A rare, collectible and absolutely exceptional religious Meerschaum from the early to mid 1800s, featuring a detailed depiction of two mothers and children.
 
This hand carved and signed Meerschaum has a story to tell. My research has shown that it could represent the Sacred and the Humble, using two versions of motherhood - Mary and child and Madonna and Christ to express the duality of motherhood, symbolising the divine and earthly existance of Jesus.
 
However, it seems more probable that it could be Jesus and John the Baptist as infants pictured with either Saint Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist or Saint Anne, mother of Mary. The second child, is presenting a cross, foreshadowing Christ's Passion. The emphasis on the divine and the human celebrates not only Mary but by extension motherhood too.
 
The meerschaum is surrounded with a glossy ebonised wood ornate frame, of rare quality and workmandship and the meerschaum is expertly carved and signed 'Giry' in the bottom left. This is a truly exceptional piece.
 
The fragile domed glass has long gone, the price of this rare piece has been reduced significantly to reflect this, but it remains however a museum quality piece of significance.  The meerschaum has aged, it could be cleaned gently but I send it as found for you to decide to what extent to restore or not. 
 
The frame measures 14.5" long by 7" across.