Pair of Navajo Kingman turquiose earrings, signed, 1970s
Price: £65
This pair of earrings boasts 10 large cabachons of Kingman turquoise. The Kingman mine located in Arizona, is the last commercial turquoise mine in the US. It is known for its intense colour and unique matrix. These earring where produced by a Navajo silver maker. They are signed MJ which indicates the specific workshop. Marked Sterling for 925 silver.
Victorian Bronze Chamber Candlestick in the form of a Griffin, late C19th
Price: £40
This is a very striking bronze chamber stick in the form of a griffin with fine detail to the casting of the face and feathers. The griffin is a well known legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Griffins were known as the guardians of treasures and priceless possessions even in Classical antiquity and were to become familiar elements of heraldry. The choice of this creature as the suppport for a candlestick (the form suggests a chamvber candlestick) cannot be easily explained. Does the griffin here protect its owner in some way? Whatever the answer the result is a striking decorative ensemble which could enhance many a domestic interior.
Small art glass bowl, Martin Andrews Glass, C21st
Price: £85
A small bowl with deep curving sides the mottled blue glass above a mass of bubbles which merge into a speckled brown ground also with bubbles in deep blue, each side with stripes in white. This piece comes from the ‘beach’ range produced by Martin Andrews glass in recent years. A selection of these pieces can be seen in image XXXX which is taken from a 2016 Facebook page from the studio.
Martin Andrews (see image XXXX) graduated from West Surrey College of Art and Design with a BA (hons) Glass in 1991. Following this he was based in London until 2000 when he then launched his current workshop at the Ruskin Glass Centre in Stourbridge. His work often draws on the earth's natural forms and patterns and his ‘beach’ range is a prime example of this.
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.
Art Deco Vase, Springtime, Price Brothers, Staffordshire, 1930s
Price: £35
A ceramic vase of inverted conical form with a wide spreading foot, mustard glazed overall with green splash glaze effects at the base, the whole with moulded ribbing and moulded polychrome floral decoration to the front and reverse, the base with impressed marks ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’ ‘ENDON’ ‘SPRINGTIME’ and with a stamped mark ‘PRICE BROS’ within a floral wreath above ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’.
Price Bros was an earthenware manufacturer established at the Crown Works, Burslem, Staffordshire, England, in 1896 by the Price brothers. They specialised in tabletop accessories and teapots and success was rapid such that in 1934 they moved to larger premises at the Top Bridge Works in Longport, where they became known as Price Bros Ltd. A close association with another firm, Kensington Potteries, was finally cemented when the two firms merged in 1962 taking on the name ‘Price and Kensington’ and continuing to manufacture their popular wares to the present day. This vase is typical of the decorative pieces which Price Bros produced during the 1930s and, as with so much of the pottery produced at that time, it reflects the Art Deco styles, particularly in the semi abstract shape. This vase was mould made as can be seen from the joins at each side (see image 7) but there is nothing mechanical about the finished result with its pleasing combination of colour and decoration.
Egyptian revival Tutankhamun head silver Cuff Bracelet, 1940s
Price: £75
The iconography here needs little introduction. This elegant silver cuff bracelet displays recurring portrait heads of Tutankhamun between two plain bands at each edge. The piece carries Egyptian silver hall marks which give some indication of its date. The central character, indicating silver, is a lotus flower apparently used from the 1940s. To the left of it can be seen a loop and two dots which is the date mark for 1942 to 1943 and to the right is a mark indicating the purity of the silver, possibly reading 800 thousandths. (see https://www.silvercollection.it /EGYPTSILVER HALLMARKS). This classic piece of Egyptian revival work from the 1940s is timeless and an elegant accessory for the 2020s!
Art Deco Coffee Pot, Crownford Burslem, Staffordshire 1930s
Price: £35
The clean simple lines of Art Deco designs are clearly seen in this coffee pot made by the firm ‘Ford and Sons’ during the 1930s. The angular form body is topped with the sweeping curved line of the neck and flush fitting lid which is matched by the handle and spout. The cream coloured glaze, with a light craquelure is decorated with gilt lines and a stylised floral border at the top and on the lid. The base has printed marks, a crown, ‘Crownford’ in script, and a circular monogram with the letters ‘F’ ‘S’ between ‘BURSLEM’ and ‘ENGLAND’. This coffee pot would have come from a small set, all decorated in the same style, with cups, a milk jug and a sugar basin, but other patterns were also used for these services.
