A gilt metal and onyx figure of a Cherub holding a Globe 1960s
Price: £45
This is an amusing figure of a cherub holding a globe, perhaps intended as a desk ornament or paperweight or possibly as part of a two piece clock set. The cherub is modelled in gilt metal with a smiling face, standing on one leg with the right arm upraised and supporting a globe which is held in place by a screw attachment. The globe and base are formed from onyx with typical striations. Similar pieces are usually dated to the 1960s which would seem to be the case here. Mounted onyx globes do appear, but the addition of the cherub figure is more unusual.
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: £20
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.
LOT 33
Spanish red tooled leather trinket dish with the coat of arms for Castile and León, C20th
Estimate: £20 – 30
1d 10h 15m
£0.00
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.
Set of Three Japanese Lacquer Nesting Trays, mid to late C20th
Price: £45
This is a fine quality set of three Japanese lacquer trays designed in a ‘nesting’ format so that the two smaller fit into the largest. Each is finished in red lacquer with an elaborate and detailed gilt and enamel design of two peacocks in a garden scene with peony and bamboo, the rims gilt and the openwork handles with beige plastic loops, the sides and reverse in black lacquer. The art of lacquer ware (漆器, shikki) has been practised in Japan since the earliest times and pieces from the Meiji period (1868-1912) are particularly collectible today. These trays are much later, the use of plastic suggesting the 1950s or 1960s but the quality is still there and their excellent condition allows the skill of the workmanship to be fully appreciated. Highly decorative in themselves they are functional as well!
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.
Framed Stumpwork Panel depicting a Bowl of Flowers, English, 1930s
Price: £45
An attractive oval embroidered panel depicting a bowl of flowers on a beige silk ground. The technique employed here is known as stumpwork where stitched figures are raised from the surface of the work to form a 3-dimensional effect. Its popularity began in England in the mid seventeenth century but has been continued by embroiderers until modern times. The appeal of the design here speaks for itself. A date of production in the 1930s seems likely. The gilt frame may be contemporary or later.
Victorian Silver Buckle set with Paste Stones, German circa 1900
Price: £85
This is a striking silver buckle of rectangular form with two bands of brilliant paste stones surrounding four stylised flower head paste stone clusters, the reverse plain and marked 900 which implies manufacture in Germany where the standard for silver was a minimum of 800 parts to 1000 with 900 parts to 1000 as one of the alternatives (as opposed to the more usually found 925). There is in addition a double mark with a star and a wheel which may well be the maker's mark, but this is hard to identify.
The sparkling stones and high quality mounting (there is a considerable weight of silver in this piece) would have made this buckle a notable addition to the Victorian ladies' wardrobe and it could equally well catch the eye today.
A Set of Six Blue and White Willow Pattern Coasters English Ironstone 1980s
Price: £25
A set of six Ironstone china coasters, decorated in the traditional 'Willow Pattern' with a typical Chinese landscape scene. Ironstone china is a type of vitreous pottery first made in the United Kingdom in the 19th century by potters in Staffordshire, England, as a cheaper, mass-produced alternative for porcelain. It is often associated with the firm founded by Mason in 1813 following his registration of a patent for the ware. Subsequently others manufactured it as well including William Turner and Josiah Spode. Essentially a product of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries there was a revival of interest in these traditional wares from the 1970s onwards and one of the manufacturers was the 'English Ironstone Tableware Ltd' which traded from 1973 to 1994 when it went into receivership. Their impressed mark can be seen on the back.
These coasters formed part of their range. The decoration employs the transfer pattern technique developed in England in the mid eighteenth century and a staple of nineteenth century productions. Printed designs were 'transferred' to the ceramic surface allowing the production of extensive services in a matching pattern. The Chinese derived 'Willow Pattern' design seems to have been first used around 1790 and was probably designed by Thomas Minton for Spode. All the versions contain similar elements besides the pagodas and landscape scenes most notably the three figures on a bridge and a pair of flying swallows. In order to promote sales, various stories were invented based on elements of the design. These coasters are an amusing recollection of times past and highly practical in addition.
