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ID #SA1139508
FOR SALE
£765
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African Carved Hardwood and Bone Study of a Hippopotamus Circa 1920
For sale by Robert Belcher Antiques
for sale €895     $972
£765
Robert Belcher Antiques

Robert Belcher Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jul 2017
Browse dealers 409 items
  • About Us
    Robert belcher antiques was established in 1984 and is a high quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative items.
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Id #SA1139508
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African Carved Hardwood and Bone Study of a Hippopotamus Circa 1920

1900 - 1920
Description

This fabulous and amusing hand carved study of a hippopotamus originates from Africa and is primitively carved from a very heavy single block of dense, rich red hardwood. It amusingly captures the animal with its large mouth wide open, showing its tongue and an array of teeth which have been shaped and inlaid in bone, as are the eyes. The tail is made from bristles. This wonderful and highly decorative piece is very pleasing to the eye. It has great colour and patination and a very tactile feel when being handled. On the underside, there is a partial circular stamp probably from a retailer who would be selling this locally made carving as a souvenir in the 1920s to a European traveller or big game hunter.

Circa 1920

Height 16cm width 30cm x depth 11cm

Date of Manufacture

Robert Belcher Antiques has dated this Carved Hardwood Hippo Sculpture to the 1920s.

Independent Date Guide ID 08976556
Dealer's Item Date1920s
Sellingantiques Date1920s
Sellingantiques agingItem 90-115 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1920s:
Partial circular retailer stamp under the jaw: commercial trade marking that fixes the date.
Elongated vascular canals across the inlaid tongue: structure of worked animal bone.
Softened edges on the snout, ears and feet: wear from decades of touch.
Shrinkage along the timber grain on the back: natural movement in dense wood.
Circular plugs forming the eyes: hand-cut bone inlays fitted into drilled sockets.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
16cm (6.30")
Width
30cm (11.81")
Depth
11cm (4.33")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1139508
Dealers Notes

Robert Belcher Antiques was established in 1984 and is a high-quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative objects. After forty years of shop keeping and maintaining beautiful showrooms, which have been regularly open six days a week, Robert and Wendy have now taken a slightly different approach to their business. Having sold their retail premises, the antique business is now fully online. The picture framing service has ceased to operate because of moving online.

You can contact Robert and Wendy by email or telephone to discuss items from their extensive catalogue of attractive pieces and make purchases. Customers can rest assured that the long-established dealership is continuing to run in an exceedingly professional way, selling genuine and high-quality items which are guaranteed to please the most discerning collector, decorator or homeowner.

All items will be personally hand packaged to a high standard. Small items are extensively wrapped using the best materials and are often double boxed. Items are then shipped with DHL or Royal Mail fully insured and often with next day delivery. Larger items would be personally delivered or sent with a specialist antique delivery firm, or for outside the U.K, a professional shipping company.

Please enjoy viewing their collection of rare and interesting pieces and have the assurance that Robert and Wendy will do their utmost to make sure your experience is exceptional, as has been recognised by many customers who have bought with confidence regularly over the years.

Contact details

Email: robertbelcherantiques@gmail.com

Telephone: 01905 622468

Mobile 07929 011224

07720 607007

Website: https://www.robertbelcherantiques.co.uk

Instagram: robertbelcherantiques

Description
This fabulous and amusing hand carved study of a hippopotamus originates from Africa and is primitively carved from a very heavy single block of dense, rich red hardwood.
“
It amusingly captures the animal with its large mouth wide open, showing its tongue and an array of teeth which have been shaped and inlaid in bone, as are the eyes.
Robert Belcher Antiques

The tail is made from bristles. This wonderful and highly decorative piece is very pleasing to the eye. It has great colour and patination and a very tactile feel when being handled. On the underside, there is a partial circular stamp probably from a retailer who would be selling this locally made carving as a souvenir in the 1920s to a European traveller or big game hunter.

Circa 1920

Height 16cm width 30cm x depth 11cm

Date of Manufacture

Robert Belcher Antiques has dated this Carved Hardwood Hippo Sculpture to the 1920s.

