Author Topic: deer figurine  (Read 4573 times)

trichards

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deer figurine
« on: August 16, 2012, 09:26:49 am »
I have what I understand is an antique figurine of a reclining deer.  It is 6 inches long and 5 inches tall.  It sits on a carved wooden base.  On the underside it has the numbers 003 carved and the letters Nl.  It was once owned by an antiques dealer in St. Louis and was given to me after his death.  I have looked for any similar figurine online and found nothing.  I am hoping someone here will know something about it.

wendy177

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2012, 09:56:40 am »
Is the deer figure also made of wood or just the base and if not wood  what is the deer made of??

mart

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2012, 10:15:06 am »
And please take a pic of the underside where the marks are !!  Is that NL or NI ??
« Last Edit: August 16, 2012, 10:35:03 am by mart »

trichards

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2012, 11:15:36 am »
The figurine is not wood.  It has the density of metal. I have not tried to scratch the surface because I do not want to damage it.
I am not sure if it is obvious in the picture, but there are several places on the deer that there are three joined circles.  One group is on the exposed part of the neck in the picture.
I am adding a picture of the bottom.

wendy177

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2012, 11:25:40 am »
Appears to be some type of resin. It looks from the photos you have a chinese spotted deer made of handcrafted resin kinda like this piece.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chinese-Resin-Handcraft-Riding-Monk-Statue-WK1459-/310110669063?pt=Asian_Antiques&hash=item4834094907
« Last Edit: August 16, 2012, 11:47:30 am by wendy177 »

mart

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2012, 01:52:46 pm »
That bottom pretty much says resin of some type,, not wood !!

bigwull

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2012, 01:54:50 pm »
It could be made of Lignum-Vitae...which is the the only wood that does not float as its density,is similar to metal,if you take a scraping from the under side then heat them, if they melt its resin but if they don,t then it is probably Lignum,...over here this wood was used to make small bowling balls,...not ten pin,..the other kind,...bowling green,or carpet bowls,
I make no excuses,and no apologies....but i like a good Malt,

ghopper1924

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2012, 02:46:15 pm »
"the other kind,...bowling green,or carpet bowls,"

I'm sorry, but our internationally-oriented forum does not recognize this as bowling ;)
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

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bigwull

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2012, 04:43:31 pm »
Well, there,s Cricket....lots of bowling there,...similar principle...knock down some bits of wood,..big scores,..but No under hand balls allowed!..... ;D
I make no excuses,and no apologies....but i like a good Malt,

greenacres

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2012, 08:05:06 pm »
And I thought you meant "Bocce Balls".  ;D
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ghopper1924

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2012, 05:41:00 am »
Just giving you a hard time, Wull. ;)
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

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trichards

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2012, 06:23:34 am »
It may be made of resin, but it is heavy, and it appears to be hand carved.  I do not have a proper scale to weigh it, but it exceeds the 2 pound limit on the postal scale.
Attached is another picture showing the marks on the back side of the antlers.

trichards

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2012, 06:27:56 am »
Here is a close-up of the head.

wendy177

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2012, 06:48:18 am »
As bigwull suggested scrape (cut) a tiny amount from a hidden spot & put a flame (outside in a safe manner) to it if it melts question answered.

mart

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Re: deer figurine
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2012, 10:53:28 am »
Why would someone carve only the back of the ears and not the main body or the front ??  I think it was possibly molded and those marks are just trim marks !! Wouldn`t do it on the front because that would mess up the look of it  so trimming was done on the back !!