Vintage Victorian brass budgie bird parrot sculpture English 1890s

Antique Victorian brass budgie bird parrot sculpture, 1890’s ca, English. This item has been gently cleaned while respecting the antique patina. It is ready to use. Quality cast antique solid polished brass Victorian handmade sculpturefigurine, depicting a Budgie standing on a foliate background. Good weight & size make this item ideal not only for display as a decorative piece, but also functional as a paperweight or door stopper. The budgie figure was carved & engraved by hand with great attention to detail. Further proofs of old age and quality are present, such as the inset of solid copper eyes to the head of the bird, and the oval weighted base, both characteristics of the late XIX Century brass animal figurines. There is new felt added underneath the base to protect the surfaces below. This item is in very good condition. The brass figurine is sound with a warm antique patina full of character. Packing is offered free of charge. We take special professional care while packing. For safe transport this piece would be packed in bubble wrapped & soft cardboard plus put into a box with loose fill packing peanuts ideal for posting. ANIMALS & VICTORIAN ART HISTORY Depictions of animals recur in the history of art, but it is only really in Victorian times that the relationship between men and animals is greatly explored. "The status, role and significance of animals and the animal kingdom were key issues in the development of Victorian culture. The theory of evolution was of course the central constituent in this debate, but other considerations were important too. Animals as pets, as beasts of burden, their position within the evolutionary chain, their behaviour and character and their relationship to humankind were all important topics, sometimes surrounded by anxiety and fear" (Source: Simon Cooke, Ph.D., Assistant Editor for Book Illustration and Design).