Folk Art

In Greek mythology, the name CARIDDI (Charybdis in English) belonged to a monster that lived in the sea between Calabria and Sicily and destroyed ships by swallowing them up and spitting them back out, generating dangerous whirlpools in the water. This myth is reinterpreted in the form of a mask, which inverts the traditional convex surface to create a concave volume inspired by the underwater world. The mask invites the gaze into the blue depths of its smooth interior, where an uncanny protrusion emerges in the shape of a nose, a signature motif in Giovanni De Francesco’s artistic production. Each nose-island is different from the others; every mask has a unique beauty accentuated by imperfections, smudges, and uncontrollable colors, invoking the unpredictability of fear. This perception overturns the ferocious symbolism of the legendary monster, rewriting CARIDDI as a welcoming narrative. The artist’s explorations of fear, danger, and the unknown become particularly poignant when placed in the recent historical context of Calabria and the Mediterranean Sea. In the exceptional conditions of the present moment, when hundreds of millions of people are spending more time at home than ever before in living memory, the homeware brand TRAME wants to share the inspiring and supportive influences of these Mediterranean ritual objects with the entire world. The masks, whether the traditional forms or the contemporary design interpretations, reveal a sense of both timelessness and contemporaneity in their aspirational evocation of a social life with more serenity and less fear. Details: - Dimension: approximately 28 H x 22 W x 8 D cm - Material: 100% Mediterranean terracotta clay - Technique: 100% handmade in Italy - Each handcrafted CARIDDI Seminara mask is unique. Picture on an indicative basis. - 14-days return policy - In stock Giovanni De Francesco (Bergamo 1976), lives and works between Milan and Paris. He is a visual artist dedicated to sculptural installations through the use of plastic materials, photography, video, painting and sound. Since 1997 he has taken part in many personal exhibits as well as collective ones. He an artistic consultant at the Luisa delle Piane gallery in Milan and is a founding member of the Monstera theatre company. He occasionally collaborates with Andre Branzi...

The apotropaic (warding off evil) mask from Seminara can be distinguished by its horns, wide eyes, mustache, and screaming mouth with its tongue sticking out. The masks are finished in enormous wood fired kilns, which adds an uncontrollable twist to the features and colors rendered by the artisan’s hands—the final touch in their fierce and imperfect beauty. The demonic aspect of this mask is manifested in order to be expelled, bringing serenity to the owner and ridding the home of negative energy. Giovanni De Francesco takes an idiosyncratic approach to the traditional mask, aiming not for verisimilitude but for a rough impression of the volumes of the face. Using sculptural gestures to shape the clay, he accentuates the fundamental geometry and makes the shapes more grotesque. Incense can also be placed within TA RA TA TA’s ceramic jaws for ritual burning. This function alludes to a specific variation of the typical mask in in the form of a chimneypot: with smoke pouring out of its mouth and eyes, the mask would appear much more ferocious—and thus even more powerful. Details: - Dimension: approximately 32 H x 25 W x 10 D cm - Material: 100% Mediterranean terracotta clay - Technique: 100% handmade in Italy - Each handcrafted TA RA TA TA Seminara mask is unique. Picture on an indicative basis. - 14-days return policy - In stock Giovanni De Francesco (Bergamo 1976), lives and works between Milan and Paris. He is a visual artist dedicated to sculptural installations through the use of plastic materials, photography, video, painting and sound. Since 1997 he has taken part in many personal exhibits as well as collective ones. He an artistic consultant at the Luisa delle Piane gallery in Milan and is a founding member of the Monstera theatre company. He occasionally collaborates with Andre Branzi...

Black painted cement butterfly garden ornament.

Tzinacan is the Nahuatl word for bat, and it is our gift for the bats represented in many ceramic pre-hispanic pieces. Bats have been part of the mythology of the cultures of pre-Hi...

This is a rare scuba diving poster from the US Divers Company. We have three different posters available. Please see our other items. Framed posters in pi...

Space age fairground car - futuristic carousel car by Sartori Claudio Italy, an Italian company since the Early 50s who is specialised in cars for child...

"Peg-leg Beggar" 19th century cast iron mechanical bank was probably inspired by the many disabled Civil War veterans begging for their subsistence. The bank was manufactured by the ...

To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...

