c. 1800 Chinese Bronze Red Crab with Detailed Anatomy; Articulated Legs, Red Brown Patina
Exquisitely cast bronze red crab with moveable legs. It was made in the 1800’s or before and attention to detail is extremely accurate. So accurate in fact that if you run your fingers along the surface of the crabs legs you will feel the spiky sharp bumps on the surface. You can actually cut yourself if you run in the opposite direction. This attention to detail is attribute to the skill of the metal smith that cast this crab.
The body of the crab is hollow, with opening where the eyes are. Each leg was cast in three parts: the nail on the tip, the joint at the second section from bottom and the main part of leg that attaches to body. It is just a beautiful work of art, so I took a lot of pictures to show how an item from that era was cast. Detail will show the workmanship and the patina that over time has deposited itself on the surface.
Wherever it was handled, and where the hand would hold this object , it has taken on a beautiful deep patina. In places where no handling has occurred it has turned almost black, which shows the actual patina it has acquired over a couple of hundreds of year. In cracks and crevices there is green. It has a wonderful brown copper red patina that was applied centuries ago.
It does have some missing pinchers on four of the legs, but even that could not take away from this stunning piece of art.
About twenty two years ago I would go to a local flea market that was at a storage facility. I remember when I saw this, that no one had bought it, for it was around noon that I would visit this flea market. I was thrilled to know that he only wanted $2 for it and I have had it ever since. I don’t know a whole lot about it, but I knew it was a work of love whom ever made it. You just don’t put this much detail into an object unless it was something that was special to you.
The crab is very heavy, all bronze. It measures 8 ½” at its widest and 3 ¼ from rear to front. And stands 1 ¾ inch from top to bottom.
If you know anything about these type sculture, please email me and I will add to this description. robtnar@gmail.com
This is a work in progress and I will be updating the caption as I have time.
Exquisitely cast bronze red crab with moveable legs. It was made in the 1800’s or before and attention to detail is extremely accurate. So accurate in fact that if you run your fingers along the surface of the crabs legs you will feel the spiky sharp bumps on the surface. You can actually cut yourself if you run in the opposite direction. This attention to detail is attribute to the skill of the metal smith that cast this crab.
The body of the crab is hollow, with opening where the eyes are. Each leg was cast in three parts: the nail on the tip, the joint at the second section from bottom and the main part of leg that attaches to body. It is just a beautiful work of art, so I took a lot of pictures to show how an item from that era was cast. Detail will show the workmanship and the patina that over time has deposited itself on the surface.
Wherever it was handled, and where the hand would hold this object , it has taken on a beautiful deep patina. In places where no handling has occurred it has turned almost black, which shows the actual patina it has acquired over a couple of hundreds of year. In cracks and crevices there is green. It has a wonderful brown copper red patina that was applied centuries ago.
It does have some missing pinchers on four of the legs, but even that could not take away from this stunning piece of art.
About twenty two years ago I would go to a local flea market that was at a storage facility. I remember when I saw this, that no one had bought it, for it was around noon that I would visit this flea market. I was thrilled to know that he only wanted $2 for it and I have had it ever since. I don’t know a whole lot about it, but I knew it was a work of love whom ever made it. You just don’t put this much detail into an object unless it was something that was special to you.
The crab is very heavy, all bronze. It measures 8 ½” at its widest and 3 ¼ from rear to front. And stands 1 ¾ inch from top to bottom.
If you know anything about these type sculture, please email me and I will add to this description. robtnar@gmail.com
This is a work in progress and I will be updating the caption as I have time.
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