Independent Date Report ID 08976556
Dealer's Item Date1920s
Sellingantiques dating1920s
Sellingantiques agingItem 90-115 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1920s:
Partial circular retailer stamp under the jaw: commercial trade marking that fixes the date.
Elongated vascular canals across the inlaid tongue: structure of worked animal bone.
Softened edges on the snout, ears and feet: wear from decades of touch.
Shrinkage along the timber grain on the back: natural movement in dense wood.
Circular plugs forming the eyes: hand-cut bone inlays fitted into drilled sockets.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
16cm (6.30")
Width
30cm (11.81")
Depth
11cm (4.33")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1139508
Robert Belcher Antiques
Robert Belcher Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jul 2017

Robert belcher antiques was established in 1984 and is a high quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative items.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Robert Belcher Antiques Profile Page

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A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds.
1 / 17
Archive I A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds.

African Carved Hardwood and Bone Study of a Hippopotamus Circa 1920

Archive II A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View II
Archive III A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View III
Archive IV Scale Reference for A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds.
Archive V A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View V
Archive VI A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View VI
Archive VII A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View VII
Archive VIII A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View VIII
Archive IX A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View IX
Archive X A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View X
Archive XI A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View XI
Archive XII A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View XII
Archive XIII A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View XIII
Archive XIV A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View XIV
Archive XV A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View XV
Archive XVI A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View XVI
Archive XVII A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds. View XVII
Enlarged Archival View
Robert Belcher Antiques

Robert Belcher Antiques
Telephone 07929 011224 or 01905 622468
Location
Worcestershire
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/rbelcher
Verified Since Jul 2017
Items For Sale 409
Items Sold 682
Robert Belcher Antiques
Robert Belcher Antiques
Verified Since Jul 2017
View Dealer Info
Location: Worcestershire, United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/rbelcher
Verified
Jul 2017
For Sale
409
Sold
682
A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds.
African carved hardwood and bone study of a hippopotamus circa 1920
Ref: SA1139508
A dark brown carved hardwood hippopotamus sculpture with open mouth detailing inset bone teeth and carved body folds.
Detail View 1
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Scale Reference
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectSculptures & Figurines
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleAfrican Tribal Art
  • MaterialHardwood, Bone
  • ColourDark Brown
  • MotifsInset bone teeth, Carved skin folds, Open jaw anatomical detailing
  • SizeH 16 cm (6 in) x W 30 cm (12 in) x D 11 cm (4 in)

This African carved hardwood and bone study of a hippopotamus dates from 1920 and represents African tribal art. The heavy sculpture has a dark brown polished finish with visible skin folds carved across the dense timber body, inset bone teeth and eyes, and a bristled tail fitted into the rear. The animal is depicted with its wide open jaw revealing anatomical detailing including a tongue and multiple inlaid teeth. It measures 16 cm high, 30 cm wide, and 11 cm deep. Suitable for a gentleman's library style interior, this decorative figurine is designed to sit on a bookshelf as a tactile desk or shelf ornament. The object displays natural surface wear and patination across the wood. The design brings character to a study, home office, or living room display cabinet without requiring any complex installation or mounting.

FAQs

Early 20th-century African wood carvings often combine traditional regional craftsmanship with representations of local wildlife, frequently incorporating native materials like dense hardwoods, bone, and natural fibres.

Craftsmen utilised local dense hardwoods, carved indigenous timber, and inlaid polished bone or ivory to represent teeth, eyes, and accents, sometimes finishing details with natural hair or fibres.

Authentic period pieces show natural surface patination, hand-carved tool marks, aged wear on contact areas, and slight shrinkage or micro-cracks in the timber consistent with age.

Displaying carved wood sculptures on a bookshelf, console table, or within a cabinet of curiosities adds texture and organic warmth to contemporary or eclectic interior schemes.

Keep the sculpture away from direct heat sources and sunlight to prevent timber cracking, dusting gently with a dry microfibre cloth and applying microcrystalline wax sparingly if needed.
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