Pair of Bakelite Salts, Italian Fontanini, mid C20th
Price: £45
A pair of Bakelite table salt dishes in the form of two cherubs wearing a quiver and holding a bow and arrow and standing on shell with a rococo style plinth at the edge and three supporting feet underneath. Both pieces are marked 'DEPOSE 186 ITALY' with a small spider mark in addition. This signifies the Fontanini workshop which made a variety of small polychrome resin figures in a rather charming rococo (the term itself derives from the French 'rocaille' which means 'shell work') style of which these are an excellent example. The small spider emblem is often seen on their pieces. Dating is probably to the 1950s.
The well known Italian firm Fontanini, now famous for producing nativity Sets, was founded by Emanuele Fontanini as a small local business in a single room in the tiny Tuscan town of Bagni di Lucca. Working at first in papier mâché, the business turned to the use of bakelite once it became available, marking their pieces with a spider emblem and the wording ‘depose Fontanini up until the 1970s after which these were replaced by the Fontanini name, the date of manufacture, and a small fountain, which allows fairly accurate dating here. Manufacturing is now caried out by the fourth generation of the family.
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
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!
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.
Very fine German silver scent bottle, c1900
Price: £225
This is an extremely fine silver scent bottle with the decoration comprising delicately formed flowers and scroll work. It has the Crescent and Crown for Germany and the makers mark 'W' for Christoph Windman. It is also marked '835' which was a typical silver purity in Germany at this time. .
Green Leather Jewellery Box with Bramah Lock, early C20th
Price: £55
This is a fine quality jewellery box covered in green leather with a graining effect. The rectangular base is fitted with a shallow flush lid and attached by brass lever hinges. The front of the base has a lock marked ‘Bramah’ (lacking its original key) and the lid a leather strap handle with fine stitching. Inside are two removable trays, the top one with compartments for jewellery, and the bottom of the box is divided into two compartments. The linings of the box and trays are in green leather and velvet with moiré silk to the inside of the lid. As with the previous lot, there are many features here of a ‘deluxe’ item, in particular the ‘Bramah’ lock, known for its high security, and the lever hinges. This box perhaps dates to a little later than the previous one, more to the 1930s but is no less of a ‘luxury’ item which equally well retains its functionality today.
Green Leather Jewellery Box with Bramah Lock, early C20th
Price: £55
This is a fine quality jewellery box covered in green leather with a graining effect. The rectangular base is fitted with a shallow flush lid and attached by brass lever hinges. The front of the base has a lock marked ‘Bramah’ (lacking its original key) and the lid a leather strap handle with fine stitching. Inside are two removable trays, the top one with compartments for jewellery, and the bottom of the box is divided into two compartments. The linings of the box and trays are in green leather and velvet with moiré silk to the inside of the lid. As with the previous lot, there are many features here of a ‘deluxe’ item, in particular the ‘Bramah’ lock, known for its high security, and the lever hinges. This box perhaps dates to a little later than the previous one, more to the 1930s but is no less of a ‘luxury’ item which equally well retains its functionality today.
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.
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 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.
Framed Ceramic Plaque depicting St John’s Church, Old Coulsdon, late C20th
Price: £25
A small ceramic plaque of octagonal shape painted in tones of sepia and depicting St John’s Church, Old Coulsdon, signed by the artist, ‘B.West’, and dated 1991. It is set in an oak frame with a border of stylised foliage on a ‘fishscale’ ground, the reverse backed with hardboard. St John’s Church, Old Coulsdon dates back to the late thirteenth century although some form of church on this site seems to have existed from the seventh century onwards. The view is taken from the south west and shows the old church nave and chancel (C13th) with the new church nave to the right (C20th). The artist was presumably local, perhaps a member of the congregation, and produced a pleasing, slightly impressionistic view of a familiar building. The frame looks earlier than the 1991 date inscribed on the plaque and may have been made from older pieces of wood adapted to fit. The combination produces an attractive decorative item, even to those not familiar with the location themselves.
