Ceramic Owl Bookends

PAIR OF HAND-PAINTED CERAMIC HORNED OWL BOOKENDS WITH BRANCH AND LEAF RELIEF Matched pair of L-shaped ceramic bookends in a cream to pale ivory glaze, each modeled with a full-round horned owl perched on a brown branch stump at the front corner, with black brow tufts, ringed amber and brown eyes, a hooked beak and deeply scalloped feathering. The upright back plates are molded in relief with a leafy branch and green leaves that continue onto the base, and the two pieces mirror each other so the owls face inward when shelved. One base keeps a small gold foil oval label reading "Handpainted". Flaws include cobwebs and dust caught along the back plate and base edges, scattered dark firing specks and glaze pinholes across the cream ground, light glaze scuffs and rubbing along the base edges and back plate, and soiling in the recesses of the relief. The undersides were not photographed, so any bottom mark, remaining foil label and the presence or absence of felt pads are UNTESTED and unknown. Sold as a pair of two bookends. Description Form: mirrored pair of L-shaped shelf bookends, each with a molded owl figure and branch-and-leaf relief on the upright and the base. Construction/Finish: slip-cast earthenware or ceramic with a glossy cream glaze, hand-applied brown, amber, black and green enamel accents over the relief. Marks: one base carries a gold foil oval label printed "Handpainted"; no maker name, country of origin or mold number is visible in these photographs and the undersides were not shown, so no maker is claimed. Size: approximately 6 in tall to the top of the owl's brow tufts and approximately 8 in across for the two bookends set side by side per the tape-measure photographs; each base is roughly 4 in wide and its depth is estimated at roughly 4 in, Attribution note Owl bookends in this pattern - cream glaze, hand-painted accents, an applied branch and leaves and a small foil "Handpainted" label - belong to the heavy run of decorative owl and bird ceramics imported from Japan and Taiwan and sold through American gift and department stores from the late 1960s through the 1970s, when owl motifs were a dominant home dcor theme. Foil labels of this type were applied by importers rather than by a specific factory, and because they carry no company name they do not identify a maker; many such labels were lost in washing, so a surviving one only supports the era and the hand-decorated finish. Similar pairs are commonly cataloged as mid-century or 1970s ceramic owl bookends without an attributed maker. All identifications are offered as the consignor's photo-based opinion and are not guaranteed. Bid on the items as pictured Notes for bidders Clean with a soft damp cloth and a dry brush in the relief, hand wash only in lukewarm water, and never soak or run these through a dishwasher, since hand-applied enamel over glaze abrades and any unglazed base will absorb water. Check the undersides for felt before shelving, as bare ceramic scratches wood, and set them on cloth when handling because the brow tufts and beaks are the first things to catch. Carry each piece separately with a hand under the base rather than by the owl. Only the items pictured are included in this lot. Terms Sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All sales final. Please ask any questions before bidding. Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping arrangements per auction terms. Note