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Ausema
Art Deco Bird Bookends, Carved Coromandel Wood, Colonial Indonesia
Art Deco Bird Bookends, Carved Coromandel Wood, Colonial Indonesia
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€475,00 EUR
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Colonial Indonesia, ca. 1920-1940 - Pair of Art Deco Bookends
Carved coromandel wood (sonokeling), approx. 20 × 20 × 12 cm
This rare pair of mirror-image bookends was crafted in the colonial Dutch East Indies during the interwar years. The design depicts stylised birds holding a spherical element in their beaks - a motif uniting elegance and strength, entirely consistent with the international Art Deco idiom.
The workmanship is of the highest calibre: the flowing lines of the birds are highlighted by finely engraved plumage, while the reverse and supporting planes display a distinctive faceted, "hammered" surface, a hallmark of Art Deco objects from the 1920s and 1930s. This subtle play of light and shadow reinforces the modernist spirit of the piece.
The choice of material further enhances its quality: the bookends are carved from coromandel wood (sonokeling), a dense tropical hardwood prized in colonial Indonesia for its durability and richly contrasting dark veining.
Bookends of this quality were created for the European elite in the colony, serving both a practical and decorative role in refined interiors. Their mirrored composition and professional finish distinguish them clearly from later tourist carvings.
Attribution
The style shows strong affinities with the renowned Balinese master carver I Doyotan of Mas (Ubud), who was noted in the 1930s for his Art Deco-inspired bird carvings. The simplified forms, symmetrical design, and use of sonokeling all align with works associated with his workshop. While a firm attribution cannot be made without provenance or inscription, the carving may be described as "in the manner of I Doyotan (Mas, Bali)". Collectors are encouraged to inspect the undersides carefully, as Doyotan is known occasionally to have signed his works, often with a modest inscription of "I Doyotan" and sometimes "Mas" or "Bali." Even faint traces or labels can add significantly to documentation and value.
Details:
Colonial Indonesia, Art Deco period (ca. 1920-1940)
Solid coromandel wood (sonokeling)
Finely hand-carved, highly professional execution
Original mirror-image pair
Height approx. 20 cm, depth 20 cm, width 12 cm
Carved coromandel wood (sonokeling), approx. 20 × 20 × 12 cm
This rare pair of mirror-image bookends was crafted in the colonial Dutch East Indies during the interwar years. The design depicts stylised birds holding a spherical element in their beaks - a motif uniting elegance and strength, entirely consistent with the international Art Deco idiom.
The workmanship is of the highest calibre: the flowing lines of the birds are highlighted by finely engraved plumage, while the reverse and supporting planes display a distinctive faceted, "hammered" surface, a hallmark of Art Deco objects from the 1920s and 1930s. This subtle play of light and shadow reinforces the modernist spirit of the piece.
The choice of material further enhances its quality: the bookends are carved from coromandel wood (sonokeling), a dense tropical hardwood prized in colonial Indonesia for its durability and richly contrasting dark veining.
Bookends of this quality were created for the European elite in the colony, serving both a practical and decorative role in refined interiors. Their mirrored composition and professional finish distinguish them clearly from later tourist carvings.
Attribution
The style shows strong affinities with the renowned Balinese master carver I Doyotan of Mas (Ubud), who was noted in the 1930s for his Art Deco-inspired bird carvings. The simplified forms, symmetrical design, and use of sonokeling all align with works associated with his workshop. While a firm attribution cannot be made without provenance or inscription, the carving may be described as "in the manner of I Doyotan (Mas, Bali)". Collectors are encouraged to inspect the undersides carefully, as Doyotan is known occasionally to have signed his works, often with a modest inscription of "I Doyotan" and sometimes "Mas" or "Bali." Even faint traces or labels can add significantly to documentation and value.
Details:
Colonial Indonesia, Art Deco period (ca. 1920-1940)
Solid coromandel wood (sonokeling)
Finely hand-carved, highly professional execution
Original mirror-image pair
Height approx. 20 cm, depth 20 cm, width 12 cm
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