Pair of bird sculptures in lapis lazuli and amethyst

The delightful pair of sculptures are naturalistically modelled as birds, and are crafted in rare and beautifully coloured semi-precious stones. The first sculpture depicts a bird carved in rich blue lapis lazuli, a stone prized since antiquity for its intense colour. The bird perches with gold legs onto a naturalistic cropping of muscovite, a mineral stone known for exhibiting a flaky, grain-like quality, which here resembles straw or nest-like materials. The muscovite is set with droplets of pyrite gold, which glimmer and sparkle as the bird guards them from above, like treasure.

The second sculpture depicts a bird carved in amethyst, a striking purple or violet-coloured semi-precious stone used widely in jewellery. The bird perches on a tall, rocky base of unpolished red calcite, which exhibits several rusty red shades and contrasts beautifully with the gold feet and amethyst bird. Dimensions of the two sculptures are as follows:

The lapis bird: Height 8cm, width 11cm, depth 7.5cm
The amethyst bird: Height 12cm, width 10cm, depth 7cm