Went to an Estate Sale Today

We went to an estate sale this morning and picked up a pretty nice late world war two Japanese shin guntō    Officers sword type 3 with what looks to be a wooden surrender chit. We also found a really cool larger than life size(46 inches tall) bust of a woman that is done in and idealized Victorian era Renascence style that just reeks of quality. This massive sculpture is just awesome I must say.  The only thing about it is that it is made of fiber glass and is not circa 1870's-80's like it looks, but is more than likely late 1970's or 80's!  It is a spectacular piece that was made as either a garden ornament or a prop of some type. Either way it is a very appealing piece and will probably end up in my garden. This piece will be on display at South Coast Antiques & Gallery for a while before it will be moved to my garden, so if you want to stop by and see it, it will be on view.

Idealized Victorian era Renascence Style Bust 

The Guennol Lioness Sculpture, A Masterpiece in Miniature.

This is a very famous and stone sculpture called the Guennol Lioness.  It’s also one of the world’s most expensive figures, Having sold for $57.2 million and it standing a whopping 3 ¼ inches tall.  Made of crystalline limestone, it is a tribute to the unknown master’s hand that created this diminutive tour de force. 

It was carved about 5,000 years ago in the  Proto-Elamite, Chalcolithic era, giving lie to the belief that earlier cultures were not as advanced aesthetically or artistically as modern people.  It was found in the middle 1930s in southwest Persia (now Iran) and sold to a private collector and displayed in the Guennol Collection, which was exhibited in various museums.  The lionesses’ powerful lines come through despite the small size, giving us a feeling that this anthropometric creature was imbued with great power.
 

The statue came to my attention several years back when it was put up for auction and new photos were made and released to the public.  Previously, there were only grainy pictures in archeological texts, now we can enjoy the figure’s magnificent lines in crisp, new photos and wonder in the power of an ancient stone carver’s art.

Sorry, but this can not be currently viewed at South Coast Antiques & Gallery in Ocean Springs,MS
This little treasure was auctioned at Sotheby's in 2007 to an undisclosed buyer.