Several items for identification please

[Lois Lane]

Hi,

When my friend passed away she left us a number of antique ornaments. Some have easily identifiable stamps on them, but three remain a mystery. I've scoured the web, yet found nothing relevant so don't know if they're ten-a-penny tourist trinkets or something more interesting. If you have any idea what any of them may be I'd be very grateful if you'd share your ideas, thanks.

[waywardangler]

Hi LL, I think the first is a souvenir wood carving for tourists, the second a souvenir tray that is either wood or plastic, and the last one is a vase of some sort. More info on all of your items is needed because as they are, there is very little to go on. Forum members would like multiple pics of each item from all angles including the bottom, any marks whatsoever, and sizes of each item. After that, someone may be able to shed some more light on what you have.

[KC]

Agree with Wayward's observations/comments.

Would like to know the composition/size any markings on the last item.  Thanks!

[mart]

First two do appear to be tourist type items !!  For some reason the vase pic is not downloading well !!

[Lois Lane]

Thanks for the replies and sorry for not providing you with more detail. I don't have much more to add except for measurements and a signature unfortunately.

The vase is 10" tall and 5" across from handle to handle. There's no stamp underneath or marks of identification elsewhere. It appears to be constructed from blown glass.

The decorative plate is 9.5" in diametre. It's definitely made of varnished wood - it's actually a complete cross section of a whole tree, hopefully as you can tell from the picture of the back below. It appears to be hand carved and there's a signature etched into the edge of the raised pavement stones. Even if it's a cheap trinket, the workmanship is very impressive. It's highly embossed, 3D even. The intricate details are too prominent for it to be used as a tray.

The statue is 16.5" tall and 4.5" from shoulder to shoulder. This is also composed of varnished wood. It has no stamp or other marks of identification.

[waywardangler]

That plaque does not look like wood to me. The signature is impressed or molded in and not carved as a signature in wood would be. I believe it is crushed pecan shells, wood resin, plastic or something other than a cross section of a whole tree. The pics are not large to really tell the wood grain, if there is any.

[KC]

Is this yours?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Carved-wooden-wall-plate-Mdina-Malta-/290551964602

[Lois Lane]

Well I'm prepared to be proven wrong and will bow to your greater knowledge. I'm clearly no antiques expert.

Yes, that is the same item posted to my mum's eBay account. These things have been sitting in storage for several years so we thought the time was now right to let them go seeing as they're doing no-one any good gathering dust.

I'll post some larger pics. Hopefully the details are a bit clearer in these.

[Lois Lane]

...and here's a magnified version of the back.

[waywardangler]

Not wood. 99.9999% sure this is resin or some type of composition. The uniform "lines" around the edge give it away and the total lack of any wood grain. Also the small "craters" or pockmarks around the edge show this is a molded product. The ebay listing should not say this is wooden but wood-like finish and definitely not "carved".

[KC]

Ditto what Wayward said!

[Lois Lane]

Interesting, thanks for the clarification. That would explain how something like this could be mass produced and marketed at tourists. I've updated the eBay listing accordingly.