Well. to add to all this after all this time. Dave did end up selling this piece and I bought it. John made a half sphere of wood and sank the end into it.. so the finish is very like the stags and a couple more pieces I have and so now it can be displayed. I also have one in a very similar pose with the proper glass sphere base, so I can see what she would have looked like.
You can see them both in this group photo.