Antique Figurines

A figurine is the most common first piece in a collection. It takes little space, it reads from the doorway, and the period is legible at a glance. This section gathers porcelain figures from Soviet factories, European porcelain, bronze, cast iron and glass sculpture.

With porcelain, the mark underneath is what matters: it identifies the factory and the period. Sellers photograph it separately so that buyers can read it themselves. The second thing to check is the thin projecting parts — fingers, hands, staffs, wings. These break first, and repairs show under raking light.

Bronze and cast iron behave differently: they rarely break but they acquire patina, and how evenly it has formed tells you how the piece was kept. Weight is informative too, since a hollow casting is lighter than a solid one.

Dimensions and material appear in every listing. Ask the seller directly about condition.