshly acquired tooth. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #sold #newcatalogue #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #eskimo #walrus #tusk #cleaver
A Superb and Very Large Japanese Vase Superb colour and patina Bronze, silver Japan 19th Century SIZE: 91.5cm high, 66cm dia. (max) - 36 ins high, 26 ins dia. (max) PROVENANCE: French Art Market 2010 Ex Private collection FOR SALE A superb and very large high necked vase with a large bulbous 'gadrooned' base. The overall colour and patina suggest a period of time outside, where the vase may have formed part of a 'scholars' garden. The colour and patina gained from this exposure have created a wonderful 'mellow' colour and deep 'glow'. Old 'fissures' and firing faults repaired with silver inlay. The base is missing, either through 'firing' or maybe at a later date with European mounts or electrification ?. The impressive size suggest this vase was destined, for either a Palace or high ranking official residence. #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #forsale #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #japan #vase #bronze
A Finely Carved Maori Nephrite 'Mere Pounamu' Patu Nephrite, old paper label Fine colour and patina through use New Zealand First half 19th Century SIZE: 28.5cm long - 11¼ ins long PROVENANCE: D. Barrett, London 2009 Ex Private collection SEE: 'The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection', 2010, pg. 348, ill. 492 - 493 and "The Maori Collections of the British Musuem' Dorota Czarkowska Starzecka, Roger Neich, Mick Prendergrast; plate 120 - 121 ill. 730 - 731 / 739 - 744 and 745 - 746 Of all the short weapons made of stone, wood or bone the 'mere pounamu', the jade thrusting and cleaving club, was held in the highest regard. It was the only Maori weapon made of jade and was unique to New Zealand. The power or 'mana' of certain Maori jade weapons, according to traditional histories, was so great that some important warriors knowing their end was near asked to be dispatched by a famous weapon, or supplied their own illustrious club to the executioner, to be sure pass into the next world with dignity and honour. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #sold #maori #nephrite #newzealand #antiquedealer #antiquedealersofinstagram
A Fine Baroque Grey Marble Oval Vase and Cover of Elegant Shape Raised upon an Oval Turned Marble Foot 'Bigio Antico' Marble Rome, Italy 17th / 18th Century SIZE: 39cm high - 15¼ ins high PROVENANCE: Purchased Firenze, Italia 2000 Ex Private collection The Baroque period originated in Italy in the 17th century and flourished across Europe embracing painting, sculpture, architecture, the decorative arts and in the 18th century music as well. The Italian 'peak' of Baroque can be seen in the many churches of the period. The elegant marble vase and cover was probably intended for such a building and could have been positioned around a 'high altar' or 'niche. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #marble #vase #baroque #barocco #Italy #artdealer #artdealersofinstagram #sold
A Fine 'Jingasa' Helmet Showing the Hosokawa Family Crest (a clan from the Edo Period, the largest land owning family in Japan) Black lacquer with two gold circles Japan Circa 1750 - 1850 SIZE: 9.5cm high, 41.5cm dia. - 3¾ ins high, 16¼ ins dia. FOR SALE #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #edoperiod #helmet #hosokawa #japan #antique #antiquedealersofinstagram
A Polynesian Spurred ‘Gata’ or ‘Sali’ Fighting Club of ‘Gunstock’ Form Wood Superb colour and patina Fiji 18th - 19th Century SIZE: 97.5cm long - 383⁄4 ins long PROVENANCE: Ex Private collection These impressive war clubs are said to be named after the clawed sali flower of one of the wild banana-like plants which grow on the Pacific Islands of Fiji. They have longer, broader cheeks and a more highly developed crest or spur than gata clubs although they were used in the same way, being designed to slice and cut through bone rather than smash and shatter it. Fijian clubs of this quality were expensive products made by specialist craftsmen called ‘Matai’. Using stone adzes they were commissioned by chiefs to carve particular weapons, and were paid with feasts and property presentations. Sometimes these weapons were not made for immediate use, but intended for formal exchange ceremonies between communities and would figure prominently among the goods changing hands. Sold #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #wood #polynisian #club #fiji #fight
