Antique Victorian to Edwardian era Black Forest hand carved double open salt or sweet meat. Cute young cub, very nice Animalier anatomical study in petit form. He sits on his haunches, and glass bead eyes, and a lumbering gate that is just charming. Large sweetmeats pressed glass mounts on this one, bigger than the usual salt/pepper double open. It is 4.5" wide x 3.5" deep, and overall he is 3.5" high. We'd date this cute little guy as being one c.1880-1915. A Grand Tour souvenir type item. So fun to set a table with these at each place, and this is the size you'd use for individual place setting. We have several of these to list from recent buying trip to France, so look through if you're hoping for a table full (one for each place setting or couple). All sold separately.
If you've followed us for a while you know I'm a big fan of the old hand carved "Black Forest" items that come to us from 19th century Switzerland, Germany, parts of France and Italy, where they pleased the Grand Tour tourists and still please us all today. These hand carved treasures range from whimsical small bears to large and elaborate mantel clocks, wall clocks, wall plaques showing the most awesome anatomical studies of stag, fowl, "fruits of the hunt". I've got more to list so look through the vast collection. I've just used quite a few piece in our own 2nd home decoration , Rocky Mountains location, and love the look as well as the heritage since my own ancestors hail from that region and others. The pieces work well in Country Manor, French Country, Ski Lodge or Hunt Lodge and even in a den or office. Everything from a pocket watch case to huge plaques - from needle and thread holders to cigar caddy - these decorative objects survive today a testament to the artisan's craft of carving wood.
Very good condition overall, though under very close examination, I think there has been a very small rub or claws chip on the one front foot on the little cub. Try to see in our images - doesn't show in normal use to to the naked eye, but we've enlarged for your view, and can be easily covered with a dab of dark stain or Old English dark wood. But we want you to see it's there, small as it is. The pressed glass double open salt portion is fine, no chips or cracks, no hairlines or damage to report there. A sweet example of these little open salt table items. See photos for measurements and that group photo to compare size of this larger one to the more typical little double open salt bear shown beside it (sold separately).