Novelty Perfume Bottle with Grecian Scenes, late C20th
Price: £15
A ceramic perfume bottle the compressed bulbous body fitted with a high domed cover and a separate ‘dipper’ finial, the rich blue glaze brightly decorated with polychrome and gilt figures in a pseudo classical style reclining and conversing, the interior with traces of perfume cream. The Greek manufacturers of perfumes seem sometimes to have turned to the Classical era as inspiration for the decoration on the vessels containing their products. Similar bottles can be found with packaging labelled ‘Anapal by Anastasios’. The designs are pastiche in the extreme but the effect is opulent and no doubt reflects the luxury of the contents inside!
Ceramic and Bronze figure of a Blue Tit, Albany Worcester, late C20th
Price: £35
A superbly modelled polychrome ceramic figure of a Blue Tit hanging from a gnarled twig well worked in bronze, the base stamped 'Albany England'. Albany Worcester was launched in 1973 by David Palmer, Bill Nichols & David Lovegrove, who all previously worked at the Royal Worcester Porcelain factory. Their pieces, distinguished for their quality and detail, rapidly became popular and Harrods and the Queen's jeweller Asprey became customers. Sales grew to be global and some of their china and bronze pieces were even reputed to have been bought as wedding presents for the Prince and Princess of Wales. But the firm, which had just two full-time employees at the end, started to decline in the late 1980s and sales figures fell even further when the factory, which was then based in Lowesmoor, suffered a serious fire in 1995. There was something of a revival after this but fashions had changed and it proved to be short lived with the company closing in 2005. This piece is truly a sculpture in miniature and well deserves the protective dome in which it now stands. A reminiscence of a past era, perhaps, but surely deserving of a place in a contemporary interior.
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 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 Gilt Metal and Onyx Scales, probably French, C20th
Price: £55
A decorative pair of scales with an elaborately cast fluted central column from which branch out two rococo like arms. From each arm is suspended an onyx vessel which sits on a gilt metal pan hanging by three linked chains. The column is fitted to a spreading onyx base which is supported by three gilt metal feet attached to a circular gilt metal rim. The casting of the metal work and general style of the piece suggests France and dating is most likely to the mid C20th.
Vintage hand carved Fossil Stone Trinket Box and Cover, C20th
Price: £25
A rounded box of compressed apple-like form with a lid finished with a concave set knob, carved from fossil stone in which can be seen shells and a multitude of other marine life objects
all combining in an intriguing and decorative design. Doubtless intended for trinkets this box is an ornament in itself.
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.
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.
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.
Japanese Carved Wood Figure of a Young girl, Kokeshi doll style, C20th
Price: £45
This is a rather charming carved wood figure of a young girl standing dressed in an elaborate robe decorated with floral blooms and fan shape panels in blue with floral designs. She holds something in her hands (an offering?) and looks out expectantly. The naif style resembles closely the kokeshi dolls that have been made in Japan for more than 150 years as children's toys but the portrayal is much more lifelike than that of its abstract counterparts. Dating is probably to the mid twentieth century.
Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Hieroglyphic wall plaque c2000
Price: £20
This is a very detailed plaque that depicts an Egyptian owl. It is a replica from Tutenkhamun's tomb that was issued by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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!
LOT 31
Edwardian large text magnifying glass with horn handle, early C20th
Estimate: £30 – 40
1d 10h 11m
£0.00
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.
Pair of Ceramic Wall Hanging Plaques, Butterflies, probably continental 1960s
Price: £40
A pair of ceramic wall hanging plaques modelled in the form of butterflies with outspread wings, brightly decorated in green, red, orange and black enamels with beaded detail, the reverses plain and with a central cavity, pierced at the top for the wire wall hanger which also forms the proboscis. The fairly coarse paste of the foot rim at the back and general style of decoration suggests continental work, most likely Portugal or Spain and these pieces have a mid century look to them suggesting a a dating in the 1960s when brightly coloured ornaments (and carpets!) enjoyed something of a vogue. Highly decorative then, this pair of lepidoptera would certainly enliven a contemporary interior.
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).
Framed Chinese Embroidery Silk Textile, signed, second half C20th
Price: £45
A Chinese silk textile with an embroidered design of a phoenix standing on a rock at the edge of a river, flowering peony below and to the rear a prunus or plum blossom tree with bamboo. On the riverbank also stand a pair of cranes, ducks can be seen in the water and a pair of birds sitting on one of the prunus tree branches with another pair flying to the left. In the distance, the setting sun and at the top right a four character signature probably denoting the artist. There is a mixture of motifs here. The phoenix can denote the Empress, cranes represent long life, peony represents spring while prunus denotes winter. Ducks point to marital happiness and the flying magpies happiness and good luck, whereas the setting sun is often a metaphor for sadness and sorrow. Perhaps a deliberate contrast is intended here or perhaps the various motifs were simply chosen for their decorative elements. As with lots 2 and 3 in this sale, this is another excellent example of the genre and the frame provides a clearer indication of dating. The frame makers ‘Charles and Co’ had a business in Notting Hill, London in the post war years and the telephone number ‘PARk 6306’ indicates a date before 1966 when UK telephone numbers ceased to include letters.
Silver prayer beads with seventeen Beads, 20th century
Price: £75
This is a lovely set of prayer beads made from solid sterling silver. The 17 beads are heavy and have decoration at the ends. They are strung on a chain with aslider and tassel at the end. These are hallmarked, most likely with continental silver marks.
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.
Baroque Style Picture Frame with Still Life, C20th
Price: £25
The elaborate stylised floral decoration of this picture frame looks to the baroque era prevalent in Europe during the late C17th and early C18th with its elaborate floral scrolling but its date of manufacture is rather more recent. The material seems to be resin and the aim was clearly to produce a lavish effect at a bargain price. The picture enclosed is, of course, far from baroque but the semi impressionist style of this floral still life actually matches its surround rather well. A piece of decorative whimsey then, probably 1950/1960s and continental, and a clear antidote to austerity!
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!
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!
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.
Reproduction Limoges Porcelain Box with Scent Bottles, Modern
Price: £25
Presenting itself as production of the celebrated ceramics factories in Limoges, France, this elaborately decorated porcelain box containing four glass scent bottles is, in fact, a contemporary reproduction and most likely made in China. While it looks hand painted, close examination shows the microdots of laser printing (see image 7) a technique commonly used by the Chinese now to create high quality looking but machine made ceramic items. The mark, employing a single ‘L’ in a style sometimes found beginning the word ‘Limoges’ inscribed on genuine pieces, is found nowhere else on true Limoges items and seems to have been a flight of fancy on the manufacturer’s behalf. But this particular box certainly looks the part and could perhaps find its place as a purely decorative item for the dressing table!
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.
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!
French Souvenir Verre Eglomise Box and Cover, Sacre Coeur de Montmatre, circa 1900
Price: £55
This box, and others like it, was probably made in France as a tourist souvenir in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Formed as a small casket, the base is of pressed brass with relief decoration and four small pad feet. The lid has a ‘verre eglomise’, or reverse painted glass, bevel edged panel set in a brass mount and the box is lined inside. Some of the decoration of the lid is probably transfer with other elements hand painted on the back of the glass in true ‘verre eglomise’ style. The scene depicted is the well known Basilica of Sacre Coeur situated on the top of Montmatre, one of the most frequently visited sites in Paris and therefore eminently suitable as the subject for a memento of the ‘great city’. This is the ‘Grand Tour’ style rather towards its end with cheaper materials and a more mechanical method of production but an authentic example of a period souvenir to tempt the traveller.
French Souvenir Verre Eglomise Box and Cover, Sacre Coeur de Montmatre, circa 1900
Price: £55
This box, and others like it, was probably made in France as a tourist souvenir in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Formed as a small casket, the base is of pressed brass with relief decoration and four small pad feet. The lid has a ‘verre eglomise’, or reverse painted glass, bevel edged panel set in a brass mount and the box is lined inside. Some of the decoration of the lid is probably transfer with other elements hand painted on the back of the glass in true ‘verre eglomise’ style. The scene depicted is the well known Basilica of Sacre Coeur situated on the top of Montmatre, one of the most frequently visited sites in Paris and therefore eminently suitable as the subject for a memento of the ‘great city’. This is the ‘Grand Tour’ style rather towards its end with cheaper materials and a more mechanical method of production but an authentic example of a period souvenir to tempt the traveller.
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.
LOT 6
A group of twenty assorted artists Stamps in H&R Johnson sample Box, C20th
Estimate: £60 – 80
1d 9h 21m
£0.00
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.
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!
Pair cast iron Doorstops, Basket of Fruit, probably American mid C20th
Price: £45
This is a pair of doorstops made from cast iron in the form of an urn containing fruit including orange, lemon, peach and grapes, combined with foliage and flowers. Hollow at the backs, these pieces were most likely mould cast and then cold painted. Various similar compositions are found with the impressed numbers ‘456’ and a few identical ones marked ‘DONSCO’ ‘JOHN WRIGHT CAST IN USA’. ‘456’ was a model number used by the well known manufacturer of metal products, Hubley, which, like John Wright, had its premises in Pennsylvania, USA. These doorstops (at least that is how they are always termed; the weight of the pieces seems quite light to retain a heavy door) seem to have been made in the 1950s and this pair most likely originate from a manufacturer operating in the same area as the two named ones. As a pair, which is unusual, they also have decorative potential and remain in excellent condition for their age.
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!
Abstract Heart Shape Ceramic Sculpture, Pier One Imports, late C20th
Price: £25
This is an unusual ceramic sculpture formed in the shape of a heart and glazed in a lustre finish of copper brown. These pieces appear to have been sold by the American firm Pier I Imports which traded as a physical presence from 1962 to 2020. Offering a stylish range of home furnishings the company had up to 1000 stores at its peak, but changing market conditions forced it into liquidation in 2020, eventually being bought out by Retail ECommerce Ventures (REV) which now operates the brand online as Dallas-based Pier 1 Imports Online, Inc. Towards the end of its trading history from its stores, a new range of items was brought in to appeal to a new and wider audience. This piece may well be one of them and, if so, is a quirky souvenir of the original business.
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.
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.
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.
Pair of Brentleigh Ware Wall Hanging Ballet Shoes, 1930s
Price: £35
A ceramic wall hanging model of a pair of ballet shoes glazed in red with black laces, one pierced at the back for display, the soles also glazed in red and with an impressed mark ‘Brentleigh Ware’ ‘Made in England’. Brentleigh was one of the trade names of the Howard Pottery Co Ltd in Shelton Staffordshire who seem to have made pieces from the 1920s to the 1950s. The art deco style of this group suggests a pre war dating to the 1930s. The model sometimes appears in black, making these a rather more decorative example and the glaze is often subject to substantial loss and flaking which is not the case here and therefore much more pleasing to the eye. Kitsch perhaps but an amusing piece of wall decoration for shoe lovers everywhere!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Two Scottish Tartan Plaques, C20th
Price: £35
Two round plaques mounted with tartan cloth of two different designs in reds and blues, both studded with metal bosses in imitation of a shield and both with circular gilt metal medallions at the centre depicting a thistle and a deer respectively, presumably the motifs associated with the two clan tartans. Identification here is for the true expert but these were presumably commissions from the firm whose name appears at the back, probably made in the 1970s/1980s. The ‘Targe’ was a shield used by Scottish Highlanders in the early modern period. From the late 16th century, until the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the Scottish Highlander's main means of defence in battle was his targe and the designs regularly included studding and a raised central boss. But these two plaques are items of peacetime and to be enjoyed as such!
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.