A Pair of Unusual Mughal Archer's Thumb Rings Steel, brass (gold ?) India Late 18th / Early 19th Century SIZE: 3.5cm high - 1⅓ ins high PROVENANCE: Ex John Harwood, India, 2005 Ex Private collection The bow ring worn by archers on the thumb had a primarily functional use, but they were often very decorative as well, as hunting game with a bow and arrow was often a royal sport. The advantage of the eastern archer's thumb ring over that of the European practice of using the leather covered tips of three fingers is that it improves the handling of the bow and arrow, and increases the range and steadies the flight of the arrow, very similar to the actions achieved by using a spear thrower. The closer the feathers are to the nock of the arrow the greater the distance the arrow will travel, and the steadier its path. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #forsale #ring #india #mughal #brass
A Very Fine Gold Mounted Lapis Lazuli Casket Inset with Rubies The rectangular casket raised upon four 'ball' feet. A 'screw fixed' sunburst 'flower' knop to the front panel. Three ruby set flowers with engraved and chased decoration to the lid Lapis lazuli, gold, rubies German or French Late 18th Century / Early 19th Century SIZE: 3.5cm high, 5cm wide, 4cm deep - 1¾ ins high, 2 ins wide, 1½ ins deep PROVENANCE: Alfred de Rothschild (1842 - 1918), the Red Room, Halton House, Buckinghamshire, England Lionel de Rothschild (1882 - 1942) Edmund de Rothschild (1916 - 2009) The Trustees of Exbury House, England note: This exquisite casket can be seen on Alfred's desk in the Red Room at Halton House, where he conducted his private business affairs while in residence. The Red Room, Alfred's favoured colour; was reserved for some of his finest pieces from his collection, including furniture by Martin Carlin, Serves porcelain and a portrait of Lady Hamilton by George Romney. Sold #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #lapislazuli #gold #rubie #casket #antiques
A Group of Three Early Silver Dutch Spoons Silver, partial gilt The Netherlands 16th Century One spoon dated 1587 SIZE: 12cm long, 11.5cm long and 12 cm long / 4¾ ins long, 4½ ins long and 4¾ ins long PROVENANCE: Ex Private European collection The three 'excavated' silver spoons all date from an early period of the development of spoons, not only in Holland, but northern Europe also. Shafts decorated with engraved 'feathering'. One terminal is dated 1587, another with a coat of arms displaying a 'rampant' crowned bird of prey and a 'fleur de lys', the other with initials and a 'pommel'? To the reverse of one bowl, further initials are surrounded by engraved rams and crowned' bleeding 'hearts'. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #SOLD #dutch #netherlands #spoon #silver #antique
An Unusual Berchtesgaden Turned Fantasy Tower in Original Travelling Case Bone, nutmeg, wood, paper, polychrome German 17th Century SIZE: 19cm high - 7½ ins high / case: 5cm high, 5.5cm wide, 22.5cm long - 2 ins high, 2¼ ins wide, 9 ins long PROVENANCE: Ex Finch and Co, catalogue no. 21, item no. 48, 2013 Ex Private collection Aesthetically pleasing and artistically fascinating, the art of turning ivory on a lathe to produce varying geometrical shapes was extremely popular in the northern courts of Europe. Practised as a form of leisure activity by the aristocracy, it was a major domestic art form comparable perhaps with embroidery. The tradition dated back to the 16th and 17th centuries when ivory turning was patronised by royalty. Christof Angermair (1580 - 1633) was the court turner to Maximilian, Elector of Bavaria, and was held in such high esteem by his master that he was allowed to marry into the noble family. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #catalogue40 #newcatalogue #forsale #tower #german #berchtesgaden #bone #wood
