Signed Gastone Safari 3-Piece Relief Set – Elephant & Calf, Zebra, XL Giraffe – Matching 25×19 Mid-Century Panels

Details

Description

This three-panel installation represents an early, high-relief example of original Gastone Copper Art, a mid-century decorative art tradition produced by … Read more This three-panel installation represents an early, high-relief example of original Gastone Copper Art, a mid-century decorative art tradition produced by skilled artisans in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). The Gastone workshops became known for their hand-polished “burst of sunrays” copper backgrounds, reverse-painted African savanna scenes, and hand-moulded 3D wildlife figures, each individually tooled and given dimensional depth with bitumen detailing. Although the production began in Zimbabwe, Gastone copperwork is widely recognized within the broader Southern African copper-art tradition, which is why these works are appropriately associated with South African decorative craftsmanship.

Complete matched sets of this scale are exceptionally scarce. While individual Gastone panels appear on the secondary market, intact triptychs—especially those combining the three most iconic wildlife subjects: elephant with calf, zebra, and giraffe—rarely surface together.

These panels reflect the premium early production period, identifiable by their deeper sculptural reliefs (reaching up to 4 inches), heavier resin forms, and more intricate hand-tooling. Later editions are smaller, thinner, and far less dimensional. All three works share identical 25 × 19 inch proportions, original wood frames, matching signatures, and uniform copper backgrounds—indicators that this set has remained together since its creation.

The copper surfaces are especially responsive to light: even a small shift in angle or brightness transforms large areas of each panel from warm copper to deep bronze and even gold, giving the set a dynamic visual presence.

The elephant panel includes a rare multi-figure composition—a parent and calf—produced in far smaller numbers than single-animal scenes. The zebra panel contains the deepest relief in the set at approximately 4 inches, producing a dramatic three-dimensional projection. The giraffe panel is vertical and features one of the largest figures made in this style, measuring approximately 16.5 inches tall with a relief depth of about 2 inches. Together, the panels create a distinctive dimensional hierarchy (2 in / 4 in / 2 in) that further sets this grouping apart.

Painted details remain vivid across the set, and the relief sculptures retain clear definition. Light surface scratches to the brushed copper are consistent with age, with one small pockmark on the elephant panel’s upper left area. Frames show minor age-appropriate wear. Overall, the set is in excellent vintage condition and presents as a unified installation rather than three unrelated works.

Key Features

• Early-production Gastone Copper Art
• Complete matched triptych
• Multi-figure elephant panel (parent + calf)
• Deep sculptural relief up to 4”
• XL giraffe figure (16.5” tall)
• Brushed copper with “burst of sunrays” finish
• All panels signed “Gastone”
• Premium scale: 25” × 19” each
• Excellent vintage condition
• Southern African copper-art tradition; Zimbabwean origin

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