Antique Bronze Reptile Crocodile Fountain Head Spout Water Feature Garden SculptureSubject & MediumThis early 20th-century bronze crocodile fountain head is a rare and striking example of animalier sculpture adapted for the garden. Cast in bronze and measuring an impressive 59 cm in length, it was conceived not merely as a decorative figure but as a working fountain: internal metal pipework carries water from the back and discharges it through the open jaws, so the crocodile appears to spit a stream into the pond below.The subject matter is unusual and highly distinctive. While early 20th-century garden ornaments and fountains typically draw on classical masks, putti, nymphs or familiar heraldic and mythological creatures, a full-length crocodile in this role is genuinely uncommon. Crocodiles do feature in the wider history of art and architectural ornament, but they are far from standard in domestic garden sculpture. Here, the choice of subject adds a note of exoticism, wi...