What materials were used for antique animal ornaments?

Makers shaped these ornaments from cast metals including bronze, spelter, brass and sterling silver, alongside ceramics like porcelain, earthenware and Delft pottery. Carvers also utilised hardstones such as jade, lapis lazuli and carnelian, as well as woods like cedar and linden. Selection depended on regional traditions and the intended function of the piece. European foundries favoured bronze and cast metals, while Asian workshops frequently worked with jade and carved wood.

How were these animal figures used historically?

Many served purely as decorative mantelpiece ornaments or cabinet displays to demonstrate taste and appreciation for nature or sculpture. Others had practical domestic uses, functioning as desk weights, table lighters, candlesticks or novelty pin cushions. Scholar's objects in jade or bronze were placed on desks in East Asian studies for contemplation. Meanwhile, ceramic pairs like Staffordshire dogs were arranged symmetrically on nineteenth-century hearths.

How can I tell the period of a bronze animal?

Dating relies on examining the foundry marks, the quality of the patination, and the stylistic conventions of the period such as Art Deco or nineteenth-century animalier. The style of the base and the casting technique also offer clues to the era of manufacture. European bronzes often bear signatures or foundry stamps on the base. Comparing the anatomical treatment to known artistic movements helps narrow down the decade.

How do I care for a carved hardstone ornament?

Keep carved jade, agates and hardstones away from direct sunlight and sudden temperature shifts to protect the integrity of the stone and any fitted wooden stands. Dust them gently with a dry, soft cloth without applying harsh chemical cleaning products. If the piece includes a fitted hardwood or silver-inlaid stand, handle the entire assembly with care as the stone is often resting rather than permanently fixed.

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Antique Animal Ornament

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When you search for an antique animal ornament, you find cast metal figures, carved hardstone beasts and ceramic hounds shaped to sit upon a desk or shelf.

Rare Early Derby Porcelain Figure Sheep Grazing Ewe C.1760-1765

18th century

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Rare Early Derby Porcelain Figure Sheep Grazing Ewe C.1760-1765

From The Fancy Fox

£345

3+ MONTHS AGO

ceramics

Continental Sterling Silver Standing Fighting Cockerels

1900 - 1920

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Continental Sterling Silver Standing Fighting Cockerels

From Piers Rankin Antique Silver

£650

3+ MONTHS AGO

silver

A Pair of Hand Carved Teak Raj Period Performing Elephants, Indian Circa 1880

19th century

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A Pair of Hand Carved Teak Raj Period Performing Elephants, Indian Circa 1880

From Robert Belcher Antiques

£1,650

3+ MONTHS AGO

sculptures

19th century

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19th Century (Meiji Period) Japanese Bronze French Bulldog

From Quiet Street Antiques of Bath

£275

3+ MONTHS AGO

metal

Lovely Pair of Bloor Derby Porcelain Figures Stag & Doe C.1820 Deer

18th century

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Lovely Pair of Bloor Derby Porcelain Figures Stag & Doe C.1820 Deer

From The Fancy Fox

£425

3+ MONTHS AGO

ceramics

19th century

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Large Antique 19th Century Victorian Quality Carved Black Forest Bear

From Unique Antiques by Emma Jade

£1,885

3+ MONTHS AGO

miscellaneous

Japanese Meiji Period Bronze Study of an Elephant Fighting with Two Tigers Circa 1880

19th century

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Japanese Meiji Period Bronze Study of an Elephant Fighting with Two Tigers Circa 1880

From Robert Belcher Antiques

£1,895

3+ MONTHS AGO

sculptures

Charming Cast Berthold Muller Sterling Silver Bird

1900 - 1920

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Charming Cast Berthold Muller Sterling Silver Bird

From Piers Rankin Antique Silver

£325

3+ MONTHS AGO

silver

Antique Franz Bergman Cold Painted Signed Vienna Bronze Magpie Sculpture Bird

1900 - 1920

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Antique Franz Bergman Cold Painted Signed Vienna Bronze Magpie Sculpture Bird

From Bushells Antiques

£4,250

3+ MONTHS AGO

sculptures

Bronze Crocodile Fountain Head Garden Spout Sculpture

1900 - 1920

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Bronze Crocodile Fountain Head Garden Spout Sculpture

From Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd

£5,000

3+ MONTHS AGO

sculptures

Listings feature hardstone carvings in jade and lapis lazuli alongside nineteenth-century European bronzes, Japanese cedar figures and English ceramic dogs.

Rare Pair of Meissen Porcelain Elephants, Depicting Alexander the Great Conquering India, C19th

19th century

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Rare Pair of Meissen Porcelain Elephants, Depicting Alexander the Great Conquering India, C19th

From Patrick Moorhead Antiques

£52,000

3+ MONTHS AGO

ceramics

Antoine Louis Barye, Gilt Bronze Rabbit, C1850

19th century

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Antoine Louis Barye, Gilt Bronze Rabbit, C1850

From Vivers Mill Antiques

£895

3+ MONTHS AGO

sculptures

Chinese 19th C Pair of Hardwood Elephants on Stands, C 1890

19th century

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Chinese 19th C Pair of Hardwood Elephants on Stands, C 1890

From Robert Belcher Antiques

£775

3+ MONTHS AGO

sculptures

Pair of Nineteenth Century Ceramic Treacle Glazed Lions

19th century

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Pair of Nineteenth Century Ceramic Treacle Glazed Lions

From Reindeer Antiques

£650

3+ MONTHS AGO

ceramics

A Raj Period Indian Carved Hard Wood Study of a Seated Elephant

19th century

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A Raj Period Indian Carved Hard Wood Study of a Seated Elephant

From Robert Belcher Antiques

£545

3+ MONTHS AGO

sculptures

Nineteenth Century Ebony Elephant Sculpture on Base

19th century

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Nineteenth Century Ebony Elephant Sculpture on Base

From Ropeworks Antiques

£335

3+ MONTHS AGO

sculptures

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Antique Animal Ornament

Rare Early Derby Porcelain Figure Sheep Grazing Ewe C.1760-1765

Continental Sterling Silver Standing Fighting Cockerels

A Pair of Hand Carved Teak Raj Period Performing Elephants, Indian Circa 1880

19th Century (Meiji Period) Japanese Bronze French Bulldog

Lovely Pair of Bloor Derby Porcelain Figures Stag & Doe C.1820 Deer

Large Antique 19th Century Victorian Quality Carved Black Forest Bear

Japanese Meiji Period Bronze Study of an Elephant Fighting with Two Tigers Circa 1880

Charming Cast Berthold Muller Sterling Silver Bird

Antique Franz Bergman Cold Painted Signed Vienna Bronze Magpie Sculpture Bird

Bronze Crocodile Fountain Head Garden Spout Sculpture

Rare Pair of Meissen Porcelain Elephants, Depicting Alexander the Great Conquering India, C19th

Antoine Louis Barye, Gilt Bronze Rabbit, C1850

Chinese 19th C Pair of Hardwood Elephants on Stands, C 1890

Pair of Nineteenth Century Ceramic Treacle Glazed Lions

A Raj Period Indian Carved Hard Wood Study of a Seated Elephant

Nineteenth Century Ebony Elephant Sculpture on Base

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