Antique Carved Wooden Bird (Peacock) – 19th Century | Architectural Door Handle Fragment

This evocative antique carved wooden bird, most likely a peacock, is distinguished by its delicately defined head feather and the pronounced plume at the back, unmistakable markers of the bird’s regal identity in Indian visual culture. Rendered with confident, flowing lines, the carving reflects the hand of a skilled artisan attuned to both form and symbolism.

Remarkably, this sculptural element once served a functional role as the handle of a wooden door—a reminder of a time when even the most utilitarian architectural details were imbued with artistry. Can you believe it? What was once grasped and passed by countless hands is today appreciated purely for its sculptural beauty.

The peacock, long associated with grace, protection, and auspiciousness, was a fitting motif for a threshold object—standing guard at the entrance, silently marking the passage between the outer and inner worlds.

Now mounted for display, the piece has transitioned from architectural fragment to standalone object, allowing its sculptural qualities, surface patina, and traces of age to be fully appreciated.