"Watchdog Safe" mechanical bank was manufactured by the prolific toy coin bank manufacturer J. & E. Stevens Company in Cromwell, Connecticut in 1890. "Patent Applied For" appears in ...

Good mahogany patinated garden candidates with old Japan labels This Japanese pair (2) of larger scale solid hand cast rabbits usagi with a mahogany pat...

Height: 11.8'' (30 cm) / Weight: 4 kg -Produced from pressed marble powder. -Produced from the original molds of the works from the museum. -Can be used indoors and outdoors.  

For this woven blanket We work closely with a 300 year old mill in Sudbury, Essex, UK. We have the utmost respect for their approach to making fabrics, their knowledge and experience...

This is a beautiful handmade English acrylic paperweight having a seashore theme with real items and dating to the 20th century, circa 1970. This paperweight is handmade of real i...

This fun group of weaving pillows have the initial E on them and are all have cotton linen backings. Down and feather fill. Sold as a group of three.

Antique 1850 Mexican colonial style oil on copper religious painting.

Original riveted sheet iron shoemakers shop sign. Unique find, France, circa 1800-1850. Traces of red paint visible. Weathered.

A very rare Ukrainian pile rug woven with a pattern characteristic of Aubusson and Savonnerie French carpets. Carpets such as this one were woven at a time when the classical French style was extremely in favour among the Russian aristocracy, who decorated their homes with period French furniture...

Mid-20th century black dance mask, Guerrero, Mexico A nice old mask from Guererro, Mexico, used in the Tlacololero Dance of the Tlactapa and probably fr...

Monumental and unusual Folk Art stage coach figure and horses, 1927. All hand executed, amazing detail, working lamps, velvet interior on coach.

All handcrafted gentleman's or hunter's pipe from circa 1890. For the collectors of antique Black Forest carvings in general and of rare pipes in particular, we also have this Swi...

Large and exceptional vintage tribal carved green jade/nephrite axe from Sentani, Papau New Guinea. The Axe is mounted in a custom made bronze base and is...

Gianni Versace collection rug wild ivy, gold zebra animal print, 1980 Rug designed and manufactured by Atelier Versace Wild Ivy rug Measures: 200 x 300 In good original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use A vintage Gianni Versace home...

Alain Douillard Famous French metal abstract sculptor, circa 1975, mid-20th century art sculpture Black abstract freeform by the artist, signe...

nr. 1095 - I found this nomadic saddle among the various Moroccan carpets I bought from a young traveller, who sold me all his collection many years ago...

Small Moroccan "Boucherouite" or Azilal rug. A Moroccan rag rug, woven with cut-up pieces of fabric from old clothes, etc. - boucherouite means rag or t...

Vintage set of 3 colorful hand painted ceramic vases with simple yet beautiful floral decorations. These items exude a form of quaint, naive beauty. One item has hairline cracks and ...

Astonishingly beautiful and monumental mural spanning eleven individual panels which when assembled are 16 feet long by 6 feet high. The panels are reverse paint and applique on she...

Large Art Deco tin advertising sign for bicycles of the Belgian Brand Delta. This Belgian tin sign is dated 1934. It's a lithographic tin store sign - agency display sign - billboard - wall sign - old advertising sign for bikes - bicycles - cycles - wheels of the brand Velos Delta. A black with green and gold sign made from pressed tin - pressed metal with relief. Awesome wall decoration even if you have nothing to do with old or antique bikes...

The extraordinary talented throne (2018), a unique artwork by Gonçalo Mabunda in metal scraps and decommissioned ammunitions. Mabunda was born in 1975...

A set of 6 Hungarian Folk Art Red Ware tea cups and saucers by Imre Szűcs. A black/brown based glaze decorated with white dots. The undersides are signed by Imre Albert Szucs and mar...

Inspired model of a boat or skiff expertly crafted in mahogany, probably by a boat builder, having a graceful form and has acquired a well earned patina only time can give.

Wooden Carousel Horse - Fairground horse - Merry-go-round Horse. Smaller model, so easy to be placed. This Mid-20th century hand carved Animal Sculptu...

Decorative hand-woven mask from Panama, Mascara by Ethic&Tropic Extraordinary art and decorative items, these masks come from the shamanic beliefs and rituals of indigenous Embera t...