Burslem in Staffordshire was one of the famous six ‘pottery towns’ and immortalised in the novels of Arnold Bennett as ‘Bursley’. The firm Thomas Ford and Sons began its production there in the late nineteenth century, continuing until 1938 when the business was purchased by Oswald Shufflebottom who renamed it Ford & Sons (Crownford) Ltd. The trade name ‘Crownford’ had been adopted quite early on by the Ford family and was kept by the Shufflebottom family until the late 1980s. The ‘Crownford Burslem’ wares were mostly produced in the fashionable Art Deco style during the late 1920s and 1930s and this coffee pot is a fine and representative example of their work.
Studio Pottery Bowl with Yukishino style glaze, signed M Lazenbury, C20th
Price: £35
A studio pottery circular bowl, the walls incurving towards the top and base, the exterior glazed in cream with comb line markings with highlights in grisaille and brown splash glazes, the interior predominantly glazed in brown and the base unglazed, showing the stoneware body with pronounced potting rings within the foot and an incised signature ‘M.Lazenbury’. For the time being the potter of this piece can only be identified by the name inscribed but he or she was clearly an accomplished artist since the pleasing form combined with glaze effects which take after Japanese ‘Yukishino’ wares in which a natural, soft white or cream-colored glaze is combined with, earthy brown and green speckles and tones. The splash glaze effects are an addition to this but are fully in the tradition of the work of other rather better known artists making this bowl a pleasing addition to a collection of studio ceramics which reflect Japanese taste.
Two ceramic Clown Figures by Lino Zampiva, Italian late C20th
Price: £25
These are two ceramic figurines designed Lino Zampiva. Each depicts a clown figure, the larger holding balloons and the smaller playing the violin, both with a distinctive ‘spaghetti’ hairstyle. They are amusingly modelled and colourfully decorated and each carries Zampiva’s signature, the balloon seller with ‘Made in Italy’ in addition. Lino Zampiva founded PastelCeramica SnC in Montebello, Vicentino, Italy, in 1976 and began the production of these whimsical ceramic figurines which enjoyed great popularity. Many of them were clown figures but there were other subjects as well including dolls. Considerable artistry was expended in the creation of these pieces making them a little more than just ‘kitsch’.
Taxco collar necklace set with obsidian, 1950s
Price: £95
This is a very striking necklace comprising stations of undulating heavy silver wave shaped links and obsidian round stations. It is marked 'Mexico' '925' and with a covered maker's mark where only a 'J' is visible. This may be Jorge Gomez or Justo Castillo since the work resembles their style.
Tall glass vase with orange, grey and black swirls, probably by Carlo Moretti, Italian 1970s
Price: £180
This is a striking glass vase of slender proportions, the ovoid body above a flaring stepped foot, the short ridged neck flaring outwards to the top rim, decorated with a continuous design of black, grey and orange trailing swirls on a white ground. While similar to pieces produced by ‘Vetreria Barbieri’ at Empoli, vases of this type are usually attributed to the Murano based designer Carlo Moretti. Born in Murano in 1934, he founded in 1958 with his brother Giovanni a glassworks named after him which enjoyed great success and was eventually sold by Giovanni in 2013, five years after Carlo’s death, to an Italian fashion company who continue production under the name. Vases in this style were made in the 1970s and this is an exceptionally fine and large example, well deserving a place in a collection of contemporary Italian glass.
Pair of framed Watercolours, Dartmoor heather fields, signed C.A.James, early C20th
Price: £45
A pair of watercolours in pastel shades depicting two landscape scenes on Dartmoor with lakes and fields of heather. The artist C.A.James, whose signature appears at the bottom of each of these paintings, cannot be identified but was clearly an accomplished amateur painter. The bleak landscape of Dartmoor is sensitively pictured in two complementary scenes of fields of heather by a lake, the lighting suggesting dawn with birds flying at the break of day. The mountainous outcrop at the back can be identified as Brent Tor, a landmark of Dartmoor which is surmounted by the church of St Michael, which can be seen in both the images. It was probably a popular subject for painters and various other paintings with a similar subject can be found. The style suggests dating to the 1920s and this seems consistent with the frames which appear to be original.
