“Carve” out a little time to enjoy some artistry. Antique wooden props transport you to an era of ornate details.

Here are 8 hand-carved wood props from around the world, procured for your Vancouver set. We are always sourcing new props for Set Dec.

1. 16th Century Inspired Old-World Globe Bar Prop

Under the cover of this ancient map lies a hidden drinking cabinet. This sophisticated, wooden globe bar is masterfully crafted, using the same 16th century Italian maps usually found only on true antiques. Our vintage globe is a 1950’s recreation, ready to rent out to film and television sets. Highlighting the sophistication of any such set, the Italian-Style Old World Globe-Style Bar makes a statement.

2. The Antique Grandfather Clock Prop

Straight from the Edwardian era, this Antique George III mahogany grandfather clock is complete with a hand-painted face. The original painted dial depicts an English countryman accompanied by two fox hounds, as the hunter gallops across the estate.

3. Japanese Marquetry Cabinet Prop

A piece of functional art with superbly intricate craftsmanship.

This Japanese chest with drawers from the 1920s features intricate traditional woodworking techniques, including Yosegi. Resembling a type of mosaic, yosegi is created through the combination of fine oblong rods of wood chosen for their grain, texture and colour, and is well-known for its intricately patterned nature. The result is a magnificent mosaic of wood, in a spectrum of natural colours.

4. West African Sabar Hand Percussion Drum

Sabar are a family of drums from Senegal, West Africa.

Originating with the Serer people, this 1920’s drum is constructed from carved wood, with a goat skin head attached by several pegs and a lacing system that allows for tuning. The sabra drum is played with a stick and one hand. There are several different types of sabar that make up the ensemble, each with a particular sound and role.

The head on this sabra drum would be tightened by pulling a peg, hammering a peg back in or twisting the rope. Sabar drums are instruments of the Serer and Wolof ethnic groups, but as the “national drum” of Senegal the sabar is also used by the Toucouleur, the Peul and other ethnic groups there.

5. Wooden Asian Brush Pot

A Chinese brush pot is a container for holding the brushes used by scribes for Chinese calligraphy. These are typically carved from bamboo or jade with ornate motifs symbolising concepts such as longevity. Antique examples are now valued highly. The brushes would be rinsed and stored in the pot with their handle down so that the bundles of hair would keep their shape and point.

6. Wall Mounted Rhino Figure

Carved by hand, this rhinoceros figure is wall mountable with a modest 5” x 4” x 6” size. The artistry references African subject and carving styles. Mounting this animal sculpture prop in your sets represents the room of a compassionate zoophile compared to replica tusks that a hunter would brandish.

8. Vintage Decoy Duck

The Indigenous peoples of North America used natural materials to conjure up bird and animal decoys for hunting. Shortly after their arrival, colonists began to emulate this strategy.

The decoy ducks were used from the 1850s to the early-20th century. The decoys were comprised of painted wooden, depicting duck, shorebird, and goose among the bird hunters. With advances in decoy technology, these wooden birds are no longer used by hunters. The decoys are now highly collectible, with auction houses branding them as fantastic folk art.

It’s the Whittle Things That Count: Wood Props for Film Rental in Vancouver