Large (4 ft. Tang Dynasty bronze war horse statues ??

[mart]

http://www.kovels.com/forums/7-silver-pewter-brass-copper-chrome-other-metals/9585-bronze-horse-statues?limitstart=0

Ipcress,,,Mat,, this is your area !! I have not found anything this size !!  Liveauctioneers did have one at 28 1/2 inches that was of the period and priced accordingly but no takers at $1.5 M !!  While I do not think these are that old (she has 2 of them) it seems that if many were made at 4 ft. tall, they should not be that hard to find !!  They are located in Florida,, Miami area I think she said !!  They were purchased by her employer at an antique shop,,about 18 years ago !!  Shop is no longer in business !!

[KC]

Mart, looks like a Tang Dynasty war horse.  The story goes that the Emperor raised 6 horses and had them look this way.  Often used to decorate graves (thus known as a tomb horse) so that they would ensure a good afterlife.

Here's one on houzz to show the similarities (pleated material at saddle, smooth arched mane, knotted tail (believed to help the horse run faster))

http://www.houzz.com/photos/20388179/Museum-Replica-Bronze-Sculpture-Tang-Dynasty-Horse-Bronze-Statue-Sculpture-transitional-decorative-objects-and-figurines

[mart]

 Yep !!  Looks like that's what they are but all I can find are small statues !!  These two are each 4 ft. tall !!  Says they are unmarked !! Or they can`t find a mark if there is one !!  Would like to know what they are, and a value !! They do not know how old they might be !!  Really anything will help !!

[KC]

Where are they located and what is the history of where they got them? 

You know there are so many imports for decorative statues over the years.  I would be hard pressed to say they are antique just from the pictures.

[Mat]

Hi mart, I do not think these are antique. They are made in the style of the Tang horses, but I am not sure if in the Tang dynasty there were made such big bronze sculptures of horses. All I know are made of clay, and most of the ceramic ones you can find today are imitations too. Also the patina looks very artificial to me. As KC said, lots of these horses were and are sold as decorative items. Here is a link to a smaller, but very similar recent horse: http://antique-lamp-shoppe.myshopify.com/products/e067-contemporary-chinese-tang-dynasty-war-horse-lamp. I am not good at values, but I do not think they are worth too much!
Mat

[mart]

Oh,, I do not think they are of the period !!  But the problem is,,who would have made 4 ft tall bronze replicas and why can not more be found ??  Are they sculptures,, yard art or what ??  Even the replicas that I found are small,, the largest at 28 1/2 inches !!
And to answer KC,, they are in the Miami Florida area and they were purchased at an antique shop about 18 years ago !!  The shop is long since out of business !!

[KC]

Mart, I have some very large bronze pieces that aren't marked as well.  I do know for a fact they came from France and England.  Not unusual for foundries to not mark works (however, top foundries usually mark their works). 

[mart]

Well,, I am looking for anything to compare them to !! Surely they made others !!

[Ipcress]

There could only be a few of them - I doubt anyone is mass producing 4ft tang horse statues because who is going to buy them ?

Could have been for a restaurant or a Chinese garden.

[mart]

  Thanks everyone !!  I found one yesterday that was brought to AR and was dated to the Tang Period !! Similar size and form but earthenware/pottery rather than bronze !!  Similar look !! Will try to find the link again !! 

[Ipcress]

It doesn't look old either - more like something you'd see at Disney Land or an " all you can eat " Chinese restaurant !

[KC]

Mart, these were originally made in pottery.  However, this is a new reproduction. 

Have them look at the bottoms of the pieces to see if there are signs they were ever mounted.
(At a restaurant, etc.)

[mart]

I posted a link KC, so they could follow this thread !! Will see if they can do that !! Probably pretty heavy though !!  I found another one made of wood from approx. mid century on ebay,, about the same size 42" and oddly enough,, also in the Miami, Fl area !!