Featured ~ Flea Market find ~

Just when I thought all I'd see is 40 yr. old dishware at the flea ~ I spotted it and captured it. A Renaissance revival walnut very heavily carved walnut door from a ca. 1880 large cabinet, 23"x24" and the superb carving is 2" deep. lockset is gone, but a wonderful piece, made it worth getting up at 5 am on a foggy morning !

 

My, isn't that lovely? What's the putto inscribing on the tablet? Appears to be a portrait.

Debora

 

Beautiful, and that putto artist is just precious.

 

Yes, a portrait.

 

Wow!!

 

Makes me wonder if it's a portrait of the carver

 

Wow! How much did you get it for?

 

I bought it. We do our best on the forum to leave dollar figures & appraisals out of discussions, but gave what two might pay for dinner and a movie ~ very reasonable for such a piece.

 

That is really great, glad you saved it!!

So many ppl today have no appreciation for such work anymore. I have a chair that needs 2 spindles made for it but I still love it!!

I needed a trash can to hold soda cans, and saw one today at the flea mkt for $10. I offered 8 and the guy accepted.. I get home and look it up, the can retails for 120 and the dolly for 40!! Think I did OK!!

 

I'd say! I went to an estate sale this morning, waited 90 minutes plus ... cancelled. They didn't tell us until after it was supposed to be open.

 

Wowser! Very, very cool.

 

Looks more like a classical head.

Debora

 

Stunning work !!!
Respect to the carver............. & the buyer !!!

 

Some US factories imported Italian carvers on contract at that time. It was somebody who knew his onions , and I can almost hear this singing in Italian.

 

With the current economy -are we seeing a Buyers Market for average (non-true museum quality) pieces ?

 

Definitely. That giant bookcase wasn't a fluke. Mid-century is cooling off, slowly but surely,and Victorian/older has been stone cold for a long time. Some brown wood is moving again, but only if you're lucky and can sell it cheaply. Some GenZ and Millennials are buying it again, because they're sick of the flimsy flat pack.