Trojan Horse Head Bookends

22cm tall, which is above the height of most hardbacks.

The height is what makes them work. At 22cm they stand taller than a standard hardback, so the books sit within the pair rather than towering over them. Paperbacks and taller art books both sit comfortably.

The 9cm depth needs a shelf that can take it, plus the books between. Allow at least 25cm of shelf depth for a comfortable arrangement.

1.65kg for the pair means roughly 800g each, which holds a modest run of books. For a long heavy row, use them at the ends of a short section rather than expecting them to brace a full shelf.

They work apart as well as together. One at each end of a shelf is the obvious use, but a single head on a console or a sideboard reads as a sculptural object in its own right.

The form is classical, and it is recognisably so.

The heavy jaw, the arched neck and the raised crest along the top are the language of classical pediment sculpture, the horses of Greek temple friezes rather than anything anatomical. Everything is simplified to planes and curves, with the eye and nostril suggested rather than modelled.

That is why they read as sculpture rather than ornament. A realistic horse head is a horse head; a stylised one is an object, and it sits comfortably in a contemporary room where a realistic version would not.

The stone-effect finish is pale sandy beige with fine darker speckling and a matt, slightly porous surface texture, so it reads as carved limestone or travertine rather than moulded plastic.

The pair face inward, which is the detail that makes them work as bookends rather than two matching objects. They frame whatever sits between them and look deliberately arranged rather than placed.

• Classical sculptural form, simplified to planes rather than modelled realistically
• Stone-effect finish, pale and speckled with a matt porous texture
• A facing pair, so they frame what sits between them
• 22cm tall, above the height of most hardbacks
• Work as objects too, not only as bookends
• Contemporary and classical at once, which very few objects manage
• Genuinely good gifting, and a rare thing to find for someone who reads
• Lighter than real stone, so a shelf will take them without question

Bookends only work if there is space to end. A short run of books between them with clear shelf either side is what makes the arrangement read; a packed shelf makes them decorative bookends holding nothing.

A stack of two or three laid horizontally beside the upright run gives a shelf two rhythms rather than one, and it gives you a plinth for a small object.

One on a bookshelf and one on a console works well. A single classical head is an object; two on the same shelf is a set. Both are fine, but they read differently.

A pale stone finish sits well beside timber, linen and ceramic. Something with a dark glaze nearby, a vessel or a bowl, gives the pale form the contrast it needs to stand out.

A simplified sculptural form is made of planes and shadows, so raking light reveals it. A lamp at one end of a shelf does far more for these than an overhead fitting.

Dust with a soft dry cloth or a brush. A matt textured finish holds dust in the surface, and a soft brush reaches the crest and the jawline where a cloth will not.

A barely damp cloth on a mark, dried straight after. Nothing abrasive, which will polish the matt finish to a shine in patches.

Felt pads underneath if they are going on a polished timber shelf. Cast resin has a slightly gritty base and will mark a good finish when slid.

Keep them out of strong direct sun, which can yellow a pale resin over years.

They are not real stone. Lighter than they look, which is an advantage on a shelf, but it does mean a long heavy run of books will push them rather than be held by them.

What to expect. The speckling in the finish varies from piece to piece, so the two in a pair will not be identical.

The pair ships boxed together. Current timescales and charges are set out on our delivery page.

Any questions before you order? Reach us via our contact page or live chat.

If they are not right, our returns process is straightforward, and everything is covered by our guarantees and warranties.

Our price match promise stands if you find the same piece for less elsewhere. Dressing a holiday let or a showhome? Ask about trade accounts.