A Finely Carved Maori Whalebone Club 'Kotiate Paraoa' Fine colour and patina, worn smooth in areas from use Whalebone, shell New Zealand Maori Early 19th Century SIZE: 34cm high - 13½ ins high PROVENANCE: Purchased through Finch and Co, November 2010 Ex Privately entered lot into auction, UK Ex Private collection The short hand clubs of the Maori known as 'patu poto' were made in several shapes from wood, whalebone, stone and nephrite or greenstone. They were carried thrust into the girdle of a kilt or into a special war-belt. All 'patu' were designed for in fighting where split-second action required thrusting jabs with little time for downward blows. Short clubs have a flat broad blade with a rounded end sharp enough to split the skull, or to cause deadly injuries to the neck or ribs by thrusting blows. The fighter kept firm hold on the weapon by means of a thong of dogskin which passed through the hole on the handle and around the wrist and thumb. It was possible for a skilled warrior with a short club, by speed and using a cloak wrapped around the left arm to parry blows, to defeat an opponent armed with a long club 'taiaha’. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #sold #maori #whalebone #club #shell #newzealand
A Circular Box and Cover Containing Baltic Amber Gaming Counters Amber, wood Danzig Germany or Baltic Prussia Region Early 19th Century or earlier SIZE: 2.5cm high, 10cm dia. - 2¼ ins high, 4 ins dia. PROVENANCE: Ex Colin Gross, London 1990's Ex Private collection Amber is the petrified plant sap of prehistoric pine trees. These fossil resins were known in Germany as 'Bernstein' or burning stones due to their flammability. Amber is found on all continents except Antarctica and there are nearly 100 known deposits throughout the world. The largest deposits of amber, and the ones exploited the longest, come from the shores of the Baltic. Amber also washes up on the shores of eastern England and Scotland especially after storms, and has been for at least ten millennia. The oldest amber artefacts have been found in England: rough beads from Gough's cave in Cheddar, Somerset, that date from 11,000 to 9,000 BC. SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #forsale #box #wood #amber #baltic #germany
An Unusual 'No' Mask Wood, black lacquer, gilding Signed: Uman and Kakihan Japan 19th Century SIZE: 21cm high, 16cm wide - 8¼ ins high, 6¼ ins wide The beautifully executed wood mask is probably from the workshop of Deme Uman; although he is well known as a Nö mask carver, his signature also appears on examples from the same workshop. One can only presume the master, Deme Uman, allowed production under his supervision and by apprentices whose work was considered of a high quality if not as good as the master; to carry his signature once the mask left the workshop. The lacquer and shape of the mask bear a very elegant form heightened by the small amount of 'gilt' to the teeth. The elaborate Japanese No dance-drama developed in the 14th century from a number of earlier forms and has retained its popularity. The boldly dynamic, grotesque or subtly eloquent dance masks are worn by the principal performers to every conceivable mood or emotion. As No masks are worn for a long time throughout the complex plot they are carved from a lighter wood than many of the earlier forms. At first their manufacture was a side line of the Temple Shrine image makers, but the craft eventually became the specialised trade of certain families, some of whom claimed their work was 'Tenka Ichi' unsurpassed under heaven' SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #sold #mask #japan #lacquer
A Native American Plains Lakota Sioux Swept Back Eagle Feather War Bonnet A Skull Cap of Tanned Deer Hide with Sinew Attached Immature Eagle Feathers and Central Flying Plume of Fluff or Breath Feathers a Brow-Band Sewn to the Edge of Cap above the Forehead Trimmed with Glass Seed Beads and with Thirty Golden Eagle Feathers Attached with Strips of Red Trade Cloth all Edged with Red Dyed Horse Hair Danglers to each side composed of strips of silk muslin cotton and owl feathers North America Circa 1870 - 1900 SIZE: approx: 40cm high, 60cm deep, 45cm wide - 15¾ ins high, 23½ ins deep, 17¾ wide PROVENANCE: Ex Private collection Mario Luraschi, Paris Ex Private European collection Finch and Co, catalogue no. 24, item no. 1, 2015 Ex Private U.K. collection Nothing is more symbolic of the Plains Indian than the eagle feather headdress worn by chiefs and other high ranking officers in tribal military society. The eagle feathered bonnet signified a warrior's prowess in battle and is thought to have originated with the Crow or Sioux. Pictorial evidence indicates that the swept back war bonnet was developed and accepted as a svmbol of prestige among the central and Northern Plains tribes by the early 1800'. A young Pawnee brave Petalesharro was painted by Charles Bird King in 1822 wearing a flaring headdress of eagle feathers