Vintage Brass Maltese Dolphin Fish Bookends

Vintage Brass Maltese Dolphin Fish Bookends

These exquisite bookends were handmade by F. Abela and sons on the Island of Malta. These small bookends are beautifully detailed and heavy and feature the dolphin fish which has a rich history on Malta. These are a brass or bronze that was given a brass or gold lacquer that has some wear from age.
They've been left as found. Please see photos to best assess wear and condition.

The back of the dolphin fish tail is marked MALTA, and the bottom of the bookends are marked with a Maltese cross as well as "Hand Made, F. Abela and Sons, Malta"

Dimensions: 5" tall by 2" wide by about 1 3/4" deep
Each bookend weighs just under 2 pounds.
Date: Circa mid-century