Knife Carving - Zoomorphic Salt And Pepper Shakers - Bird - Glass Eyes - Folk Art

Late 19th century France – Auvergne – Massif Central – Haute-Loire. Rare carved wooden salt and pepper shakers depicting a peaceful and silent water bird, perched as if on the edge of an imaginary pond. Carved from a single block of wood, the piece reveals two compartments hollowed into the bird's body, intended for salt and pepper, the discreet heart of the peasant table. The wood, gently patinated, tells the story of time. Inside the compartments, the color has darkened from repeated contact with fingers and salt crystals. The surface, smoothed by the years, nevertheless retains the clean cuts of the knife: naive crosshatching, parallel lines, stylized plumage engraved with simplicity and conviction. The slightly elongated head seems attentive. The inlaid black glass eyes catch the light and give the bird a haunting, almost affectionate presence. It is no longer just a utensil, but a small, familiar figure, a silent companion to meals and evenings spent together. One can imagine the hand that shaped it, perhaps during a long winter in the Massif Central. Transforming a piece of wood into a protective animal for the table is to breathe life into an everyday object. It softens the act of salting, giving the meal a sensitive and almost intimate dimension. This piece embodies the poetry of Auvergne folk art from the late 19th century: the sincerity of the lines, the freedom of the decoration, and this unique ability to evoke emotion from a simple household tool. Condition: beautiful patina from use, micro-cracks and old marks consistent with age. A stable and harmonious piece. Dimensions: Length: 16 cm Height: 5 cm Shipping: ALL DELIVERIES ARE MADE BY DHL EXPRESS ONLY.