Black and white marble chess board. A classic for chess lovers that also looks great as a home decoration.

19th century reverse painted on glass portrait of George and Martha Washington by William Matthew Prior (1806 - 1873), one of New England'...

Black Art Deco tin with crane birds and flowers in Asian style. This Art Deco storage tin with cranes dates from the early 1930s and was made by the Dutch...

Vintage Vietnamese Front Pack Basket. Cleverly woven with three open compartments and two shoulder straps with a variation of weave patterns and well finished trim. To be worn on the...

This Wind up Motorcyclist is a working toy of unknown production, multi-color rider on a green motorcycle. Made up in painted tin and plastic. No original ...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here he has taken heavy gauge wire and formed it into a simple dog and placed it upon a salvaged steel cylinder. These repurposed items combine to form this small simple sculpture that will sure to bring a smile to its owner. Jim Rose Objects No. 04 Found and Collected Objects 6.50h x 6w x 10.50d in 16.51h x 15.24w x 26.67d cm JR0291 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI. 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2023 Jim Rose CODA, Gallery Victor, Chicago, IL 2020 Unseen, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2023 Intersect Palm Springs, Gallery Victor, Palm Springs, CA 2018 SOFA Chicago 2018, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Art Market Hamptons, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Bridgehampton, NY Art on Paper, Gallery Victor, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, NY 2017 - 2019 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds...

Decorative hand-woven mask from Panama, Mascara by Ethic&Tropic Extraordinary art and decorative items, these masks come from the shamanic beliefs and rituals of indigenous Embera t...

Exceptional lighter from heavy iron, France, early 20th century. Not functional.

An elegant set of three framed intaglios, enclosing eighteen plaster Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti intaglios dating from the e...

Decorative hand-woven mask from Panama, Nemboro by Ethic&Tropic Extraordinary art and decorative items, these masks come from the shamanic beliefs and rituals of indigenous Embera...

Octave Nicolas Francois Tassaert (1800-1874) pastel on paper. Portrait of woman. Signed O.T 1854. 21 x 21 cm. Measure: The frame is 2 cm. wide. In good condition. The frame is in go...

Pair of andirons with a bust of a french "Mousquetaire". France, 1880-1900. Solid iron in good condition according to its age. Firedogs are used as a holder for firewood in a firepl...

Swedish 19th century four drawer black painted chest of drawer. EUR 175 front door delivery to most areas of London UK, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Northern Germany.

Igneous is a design made from carbon powder and using Custhom’s innovative process of hand-foiling wallpapers, creates a unique distressed or highly polished finish in a wide range o...

Antique letterpress printers wood block sculpture.

A vintage circa 1950s circular enamelled tin metal advertising sign for Standard Air Lines. In worn vintage condition as illustrated in the images. In 1929 it merged with Western Ai...

Authentic and genuine 19th Century Lakota Sioux fully beaded child's bonnet. Sinew sewn with cotton calico (flour sack) lining. Made for own use. Very few made, and fewer survived. B...

A gorgeous and somewhat rare Scandanavian stoneware pottery table lamp featuring a green hare's fur glaze by famed Danish designer/ceramis...

Beautiful and intriguing advertising statue for Christian Dior. This would have been used on a shop counter or to draw attention in a shop windo...

A fine 19th century full length portrait of St Michael standing with his sword raised. South American Cuzco school 19th century and earlier. Unsigned Oil on canvas, 56 by 78cms. Fram...

Large, concrete, Brouilly French Sparkling Wine bottle replica. Possibly used as an advertisement or in a prominent spot in the vineyard itself. Would make a great conversation piece...

Ingenious Contrivances, Curiously Carved: Scrimshaw in the New Bedford Whaling Museum by Stuart M Frank. Stated 1stEd hardcover with dust jacket. By the mi...

Mid-20th century silver tribal cuffs, Hazara tribe, Afghanistan A pair of silver cuffs worn by women of the Hazara tribe in Afghanistan. Very good workmanship and condition. Weight ...

This wind up drummer panda is a vintage toy. Vintage toy representing a panda playing the drum. Made in China in 1970s. The original clockwork w...

- A beautiful and rare double sided glass 'Pharmacie' sign mounted in its original frame, France circa 1930. - The sign is of exceptional quality and has glass to both sides, light w...