(18) Various Animal Figures. Noah rushes to finish his Ark at the sight of this magnificent menagerie including skunks, deer, rabbits, and much more. Looks like a scene from an animated Disney movie. 

Condition: Orange fox figure has one broken foot. 

Size: 3 x 1 3/4 x 4 in. 

#3456 #1 . 

The creation of animal carvings, figurines, and sculptures dates far back into prehistoric times. The Löwenmensch figurine, also called the Lion-man of Hohlenstein-Stadel Cave, is a prehistoric ivory sculpture discovered in the German Swabian Jura in 1939, an anthropomorphic figure combining the body of a human and the head of a lion that was carbon-dated to between 35,000 and 41,000 years old, making it both the oldest-known example of artistic expression and the oldest confirmed statue ever discovered. The earliest known stone animal carvings were found in a cave in Scotland dating back 5,000 years, although the appearance of the Lion-man suggests there were much older pieces that have not survived. In Ancient Egypt and Greece, animal figures as protective totems and representations of the gods became extremely common, with very small versions appearing that could be placed on altars or carried on journeys. With the development of currency-based economies and international trade, religious representations of animals lessened and the production of toys and other small objets d’art emerged, with domesticated creatures like dogs and cats some of the most abundant shapes. The earthenware Staffordshire animal figures of the 18th and 19th Centuries were enormously popular, and manufacturers including Britains Limited, Schleich, and Bullyland competed to make the most realistic and beloved pieces. Today, most animal figurines are usually either decorative pieces, toys, or collectibles, and are often made of plastic, ceramics, or metal, although the use of bone, stone, and crystal glass is still popular in certain circles, sometimes elevating the objets d’art into highly prized objets de vertu.

Orange fox figure has one broken foot.