Featured Carved Oval Wooden and Bronze Plaque

There is a later thread on this beautiful plaque, for those who would like more info on what had been going on since 2017:
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/carved-plaque-v-a-excitement.38982/

 

I am sorry to hear that, raver. The human psyche can play nasty tricks. There are natural remedies that can help, if you're interested.

 

I didn't know he had English roots, I thought he was Dutch. Unfortunately not a confirmed Giusti but I didn't buy it thinking it was by a well known carver, I bid on it just for the amazing detail, it was only when I saw it in the flesh I realised it was over 100 years old and the close up detail I thought I would try and find out who did it.

 

I never thought I would be nervous about much at all before it happened, I suppose I'd been through a lot and the old adage "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" isn't really true, in reality it's quite the opposite.

 

That can do it, especially if it was all in a relatively short period of time. Your brain is probably still trying to process it all.

Agree, it often is the opposite, unfortunately.
But I always say that enjoying beauty is a good therapy, and you have many beautiful items to enjoy.

 

Other than not being able to travel I'm quite happy, I lived on the edge for most of my life, I'm not really surprised it ended up biting me. Now I live a settled existence, something I rather enjoy.
Other than my adversity to travel I have been buying a few nice pieces ("beautiful items") I wonder where the world of antiques will be in 10 years from now? In the UK I have watched antiques change considerably, things that were hot 30 years ago are now almost worthless and things you couldn't give away then are going for £1000's now. The collection of antiques I own now I hope to pass on but will they be worthless then? I suspect they won't as I have tried to keep to a formula, 1) Did it take years to learn how to produce the item? 2) could the item be accurately reproduced today with little cost? 3) Were the materials used high end? 4) Could the item be a stand alone work of art? (I know this one is in the eye of the beholder) 5) How rare is the item? If 1) 3) 4) and 5) are yes and 2) is no then I go for it as long as the item is half the price it should be at that time. Sticking to this formula has seen almost everything I've ever bought rise in value, obviously a lot of research and learning but I think doing this will see what ever money I could have put in the bank preform far better than it would have ever done sitting in a account not working at all. I will do some up coming posts and pictures of things I have bought, I'm always a bit concerned about posting things I know all about, showing off instead of asking questions.

 

I for one would love to see them. I never thought of you as showing off, but as sharing the joy, and showing the beauty of the items, as well as sharing the knowledge you have of techniques etc.

 

Pietro Giusti's drawings

 

More pic's

 

Just wanted to see them together.

 

Coming back to this thread reminds me what an exquisitely carved piece of wood this is.

 

These drawings came yesterday from the library in Italy where a lot of Giusti's drawings are held. I was told by the keeper of manuscripts that there wasn't a drawing of my carving but they were great in looking through all his drawings finding elements that were in my carving. All of the drawings above hold some element in my carving but I was also told not all known works by him had a drawing, or at least not one that survived and they don't hold all his drawings, apparently they are held all over the world I will admit I was a little disappointed but they said "looks like Giusti lot"(Italian Google translation lol) The language barrier has been a little trying (on both sides) but I still remain confident in finding out who carved it one day. I do have 2 london dealers known to have sold Giusti's if all else fails, I might try contacting them but I'm a little apprehensive because if it is by him I wouldn't know a price and that's a very bad situation to be in.

 

I agree, it's wonderful but I know just how dirty it is, it has been hung over an open fire for decades, you can smell the coal tar and soot. I often restore antiques but I'm afraid to clean it in fear I'll do damage but I bet if it were cleaned the detail would be far better.

 

To my eye that drawing could easily be a sketching out of the idea for this Medusa.

 

The mouth and eyes are very similar but I'm afraid when it comes to his drawings and the works he produces from them are almost exact. I need to find the drawing for my carving to have any hope of calling it a Giusti.

 

This carving is not an exact copy of that drawing; changes were made.

There are certain conventions in depicting Medusa, so they are bound to have similarities. The open mouth descends from ancient Greek depictions of her as a monster. In modern times she has mutated into a beautiful, lethal woman; the majority of artists do not choose to show her shrieking.

What are your plans for this? Are you keeping it until you tire of it or are you wanting to put it on the market now?

 

I like the idea that it is a representation of a wine barrel. It’s really unique and appears to be in great shape.

 

I suppose it will depend on it's value, if at some stage I find out it has a great value I think it will be time to sell it. I don't go into the room it hangs in often so I look at it and it gives me pleasure every time I go in. I am getting to the stage where I have too many antiques, I want to keep a few choice pieces and get rid of the rest. I have found the high end London dealer who sold the Giusti to the Met 22 years ago and still his web site puts the first photo as the Giusti he sold as the scrolling banner at the top of the page.
https://blairman.co.uk/
I don't know what the value might be if it is by him but I would expect lots