TREASURES AROUND THE HOUSE

It's Christmas morning and I'm doing the same thing I do every morning since I'm an early riser. After throwing on my bathrobe and creating my cup of coffee ~ I tuck myself back into bed with a tray and a movie. This morning it's TCM with "Separate Tables". The only reason I kept it on was because of the fantastic cast ~ Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Burt Lancaster, Rita Hayworth, Rod Taylor, and a few more.

Half way thru the film ~ here is Burt Lancaster in front of a statue ~ and I screamed for my husband. Sorry, I screamed too loud and I scared him. Crazy is the scene was so long that I could run to the other side of the house and get my camera.

I HAVE THAT STATUE!!!!

This film was released in 1958 ~ 62 years ago.

Mounted on a black marble base.

In fact, we have a pair ~ my twin has the other. I never knew anything about this item that I had lived with during my college years and inherited in 2010 when my mother passed away.
Originally, they were my stepfathers who passed away in 1976. Years ago they were mounted and turned into lamps ~ sometimes flanking either side of a sofa or a fireplace.

Because they are mounted on marble ~ they're so heavy that I double reinforced the shelf it's displayed on when I built my house. It's actually too heavy to move to any other location ~ so it stayed right where it is the last 6 years.

With a little investigation this morning and I've learned so much more about it.

Coustou was commissioned to do a series of statues for Louie XIV for the Equestrian Pond at the Chatteau De Marly in France. This series took 5 years to finish, 1740 to 1745 and were the last works completed by Coustou who died in 1746.

Ours has the Coustou name engraved, however....

BELOW

The present bronze groups are based on the celebrated marbles by Guillaume Coustou which were originally commissioned for the gardens at the Chateau de Marly in 1739. They were subsequently moved by the painter Jacques-Louis David to the entrance of the Champs E´lyse´es in Paris in 1794 and are today housed in the collections of the Muse´e du Louvre in Paris. Coustou’s famed rearing horses restrained by grooms were among the most important sculptures created in the 18th century, and were recreated in a variety of sizes and materials throughout the 19th century and into the 20th century.

On 1st dibs -

Period 1860 - 1869

Found in Brighton, England, mounted on faux marble bases.

$11,074.77 pair

~ notice the shrubbery on the base is larger than ours ~

On 1st dibs

Also found in London, England

$10,382.60 Pair

~ notice these don't have the shrubbery on the base and no reins ~

1st dibs

From Charleston, SC

$4400 ~~$7500~~ Pair

~ notice the shrubbery is growing from a rock ~

1st dibs

Brighton England

$5260.51 pair

1880

~ notice the shrub is like ours but the reins are very short ~

EBAY

California

$1900 for single

~ this seller thinks it's from the movie ~ but we know it's not because of the lack of the shrub. The tail is tucked inward. It's also in very bad condition.

large shrub but no reins

This fine pair of 19th century. Bronzes are after Guillaume Coustou (French, 1677-1746) Horse Tamer, from the "Chevaux de Marly" series, and are incised "Coustou" to base. They were modeled after those commissioned by Louis XVI for the Chateau de Marly in 1739 and are an excellent quality pair. The larger of the two measures approximately 21 in – 53.3 cm wide, 23 in – 58.5 cm high and 9 in – 22.8 cm deep with the other one just 2 inches smaller in width.