Fabulous antique French Napoleon III or Victorian era hand carved 29.75" x 23.25" wall panel, a long stemmed tobacco pipe display plaque with marvelous Empire Blackamoor style figural bust and wonderful visual & decorative appeal! I'm pretty sure this would have been for "churchwarden" or "lesepfeife" (reading pipe) pipes, or the type with the overly long, thin stem/mouthpiece. The horizontal fixture has slots and the rounded inner space is more narrow than just a normal tobacco pipe, also the display area or wood panel lends itself to the long nature of the churchwarden. I've shown it with some of our old Gorham Lily pattern flatware but the end use of the piece is really only dependent on your imagination. A beautifully carved large piece, a magnificent wall hanging decorative accent!
Very good condition. Large, clear images so you see it's in wonderful shape. Some darkened areas in the wood finish evident, a few worm holes (nothing active). The plaque that surrounds the upper figural bust may have had some sort of panel or carving to the rear and just above the head, the wood panel there not as squarely cut and may be signs that something was broken off but it could just be how it was made originally and you can only see that from the rear or by looking down from the top. That part (bust and side floral garland segments) can unscrew from the larger panel for easier (smaller package) shipment. See images for all measurements.
