What kind of figurines am I looking at??

These are coming up in a local auction soon and I wondered why the auctioneers seemed to be so keen on them with the female at $30min (Est.AU$50 - AU$100) and the male $70min (Est.AU$100 - AU$200). The male looks like a soldier but not sure what army and the female is sitting on the worst designed seat in the universe and is indicating the designer is a bit of a you know what. The female kind of looks contemporary and the male might be reasonable old. Any thoughts on these???
Cheers
Stephen
"auction photos"

 

If she had on "knickers" you quite truthfully could say "she has her knickers in a twist." Sorry, I simply could not resist. x 5

 

What representation is being made about them?

 

My thoughts ... UMmmm .. Don't like them ... Joy.

 

I'm not convinced the one on the left is female.

 

Hemale - Carved Decorative Figure, Mounted on Stand, Height:22cm
Soldier - Carved Decorative Figure Mounted on Iron Stand, Height:25 - 30cm approximately

 

Bronwen, I'm not sure she/it/he knows either. And what's with the hole in the other guy's chest??

 

He got shot?

 

The gender non-conforming figure looks like there should be something held in the hands.

 

Perhaps a sword (left) and shield (right) to go w/ the helmet he is wearing?

Something like this maybe?



Sans the boar : )

 

Does anyone else see the "soldier" cleaning his gun?

 

My first impression was of a gun also but the hands suggest it would have to be a "pistol grip" rifle and that's a bit too modern for this figure : )

 

It might be a long shot, but the one sitting looks as though as snake may be wrapped around the waist and coming up the back, through one hand and the other hand is holding the head?

 

The rifle is missing half the barrel.

 

Think he's just standing at rest with it. Does anyone else see a hole in the back of the hand that is resting on the mouth of the gun barrel.

What nationality/ethnicity is he?

 

They're both mounted as much like artifacts as art.

 

sorry Baker...I was talking about the more amorphous of the two figures

yes, I think the 2nd figure is certainly "at rest" w/ his rifle (if not cleaning it)

 

I see a "hole" but to me it just looks like the way a finger would have broken off.

 

...

 

While I think it's a poor representation I get the idea he is supposed to Chinese?