A Rare Austrian Art Deco Period Glass & Terracotta Fish Tank with Fisherman
SOLD
Origin: Austrian
Period: Art Deco
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1925-35
The Terracotta Base: 10.75 inches wide x 8.75 inches deep
The Tank: 8.25 inches wide x 6.75 inches deep x 8 inches high
Overall Height (with fisherman): 14.75 inches
The four-piece aquarium having a mottled earth effect terracotta base and top, thick glazed glass tank and polychrome fisherman with wooden rod, line, float and hook.
The hand painted fisherman, with his rather cheeky expression, dangles his line happily into the water and patiently waits, hand in pocket for his next catch. The heavy weight tank is beautifully proportioned and the condition is good, the glass is un-chipped and the fisherman, although showing some signs of wear to the paint, is still chirpy. There are two small cracks to the top terracotta piece of the tank, which have been well restored at some stage, though most importantly the piece remains solid throughout.
The term Art Deco encompasses the distinctive styles in art, architecture and design, and is typified by bright bold colours, and stylized designs derived from the onset of industrialism, as well as artistic movements such as modernism, cubism, and futurism. It is one of the best loved, most influential, instantly recognisable, international, and elegant of all artistic periods.
This hugely entertaining aquarium is not only a rare item but a whimsical, decorative and useful one to boot, making it highly prized. Now all it needs is some fish, and I’m sure they’d be safe, because, (say it quietly) this fisherman ain’t up to much…