trimmed with ermine skins. Edwin Denig, a factor for the American Fur Company in the 1850s, reported that the Assiniboin were willing to pay two horses for two tails of the war eagle, each containing twelve feathers, if the feathers were wrought into a cap. The feather of an eagle symbolised the highest honour that a warrior could win An eagle feather war bonnet could only be worn by an individual who had gained the respect of the leading men in the community and who had gained war honours'. The number of feathers indicated the number of captures and scalps taken in battle. The soft downy immature eagle feathers used on the headdress were symbolic of mysterious forces, their continuous fine fluttering movement suggesting communications with the supernatural powers. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #nativeamerican
An Egyptian Porphyry Mortar Previously ormolu mounted Porphyry Italy 17th Century SIZE: 13cm high, 17cm dia. - 5¼ ins high, 6¾ ins dia. PROVENANCE: Ex Private collection USA Ex Private collection SOLD #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #forsale #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #egypt #mortar #italy #porphyry
A Very Fine and Rare Oceanic Club Finely Carved with Twenty-Nine 'Glyph's Fine colour and patina Wood Tonga Late 18th Century SIZE: 85cm long - 33½ ins long PROVENANCE: Privately entered lot, English auction Purchased through Finch and Co, June 2010 Ex Private collection Finely engraved using stone, bird bone or shark's tooth tools this club expresses the characteristically refined and complex style of Tongan decoration practised on war clubs in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The numerous zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures symbolically display the weapon's 'mana' and it would have been a treasured possession. On Tonga and Fiji war occupied the entire male population. Boys were trained in the wielding and parrying of arms from infancy, only being bestowed with a real man's name once they had slain an enemy Most fights began with a skirmish, showers of arrows, slung stones and spears being exchanged, but casualties became serious when opposing parties came to grips with clubs. Effective in close combat, clubs could shatter an enemy's skull and cause irreversible damage to what Tongans and Fijians considered the most sacred part of the anatomy - the head. For Sale #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #forsale #club #oceanic #carving #wood #tonga
A Rare Yaka / Zombo Figurative Headrest Wood Southwest Congo / Angola 19th / Early 20th Century SIZE: 15cm high, 12.5cm wide, 10cm deep - 6 ins high, 5 ins wide, 4 ins deep PROVENANCE: Ex Robert Vervoordt, Brussels, 2011 Ex Private collection EXHIBITED: 'La tête dans les étoiles' BRUNEAF exhibition catalogue, 2012, loan Yaka headrests were both functional and spiritual objects, primarily used by chiefs and dignitaries to preserve their intricate hairstyles during sleep. Both 'mbwoolo' sculptures and a type of carved slit drum known as a 'mukoku' are used by ritual 'practitioners'. 'Mukoku' help in the divination process, and 'mbwoolo' are used to embody protective medicines. The Yaka also carve numerous masks and head-gear for use in initiation as worn by the traditional leaders. The Yaka, along with the Suku, were part of an invasion against the Kongo Kingdom that came from the Lunda Plateau in the 16th century. Prior to that, the Yaka culture was enveloped in Kongo language and agriculture. Lunda expansion and creation of the Inbangala (Mbangala) Kingdom in 1620 greatly affected the occupants of the Kwango River area, which included the Yaka and the Suku. In an effort to expand to the northwest and east, Yaka chiefs weakened, their kingdom's strength and were forced to become subservient to the Lunda. The Lunda-Chokwe empire collapsed in the 19th century allowing the Yaka to regain some independence. FOR SALE #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #forsale #yaka #zombo #headrest #wood #congo #angola
Two Fine 'Yumi' Asymmetrical Bows Bamboo, wood, lacquer Japan End of Edo / 19th Century SIZE: 215cm long - 84½ ins long The ‘yumi’ (gohonhigo type) is the name given to the Samurai ‘asymmetrical’ bows, an important weapon to the Samurai warrior and it is the most ‘famous’ type of bow used in Japan. FOR SALE #finchandco #finchandcoartdealer #newcatalogue #catalogue40 #forsale #yumi #bow #bamboo #wood #japan