🌸 My Favourite Things V : Marble Lions 🌸

cover.jpg

Whatsup Steemies? In this edition of #myfavouritethings I'd like to show you some of the incredible carved marble lion sculptures I've had in my shop over the years.

I can't tell you what a feat it is to actually get these sculptures into my shop. Here's how it works.

My boss will go over to India/China/Vietnam and choose from the markets there, or even have our favourite supplier custom make us a design. Since our shop is mostly antique based, we tend to buy and sell a lot of lions, gryphons, angels and other classical items.

sold -  1140 x 700 x 1890 - R (2).JPG

Once the he has finalised the order, our suppliers will either load our container directly, or work on the custom orders. Then, they will come by ocean freight to us in South Africa. This can take up to two months sometimes. Then, the items will go through customs here, and then be delivered to our shop. This is the not-so-fun part.

My poor guys then have to offload the container. This is a bitch, but we try our best to make it easy on the guys. We hire a forklift and get extra hands. These lions ain't no light issue!

You can see below how we use a forklift just to move small marble table tops.

df063436-a49b-4ca4-9d25-1d8f7b51e026.jpeg

Time to Go to Your New Home, Mufasa

Then they will go to a client, and we will have to get our huge 5-ton truck and another forklift in order to deliver the pieces!

IMG_4582.GIF

The Lions on Their Merry Way to the Most Expensive House in Africa... no jokes

The pieces are painstakingly carved by hand by the artisans we purchase them from. My favourites that we have ever had are these majestic white marble lions, purchased in Belgium. These are actual antiques, and were probably carved in Italy.

SOLD 1350tall Base 1200x600 R45 000incl VAT PAIR.jpg

Don't You Think He Looks Like Aslan From the Chronicles of Narnia?

These perfectly pristine white marble lions were also another favourite of mine. They were Asian lions, and quite fierce. I loved their balls, they reminded me of circus lions! They went to a fancy wine farm out in the Boland here in the Western Cape.

SOLD 1230 x 730 x 430 - R68400 INCL VAT (pair).JPG

I always hated this pair. I thought their faces were so juvenile and weird. They were carved from blue stone, which is part of the granite family. It does very well in my shop because it is a bit more rustic, and not as fancy as the white marble

SOLD R68400 incl VAT copy.jpg

Mentally Unwell Lions

The last pair I'm going to show is the pair that are on the truck in the pics above. These guys were a custom order, meant to look like the stunning antique pair from Belgium I showed above.... BUT, oh well! Not quite. Still majestic and awe inspiring in real life. All of these lions have been taller than me. I suppose that's not difficult at 1,55m or 5ft08. 😆😆

standing lion.jpg

Not Quite Right Lions

I hope you have enjoyed this peek into my life. I post #myfavouritethings once a week, usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday, look out for them!

Thanks for reading 🌸

Sort:  

I love the video and your amazing photo subtitle, very cute!!

Thanks babes. I love you!

I NEED ONE.
Right this moment. In my room. Or anywhere in my house.

Hahaha! Right away, mam!

They look beautiful those marble lions you have good taste

My fave = asian lion :)

Yeah, cool hey? I live their expression💓 rawr!

I've always joked about getting a pair of these for the front door. Well, until I saw the price that is!

Yup, these are very expensive! Thanks for stopping by!

I did enjoy that peek :) Marble lions on your pictures are lovely, I`m used to seeing some pritty tacky ones but these look wonderfull.

They look very beautiful. I love loins picture only but i can't love with original loin

Heheh, yes, I’ve also seen pretty horrid lions in my time. Thanks for stopping by 😉

Wow those lions are impressive and tall

I can see why you didn’t like that one pair thetevis something ominous about them

They’re just not well...

true but the rest are awesome but I would hate to have the job to move them

Thanks for a peek inside your life!

I've rigged a lot of stuff for transport and unloading but I'll admit I've never rigged a lion of any material. Interesting indeed.

Thank you for sharing this.

Haha yup it’s quite the ordeal

I would like Sphinxes that flank my entry way that shoot out laser beams from their eyes
(that's actually out of a movie)

Sounds like a regular requirement to me xx

Aslan lion is very much Narinian! He has that intelligent powerful look about him, like he could karate chop a stone table in half haha