Animalier Antiques: Symbolic Ornament and Natural Form

67 products

67 products
Monumental Carved and Gilded Imperial Eagle with Agate Eyes and Malachite Laurel Wreath
Pair of Cast Iron Versions of the Canova Lions - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Pair of Cast Iron Versions of the Canova Lions - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Pair of Cast Iron Versions of the Canova Lions
Regency Convex Mirror with a Black Eagle - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Regency Convex Mirror with a Black Eagle
Sold Out
Rare gold plate Dunhill ‘Aquarium’ table lighter by Nwtiques featuring horse racing scene
Rare Nwtiques Dunhill Aquarium gold plate table lighter with detailed horse racing scene
Nicholas Nickleby Ascot 1955 Winner Dunhill ‘Aquarium’ Lighter
19th century Anglo Indian carved ebony elephant group with mahouts and monkey on tree by Nwtiques
Indian Ebony Carved Group
Pair of Neo-Classical Twin Branch Wall Lights
16th Century Italian Florentine giltwood frame with intricate carvings from Collection EE20 vintage decor
16th Century Italian Florentine Giltwood Frame
Pair of Louis XIV Painted Oak Frames
19th Century Rectangular French Empire Gilt Frame Mirror - Nicholas Wells Antiques
19th Century Rectangular French Empire Gilt Frame Mirror - Nicholas Wells Antiques
19th Century Rectangular French Empire Gilt Frame Mirror
Salt Glazed Eagles - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Salt Glazed Eagles - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Salt Glazed Eagles
Victorian Grotto Specimen Mineral Diorama
A pair of 17th century Italian gilt bronze baroque picture frames by Nwtiques with ornate scroll details
A pair of 17th Century Gilt Bronze picture frames
German early 20th century solid silver hawk sculpture with glass eyes on wooden perch by Collection CK20.
German early 20th century solid silver perched hawk sculpture by Collection CK20 with glass eyes on wooden post
German Early 20th Century Solid Silver Perched Hawk
Antique Bronze Statue of Zeus riding an Eagle - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Antique Bronze Statue of Zeus riding an Eagle - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Antique Bronze Statue of Zeus riding an Eagle
Fret-Cut George III Mahogany Veneered Mirror with Gilt Ho-Ho Bird - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Fret-Cut George III Mahogany Veneered Mirror with Gilt Ho-Ho Bird - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Fret-Cut George III Mahogany Veneered Mirror with Gilt Ho-Ho Bird
Rare Early 19th Century Regency Octagonal Convex Mirror - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Rare Early 19th Century Regency Octagonal Convex Mirror - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Rare Early 19th Century Regency Octagonal Convex Mirror
Pair Vallauris ceramic wall lights with ornate female figure design by Collection ES10, circa 1950 French origin
Pair Vallauris ceramic wall light by Collection ES10 featuring a vintage French design from 1950 with two candle holders
Pair Vallauris Ceramic Wall Lights
Japanese bronze stag sculpture from the Showa period by Collection TH10, showcasing refined mid-20th-century craftsmanship
Japanese bronze sculpture of a stag from the Showa period by Collection TH10 with fine patinated finish
A Japanese bronze model of a Stag
Zoomorphic Roman Glass Bird Shaped Bottle
North European Black Ebonised Molded Frame
Pair of late Edo Japanese vases adapted as lamps with gold kintsugi repair by Collection TH20
Pair of late Edo Japanese vases turned lamps with kintsugi repairs and blue glaze from Collection TH20
A pair of late Edo Japanese vases now as lamps
Carved giltwood lion’s mask showcasing Regency craftsmanship from Collection CK10 with intricate detailing and aged gold finish
Carved giltwood lion's mask with intricate detailing from Collection CK10, inspired by early 19th-century Regency design
Carved Giltwood Lions Mask
Large Rose Medallion Canton punch bowl with hand-painted floral and bird motifs from Collection CK20.
Close-up of antique Large Rose Medallion Canton punch bowl with hand-painted floral and figure design by Collection CK20
Large Rose Medallion Canton Punch Bowl
Pair of Modernist Wireframe Rattan Chairs - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Pair of Modernist Wireframe Rattan Chairs - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Pair of Modernist Wireframe Rattan Chairs
Pair of Double-Gourd Crystalline Glaze Ceramic Table Lamps
Pair of 19th Century Victorian Red Ceramic Table Lamps
Horse and Groom in a Landscape with Figures and House
Pair Of Polychrome Over Powder Blue Chinoiserie Vases
Silver centrepiece by T. Bradbury & Sons
Blue Crackle Glazed Vase by Signed Keramos Mounted as a Table Lamp - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Blue Crackle Glazed Vase by Signed Keramos Mounted as a Table Lamp - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Blue Crackle Glazed Vase by Signed Keramos Mounted as a Table Lamp
Pair of Meiping-form ceramic table lamps with blue-mottled brown glaze by Nwtiques, featuring white shades
Pair of Meiping-Form Ceramic Table Lamps with Blue-Mottled Brown Glaze
Pair of blue crystalline glaze ceramic table lamps by Nwtiques with elegant baluster shapes and creamy shades
Pair of blue crystalline glaze ceramic table lamps by Nwtiques with one lamp featuring a pleated ivory shade
Pair of blue crystalline glaze ceramic table lamps
Antique Chinese Carved Wooden Vase Stand
White ceramic polar bear sculpture with shagreen enamel texture from Collection TH30, height 28 cm, length 33 cm
White ceramic polar bear sculpture with shagreen enamel texture by Collection TH30, inspired by MNF Sèvres design.
MNF Sèvres (1929–1936) “Polar Bear”
Pair of 19th century weighted hairy paw brass door porters from Collection TH10 with ornate Victorian design
Pair of 19th century weighted brass door porters by Collection TH10 with intricate Victorian design and functional detail
Pair of 19th century weighted hairy paw brass door porters
Early 20th Century Alabaster Polar Bear - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Early 20th Century Alabaster Polar Bear
Vivid Green Lustrous Ceramic Banana Leaf
French Mid-Century Glazed Ceramic Table Lamp - Nicholas Wells Antiques
French Mid-Century Glazed Ceramic Table Lamp - Nicholas Wells Antiques
French Mid-Century Glazed Ceramic Table Lamp
Two Tone Glazed Ceramic Foliate Vase Mounted as Table Lamp - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Two Tone Glazed Ceramic Foliate Vase Mounted as Table Lamp - Nicholas Wells Antiques
Two Tone Glazed Ceramic Foliate Vase Mounted as Table Lamp
Vintage Silver Plate Campagna Form Wine Cooler

In the context of antique furnishings and objets d’art, Animalier denotes a distinctive category that incorporates animal-themed ornamentation—celebrating creatures of land, sea, and sky not through sculpture or painting, but through stylised, symbolic design.

Far beyond the formal French artistic movement of the 19th century, the term here embraces the rich tradition of animal references in decorative arts: ram’s head handles adorning classical vases, lion masks flanking drawer fronts, eagle finials crowning clocks or furniture, and serpentine forms coiled into mounts and moldings. These motifs often carry deeper meaning: strength, wisdom, majesty, and protection, lending each piece an added narrative drawn from mythology, heraldry, and nature.

Whether carved in wood, cast in bronze, chased in gilt or sculpted in marble, these animal elements are more than embellishment—they reflect the historical fascination with the natural world and the symbolic power of its inhabitants. From Neoclassical urns with rams' masks to Louis XVI lion paw feet or Regency-era griffins, Animalier antiques embody a timeless connection between design and zoology, form and metaphor.
Recently viewed