To produce a really competent 3D representation of something is extremely hard. Not only does the artist need to understand the unique bone and muscle structures of the animal as is moves and rests, but also needs to capture the true character and essence of the creature at that moment in time. On top of this common features such as fur, feathers and markings need to be simplified to suggest merely their presence as such detail would otherwise become overwhelming.
Because animals have played a central role in human experience there are plenty of famous animal sculptures as diverse as the Sphinx in Egypt to the bronze bull at Wall Street. But while these may win our affections from their scale and physical presence, sometimes even tiny handheld animal sculptures can win our hearts just as much for their fragility and attention to detail. Indeed, to produce a peaceful curled up cat the size of a coin is far harder than creating it in full size. We have some great 20th Century examples where this is the case.
Whether made of Bronze, stone, wood or something else, at LoveAntiques our knowledgeable dealers understand what makes the difference between a good animal sculpture and a great one.
Digby Antiques (Wiltshire)
Miniature Cold Painted Bronze Rabbit
£ 130
CES Home & Garden Limited
Vintage Art Deco Style Bronzed Grey Hound
£ 695
Prometheus Antiques
Bronze of Bear Cubs Fighting by Victor Peter
£ 695
Prometheus Antiques
Black Forest Carved Wood Bear
£ 495
Rams Head Antiques
19th Century Saltglaze Stoneware Eagle Garden Sculpture
£ 465
St James Collectables
Florentine Serpentine Model of the Uffizi Boar
£ 235
Lines and Son
Rare Huge Leather Liberty Tiger Statue Figure
£ 1,250
Wick Antiques Ltd
Charming Swiss Black Forest Carved St. Bernard Dog Relaxed Lying Down with Its Head Resting & Taking a Long Snooze
£ 2,400
Charming Swiss Black Forest Carved St. Bernard Dog Relaxed Lying Down with Its Head Resting & Taking a Long Snooze
£ 2,400
Wick Antiques Ltd
Newark Antiques and Interiors Ltd
19th Century Black Forest Bear with Glass Eyes
£ 1,870
D and A Binder LTD
Mid 20th Century Leather Elephant Liberty London Style
£ 540
Antique & Modern Living
Large Bronze Meiji Period Elephant
£ 1,650
£ 175
Marylebone Antiques
Vintage Italian Bronze Horse Sculpture
£ 795
Harmony Antiques
Vintage Weathered Stone Garden Badger Ornament
£ 75
Elmgarden Antiques
A Hand Carved Live Wood Iguana
£ 1,450
Antikki Interiors
Chinese Tang Style Sancai Camel Figure
£ 175
Antikki Interiors
19th Century Victorian Ceramic Cow Creamer
£ 275
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
Pair of Gilt Bronze Swans, Jack Zajac (b.1929) — Limited Edition 18/95, Mounted on Acrylic Plinths
£ 10,000
Pair of Gilt Bronze Swans, Jack Zajac (b.1929) — Limited Edition 18/95, Mounted on Acrylic Plinths
£ 10,000
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
Bill Bridges Antiques
Pair of 2 Austrian Art Deco Painted Metal Horse Bookends Mare Foal c.1925
£ 65
Pair of 2 Austrian Art Deco Painted Metal Horse Bookends Mare Foal c.1925
£ 65
Bill Bridges Antiques
Bill Bridges Antiques
French Art Deco Statuette of Two Antelope on a Marble Base
£ 165
Treehouse Antiques
Black Forest Carved Model of Boar
£ 380
Rams Head Antiques
Fine Pair of Chinese Cloisonne Elephants Qing Period
£ 1,350
Martlesham Antiques
Pair Early 20th century Grand Tour Models of the Canova Lions
£ 1,550
Wick Antiques Ltd
Charming Late 19th Century Black Forest Carved Limewood / Linden Wood Group Depicting a Mother Dog with Her Puppies
£ 2,450
Charming Late 19th Century Black Forest Carved Limewood / Linden Wood Group Depicting a Mother Dog with Her Puppies
£ 2,450
Wick Antiques Ltd
Fernyhough Antiques Ltd
Life Sized Lioness Head
£ 695
£ 99
£ 229
Celia Rose Antiques
Japanese Casting of a Crab
£ 55
Graham Deakin Antiques
Austrian Cold Painted Terracotta Group of Cats
£ 595
AppleMan Antiques
Antique Pressed Glass Dog Figure
£ 199
£ 340
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Large Cowboy Bronze ‘Bronco Buster’ After Frederic Remington - Early to Mid 20th Century
£ 1,500
Large Cowboy Bronze ‘Bronco Buster’ After Frederic Remington - Early to Mid 20th Century
£ 1,500
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
CES Home & Garden Limited
Greek Goddess Statue by Louis Charles Hippolyte Buhot
£ 995
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
Striking 'Galloping Horse' Resin Sculpture c.1950
£ 5,850
CES Home & Garden Limited
Imposing Italian Bronze Verdigris Lions
£ 39,995
Elmgarden Antiques
Silver Lion Fish Model Signed by Mario Bucellati
£ 3,500
Paul Watson Antiques & Interiors Norfolk
Victorian Gilt Bronze Owl Paperweight
£ 225
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Antique French Bronze Sculpture Arab Horseman After Barye & Guillemin, 73 cm
£ 2,500
Antique French Bronze Sculpture Arab Horseman After Barye & Guillemin, 73 cm
£ 2,500
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Vintage Farm Animal Bronze Horned Bull Statue With Black Marble Base After Barye
£ 400
Vintage Farm Animal Bronze Horned Bull Statue With Black Marble Base After Barye
£ 400
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Vavasseur Antiques
Magnificent Bronze Statue of an American Bison After Alfred Barye c.1900
£ 1,850
Magnificent Bronze Statue of an American Bison After Alfred Barye c.1900
£ 1,850
Vavasseur Antiques
