![]() ![]() Here is a link to an updated version of the story on a blog devoted to Dan Brown’s novel, INFERNO. We recounted the Dante and Beatrice story in both Bookend Revue and Bookends: Objects of Art and Fashion. They were issued in a variety of poses by several different foundries, and we frequently find them today. In any event, Dante or Dante and Beatrice bookends were very fashionable here in the United States. American Victorians were noted to be prudes. For example, adultery and mistresses were commonplace for them. We do not know if the Aristocrats were concerned with pure love or with prudish behavior. At least it was superior for the English Bourgeoisie and this seems allied to their prudish behavior. This was “pure love” for Victorians and superior to love with physical aspects. Dante loved Beatrice all of his life although he never had a physical relationship with her. Dante Alighieri’s 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy was widely read during Victorian times. The story of Dante and Beatrice was very popular during the Victorian era. Rotellini.ĭante and Beatrix: Height 7 inches. He is standing over a a formal flower bouquet that includes roses, a flower that features in classical tales about Cupid.Ĭlick here to visit an earlier post about the sculptor M. Our Cupid, from the early 1900s, is a lovely depiction of a youth with his quiver of arrows, but no bow. The chubby toddler is a popular Valentine’s Day subject. In paintings and sculpture he appears as a slender beautiful youth and as chubby toddler. Cupid appears in literature, theater, and art many times over centuries. He is a famous archer whose golden arrows cause uncontrollable desire, and whose leaden arrows quench desire and promote aversion. He is winged because lovers are flighty and liable to change their minds. He was the son of Venus, Goddess of Love, and either Mars, Mercury or Vulcan. circa 1915.Ĭupid (Eros) is the ancient Roman (Greek) God of desire, erotic love, attraction, and affection. Production attributed to Paul Mori / Pompeian Bronze. Please see my other auctions for more antique and vintage bookends and doorstops that I will combine on shipping whenever possible.Cupid: Height: 7.5 inches, Electroform bronze. They are just as enchanting from the side and back as the front. Since these bookends are three dimensional or fully figural, they look even larger than they are and they can be displayed in so many positions. The detailing on those ruffled feathers is wonderful. These are wondeful spooky, large owls that just stare right through you. ![]() Owls were associated early with bookends and bookracks since they were a symbol and companion to Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom. The owl on books signifies the knowledge to be gained by reading. ![]() These are large, measuring over 8 inches tall and weighing 7 pounds the pair. These are most prized by bookend collectors for their beautiful finishes, their age, and the fact they have yet to faked since the process is too expensive and time consuming to copy. You can always tell these bookends by the remnants of the metal wicks in a shallow depression in their bases like these. They were then finished in long lasting, lustrous bronze and polychrome finishes by hand like these. Pompeian Bronze, along with it's contemporaries Marion, Armor and Galvano Bronze, made bookends a certain way by dipping plaster molds into a bronzing solution by long metal wicks until bronze clad. Also, you can find them pictured in the antique and vintage bookend reference guide by Kuritzky, "The Encyclopedia of Bookends", page 56, Plate 173, entitled OWL ON BOOKS and described as very rare. ![]() These no longer have the label on the base that said Pompeian but I guarantee them to be old, genuine, original and as described. These are some of my favorite bookends, the large horned owl bookends sitting on those polcychrome painted stack of books as a base, circa 1925, by the famous Pompeian Bronze Company. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |