Vintage Carved wood figure of a Lady, Bali, Indonesia, second half C20th
Price: £45
A finely carved wood figure with a rich patina and veining of a young woman crouching, her head, which is elaborately coiffured, slightly inclining as she looks at the devotional stupa like object which she is holding. The style of this piece indicates that it was the work of a Balinese craftsman and the signature underneath confirms this. The island of Bali in Indonesia has a rich tradition of wood carving dating back hundreds of years. Known in the Balinese language as 'Batuan', wood carving has its roots in Bali's Hindu-Buddhist culture. Typically, the pieces are made from hardwoods with a coarse grain including teak, chempaka wood and sandalwood. The decorative grain effects here, though, suggest mahogany and the highly polished finish is quite striking and far less commonly found today. Dating is probably to the 1960s and the artist (with the Balinese surname ‘Mudita’; his first name cannot be made out) has revealed the place of manufacture which is Sanur, a famous beach resort. These figures were often bought by tourists which explains why they are found today in Europe. Like the portrait head of a lady also included in this sale there is an aura of calm contemplation here almost reminiscent of Chinese work.
Large brass portrait bust of Ramses II
Price: £45
This is an amusing portrait bust cast in brass with slender profile form depicting Ramses II, (Ramesses/Rameses II) the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt c1303BC - 1213BC and one of the most famous rulers of the country of whom the statues and images surviving have become iconic. He is depicted here wearing a typical bird beak helmet and a heavy metal shawl collar. The composition reflects 'Egyptian Revival ' pieces of the early twentieth century but the dating here is rather later.
Spanish red tooled leather trinket dish with the coat of arms for Castile and León, C20th
Price: £25
This is a very striking square dish with a deep central well made from finely worked red leather and decorated with scrolls and fleur-de-lis. There is something of a royal connection here as the embossed decoration includes lions and heraldic shields and the coat of arms presents as those for the house of Castile and León, the shield with four quarters, the first and fourth with a castle (Castile) and the second and third with a lion rampant (Leon). Castile and León is Spain’s largest autonomous community comprising territories that once belonged to the Kingdom of León, including Salamanca, as well as territories of the former Kingdom of Castile, particularly Valladolid and Segovia. Since it most likely dates to the twentieth century, this dish probably belonged to a municipal setting rather than a palace of the nobility but it is an item of luxury nevertheless.
Noritake Vase in the Form of a Pomegranate, marked, Japanese, early 20th Century
Price: £25
A Japanese Porcelain Vase manufactured by the Noritake Company, the spherical body with three short feet and two handles and finished with a short flaring neck and a crimped rim, intended to resemble the form of a pomegranate. The decoration comprises a continous panorama landscape scene with two central circular panels, depicting trees, mountains and a lake, set on a dark blue glaze ground with raised bead work decoration in gilt and blue enamel, the base marked 'Noritake' 'Made in Japan' with a geometric design enclosed by a circle.
The Noritake compnay was set up by the Morimura family at Noritake near Nagoya in the early twentieth century. Called at first 'Nippon Toki Kaisha Ltd' on its founding in 1904, the business soon changed its name to 'Noritake' and began the manufacture of porcelains for the domestic and export markets. The mark seen here is interesting. It comprises a 'Komaru' symbol, crowned with "Noritake" and with the mark 'Made In Japan'. The centre symbol said to be taken from the Japanese character "Komaru", meaning "overcoming difficulties". According to the Noritake company tradition this mark was designed when contact with the different culture of the west early in the 20th century caused problems of adaptation. It is also known as the 'tree crest mark' which is the clan crest of the Morimura family. This mark is said to have been registered in London for the UK market by 1908. The curled up ends of the Komaru symbol seen here distinguish this mark from later versions and allow a dating of this piece to the early twentieth century.
Noritake porcelain became synonymous with finely potted tea and breakfast services made in great quantities for export. This vase is a rather more unusual production and shows the factory capable of producing high quality pieces.
Victorian small note pad for chatelaine
Price: £45
This is a charming small note pad that would have hung from a ladies chatelaine or a ladies "tool belt" so to speak. It is silver plated with the original paper pages with actual notes on them which is fun. There is also the original mechanical pencil. There is a spring hinge so the notepad opens automatically. The silver plate has a repousse design of angels or putti very typical during this time.
French Regency style Bevelled Amber Glass & Filigree Ormolu Casket, mid twentieth century
Price: £55
A Regency style bevelled amber glass & gilt filigree ormolu Casket, the pentagonal body with five ovoid amber glass panels with bevelled edges, the borders with an arrow form repeating geometric design, all set between gilt filigree work of stylised foliage, the three spreading feet also with floral gilt filigree work, the hinged lid with a similar circular amber glass panel surrounded by a repeating design of stylised gilt leaves, the interior lined in gold velvet studded with tiny gilt nails.
Various pieces in this style where amber glass panels are combined with elaborate gilt metal work can be found. Most were intended as dressing table ornaments, as here. Sometimes termed 'Hollywood', after the American made products in this style of which Lot 1 in this sale is a prime specimen, these items were designed to add a touch of luxury to the bedroom. They are usually regarded as French and thought to have been made between the 1920s and 1940s. This is a particularly nice example with no damage to either the glass or the metalwork.
French Regency style Bevelled Amber Glass & Filigree Ormolu Casket, mid twentieth century
Price: £55
A Regency style bevelled amber glass & gilt filigree ormolu Casket, the pentagonal body with five ovoid amber glass panels with bevelled edges, the borders with an arrow form repeating geometric design, all set between gilt filigree work of stylised foliage, the three spreading feet also with floral gilt filigree work, the hinged lid with a similar circular amber glass panel surrounded by a repeating design of stylised gilt leaves, the interior lined in gold velvet studded with tiny gilt nails.
Various pieces in this style where amber glass panels are combined with elaborate gilt metal work can be found. Most were intended as dressing table ornaments, as here. Sometimes termed 'Hollywood', after the American made products in this style of which Lot 1 in this sale is a prime specimen, these items were designed to add a touch of luxury to the bedroom. They are usually regarded as French and thought to have been made between the 1920s and 1940s. This is a particularly nice example with no damage to either the glass or the metalwork.
Novelty ceramic Wall Vase in the form of a Gretsch Guitar, English, 1950s
Price: £25
This is a fun ceramic wall vase in the shape of a guitar with an opening at the top for flowers or perhaps pens or stationery items and a string cord, which may well be original, for suspension. The shape is taken from one of the designs produced by the famous American guitar manufacturers Gretsch who began the manufacture of electric guitars in the 1950s, eventually reaching tremendous popularity in the 1960s after the Beatle, George Harrison, used one of their models during the band’s first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. This piece predates that and was most likely made in the 1950s. There is no mark for the manufacturer beyond ‘Made in England’ but it is possible that this is an example of Brentleigh ware, a firm which produced ceramic novelty pieces such as the pair of shoes to be seen elsewhere in this sale.
Framed Watercolour, Harbour or Beachside Scene, signed, C20th
Price: £25
This is an attractive watercolour depicting a harbour or beachside scene with a sailing boat moored to the left, a lighter boat to its side and various sailing boats in the distance with mountains beyond. The tones used are mainly sepias and browns but more colours combine in the rendering of the sky with its setting sun. The artist’s signature can be seen to the bottom left but is unfortunately very hard to read. The impressionistic style is typical of mid century work - the well known English artist George Hann comes to mind and perhaps the painter here, an accomplished amateur, shares his nationality. The appeal here is obvious and not just to a collector of maritime scenes!
An Arts and Crafts small Brass Tray, English early twentieth century
Price: £40
A small Brass circular tray with a wide flat rim edged with repeating bead work and a round concave centre decorated in repousse work with a procession of parrots on a boldly chased punch work ground. Repoussé work is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief. Chasing or embossing is a similar technique in which the piece is hammered on the front side, often with a punch, sinking the metal. The two techniques are often used in conjunction as here, although the effect is slightly bolder than in the previous lot (35). Metalware items with 'hammered' decoration were a common feature of 'Arts and Crafts' work with their reminiscences of earlier metal working techniques and the effect of the slightly rustic. As in the previous lot, the bold metalworking techniques used complement the medium of burnished brass. A dating to the early twentieth century seems reasonable
An Arts and Crafts small Brass serving Tray, English early twentieth century
Price: £40
A Brass circular tray with a shaped raised pie crust edge decorated in repousse work with overlapping geese on a chased punch work ground. Repoussé work is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief. Chasing or embossing is a similar technique in which the piece is hammered on the front side, often with a punch, sinking the metal. The two techniques are often used in conjunction as here. Metalware items with 'hammered' decoration were a common feature of 'Arts and Crafts' work with their reminiscences of earlier metal working techniques and the effect of the slightly rustic. The design here is unusual and attractive and the bold metalworking techniques used complement the medium of burnished brass. A dating to the early twentieth century seems reasonable
A Ceramic Moneybox in the form of a Pig, Helensgate Ceramics, mid twentieth century
Price: £25
A ceramic moneybox, pink glazed and amusingly modelled in the form of a rotund pig with wide eyes and ribbon bow, the back with a slot to insert the coins and the base with a circular aperture to retrieve them, sealed with a plastic plug, probably original. A paper label affixed reading 'Helensgate Ceramics'. Little seems to be known about this firm but they clearly specialised in amusing animal figures and in particular moneyboxes. The piece has a mid twentieth century look to it and a circa date of 1960 seems reasonable. While less in use now, there are still some for whom 'cash is king'. If so, this would be a desirable acquisition!
Ceramic Model of a Fish, Jema Holland, signed, 1950s/1960s
Price: £30
A ceramic model of a fish strikingly modelled with outstretched fins and rising out of flowing waves, lustre glazed in tones of green and blue, the base with an incised script mark reading 'Jema' 'Holl.' '132'.
The Jema factory in Holland was started by two brothers, Jelis Mager ( born 1912 in Rotterdam, Netherlands) and his brother Johan Willem Mager (born 1919 also in Rotterdam) both living in Maastricht who took over an existing ceramics factory, founded originally by J.Meussen, in 1942 and traded together in a partnership which was dissolved in 1955 when the firm JEMA KERAMISCH ATELIER N.V. (jema ceramic studio; the first JE standing for Jelis and MA standing for Mager) was created under a new agreement between them. Ceramic products of many types were produced with figurines a speciality and the business continued until 1984 when it became insolvent and closed its doors.
Most of the pieces seem to have been marked, usually with an impressed script as here indicating the factory itself and the model number of the piece. For modest decorative items the quality of the manufacture is of a high standard as can be seen in both the modelling and the glazing of this piece. Their animal figurines were immediately approachable and provided modest but amusing items of decoration.
English Silver pin cushion in the form of a boot, London 1991
Price: £75
This is a charming small pin cushion in the form of a worn out boot. It has a typical blue velvet interior and is very lifelike with a hole in the sole. It has full English hallmarks for London 1991 and a makers' mark 'DB'.
Four Art Deco style small Glass Vases with silver decoration, possibly Murano 1930s
Price: £55
Four Art Deco style small Glass Vases with silver overlay decoration, possibly Murano 1930s
This is a set of four complementary small coloured glass vases (green, blue, amethyst, turquoise) each with applied silver decoration now slightly tarnished. The clean lines of the shapes, two of baluster form and two with conical bodies suggest the Art Deco era and the decoration, which features gondolas and palaces, suggests Venetian origin and therefore manufacture at the Murano glassworks there. This has to remain slightly speculative and the pieces might be slightly later but the group provides a highly decorative ensemble for collectors or decorators alike.
Novelty ceramic Wall Vase in the form of a Gretsch Guitar, English, 1950s
Price: £25
This is a fun ceramic wall vase in the shape of a guitar with an opening at the top for flowers or perhaps pens or stationery items and a string cord, which may well be original, for suspension. The shape is taken from one of the designs produced by the famous American guitar manufacturers Gretsch who began the manufacture of electric guitars in the 1950s, eventually reaching tremendous popularity in the 1960s after the Beatle, George Harrison, used one of their models during the band’s first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. This piece predates that and was most likely made in the 1950s. There is no mark for the manufacturer beyond ‘Made in England’ but it is possible that this is an example of Brentleigh ware, a firm which produced ceramic novelty pieces such as the pair of shoes to be seen elsewhere in this sale.
Art Nouveau Bronze Tray, stamped 172 Deposé, French c1900
Price: £95
Typical of the style of the Art Nouveau era with its emphasis on organic forms, this bronze tray, perhaps intended for serving salad, is of lobed rectangular form with two handles in the form of lotus branches. Deeply and intricately cast there is a lotus spray at the top which complements the handles at the side and both are set on a wavy line ground with milled detail, perhaps intended to represent water. The underside has four small feet and is decorated with minute punch work dots. There is also a stamped mark ‘172 Deposé’ which occurs on other examples of this design. For devotees of Art Nouveau this would be a classic acquisition of an object which is truly representative if not archetypal.
Art Deco Shagreen Picture Frame, 1930s
Price: £110
A rectangular picture frame, the broad border inset with strips of beige and dark grey shagreen skin laid on a wooden surround the edges with short narrow strips stained beige to match the border with graining in imitation of bone, the back stained dark brown with patterning effects designed to imitate animal skin, the central insert hinged and held with fastening clasps to reveal the glass underneath and also fitted with a hinged support.
Shagreen is a natural hide, typically from shark, stingray or dogfish, worked through special processes to produce a granular surface effect. Known in China and Japan from the earliest times and popular in Europe in the eighteenth century Shagreen enjoyed its greatest popularity in the Art Deco period where it was used as a covering for writing desks and well-dressed cabinetry and smaller items such as the picture frame we have here. The clean lines of this piece and the palette of colours employed fit exactly with the ethos of the Art Deco period and a dating to the 1930s is extremely likely. A luxury item at the time it could be used now to provide enhanced presentation of a favourite image adding to it a hint of true elegance.
Octagonal Agate Mortar Bowl, C20th
Price: £25
Truly Art Deco in style, the form of this bowl, octagonal with flaring sides and an upright bevel edged rim, deeply cut out to a rounded interior, is however normally regarded as a mortar shape and would have been used with a pestle, probably in the same material. Commonly used in a laboratory context for grinding samples these agate pieces are very much fit for purpose since the stone is much harder than porcelain, thus reducing the level of impurities introduced during the grinding process. Found in a wide variety of locations including Italy, Africa and Brazil, agate, a form of chalcedony with a wide variety of banding effects, was used for jewellery from the earliest of times but has also had practical uses because of its hardness. This bowl shows the typical banding effects of the stone but perhaps because most likely intended for practical use an impurity in the piece used has been left visible (see image 5).
Art Deco Wooden Cigarette Box, 1930s
Price: £25
An oak wood cigarette box and cover of rectangular form with the sides and handle finished in a dark hard wood, possibly mahogany, the interior lined in green baize. The clean angular style of this piece recalls the Art Deco era and there is little reason to doubt that it was actually produced at that time. Most likely the work of a talented amateur carpenter, the box is carefully constructed with an imaginative combination of woods. Perhaps less likely to be used for cigarettes now, but handy for all those small things that would otherwise get lost!
Pink Alabaster Box and Cover, Italy late c20th
Price: £25
An attractive box and cover of circular form made from pink alabaster, each section mounted in gilt metal and attached by a hinge, the lid with a finely detailed design of flowering lotus. Italy is a prime source for alabaster and many similar boxes have a sticker on the base saying ‘Made in Italy’ giving us the country of origin here. Dating is probably to the 1980s/1990s.
Pink Alabaster Box and Cover, Italy late c20th
Price: £25
An attractive box and cover of circular form made from pink alabaster, each section mounted in gilt metal and attached by a hinge, the lid with a finely detailed design of flowering lotus. Italy is a prime source for alabaster and many similar boxes have a sticker on the base saying ‘Made in Italy’ giving us the country of origin here. Dating is probably to the 1980s/1990s.
Japanese Samurai China Biscuit Box and Cover, C20th
Price: £25
A Japanese ceramic Biscuit Box and Cover with a wicker handle of squared octagonal form, the body slightly flaring outwards and with a flush fitting cover, decorated in bright satsuma style enamels with panels of a samurai and a geisha and two with landscape designs alternating with orange ground panels with stylised foliage in enamel and gilt, the design repeating onto the lid, the base marked ‘Genuine Samurai China’, ‘Japan’, ‘Hand Painted’, and a ‘Reg No’ which cannot be read, the lettering surrounding a shield like device with Japanese characters. The firm ‘Samurai China’ seems to have made modest ceramic items, mainly tea services, for export to the West. Dating is most likely pre war, perhaps to the 1930s.
Japanese Kutani Part Tea Service circa 1920
Price: £75
This is a set of three serving items (teapot, sugar basin and cover and cream jug and cover) originally from a tea service decorated in the same pattern which would also have included six or eight cups and saucers. Many tea services in similar florid designs were made and exported by the Japanese in the early years of the twentieth century and examples today are found with a wide variety of manufacturers’ marks. The makers here came from the Kutani district, home to a wide variety of potteries with a history of production extending back to the seventeenth century. Kutani wares, finely painted in gold and orange were a staple export commodity in the second half of the nineteenth century but after 1900 the quality dropped and also a wider palette of colours was used. Thus we have here landscape scenes in grisaille and gold and elaborate handles, finials and spouts in the form of scaly dragons and enamelled in green and gold with a hint of orange and yellow. Each of the three pieces, and doubtless the rest of the service, carries a two character gilt mark identical to that often found in iron red on nineteenth century work. The characters read ‘Ku’ ‘tani’ standing for the place of manufacture and translating as ‘nine valleys’. Presumably popular in their time, these pieces might be an acquired taste now but there is no denying a certain virtuosity displayed in their manufacture.
Pair of Silver Plated Fish Servers with fitted box, probably Edwardian
Price: £45
A pair of silver plated fish servers of typical form, one in the shape of a large fork and the other a flat slice, both elaborately decorated with engraved scrolling acanthus, the slice with openwork detail, and bordered with a repeating rectangular geometric design, the modelled handles, which appear to be dyed bone, set in ropework sockets. There is certainly quality here but no maker’s mark so origin and dating have to be guessed. The rather florid style suggests Edwardian rather than Victorian work and relates to the ‘renaissance revival’ style which features elsewhere in this auction. English manufacture is therefore the most likely. Certainly a touch here of the grand elegance of a bygone era and the set retains its original box which is in excellent condition.
Vintage Brass Pocket Case with a lid, probably a Vesta case for Matches, circa 1900
Price: £55
A small brass case with a hinged lid of irregular rectangular form decorated in high relief repoussé tecnique with a devil’s head encircled by a snake whose scaly tail continues onto the lid. Repoussé work is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief. Other examples of these cases are known with a similar shape and technique and even the devil and snake motif. It is more than likely that this case was designed for matches, the so called 'Vesta Case' of which there is another example in this auction. Like that piece it is fitted with a ring, presumably to allow it to be attached to a watch chain. But other uses could have been intended, possibly for business or visiting cards (the Victorian calling card was much smaller) or perhaps for pills. The style of decoration very much recalls 'Arts and Crafts' pieces made around 1900 and a similar dating seems likely here.
Vintage Brass Vesta Case in the form of a Violin, circa 1900
Price: £55
A Brass Vesta, or Match, case in the form of a Violin with an opening cover to the bottom and a fabric covered bar inside. Vesta was the Roman Goddess of the hearth, home and family and
altars and temples dedicated to her commonly employed a live flame, which caused some manufacturers of matches in the nineteenth century to name their products 'Vestas', the most famous being the Swan Vesta match produced from around 1900. Early matches were highly combustible and cases to keep them safe were produced from around 1830 onwards. The peak of popularity of the 'Vesta Case' was around 1900 and their use declined in the 1920s when the first cigarette lighters were produced. The cases were made in a variety of forms and materials, even gold and silver. This example is brass and probably from around 1900. The surface of the cover is ribbed in order for a match to be struck against it but he function of the interior covered bar is less clear. The case is fitted with a ring, presumably to allow it to be attached to a watch chain. Practical in their time, Vesta Cases are collectible now and the rarer shapes much sought after.
Kitsch Style Conch Shell with painted landscape decoration, C20th
Price: £45
This is a conch form shell which has elaborate painted landscape decoration to the exterior and interior, the design flowing on almost continuously and extending deep into the inside of the piece. Whether in good taste or not, the skill of the artist is evident with the detailed and colourful riverside scene continuously unfolding to the extreme interior of the shell. While painted shells are known, there are no immediate comparisons to what we have here and provenance and dating are rather a matter of guesswork. There seems to be a 1950s feel though and the work looks more English than European. A conversation piece perhaps!
Chinese style Vase and Cover decorated with ladies and courtiers in a garden scene, C20th
Price: £55
A Chinese style vase of ovoid form with a short neck and foot fitted with a matching dome shape cover with a plain finial, decorated with a polychrome design of two ladies in a garden scene being watched through a stylised window by two courtiers, flowering trees to the front and reverse, probably plum blossom or prunus, and typical verandah fencing, the foot, shoulder and cover with pattern designs loosely imitating those of the eighteenth century, including lotus panels, ju'i form lappets and floral borders with scrolling peony. This piece is a pastiche of Chinese work and probably dates to the 1960s. While it looks back in some respects it has a contemporary feel, particularly in respect of the shape which is simpler and more Western than that of its sources. The mark is pseudo Chinese and the manufacturer was clearly European, most probably an Italian factory since some similar pieces exist with a label stating 'made in Italy'.
Chinese style Vase and Cover decorated with ladies and courtiers in a garden scene, C20th
Price: £55
A Chinese style vase of ovoid form with a short neck and foot fitted with a matching dome shape cover with a plain finial, decorated with a polychrome design of two ladies in a garden scene being watched through a stylised window by two courtiers, flowering trees to the front and reverse, probably plum blossom or prunus, and typical verandah fencing, the foot, shoulder and cover with pattern designs loosely imitating those of the eighteenth century, including lotus panels, ju'i form lappets and floral borders with scrolling peony. This piece is a pastiche of Chinese work and probably dates to the 1960s. While it looks back in some respects it has a contemporary feel, particularly in respect of the shape which is simpler and more Western than that of its sources. The mark is pseudo Chinese and the manufacturer was clearly European, most probably an Italian factory since some similar pieces exist with a label stating 'made in Italy'.
Framed Picture of Two Elephants signed Mary Beth Zeitz and dated 2003
Price: £25
This attractive composition was, in fact, drawn on a serviette as the label at the back indicates and can easily be seen from the material itself. Depicted are a pair of confronting elephants with colourful saddle hangings and open top howdahs. The painting is skilful and there is much detail in the representation of the fabric hangings and the sides of the howdahs. But then, this is the work of an accomplished and known artist, Mary Beth Zeitz, whose signature appears at the bottom right hand corner (see another example of her work [image 7] for comparison). Born in the C20th in Louisville, Kentucky, she was raised in Wilmington, Delaware from the age of 3 and then went on to study French at the University there following this with a spell the Universite de Montpellier while she was living in the South of France. Her work is distinguished by detailed subjects and antique-style textures which are often to be seen in her watercolours. Her paintings have found their way into several galleries and have been purchased by private and corporate collectors. The recipient of this gift was lucky then and received a decorative object of great charm and skill.
Pair of Staffordshire style Vintage Busts of Children, C20th
Price: £75
A pair of polychrome ceramic busts of children, a boy and a girl, both dressed in blue and wearing country style hats, each set on a pedestal base with blue and red ‘veining’ in imitation of marble, the glaze with a feint craquelure and the bases countersunk and pierced. Others may well disagree but, usually described as Staffordshire, or occasionally Continental, these busts were more likely made in China. The enamel work is typical of twentieth century Chinese pieces and the faces of the pair do not have a convincingly European look. More importantly the paste of the foot is closer to Chinese work than Western and even the form of the base is not found on European pieces either. Nevertheless, these two youngsters make an amusing and decorative pair whatever their history.
Art Deco Guilloché Copper Ash Tray and matching Cigarette Holder, boxed, c1930
Price: £35
This matching set comes from an era when the cigarette was seen as an elegant accessory rather than a danger to health. The ash tray and the end of the cigarette holder are made from copper, burnished to two contrasting colours in respect of the tray, decorated in the guilloché technique whereby precise and intricate patterns are engraved onto the surface using a machine. Here a wavy line design was applied to the centre of the tray and the end of the cigarette holder and contrasted with stylised floral sprays at the border created by the repoussé technique in which the metal was hammered from the reverse to create a design in low relief. The mouthpiece of the cigarette holder, formed from celluloid, is deliberately plain. The set comes in an original blue leather fitted box and the combination here is found much less often than the ash trays themselves.
Fine Quality engraved French Glass Dish with naturalistic Ormolu Mounts, early C20th
Price: £25
A small glass circular dish with deep sides and engraved to the centre with flowering lotus, mounted to the rim in gilt meatal or 'ormolu' with a circular band cast with a repeating loop design,
astride which are a well modelled frog and a lily pad. Perhaps intended as a bonbonniere or a trinket dish, this charming piece clearly reflects the Art Nouveau style with its emphasis on
naturalistic design. Similar pieces are held to be French and this is most likely the provenance here with a dating to the early C20th.
Burgundy Leather Jewellery Box with Bramah Lock, early C20th
Price: £95
This is a fine quality jewellery box covered in red burgundy leather. The rectangular base is fitted with a shallow flush lid bevelled at the front and back and attached by brass lever hinges. The front of the base has a lock marked ‘Bramah’ with the original key and the lid an inset brass handle, the surface of which would have been suitable for the engraving of the owner’s initials. Inside are two removable trays, the top one with compartments for jewellery and a circular holder for a watch. The linings of the box and trays are in burgundy leather and velvet. There are many features here of a ‘deluxe’ item, in particular the ‘Bramah’ lock, known for its high security, and the lever hinges. The box most likely dates to the early 1900s and would clearly have been sold by a purveyor of ‘luxury’ items for a wealthy clientele. It retains, of course, its functionality today.
Burgundy Leather Jewellery Box with Bramah Lock, early C20th
Price: £95
This is a fine quality jewellery box covered in red burgundy leather. The rectangular base is fitted with a shallow flush lid bevelled at the front and back and attached by brass lever hinges. The front of the base has a lock marked ‘Bramah’ with the original key and the lid an inset brass handle, the surface of which would have been suitable for the engraving of the owner’s initials. Inside are two removable trays, the top one with compartments for jewellery and a circular holder for a watch. The linings of the box and trays are in burgundy leather and velvet. There are many features here of a ‘deluxe’ item, in particular the ‘Bramah’ lock, known for its high security, and the lever hinges. The box most likely dates to the early 1900s and would clearly have been sold by a purveyor of ‘luxury’ items for a wealthy clientele. It retains, of course, its functionality today.
A pair of Art Deco style Onyx Bookends, C20th
Price: £35
A pair of Art Deco style bookends made from onyx and formed in two sections with a stylised figure of a horse's head set on a rectangular base with a rounded end. Onyx is named from the Greek 'ónux', meaning “nail,” or “claw,” and is a variety of the mineral chalcedony, a kind of quartz. Onyx with flesh-colored and white bands can sometimes resemble a fingernail and a similar effect is seen here. Its use is known since ancient Egyptian times and it has also been commonly employed during the twentieth century. The origin and dating of these bookends is uncertain. Similar examples with a stylised horse's head are ascribed to Mexico in the 1940s but there can be no sure proof that this is the case here. The design is striking with clear reflections of the Art Deco period and the veining of the stone here enhances the decorative effect.
Obsidian Mayan Statuette inlaid with semi precious stones, C20th
Price: £35
An attractive Obsidian statuette of a Maya chief, modelled in an abstract style, his headdress decorated with mother-of-pearl ornament complemented by semi-precious stones which are also used for the collar and foot, including calcite, abalone and sandstone. Obsidian is held to be a purifying stone that encourages personal development and is said to offer protection and solve problems of the past. It is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth and is therefore found wherever volcanoes occur and particularly in South America. Since the figure is a Mexican image, a Mexican provenance is likely but dating is less certain. The stylised design and combination of stone and inlay combine, though, to produce a striking ornamental item.
Arts and Crafts Brass and Cobalt Glass Salt and Pepper, early C20th
Price: £55
An unusual pair of condiment servers for salt and pepper in which cobalt blue glass, more normally associated with the liners for pieces of a condiment set, is combined with brass metal in curious almost water-dropper like form, the ovoid glass body encased in non-functioning hinged brass mountings with a spreading foot, open at the base, narrow necks and screw top stoppers with a single hole for salt and multiple holes for pepper. There are few parallels for this design but it has characteristics of pieces produced by craftsmen working in the ‘Arts and Crafts’ movement which flourished in Britain from the late nineteenth century to the 1920s. Ornament "must be secondary to the thing decorated", declared the designer Owen Jones, and said there must be “fitness in the ornament to the thing ornamented". The rather austere design here, which admits decoration but concentrates on function, seems to follow the precepts laid down and provides an interesting example of the movement’s style.
Leaded Slag Glass Bowl, C20th
Price: £45
‘Slag’ glass takes its name from a by product of steel production. When iron ore is smelted there is a residue of a glass-like, often glossy material that takes on different colours depending on the minerals and elements present in the iron. Termed ‘slag’ its visual marbling is reminiscent of slag glass which employs a wide variety of colours and tonal variation. The technique of producing it was developed in England in the late nineteenth century, one of the first patents being taken out by Sowerby in the 1870s, but the method soon spread to the United States culminating in its use by Tiffany for their famous series of lamps with their leaded glass shades. These are reproduced today, but later leaded slag glass pieces appear in a wide variety of forms including irregularly shaped bowls such as we have here. There is an Art Deco look to this piece but there are no obvious predecessors from the period so that we seem to have an inventive pastiche. Not a true ‘fake’ then but probably not as old as it might appear, even dating, perhaps, to the late twentieth century, but with considerable decorative appeal, nevertheless.
Renaissance Revival Letter Opener and Stand, English, c1900
Price: £25
This is a desk set item comprising a rectangular brass stand on four short feet with a pair of double scalloped supports on one of which can be set a brass letter opener. Both pieces are heavily cast with stylised scrolling leaf work and mask heads, a style of the decoration which loosely recalls pieces from the classical period and reflects one of the design fashions of the late nineteenth century which looked back to and developed variants on renaissance art. The ‘renaissance revival’ style could be found in many areas of the arts including architecture and interior decoration. Accessories were also produced to match, of which this and the desk set also included in this sale are prime examples. Although the letter opener is stamped with a registered number (‘Rd No 22695’) the manufacturer cannot be determined, but was almost certainly English with a production date of around 1900. The form of the supports implies that two items were displayed on the stand, the second probably being a book knife for slitting pages edges as was commonly required over one hundred years ago. If so, its loss is regrettable but not fatal. Modern books thankfully require less exertion from their readers!
Blackpool souvenir teapot c1920
Price: £35
This is a wonderful souvenir teapot from Blackpool with a pewter cover. Blackpool was a very popular holiday destination for brits back one hundred years or so. Blackpool is a seaside resort on the Irish Sea coast of England. It's known for Blackpool Pleasure Beach, an old-school amusement park with vintage wooden roller coasters. Built in 1894, the landmark Blackpool Tower houses a circus, a glass viewing platform and the Tower Ballroom, where dancers twirl to the music of a Wurlitzer organ.
Edwardian large text magnifying glass with horn handle, early C20th
Price: £25
This is an unusually large magnifying glass that has a buffalo horn as a handle. The large lens itself is set in brass with a brass attachment fitting to the handle. It would most likely have been used to read a newspaper by those for whom the text was too small and its size would have made it hard to misplace. Dating is probably to the early years of the twentieth century, the era of the celebrated Edwardian detective, Sherlock Holmes!
Three Powder Boxes, gilt metal, alabaster and porcelain, mid C20th
Price: £45
A group of three contrasting powder boxes all probably dating to the mid twentieth century. (1) Gilt metal with elaborate stylised floral designs, the lid with a petit point floral tapestry, English (2) Alabaster with a design of roses to the lid, Italian (3) Porcelain with a courting couple depicted on the lid, deep red ground with gilt floral decoration and gilt tripod feet, French, Limoges and marked underneath ‘Table et Décor’ ‘LIMOGES’ ‘FRANCE’.
Victorian Black Watch iron doorstop c1890
Price: £25
This is a whimsical doorstop in the form of a Black Watch soldier. It is made of cold paint decorated iron. The 'Black Watch' was another name for The Royal Highlanders, a famed Scottish regiment of the British Army, distinguished by its longevity, having been initially formed in 1725.
Bone parquetry box decorated in the manner of Fornasetti, Venetian, mid C20th
Price: £85
A rectangular box with a hinged lid, the surface covered with small bone rectangular slabs laid in a parquetry technique and decorated on the sides with an architectural design in black, the interior showing the wood body of the piece. These boxes with their bone tessera like patterns combined with scenes of buildings were made in Venice probably from the 1950s to the 1970s. Some examples have a more stylised representation, as here, and some a more realistic depiction of Venetian palaces. The stylised architectural designs recall closely the work of the Italian artist Piero Fornasetti whose atelier produced ceramic vases with very similar decoration (see image 8 for an example) although it is not suggested that these boxes were the work of Fornasetti himself. The combination of building designs on a ground of what could be held to be building blocks is ingenious and the result stylish and attractive.
Two small metal perfume Flasks and Stoppers, 1920s
Price: £35
Two small metal flasks, the first in brass of rounded rectangular form with a ball shape stopper, the surface plain, and the second in copper of ovoid form again with a ball shape stopper and also a loose ring handle, the surface with beaten decoration of a repeating design of small circles. The shapes of both of these are usually described as perfume bottles which makes sense here where the stoppers are both screw top. The copper example was perhaps intended for attachment to a belt and the size of either would have made them suitable travelling accessories. Dating is probably to the 1920s and the beaten decoration of the second is a feature of pieces made under the influence of the ‘Arts and Crafts’ movement which flourished in Britain from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century.
Past Times Art Nouveau Style Vase, Veronese Collection, 2004
Price: £45
This deceptively attractive vase which reflects Art Nouveau design in both its form and decoration is, in fact a recent reproduction sold by the once popular UK firm ‘Past Times’. The organically shaped slender ovoid body with a flaring base and a wide, open top is decorated with applied decoration of lotus, water lilies, reeds and a dragonfly, both the ground and its ornamentation intended to imitate bronze metal whereas the material is, in fact, bronze effect resin. The base has an attached felt pad with the repeating words ‘Veronese’, the name of the collection or range to which it belonged. There is also a small signature on the body and a copyright mark for the date of manufacture, 2004.
‘Past Times’ was founded in 1986 by John Beale, at first as a mail order company but then trading from physical stores and developing into a business which enjoyed enormous popularity with over one hundred shops in the early 2000s. The stock was focused on retro and vintage style items also including a wide range of licensed products, such as Harry Potter and Beatrix Potter merchandise. Badly impacted by the recession in 2008 it went into administration in 2012 and was bought by W.H.Smith a year later leading to the disappearance of its products from the marketplace.
This ‘Art Nouveau’ vase can be seen as an example of their range at its best. Manufactured with care it presents an appealing souvenir of the era it aims to recreate at a rather more affordable price than the authentic originals.
Townshend & Co : Butler’s Crumb Tray and Matching Brush, Birmingham c1900
Price: £75
This is a brass tray with a matching brush designed for the clearing of crumbs from the dining table. It might have been used by a butler, hence the apocryphal term, or possibly a maid or even by a member of the household depending on the grandeur of the establishment. The tray is unusually cast in the form of a pair of confronting sea serpents below a stylised openwork shell, the surface of the tray engraved to represent the scaly bodies of the beasts. The edge of the tray is scalloped and the curving design is repeated in the wooden brush which is decorated with an applied brass sea serpent complementing its companions on the tray. The back is stamped ‘Townshend & Co’ one of the marks used by the manufacturers, Townshend, whose premises were on Earnest St, Holloway Head, Birmingham and who made quality brass and copper art metalware for up-market retailers. (see www. oldcopper.org). This particular trademark was used from around 1890 until the beginning of the first world war after which demand for art metal ware seems to have declined. This fits with the design of the piece whose emphasis on organic forms reflects the productions of the art nouveau style so popular at the time. But while other crumb trays from the period are known, Townshend produced one of the most upmarket examples and this example, rarely a complete and matching set, probably began life in a very grand house indeed. A relic of the past perhaps but not without a practical function, even today!
Pair of Capodimonte ceramic Wall Hanging Plaques, boy and girl praying, Italian 1960s
Price: £25
This is a charming pair of small ceramic wall plaques, the biscuit porcelain with a slight ivory tint, with moulded designs of a boy and a girl praying, their hair and robes carefully detailed, set in velvet covered oval frames with cording at the edge which also forms the loop hangers at the top. Near identical pieces often have a paper mark at the back reading ‘Porcellane Capodimonte’ ‘Made in Italy’ surrounding a crown device with an ‘N’ above. Capodimonte porcelain was first made at Naples, Italy, in the mid eighteenth century and was often marked with an ‘N’ and a crown above. The original factory was to enjoy a relatively short life but there were many imitators in the nineteenth century and beyond to the twentieth who freely used the Capodimonte name. This pair of plaques is a very modest and fairly recent (probably dating to the 1960s) example of these ‘Capodimonte’ wares but nonetheless have a distinct appeal of their own.
Pair of Capodimonte ceramic Wall Hanging Plaques, boy and girl praying, Italian 1960s
Price: £25
This is a charming pair of small ceramic wall plaques, the biscuit porcelain with a slight ivory tint, with moulded designs of a boy and a girl praying, their hair and robes carefully detailed, set in velvet covered oval frames with cording at the edge which also forms the loop hangers at the top. Near identical pieces often have a paper mark at the back reading ‘Porcellane Capodimonte’ ‘Made in Italy’ surrounding a crown device with an ‘N’ above. Capodimonte porcelain was first made at Naples, Italy, in the mid eighteenth century and was often marked with an ‘N’ and a crown above. The original factory was to enjoy a relatively short life but there were many imitators in the nineteenth century and beyond to the twentieth who freely used the Capodimonte name. This pair of plaques is a very modest and fairly recent (probably dating to the 1960s) example of these ‘Capodimonte’ wares but nonetheless have a distinct appeal of their own.
Vintage Leather Map Case, probably 1940s
Price: £45
Although resembling a rather oversize wartime identity label holder, this leather case, with a large clear celluloid covered open panel, a flap at the back with a fastening button and a long shoulder strap with loop attachments seems to have been intended as a map holder. Similar examples can be found dating back to the First World War and many have a grid printed onto the celluloid. This particular piece probably dates to the Second World War and is most likely Russian or German. It remains in excellent condition with the fine quality stitching and celluloid panel intact and the strap with minimal wear, making it a desirable acquisition for a collectors of militaria from that era.
Chinese circular silk textile Panel in later European brass metal Frame, C19th/C20th
Price: £55
This is a fine quality Chinese silk embroidery circular panel, most likely cut out from an original robe as is indicated by the very feint unevenness at the edge, the black ground circular border with finely stitched blue flowers surrounding the central scene of a crane amidst tree branches with flowering lotus in the background. The detail of the embroidery work is evident throughout especially in the rendering of the crane’s feathers and the leaves of the lotus plant, implying that the original robe was a luxury production. This, combined with the fabric of the silk background, indicates that we clearly have nineteenth century work here. Perhaps the rest of the robe had not fared too well but for some reason the decision was taken to extract this sample and fit it into a glazed brass frame with its coil spring border. This has the look of the 1940s or 1950s and is probably English but its provenance cannot be absolutely certain. But the care taken at the time was entirely justified and allows us today to enjoy this fine example of Chinese embroidery work.
Framed Chinese Embroidery Silk Textile, signed, second half C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese silk textile with an embroidered design of a peacock and a peahen (the male and female peafowl) sitting on the branch of a pine tree with peony growing below in a stylised garden scene. There is a four character signature to the top left, probably denoting the artist. The style of the embroidery and the calligraphy of the signature suggest mid to late C20th work, perhaps dating to the 1960s or 1970s. The composition and the detail and colourings of the embroidery work are pleasing, combining to produce an excellent example of the genre. The frame is European and perhaps contemporary with the date of manufacture (see Lot 24).
Framed Chinese Embroidery Silk Textile, signed, second half C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese silk textile with an embroidered design of a peacock and a peahen (the male and female peafowl) standing on a grass embankment with a flowering peony bush behind them. There is a four character signature to the top left, probably denoting the artist. The style of the embroidery and the calligraphy of the signature suggest mid to late C20th work, perhaps dating to the 1960s or 1970s. Other embroidery panels with a similar design can be found which are much later. As with the previous lot the composition and the detail and colourings of the embroidery work are pleasing, combining to produce another excellent example of the genre. The frame is European and perhaps contemporary with the date of manufacture (see Lot 24).
Decorative pair of Chinese ceramic figures of children, Yunu and Jintong , late C20th
Price: £45
This is an amusing pair of ceramic figures depicting the two children Yunu and Jingtong, Taoist deities well known from Chinese mythology and traditional religion. They are represented with hands clasped and attached to their arms are coins or ‘cash’ (to use the Chinese word, later adopted into the European language), considered to be good luck symbols. Yunu and Jintong were the favoured servants of the Jade Emperor and the martial God Zhenwu. They acted as guides to the underworld but also became known as the paradigm of happily married couples; pictures of them are sometimes displayed during the Chinese Sprig Festival. There are accordingly many associations with good fortune here and these pairs of figures were doubtless sold as lucky charms in the later years of the twentieth century.
Renaissance Revival Brass Desk Set, English c 1900
Price: £55
A brass desk set, comprising an inkwell and a pair of candlesticks, all with square bases and short feet, the inkwell of pagoda like form with a hinged lid above a square surround, the candlesticks with urn like candle holders and loop handles again with a square surround, all with heavily cast decoration of floral scrolls and and mask heads. The solidity of the shapes here with an element of the architectural in the design and the style of the decoration which loosely recalls pieces from the classical period both reflect one of the design fashions of the late nineteenth century which looked back to and developed variants on renaissance art. The ‘renaissance revival’ style could be found in many areas of the arts including architecture and interior decoration. Accessories were also produced to match of which this desk set is an excellent example. The pieces are unmarked and the maker cannot be determined but the well known firm of William Tonks and Sons, whose 1890 catalogue still exists, produced many pieces in a similar style which allows the late nineteenth century dating here. This set is probably now rather more decorative than practical but would certainly add a touch of opulence to interior furnishings.
Victorian book chain with locket c1900
Price: £350
This is an outstanding example of a book chain with its locket. These types of necklaces were very popular during the Victorian period and each one has different ornate links ending in a central drop, as you see here. The link is a star link with silver balls attached. The locket has engraving and small silver balls around the edge to mirror the chain. The chain is very sturdy and is held together by two silver ring clasps.
Pair of Brass Wall Plaques of Jousting Knights, Peerage Brass, mid C20th
Price: £45
This is a decorative pair of wall plaques with two brass jousting knights on horseback in mirror image on a black background with a simulated wood grain effect. The decoration is in cast metal and the square metal sheet continues to the back where it is folded over at the edges on top of the hardboard backing. While there are no markings beyond ‘Made in England’ on the hanging loops, these pieces were, in fact manufactured by ‘Peerage Brass’ who produced many quality brass decorative items from 1946 onwards. There is one group where they are joined by a larger rectangular plaque with similar mediaeval inspired decoration and which has a label reading “Peerage” ‘Brassware at its Best’ ‘Regd’ ‘Needs no Cleaning’ ‘England’ (see image 7). Peerage Brass was the successor to ‘Pearson-Page’, manufacturers of high quality brass and copper reproductions who enjoyed considerable commercial success before the Second World War. The trade name ‘Peerage’ was first adopted in 1946 and this pair of plaques would have been produced in the years thereafter.
Lustreware Vanity Box, Lady in Crinoline, probably continental early/mid C20th
Price: £35
A ceramic figure of a lady dressed in a crinoline formed in two parts, the upper section comprising the body and head of the figure of a lady dressed in a full multicoloured crinoline, which she draws to one side with her right hand while her left holds a fan, the lower section with a flat base on top of which is a deep vessel, presumably for storage, the underneath glazed and with a small impressed mark. While other examples are generally described as English Staffordshire ware, this piece has more of a continental look to it, very possibly German which would be consistent with the paste of the foot rim. Dating is probably to the 1920s or 1930s but if the provenance is slightly uncertain the function is clear and we have here an amusing storage item, perhaps intended for the dressing table. Truly a boudoir item!
Vintage Needlepoint Picture of a Garden Scene, framed, second half C20th
Price: £25
This is a charming embroidery on canvas employing the so called ‘needlepoint’ technique in which over half a dozen stitching techniques are used as opposed to ‘cross stitch’ which uses only one. The varieties of technique employed here can be clearly seen in the detail images (3), (4) and (5). The picture depicts a garden scene with a bird bath and path in the foreground leading to a gate with a pergola like floral arch over it and, in the distance, a thatched cottage. The attraction of the design speaks for itself. Dating is difficult but most likely post war and the frame suggests the mid to late twentieth century.
Vintage Needlepoint Picture of a lady dressed in a crinoline, framed, probably 1930s
Price: £25
Like the previous lot this embroidery picture employs the so called ‘needlepoint’ technique in which over half a dozen stitching techniques are used as opposed to ‘cross stitch’ which uses only one. The varieties of technique employed here can be clearly seen in the detail images (2), (3) and (4). We have another garden composition, this time a lady dressed in a crinoline gathering flowers and standing on a paved terrace (note the weeds between the paving stones!) with roses and hollyhocks. There are other similar examples of this scene which are thought to be from the prewar era and the slight foxing of the canvas and the form of the frame itself are consistent with this.
Indian wooden toy model of a Horse with metal fitments, early C20th
Price: £25
This is an amusing wood model of a horse, its right leg raised and the head looking expectantly forwards, the finely grained wood with metal fitments in brass and copper representing the ears, muzzle, saddle, saddle bags and tail, all with fine detailing and small nail fastenings. Many examples exist of these wood and metal horse figures which are usually held to have been made in India at Jodphur, Rajastan, in the early C20th. Presumably more intended for the local colonial audience these pieces have an obvious and wider appeal. The smaller sizes were probably intended as toys and perhaps the original owner of this piece played with it a little too vigorously which might explain the damage to the right front leg!
Pair of Silver Filigree Bonbonnieres, probably continental circa 1900
Price: £110
A pair of bowls formed from minute and delicate silver filigree work, the shallow incurving sides with a deeply scalloped rim above an openwork foot with plain sides, the decoration in the from of leaves, perhaps those of a cabbage plant, with elaborate silver thread detail. The workmanship here is obvious but the provenance of these pieces less so. Silver filigree pieces were made in both Russia and China but there is little resemblance to those here. A much closer parallel lies in Portuguese work and there is one very similar bowl known to have belonged to one Charles William de la Poer Beresford, an Admiral and Member of Parliament who died in 1919. If there is a connection here, then this pair of bowls most likely date to the early years of the twentieth century.
Burmese wood figure of a reclining Buddha with worshipper, C20th
Price: £25
This is a charming composition of a carved wood Buddha figure reclining on the ground, one arm outstretched and his head resting on a pillow. He is dressed in flowing robes which are skilfully depicted and at his feet kneels the figure of a monk, his hands clasped together in a pose of worship. The relative scale of the two emphasises the divinity of the god and the whole composition radiates serenity, calm and devotion. The work seems to be Chinese but the depiction of the monk reveals the work of a Burmese carver. Many other similar figures can be traced to Burmese work and so this is most likely what we have here. Dating is probably to the early twentieth century and, while not Chinese, the piece corresponds closely to the carved wood figures exported to the West from China at that time. The composition of Buddha being offered devotion by a religious attendant is most unusual and particularly appealing for Buddhists and non Buddhists alike.
Tubular Onyx Box and Cover, 1960s
Price: £35
A box and cover of tubular form, the circular body with a flush fitting flat lid, the onyx stone with typical veining and striation in shades of amber and brown. Onyx is named from the Greek 'ónux', meaning “nail,” or “claw,” and is a variety of the mineral chalcedony, a kind of quartz. Onyx with flesh-coloured and white bands can sometimes resemble a fingernail and similar effects can be seen here. Its use is known since ancient Egyptian times and it has also been commonly employed during the twentieth century. Similar pieces are usually attributed to Italian makers with a mid twentieth century dating. The clean lines of this piece are certainly consistent with that and it combines elegance with practicality.
Rectangular Green Onyx Box and Cover, 1960s
Price: £35
Rectangular Green Onyx Box and Cover, 1960s
A box and cover of rectangular form constructed from joined sections of green veined onyx, the lid with a gilt metal hinge. Onyx is named from the Greek 'ónux', meaning “nail,” or “claw,” and is a variety of the mineral chalcedony, a kind of quartz. Onyx with flesh-coloured and white bands can sometimes resemble a fingernail which explains the name but is obviously not in evidence here. These boxes are usually attributed to Italian makers with a mid twentieth century dating which seems reasonable here.
Rectangular Footed Green Onyx Box and Cover, G.S.E. Ottone Garantito, 1960s
Price: £45
A box and cover of rectangular form constructed from joined sections of light green veined onyx, the base and lid gilt metal mounted with four small claw feet, markings on the bottom and side ‘G.S.E. Ottone Garantito’ (‘guaranteed brass’). Onyx is named from the Greek 'ónux', meaning “nail,” or “claw,” and is a variety of the mineral chalcedony, a kind of quartz. Onyx with flesh-coloured and white bands can sometimes resemble a fingernail which explains the name but is obviously not in evidence here. The mark confirms an Italian origin and a mid twentieth century dating seems likely.
Rectangular Box and Cover, Basanite Jasper, C20th
Price: £95
A rectangular box and cover constructed from joined slabs of basanite Jasper, both parts with the rims metal mounted and joined by a hinge at the rear, the base with four short feet. The material here is a form of Jasper, a naturally formed rock which can appear in a variety of colours and patterns. One of these is ‘picture jasper’ where the outline of scenes or images can be seen on the polished surface and another ‘basanite jasper’ known for its black streaked tones. Both of these can be seen here, particularly the apparently mountainous design of the lid and the two side panels, front and back. Jasper is found in a wide variety of locations, including Russia but it is not possible to determine the origin here. Dating is equally uncertain, but the piece has a strong ‘Art Deco’ look with its clean lines and simple geometric feet and this may well point to the timing of its manufacture. Colour and form, though, combine to produce a striking decorative item well suited to the most contemporary interior.
Pair of Chinese Hand Painted Eggs in Case, 1970s
Price: £25
This is an excellent example of a type of souvenir model made in China, probably in the 1970s. The pair of eggs are delicately painted with ladies in a garden scene to the front which continues to the reverse. They are displayed on small stands set on a crushed fabric base and set within a purpose built case made from wood and glass. Underneath is a label reading ‘Made in China’ with four Chinese characters ‘Zhong Guo Zhi Zao’ which translate as the same. This type of mark seems to have been used on porcelains from the 1970s allowing an approximate dating here.
Silver Medal or Watch Fob dated 1923, B.P.C.G.S.
Price: £35
A small piece of history here which will need some unravelling. Suspended on a piece of blue ribbon from a silver bar pin marked ‘1923’ is an oval silver medal or watch fob, decorated to the front with two bands of laurel leaves, geometric shapes in an art deco style and a central gilt coloured shield with the engraved letters B.P.C.G.S. The reverse is plain with the engraved wording ‘SENIOR 1ST’ ‘APPARATUS’ ‘LMILES’ and hall marks for 1923 with the maker’s mark ‘JD&CO’, standing for Joseph Daffern & Co, silversmiths at Hatton Garden from 1908 to 1931 and producers of commemorative medals and watch fobs. ‘Apparatus’ is the Latin word used in English to denote equipment or organisation but may have had a special meaning for whatever body is indicated by the acronym on the front. We may never know but L MILES was clearly a successful and deserving recipient!
Loetz style glass Bowl, early C20th
Price: £110
The celebrated Loetz glass factory has its origins in the nineteenth century, when the widow of Johann Lötz, Susanna, remarried after his death in 1844 and with her new husband bought in 1851 the glassworks firm Klastersky Mlyn which was henceforth named Johann Lötz Witwe (the widow of Johann Lötz). The factory was situated at Klostermühle (Klášterský Mlýn, now part of Rejštejn) in southwestern Bohemia, Austria-Hungary and then Czechoslovakia. Johann’s grandson, Max Ritter von Spaun took over the business from his grandmother in 1879 and continued to run it under the old company name, ‘Joh. Lötz Witwe’, which was later changed to ‘Lötz’ and around 1900 changed again to the anglicised version of this ‘Loetz’. Around this time, the firm began producing the range of iridescent lustre finish glass in the Art Nouveau style for which they are now so famous. Production continued until the closure of the factory in 1947.
Most of the original Loetz pieces were not signed and there were many contemporary manufacturers making pieces in a similar style. There are, furthermore, modern reproductions. The attribution ‘Loetz’, is, inevitably, generously and loosely applied but sometimes true certainty is hard to achieve. Much information and assistance can be obtained from the website Loetz.com. On that basis this attractive bowl with its crimped rim and wavy line design on a purple ground is best regarded as Loetz style but probably contemporary with the output of the Loetz factory itself. It has great decorative appeal nevertheless.
Papier Mâché Tray with Millefiori Decoration, Kashmir, C20th
Price: £55
A Papier Mâché Tray of octagonal form with rounded indented corners profusely decorated in rich and detailed colourings with small floral blooms, the ‘millefiori’ (thousand flower) pattern, a central roundel and four hemisphere panels at the corners all set on an orange ground, the border with bands of floral spray and repeating geometric design in gilt, the reverse plain showing the black lacquer ground. Trays and boxes in this distinctive style were made in Kashmir in India and some carry the label for Srinagar, a city famous for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts like the Kashmir shawl, papier mâché, wood carving, carpet weaving, and jewel making, which is most likely the place where this tray was made, probably in the 1920s. It is a superb example of the type with exquisite detail in the decoration and a strikingly attractive use of colour.
Pair of Art Deco glass Vases with applied silver snakes, 1930s
Price: £95
This is a very unusual pair of glass vases with no obvious parallels. The shape is that of a slender beaker vase flaring out towards the base and neck. The black glass of the body has a narrow band of silvered decoration at the top and bottom and applied silver snakes are coiled around the centre, making an effective contrast. The clean lines of the pieces imply a dating to the Art Deco era and the decoration, with its reflection of Egyptian Revival, suggests manufacture in France but this is not certain. But whatever the provenance these vases are striking decorative accessories which could find a home in the most contemporary of interiors.
Trade+Aid Enamel Teapot, No.292.UK, 1990s
Price: £25
This is an intriguing enamel teapot, the rectangular body curving in towards the lid and with a loop handle and spout. It is brightly decorated in coloured enamels on a yellow ground with a large sheaf of sunflowers on each side. The base is marked ‘Trade+Aid’ ‘No.292.UK’ with three Chinese characters below. It comes from a range of teapots produced for ‘Charlotte di Vita Collections’ under the trading name ‘Trade+Aid’. These were hand crafted items using traditional techniques whose sale benefited charitable projects and initiatives worldwide. The various designs were usually limited editions and some are quite collectible today. The decoration on this piece is inspired by the famous painting ‘Sunflowers’ by Gustav Klimt making it one of the more interesting models produced.
Pair of Opera Binocular Glasses in green leather Case, French, first half C20th
Price: £25
Pocket size binoculars intended for use at the opera to gain a close up view of the stage and the singers for those seated in the rather more distant seats were made in various countries from the early 1900s onwards. Some are marked, as here where ‘PARIS can be clearly seen, indicating manufacture in France. Their form is typical, the curved brass frames with a central ridged adjustment knob which causes the lenses to expand or contract in order to achieve the desired focus. This pair come with a fitted case in green leather, plush lined with gold tooling to the edges at the cover and a small engraved brass push button closure device, all features of high quality manufacture. The design of the case looks to the 1920s and probably gives an indication of the date. These would have been a luxury item at the time and, surviving in excellent condition, remain highly collectible today.
Arts and Crafts Hand Mirror with Repousse Decoration, circa 1900
Price: £55
A very unusual hand mirror of shaped paddle form, the wood body with applied hammered pewter decoration, the back with an overall design, very finely worked, of flowering lotus and a butterfly on a minutely hammer punched ground, the plain border with studded nail head fixings, the front with a small pewter panel to the handle, similarly decorated and secured, and with a single red cabochon bead to the head, the frame of the mirror in plain wood.
Elements of two contrasting contemporary styles combine here with features from both the Arts and Crafts and the Art Nouveau movement. The hammered pewter with the almost rustic nail head fixings and the red bead reflect the former but the elegant depiction of the lotus and butterfly, with more than a hint of the Orient, reflect the latter. The maker is anonymous but doubtless British and clearly a highly skilled craftsman. Much thought and expertise went into the design of this piece which would be a desirable addition for collectors of either or both of the pieces made under the influence of these two highly popular design movements.
Arts and Crafts Hand Mirror with Repousse Decoration, circa 1900
Price: £55
A very unusual hand mirror of shaped paddle form, the wood body with applied hammered pewter decoration, the back with an overall design, very finely worked, of flowering lotus and a butterfly on a minutely hammer punched ground, the plain border with studded nail head fixings, the front with a small pewter panel to the handle, similarly decorated and secured, and with a single red cabochon bead to the head, the frame of the mirror in plain wood.
Elements of two contrasting contemporary styles combine here with features from both the Arts and Crafts and the Art Nouveau movement. The hammered pewter with the almost rustic nail head fixings and the red bead reflect the former but the elegant depiction of the lotus and butterfly, with more than a hint of the Orient, reflect the latter. The maker is anonymous but doubtless British and clearly a highly skilled craftsman. Much thought and expertise went into the design of this piece which would be a desirable addition for collectors of either or both of the pieces made under the influence of these two highly popular design movements.
Reproduction Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Teapot, Modern
Price: £35
The sixty years of Queen Victoria’s reign in 1897 were marked by various commemorative wares produced at the time but this celebration of her Diamond Jubilee, which it does not actually mention by name, is rather later, indeed it is most likely of near contemporary manufacture. Like the ‘Limoges’ box elsewhere in this auction, it was most probably produced in China and there is another example which can be found which has an iron red stamped circular mark underneath indicating exactly that provenance. As with the box, some form of laser printing seems to have been used here as can be seen in the detail of the Queen’s head (image 6). The wording used is found nowhere else so the Chinese producer was certainly not aiming for an accurate copy intended to deceive!
Egyptian Silver Pill Box with Mother of Pearl Inlay, marked, second half C20th
Price: £45
An oval silver box and cover, the lid with an inlaid mother of pearl design comprising geometric shapes which combine to produce a 3D ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect of solid shapes within a rope twist border, the exterior of the lid with a small stamped mark and the interior of the box with three small stamped marks. The markings here, which can be seen on other examples indicate that we have Egyptian work and there are a fair number of similar silver boxes but more commonly in a round shape. They are usually dated to the mid twentieth century. The quality of the craftsmanship is obvious and the form and decoration make this a highly desirable collector’s item.
Powder Compact, British Empire Exhibition (1924-1925), dated 1925
Price: £45
The success of the Franco-British Exhibition held at the White City, London, in 1908 stimulated plans for an exhibition to showcase the arts, scientific achievements and commerce of the British Empire itself, the largest in the world at the time. Arrangements began to be made in 1913 with the exhibition to be held at the same venue but were put on hold by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. However, at the end of this in 1918, the project was revived culminating in the opening of the ‘British Empire Exhibition’ on the 23rd April 1924, this time at the Wembley stadium where the Cup Final had been held for the first time in 1923 when the building was completed. Planned to close on the 1st September, the exhibition enjoyed such popularity that it reopened in 1925 for a second season. Over the two years it received 27,102,498 visitors.
Souvenirs and medals were produced, amongst which were silver plated powder compacts as here. The round container for the powder has a hinged lid revealing the powder well below, originally fitted with a mauve ribbon tasseled powder puff, and a mirror above. On the surface of the lid, which has a tab for lifting, is a stylised brass lion, a symbol of the British Empire, vitreous enameled in black, red and blue with the wording ‘British Empire Exhibition 1925 ’ There is a short rounded handle and the back has an engraved mark ‘Rd [registered] 689177’ for the patent number. While many were doubtless made (and there is another version with a more slender handle, with a ring at the end, and the background colourings of the lettering reversed) few of these compacts seem to have survived making this a desirable addition to a collection of British memorabilia.
Toy Wicker Chair, mid C20th
Price: £35
A masterpiece in miniature, this is a small size wicker chair of tub shape, the arms merging into the back rail, the seat and lower sides closely woven with the upper sides and back in openwork and the legs with loop stretchers. Dating is probably to the mid twentieth century and this may be the work of an accomplished amateur, perhaps as a gift for their child. Certainly, these model chairs are much less commonly found than their full size counterparts and do not seem to have been manufactured widely. The perfect display item for a treasured Teddy!
Pewter and brass box and cover in the form of a Mallard Duck, Gatco, Hong Kong, 1960s
Price: £25
This is a novelty box and cover, possibly for pills or more likely trinkets made from pewter and brass in the form of a mallard duck. The details are simply but amusingly modelled with an effective contrast of the two metals used. The base, in common with other examples of this model, has an engraved mark comprising a reversed ‘3’ below an ‘8’. Other examples carry a gold ground paper label which reads ‘Made in Hong Kong’ and this is sometimes found elsewhere on brass items which also have a label for the firm ‘Gatco’, implying that this was the manufacturer here (see image 11). These amusing boxes were made in Hong Kong in the 1960s and retain their charm today.
Pewter and brass box and cover in the form of a Mallard Duck, Gatco, Hong Kong, 1960s
Price: £25
This is a novelty box and cover, possibly for pills or more likely trinkets made from pewter and brass in the form of a mallard duck. The details are simply but amusingly modelled with an effective contrast of the two metals used. The base, in common with other examples of this model, has an engraved mark comprising a reversed ‘3’ below an ‘8’. Other examples carry a gold ground paper label which reads ‘Made in Hong Kong’ and this is sometimes found elsewhere on brass items which also have a label for the firm ‘Gatco’, implying that this was the manufacturer here (see image 11). These amusing boxes were made in Hong Kong in the 1960s and retain their charm today.
Two Wedgwood Glass paperweights designed by Ronald Stennett-Wilson, late C20th
Price: £40
These are two Wedgwood Glass paperweights both of rounded conical form, one clear glass with small bubbles and one clear glass with speckled green large bubbles, a design understandably known as ‘topiary’. Both have acid etched marks to the base which can be read ‘Wedgwood’ ‘England’ although the mark on the first is off centre and indistinct (see image 5); this is compensated for by the attached paper label which also reads ‘Wedgwood’ ‘England’. Both were designed by Ronald Stennett-Wilson, one of the most prominent UK glass designers, who set up the firm King’s Lynn Glass in 1967. Before that he had worked for Swedish glass manufacturers and the influence of their styles can be seen in his own work. The clear glass example could be felt to recall Kosta Boda. King’s Lynn Glass was taken over by Wedgwood in 1969 and their name marked on its production thereafter, although there was apparently a slight delay in the delivery of the machine which was used to apply the marks, meaning that the very first ‘Wedgwood’ pieces are hard to identify. Stenett-Wilson remained as Managing Director and chief designer for Wedgwood’s newly acquired firm until his retirement in 1980. Many of the staff at King’s Lynn Glass when it started had worked in Sweden or Europe and they began to train local workers who followed, no doubt, the styles and techniques of their teachers. After Stennett-Wilson’s retirement, the firm was subject to various acquisitions and mergers, finally being sold to Caithness Glass in 1988 with the factory closing in 1992. These two pieces, then, are an excellent example of the Swedish inspired designs made by Wedgwood Glass in its early years. Both decorative and practical they can appeal to a specialist or non specialist alike.
Two Ceramic Jugs with Erotic Decoration, continental perhaps German, circa 1900
Price: £25
Two ceramic jugs, the first of near globular form with a narrow concave neck and a flaring rim with a simple loop handle to the shoulder, blue glazed with a biscuit design to the reverse of a cherub kissing a man, the unglazed base with incised numbers '186 [??] 2' and the second of a slender ovoid urn shape with a wavy edge rim and a modelled loop handle to the shoulder, green glazed with traces of gilding, much worn off, and with a biscuit design to the reverse of a man seated with something in his hand which could be interpreted as a flower or just possibly the male member.
These pieces represent something of a puzzle. Seen the right way round (with the handle on the right) they are plain and the decoration only reveals itself on the reverse. This suggests a playful intent to conceal which, when combined with the subject matter, suggests something a bit ‘naughty’ which could confirm the second interpretation of what the seated man is holding! The paste, and general style of the pieces, looks continental and a German origin might be a good guess, but no more than that. The blue glazed jug has an impressed mark to the base ‘186 [plus an unidentifiable number]’ which might be the date but is more likely the pattern number; a dating of around 1900 for both seems reasonable - certainly there is an ‘old’ look to the pieces. There are one or two similar examples but little in the way of firm information. One for a collector to puzzle out!
Shorter and Sons Green glazed Fish Service, 1950s/1960s
Price: £75
A part service, green glazed, all the pieces formed in the shape of fish and comprising a large serving plate, four dinner plates, salt and pepper pots on a stand and a sauce boat and stand, nearly all the pieces marked underneath ‘Shorter and Son Ltd’ ‘Stoke on Trent’ ‘England’.
The firm which later became Shorter and Son was first set up by Arthur Shorter in 1878 with a partner James Boulton in Stoke on Trent. Their products were solidly in the main-stream of Victorian taste - majolica wares of all types predominated. Time saw another generation join the firm and various amalgamations took place. One of the sons, Colley Shorter, developed a close association with Clarice Cliff whom he eventually married. Her designs, while concentrated on the wares signed with her name, also fed in to the productions of Shorter and Sons and the range of their wares expanded considerably in the 1920s and 1930s.
‘Fish Ware’, as it became known was introduced in the late 1920s and rapidly became one of their best selling lines. Initially production was confined to flat ware and in 1935 a part service was acquired by the Duchess of York, later to become Queen Elizabeth. The range expanded and the design of the gravy boat and stand, introduced in 1936 (and included in the present selection), was attributed to Cliff herself. There were further additions and the late 1950s saw the addition of salt and pepper pots on a wavy tray (also included in the present selection). This service, then, probably dates to around 1960 a little before the firm was effectively taken over by Crown Devon in 1964 and the eventual loss of the identity of its wares. The popularity of the line is easily understood and our present selection is an excellent memento of the design.
Korean Najeonchilgi lacquerware jewellery Box, C20th
Price: £25
This is an example of Korean lacquerware known as ‘Najeonchilgi’. The technique, derived from both China and Japan, involves the inlay of shellfish derived small pieces onto a lacquerware base. ‘Najeon’ means ‘mother of pearl’ and ‘chilgi’ lacquerware. These wares were produced quite early on in Korea’s history with a ‘golden era’ during the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) but continued to be made until quite recent times. This box, then, made in the late C20th, comes at the end of a long run of a traditional manufacturing process but retains some of the hallmarks of its predecessors. The shape is rectangular with a bowed front, the hinges and clasp fastening in polished metal and the interior lined in red fabric with a mirror fitted to the underside of the lid. The highly polished black lacquer surface is inlaid with mother of pearl decoration, flowers to the front and a moonlit scene of storks to the lid, symbolising long life. Highly decorative in itself, this box is also extremely practical as storage item for a small jewellery collection and would be an elegant addition to the dressing table.
