What kind of figurines am I looking at??

The only problem w/ the snake idea is that would mean it had a small cross pattern on it’s back exactly where a belt buckle should be (and that pattern is then not seen elsewhere on it’s scales)



Not an impossibility, but a very odd coincidence (though I do admit that is one awful belt if that is what it is supposed to be ; )

 

No insight at all. Most likely from an estate with knowledge/provenance lost for ever as usual. Agree with the Irani suggestion and the broken rifle barrel but as for the "Shehe" I think the legs are just too wrong to be on a horse unless side saddle in a very uncomfortable position. I'm favouring baby Jesus vs Hercules at the moment. Also curious about the rusty stands and wondering if they are early 20th or late 19th as the rusty tetanus bill holding ones faded out mid twentieth. Not to say companies didn't still used them though.

 

I'm not seeing Hercules:



nor the lap needed to support a baby:

 

The right hand is in the wrong position for holding reins, and is too open.

 

I'm not seeing baby Jesus either ... all three body parts are distorted and strange .. like a bad dream, ... Joy.

 

Not really...the right hand is in exactly the same position as the picture of Roman soldier holding the spear I posted.

As to the hand being “too open”, every thing about those hands are clunky so why not that too?

But if you don’t like reins put a shield in his hand (or don’t, it’s just the way I see it) To me a horse is the only answer to that odd leg position but I’m certainly open to a better interpretation.

 

I think you've basically hit it: a mounted warrior; sword or spear in one hand, shield or reins in the other; wearing a helmet with a flared neck guard. It's very stylized & I'm with you in thinking it is probably the more valuable of the 2, even though we don't know exactly what either is.

 

You can hold a baby on your arm. Many Madonnas do, like the one I posted. Many other people do as well. If you could only carry your baby around in your lap, every parent would need a wheelchair.

 

I like the Madonna association as far as the head goes, and I can almost see the arm position (though that would be easier if the hands we’re not those of the Hulk) I’ve just never seen the Virgin Mother depicted doing the twist

 

And to be fair “the more valuable of the 2” may not mean very much here.

They could both be museum quality pieces (if you could find a museum that recognized them) or they might only make for interesting after dinner conversation as Silver has suggested.

I still hold that if I was only going to bid on one in would be The Madonna Warrior of Motown but if the price was right (and Misc seems to think it will be) I would buy them both.

But then I love the hunt and in this case that hunt could extend to learning their origins (within reason of course)

That to me sounds like a lot of fun (and education) had for a $50 investment

 

on a side note: Is there a way to erase a post if I accidentally start one with “quote” or “reply”?

 

It is baby Jesus doing the twist. His mother is being wise and motherly, staying off the scene.

 

You can go back to 'edit' and take out the quote.
Or delete your reply and just put a dot instead.

 

Thank you AJ

 

So you are seeing the entire figure as being the Baby Jesus?

 

I have been wracking my brain, and google, trying to explain the soldier fellow. All I can come up with is his distant cousin from Nigeria, by a Yoruba artist:

https://www.michaelbackmanltd.com/object/colonial-carving-thomas-ona-odulate/

 

Yes.