Large Antique Polychromed Wood Statue of a Bishop, circa 1650

St. Florian (250 A.D. – 304 A.D.), was a the patron saint of firefighters, brewers, chimney sweeps, and the town of Linz, Austria. He served in the Roman army and part of his duties included organizing fire fighting brigades. He was secretly a Christian and became famous for miraculously saving a town from being destroyed by fire; after he prayed and threw a single bucket of water on the blaze, it was extinguished. This beautifully carved and painted statue dates to approximately the end of the 1600s or early 1700s. It clearly depicts St. Florian with a bucket in hand and a flag in the other. At his feet, is a miniature building...

St. Florian (250 A.D. – 304 A.D.), was the patron saint of firefighters, brewers, chimney sweeps, and the town of Linz Austria. He served in the Roman army and part of his duties included organizing fire fighting brigades. He was secretly a Christian and became famous for miraculously saving a town from being destroyed by fire; after he prayed and threw a single bucket of water on the blaze, it was extinguished. This beautifully carved oak statue from the 1600s, clearly depicts St. Florian with a bucket in hand and a miniature house...

This charming pair of French terracotta statues depicts a male and female musician and was made during the latter half of the 1800s. Both statues have been stamped “GOSSIN PARIS” on the back sides. The Gossin factory in Paris was led by two brothers, Etienne (died in 1900) and Louis (1846-1928). The brothers regularly showed their wares at the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, the Salon de Paris, where they would often bring home medals for outstanding quality works. They were very well known for their ornamental terra cotta fabrications which were exhibited all-over the country, where they also took home various medals. Both of these statues represent musicians siting upon rocky bases decorated with flowers, and our male musician has been depicted holding a “musette de cour”, which is a relative of the bagpipe. The female musician can be seen with a “vielle à roue” in her lap. A vielle à roue is a string instrument that produces sound when a crank is turned. The crank rotates a wheel that rubs against the strings. The sound can be compared to that of a violin. Place this elegant pair of 19th century terracotta musician statues...

This tall French statue of St. Bartholomew was hand-carved from oak in the 1700’s. This depiction of St. Bartholomew is not often seen in art, except for one of the most well known r...