Pair of Silhouette Portraits by Enid Elliot Linder, framed, late C20th
Price: £25
A pair of silhouette portraits depicting, according to the labels on the reverse, ‘Miss Rosamund’ and ‘A Naval Gentleman’, each signed ‘Enid Elliot Linder’ with matching mounts and frames. The ‘silhouette’, as we now know it, gained popularity from the mid eighteenth century onwards. An image, often of a person, was represented as a solid shape of a single colour, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject and mounted on a light background, usually white. Early silhouettes were normally made from cut black card and took their name from the French finance minister Étienne de Silhouette, who, in 1759, was forced by France's credit crisis during the Seven Years' War to impose severe economic demands upon the French people. Famous for his austere economies, his name became synonymous with anything done cheaply and so with this form of portraiture.
Known first as ‘profiles’ or ‘shades’ silhouettes became a common form of portraiture before the development of photography but continued to be made well after and indeed into the C20th. This pair of portrait heads, two from a series of twenty according to the label on the reverse, were produced in a studio set up by Enid Elliot Linder in the 1970s. Starting in a room at the back of a house in Babbacombe, Enid Linder, an artist with a great talent for painting silhouettes, began production in 1972 and, within the space of a few months, helped by her husband and four assistants was producing 500 pictures a week, necessitating a move to larger premises on the Teignmouth Road. By 1980, the ‘Pennyfarthing Galleries’, as they had become known, had sold an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 pictures all around the world. All were all produced at the Teignmouth Road premises, and checked and signed in pencil by the artist. Various series were produced and this pair of portraits come from what seems to have been a series of generic images of early nineteenth century figures. The influence of Jane Austen is obvious and these two silhouette heads are an attractive reminder of a tradition of portraiture with long historical associations.
Oriental style ceramic plate, signed Alice Smith, possibly American mid C20th
Price: £10
There are no obvious parallels for this plate. The form is that of a typical Chinese nineteenth century desert plate with a broad shallow well and a slightly upcurving rim but the back is glazed all over including the foot rim which is not the case with Chinese examples and the general appearance of the decoration is Western. The theme of children at play is typically Chinese but it is usually boys that are represented where here we have girls, four of them in coloured robes playing with tops, one standing apart from the rest. At the edge are a few sparse gilt leaves and the ground is a light mustard coloured wash, with the reverse plain and the signature in black ‘Alice Smith’ under the glaze. Whoever the artist was, she was capable of having a piece of hers professionally fired which implies a degree of commercial expertise. But there is nothing else to suggest other than the work of an accomplished amateur. Americans were and are prone to manufacture ‘home grown’ pieces in an Oriental style (some of their modern wallpapers are particularly notable) which leads this cataloguer to hazard a guess as to provenance and date. Otherwise, we have a true ‘mystery piece’ here but the composition is a sympathetic recreation of the East, wherever it was produced.
Pair of ceramic Bookends, the three wise monkeys, Czech second half C20th
Price: £30
This is an amusing pair of ceramic bookends, the sides and base with ‘marbled’ decoration in tones of beige and light brown, each with a seated group of the ‘three wise monkeys’ (hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil) in similar colours. The flat base is unglazed and both the pieces have a stamped mark ‘Made in Czechoslovakia’ with one ‘Czechslovakia’ in addition. The mark provides a ‘terminus ante quem’ for the dating since Czechoslovakia split into two countries (Czech republic, Slovakia) in 1992 but beyond that is matter for guesswork since there do not seem to be any similar examples, but 1950s/1960s would seem to be a reasonable assumption. But the humour is there, whatever the date of manufacture!
An Art Deco ceramic group of two Fish by Guido Cacciapuoti, signed, 1930s
Price: £150
A ceramic group of two fish, most likely carp, realistically modelled, with their tails bent as if swimming through water, and glazed in a deep red, the base flat and unglazed with two holes to assist firing and with an impressed mark to the underside of one of the fins ‘MADE IN ITALY’. Also at the bottom can be seen an inscribed signature which reads ‘Guido Cacciapuoti’.
Guido Cacciapuoti was a celebrated Italian ceramicist. Born in Naples in 1892 and from a family with a tradition in the creation of majolica pottery, Guido exhibited his work widely in the 1920s and finally, in collaboration with his brother, Mario, and Angelo Bignami as the administrative and commercial director, he founded the factory ‘Gres d'Arte Cacciapuoti Bignami & C.' in Milan in 1927. Mario unfortunately died three years later leaving Guido to carry on on his own until his death in 1953.
In the 1930s, Guido’s workshop became famous for the production of ceramic animal sculptures with fish being a particular speciality. More commonly seen are groups of John Dory, again with a red glaze, but the smoother lines here and the particularly intense colour reflect more closely the contemporary Art Deco style. Sought after in their own time, with patrons such as the King of Italy and Mussolini, Guido’s works are highly collectible today and this group would make a striking addition to a collection of Art Deco ceramics with considerable decorative appeal.
Japanese satsuma style match stick holder c1940
Price: £45
This is a lovely little figure of a Japanese man holding a vessel that is used to hold matches. It is done in a satsuma style motif and is marked Made in Japan on the bottom. A lovely souvenir from a trip long ago.
Pair of Arts and Crafts Pewter Salts, early C20th
Price: £45
A pair of small salts, pewter and of circular form with brass bands to the top and bottom and inset glass beads in green, red and blue. The rather austere and slightly mediaeval appearance of these salts indicates the influence of the ‘Arts and Crafts’ movement which flourished in Britain from the late nineteenth century to the 1920s. Ornament "must be secondary to the thing decorated", declared the designer Owen Jones, and said there must be “fitness in the ornament to the thing ornamented". Certainly, there are few traces of florid decoration here as is the case with the salt and pepper set elsewhere in this sale. These pieces may date slightly later and there are silver serviette rings in the same format which are hallmarked for 1933 which may explain why they also have a slightly Art Deco feel in their simplicity of design.
Arts and Crafts Stumpwork Firescreen 1900
Price: £25
This is a wonderful firescreen in a typical Arts and Crafts minimal design, with lovely stumpwork embroidery depicting two couple in garden
Art Deco piano sconces c1920
Price: £85
This is a pair of Art Deco sconces comprising brass and mahogany elements. The shape and the detail on these is geometric but with the wood elements it softens the design. These would have been mounted on either side of a piano to help read the music.
Wood Mask, Borneo late C20th
Price: £25
This is a striking wood mask, probably ebony, carved in a bold, semi abstract style, the facial details flanked on each side by two volute decorated ‘ears’, the back hollowed out and pierced at the top for hanging. These gargoyle like creations were made in Borneo, the island north of Java whose sovereignty is shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. They are held to be the work of the Dayak tribe and were sometimes used for harvest festival or fertility rites, soul catching and death ceremonies and spiritual dances, but were also, no doubt produced as tourist souvenirs which is most likely what we have here. The decorative appeal is obvious and the potential spiritual functions an added bonus.
Wall plaque by Giovanni Schoeman depicting classical style figures, 1970s
Price: £75
A diamond shape wall plaque comprising over 40 small tablet form plaques in various colours and sizes, moulded in high relief with Art Nouveau style classical figures. This is the work of the artist Giovanni Schoeman (1940-1981) who was born in South Africa and worked in London and America. He was well known for working in the recently developed medium of ‘Cold Cast Resin Metal’. Metal powder, often bronze, was mixed with a resin binder and poured into a mould to produce a cast with the appearance of solid metal. Different metal powders such as brass, nickel and copper were also used depending on the effect desired and this plaque is an excellent example of the effects which could be achieved.
While Art Nouveau in style, Schoeman only perfected these techniques in the late 1960s, producing pieces in the style from a studio in Kentish Town which sold well in the London outdoor art markets. In the late 1970s, Schoeman moved to America with the intention of producing large scale art but the venture foundered and he died in 1981. This plaque, of which other examples are known, must have been one of his most popular designs in those London years and is a striking example of the techniques he developed and mastered.
Silk Print of a Bird, Bianchini-Ferier, France, early C20th
Price: £25
A silk print of a bird perched on a branch of flowering acorns. The design of the bird itself employs ‘flock work’ technique where slender coloured threads are laid onto the fabric surface to produce a slightly raised effect but the remainder of the image is printed onto the silk using grisaille colouring. Similar examples are known, some depicting birds and some flowers, but all are marked at the bottm ‘Bianchini-Ferier’ ‘Made in France’.
Bianchini Ferier was a silk weaving manufacturer based in Lyons. Founded in 1888 by Francois Atuyer, Charles Bianchini and Francois Ferier, it first produced fine silk damasks mainly for the clothing industry. After gaining a silver medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889 it went on to enjoy great success and many well known artists created designs for it in the early C20th, most notably Raoul Dufy. Production continued until the early 1990s when the firm was acquired by Tissages Bauman.
This print resembles designs in the firm’s archives from the late C19th and was probably created in the early C20th. It was designed for framing and the dotted line definition of the composition can be seen at the edges. Presented now in a modern surround it provides an excellent example of the firm’s work and a reflection of the Art Nouveau style so popular when it was produced.
Pair of Georgian Style Square Gilt Bronze Table Salts, English C19th
Price: £45
A pair of gilt bronze table Salts of square form with openwork sides decorated with stylised scrolling foliage, flaring below to a pedestal base with paw feet, one edge with milling, and above to the squared top rim. The paw feet and general solidity to the decoration suggest the Georgian style but these pieces may have been made later in the nineteenth century. The square form is most unusual and the openwork sides clearly held a container, possibly metal but most probably glass, for the salt itself. The milling to the edge of just one of the sides is something of a mystery; it has been suggested, though, that it might have been done to assist an owner with impaired vision, perhaps to distinguish one vessel from another if they were actually used to contain different condiments. Be that as it may, if not necessarily for practical use today, these pieces make an elegant accessory with a true sense of the antique.