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Mythical Masterpieces
Artoria has done a collection of outstanding figural boxes all relating
to mythical characters of centuries long past. All of the boxes involved
are very highly detailed and perfectly executed. In my opinion, they are
the finest work that Artoria has ever produced.The sculpting of each figure
is exquisitely done with detail far beyond that seen in most Limoges boxes.
As you are examining the boxes presented here, notice things like Merlin's
eyelids which are shaped and protrude a bit and his mustache and beard
which are in relief and textured as hair would be. Study each of the boxes
because each time you look at them you will see additional details not
seen previously. These are extraordinary pieces that will provide your
collection with wonderfully new dimensions. These are all limited editions
of 1000 pieces.
The
following item is no longer available.
A. Merlin, the Wizard Box. From Tales of King Arthur and The Round
Table, the Wizard Merlin whose idea it was to establish the Knights of
The Round Table. He was advisor to Uther Pendragon, King Arthur's father,
and it was he who suggested that the test for a true successor be the
drawing of a sword from a stone. On his shoulder sits a wide eyed owl
and in his hands is his crystal ball. The clasp is the owl sitting on
a crescent moon and inside, the owl on a book of magic, painted. Retail:
About $311.00. Our price: $281.90. NEW Isn't this box just wizard!!!
The
following item is no longer available.
B. The Unicorn
Box.
There are many legends relating to the Unicorn. Several are to be found
in the Old Testament. One of the earliest, and this one stems from early
Greece, states that the unicorn is a strong, fierce animal that can be
caught only if a virgin maiden is thrown before it. The unicorn then
jumps
into the virgins lap and using her wiles she tames it and leads it to
the King's palace. Other legends tell of the unicorn in mortal combat
with an elephant, whom it spears to death with its horn and still others
tell of the unicorn purifying poisoned waters with its horn so that
other
animals might drink. I've never seen a unicorn and I don't guess that
you have either. What I have seen is the series of tapestries called
The
Lady and The Unicorn and these are as beautiful today as they were when
they were first woven in the 15th century. They hang in the Museé
Cluny in Paris and are well worth a few hours of your time if you happen
to be in the neighborhood. Our unicorn is extremely well articulated.
You can see the muscle development in his shoulders and rump. He is ensconced
on a rose cushion and inside the box is a tiny, dimensional red heart
which is removable. The clasp is twined hearts. Retail: About $154.00.
Our price: $143.90. NEW A good guess would be that this is the chap
who jumped into the virgin's lap.
The
following item is no longer available.
C. The Dragon Box.
The dragon shows up in the earliest days of literature and actually appears
in tales told by the ancients in Greece. The word dragon comes from
their
word "drakon" which means reptile and certainly the dragon
is that. It is interesting to think about how they conjured up an imaginary
beast such as this when they had no knowledge of the animals of prehistoric
times. And isn't it interesting how great a resemblance there is. They
could be kissin' cousins. This particular fellow is one that was dreamed
up by Uther Pendragon to use as part of his heraldry. (You remember
him,
don't you? I just mentioned him in Paragraph A.) The Prince of Wales
also has a dragon as part of his heraldry. This fellow is a prime example
of
being so ugly that he becomes almost beautiful in his ugliness. His body
is completely scaled; his eyes are fiery, his mouth has fangs and he
is
breathing fire! And wih all of this he is ensconced on a royal purple
cushion, is very well groomed and inside the box is his castle. His
crown
is the clasp. Draw your own conclusions. I can't decide whether he ate
his owner or whether he has become a lap dog type of dragon. Retail:
About
$265.00. Our price: $238.90. REDUCED to $167.90.
The
following item is no longer available.
D. The Mermaid Box. There are many tales both folk and otherwise,
of mermaids. Irish literature is filled with them. My own favorite is
"Undine" which is the tale of a water sprite who has been adopted
and brought up by an old fisherman and his wife who lost their own child.
Undine meets a knight, Huldbrand, who happens upon the fisherman's cottage,
and Undine and the knight fall in love and marry, only then revealing
that she is not human. Because of the marriage she gains a soul. Huldbrand,
the knight, eventually falls in love with Bertalda who turns out to be
the fisherman's long lost daughter. Undine returns to her watery world
and when Huldbrand marries Bertalda, Undine reappears and kills the knight
with a kiss. The story seems to have come from a French folk tale and
was written by La Motte Fouque and first published in 1811. And then,
of course there is Sabrina, also the tale of a water sprite who saved
a man with her love. There are many such tales, some myths, that have
been handed down for hundreds of years and others that were authored but
loosely based on myth. Our mermaid is a lovely young thing lying on an
oyster shell, her long tresses spilling over the shell. Like all mermaids
and water sprites she has the upper torso of a human and lower torso of
a fish. Inside the box, surprise! A pearl! The clasp is a seahorse. Retail:
About $243.00. Our price: $218.90. NEW Altogether a lovely piece. *
The
following item is no longer available.
E. The Box of Pan.
Pan was a Greek God born to Penelopé and Hermes but at various
times described as being the "offspring of Penelopé by suitors".
An interesting way of expressing that his sire was possibly unknown.
He
was the god of flocks and shepherds which accounts for his fawnlike lower
torso, hooves and horns, as well as his interest in animals, birds,
bees
and fish. As "the god of everything pastoral" he was fond of
music and it was he who is credited with developing the shepherd's flute
which he called a Syrinx, (naming it for one of his loves). Notice that
he is holding it and about to play it. He dwelt in the forest and oftentimes
appeared to travelers startling them half to death. (That's where the
word panic comes from.) Since he was the god of everything pastoral,
he
was also the god who watched over the grape and in line with that there
is a bottle of wine inside the box, dimensional and removable, and the
clasp is a bunch of grapes. Retail: About $247.00. Our price: $222.90. REDUCED to $156.90.
*Altogether is the word commonly used in Ireland to express "all
in all" or "as a result" or any similar meaning phrase.
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