A bronze bird. I wonder what & where from?

[tamrock]

I picked this cast bronze and polished bird up today at an antique shop. I think it's an Ibis? I don't have anything to measure it with here at Super 8, but it's at around 2-1/2 inches tall. It looks old and the shop keeper said it was on consignment from a lady who cleaned out here grandmas stuff. Much of the furniture on consignment from the same lady was late 19th century stuff. I've never seen an old bronze with this inlay of something (enamel) ?? to detail the feathers on it. I thinks it's late 19th century and maybe it's a tourist piece from the 19th century. I would like some of your opinions also. "No marking on it" and I had to have it.

 

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[jambone]

Can't tell you much about it except to say that I think you're right about it being an ibis. Nice looking piece!

 

[releventchair]

Sure could be an Egyptian souvenir piece. Most have a gap between keel and feet. Interest in Egypt in the past may have inspired a domestic or south of border source too though.
Neat piece.

 

[old digger]

It kind of looks like a four toed dodo bird? But of coarse a neat find.

 

[tamrock]

It kind of looks like a four toed dodo bird? But of coarse a neat find.

 

[unclemac]

that thing screams "Chinese" to me.

 

[Bass]

I'm thinking a paper weight

 

[Discrimination Dave]

Bet thats a ring holder bro.

 

[tamrock]

Being Red-Coat has been spending time on some old post. This is one I'd like to resurrect from back in 2015. I failed to mention some things about it then. It has what looks like detailed niello work outlining the feathers. Also on the top of its head it looks like a gold dot inserted, which I believe was maybe a pillar that you might see on some Ibis figures. I can see fine striated cut marks on that gold dot, as though it had a pillar and it may have be cut off. I'm not sure if it's bronze or brass. I could see if the PM dealer I sell to could maybe for a fee beam it with his XRF analyzer and get a reading on it to see if it's a zinc alloy or other with more modern alloyed metals. I just can't determine really how old it might be.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

On top the head is to accommodate the optional unicorn mount