Bookend. Santa Maria

[Pelady]

Hi All,

Wondering a value and an age on these bookends.  They are 4 by 3 1/2. They are heavy but not sure if they are brass.  The crosses on the sails make me think it represents the Santa Maria. The are no markings.

PeLady

[Jlsherf]

I've been looking for these but haven't found an exact match to yours yet.  If not found tomorrow, I will continue!

[mart]

Probably bronze colored/painted cast iron !!  But could be bronze !!  When sitting as they would be when in use,, do they both face in same direction ??

[mart]

http://www.ebay.tv/sch/i.html?_sop=16&_nkw=doorstop+sailing+ship&_frs=1

Another possibility !!

[Pelady]

Thanks,

They are small so most probably bookends not doorstops. They face in opposite directions when at the end of a stack of books but the same direction when standing side by side.

PeLady

[mart]

If oriented in the same direction,, chances are they are not bookends !!  All doorstops are not big !!  Look on the back of yours and see if there are any numbers !! Can be hard to see since they are about 1/8 inch tall and sometimes a light impression !!

[Jlsherf]

I was going to say the same thing "they are not bookends facing the same direction".  This has been my observation with bookends anyway.

[Rauville]

Here's a bookend site worth looking at. (Mr. DeCosta passed away last month, so the site will probably not be available forever.)
http://www.antiquebookendcollection.com/indexmain.html

[KC]

Rauville if you look at that wonderful site you posted the link to...majority of the ships are facing in the same direction!  Made it cheaper to make the bookends! 

[mart]

That makes absolutely no sense to me !! All of the bookends are facing correctly except the ships !! So if the flat side was against the books being held you have one coming toward you and one going away from you if you are viewing them from front !!

[Pelady]

Hi Mart,

When I look through the Decosta website, many of the motifs face the same direction when side by side.  The deer and antelope, the Lincoln group, the nautical, many of the cats and lions, children motifs etc... 

PeLady

[Jlsherf]

Well I'll be!!!  Learned a lesson today!  Lol!!!  Love the site Rauville!

[mart]

Still makes no sense to me !!  Like the buffalo bookends,, one side you see the head at front and the other side you see his butt !!  Strange !!  Maybe that why some are rare,,, no one wanted them !! 

[KC]

Well Mart, the ship part makes sense to me...because if all ships came in to port at the same time there would be a big problem! So, you have some going out to sea and some coming in to port!  😇  Thus the bookends in place would show both directions!

[Jlsherf]

The  Buffalo ones too!  You see them comin and going! Lol!  😊