Nero Antiques Natural Specimens

A mid 19th century cranberry or ruby glass, gilt bronze and marble mounted cornucopia. This stylish chimney ornament has a cranberry cornucopia of trumpet shape which has a flared ri...

19th Century Chinese gilt bronze sculpture of a pig.

Pair of Continental Carved and Polychromed Wooden Cornucopias, 19th Century These finely carved and polychromed wooden cornucopias exemplify the enduring symbolic power of the horn of plenty in European decorative arts. Each composition is rendered in high relief, the ribbed horn issuing an abundant cascade of fruit and vegetables—pomegranates, grapes, melons, pumpkins, gourds, citrus, corn, and floral sprays—arranged with exuberant Baroque fullness. Now mounted on forged iron bases for display, the pair measures 20" high × 28" wide × 3.5" deep, including stands 12.5" x 6" (carvings alone 28" wide × 17" high × 3.5" deep). The Cornucopia in History Originating in antiquity, the cornucopia (Latin cornu copiae) was first associated with Amalthea, the goat who suckled the infant Zeus, whose horn became a miraculous source of nourishment. In Roman culture it was carried by deities of abundance—Fortuna, Abundantia, and Ceres—as an emblem of civic prosperity and the cycles of nature. Revived in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the cornucopia became a favored motif in architecture, painting, and decorative arts, symbolizing divine blessing, seasonal plenty, and the wealth of the natural world. Iconography of the Fruits and Vegetables The profusion of produce is not merely decorative but encodes symbolic meanings rooted in both classical and Christian traditions: Pomegranates—fertility, eternal life, and resurrection. Grapes—festivity, vintage, and the Eucharistic blood of Christ. Melons and Watermelon Slices—sensual abundance, refreshment, and ephemeral pleasure. Pumpkins and Gourds—autumn harvest, transformation, and the cycles of plenty. Corn (Maize)—sustenance and prosperity, reflecting New World influence on European symbolism. Citrus Fruits—health, luxury, and Mediterranean prosperity. Floral Sprays—seasonal beauty and the transience of life, underscoring vanitas themes common in still-life art. This allegorical language aligns the carvings with the broader European tradition of abundance imagery found in still-life painting, silverwork, and architectural ornament. Continental Style and Possible Origin The sculptural density, dramatic overlapping of forms, and naturalistic rendering suggest a Continental origin, likely Austrian, German, or Italian, c. late 19th century. While Swedish decorative carving of the same era tends toward flatter surfaces and folk stylization, these examples embody a more theatrical Baroque and Rococo inheritance, later enhanced with a polychrome or silver-toned surface to heighten their decorative impact. Originally conceived as architectural appliqués...

A fine pair of French 19th century Rouge-Royal marble and figural gilt bronze-mounted flambeaux urns surmounted with four ormolu figures of dolphins supporting the center urn with th...

A wonderful Horn resting on three hand wrought pewter legs with a tip, collar and lid with hand crafted etching and details. The horn is a compliment to any shelf, console table - a...

French gilt bronze harp, 19th century. On marble base.

19th Century Mounted York Stone Finial. An antique York stone finial mounted on a modern lacquered steel stand. Additional Dimensions Base 15 cm x 15 cm

A very fine antique jeweled, silver Viennese enamel covered Cornucopia. Each panel is beautifully enameled with cupids, Angeles and Maidens with neoclassical mythological subjects, f...

A fantastic 19th century Afo culture wrought iron spade currency piece mounted on custom steel stand. Currency pieces like these were used for large purchases including land or lives...

Old unsigned animal bronze medal patina representing a horned cow.

Decorate an office shelf with this antique Horn; crated in France circa 1850, the piece is made with a cow horn and embellished with copper mounts on both...

A striking Tibetan ritual trumpet, traditionally known as a kangling, crafted from a human femur bone and adorned with low content silver metalwork and mounted coral beads. These cer...