Early 20th Century Chinese Hand Carved Crystal Sculpture on a Rosewood Stand

Details

Description

This old Chinese piece is assembled from 2 parts; a hand carved rosewood stand and a carved and etched crystal … Read more This old Chinese piece is assembled from 2 parts; a hand carved rosewood stand and a carved and etched crystal sculpture. The carved wood stand is traditionally used to display art or cultural items. They are designed from scratch to cradle the base of a specific piece. The stand, likely rosewood or rootwood, is carved with such naturalistic and/or symbolic motifs as lotus flowers, roots or clouds. The upward curving arms suggest this stand was custom fitted for a specific shape. Stands frequently command a significant price by themselves.

Unfortunately, the hand carved crystal sculpture is not in tact. There are three spots where pieces have broken off and the top is missing so we cannot discern what the original sculpture represented. Some sources suggest the original piece was probably a "laughing Buddha." Perhaps this is the case since the remaining crystals are carved into traditional lotus shapes which usually represent a base where a spiritual figure is placed. The remaining crystal sculpture is both carved and etched and glows with rainbows. Though the crystal is still beautiful, broken glass can cut so be careful when handling the crystal. The price of this sculpture is adjusted for the damage as intact pieces command significant prices. The entire piece stands 12 inches tall and 7 inches wide. See less