Four Papier-mâché Trinket Boxes, Kashmir, mid C20th
Price: £35
Four papier-mâché boxes, one circular and three of rounded rectangular form, all decorated in typical colourful floral designs, the circular example resembling quite closely the Chinese ‘mille-fleur’ pattern, the bases and the interior in black lacquer. The well known papier-mâché technique, in which items are formed from pulped paper dried to form a hard surface, is nearly ubiquitous, but Kashmir in India was a famed centre for the technique usually held to have commenced in production there in the 15th century when King Zain-ul-Abidin invited papier-mâché artists from Central Asia to practice their craft in his kingdom. These examples are much later, of course, and were probably made some time in the twentieth century, perhaps towards the middle, when the Kashmiri craftsmen were exporting their wares expansively. Their decorative appeal is obvious but, as storage items for trinkets they can perform a practical function as well.
Gentlemans waistcoat pin set with four watch fobs 1930s
Price: £150
This is a bespoke waiscoat pin with four hanging watch fobs. The owner was someone called R.S. Hollands as they all bear this name. They all have dates 1927, 1936 x 2 and 1934. There are different places on them and two have the designation of "Senior Rounder" and S.C.A.B.A. One also has the name Boosey and Co a company that manufactued brass instruments. Rounders is a game much like baseball. Mr Hollands definetly wanted to show these off. :) Thie is a piece of history that can be worn as a brooch, what could be better for a vintage collector?
Twister glass Bowl, Kjell Engman for Kosta Boda, signed and with label, late C20th
Price: £180
A heavily blown glass bowl of inverted conical form with a semi hemispherical spreading foot decorated with minute flecks in off-white, brown and orange in swirling bands, the base with an etched signature ‘Kosta Boda’ ‘K Engman’ and the numbers ‘57971’ and an attached label ‘KOSTA BODA since 1742’.
Kosta Boda, previously known as Kosta Glasbruk, is a Swedish glassmaking company founded by two foreign officers in Charles XII's army, Anders Koskull and Georg Bogislaus Staël von Holstein, in 1742.It is located in Kosta, Sweden. Early production consisted of window glass, chandeliers and drinking glasses. From the 1840s, the factory was at the forefront of new trends and technical developments, producing pressed glass, and in the 1880s setting up a new glass-cutting workshop. In 1903, the company merged with the Reijmyre glassworks but both retained their own names and Kosta went on to maintain its reputation as one of the leading Swedish manufacturers with a range of fine art glass and tableware by distinguished designers such as Vicke Lindstrand, artistic director from 1950-1973.
Kjell Engman (see image 11) has been a designer at Kosta Boda since 1948. Also a professional rock musician, his works are often held to display a dancing feel and joie de vivre derived from his musical background. On the Kosta Boda website he writes “In my view, the glass is the pen for writing my stories. I don’t want to depress my audience; rather, I want to offer them joy and fantasy. My art should make people smile; it should be something positive.” Perhaps something of his sense of fun can be seen in this bowl, one of the largest of the range produced by Kosta Boda. which incorporates colour with movement and is often termed ‘Twister’. These bowls seem not now to be available from the firm direct and probably date to the late twentieth century. This example is of exceptional size and in pristine condition, an imposing centrepiece for a modern interior.
Art Deco green glass Orion Bowl by Lausitzer Glaswerke, Germany 1930s
Price: £45
A green glass circular bowl with a wavy rim and tripod feet made using the ‘pressed glass’ technique and decorated with bands of stylised leaves. The distinctive form here with its clear ‘Art Deco’ influence is usually attributed to the Lausitzer glassworks in Germany. Founded in 1889, the company still produces a wide range of drinking glasses today. The design of this bowl was known as ‘Orion’ and it appears in a variety of colours, this green tone perhaps being the most distinctive. The manufacturing technique is that of pressed glass in which molten glass is pressed into a mould with a plunger. This was the most common way to produce inexpensive glass from the middle of the 19th century onwards and enjoyed a great vogue in England and elsewhere in the 1920s and 1930s. The mould lines can be clearly seen in image 4 but the process allowed a high degree of definition as is evident here and the form and colouring of this bowl closely recall the decorative items of the Art Deco era.
Large Cinnabar and filigree silver brooch, 1930s
Price: £35
This is a large carved cinnabar lacquer brooch that was very typical of the 1930s. The carefully detailed plaque, modelled with peony blooms, is mounted in silver with a filigree work border.
Victorian Scottish Agate and paste citrine brooch mounted as a necklace c1900
Price: £125
This is a constructed necklace comprising a very fine Scottish agate and paste citrine brooch that has been reset with a Victorian belcher chain. This is a great way to repurpose these brooches the we hope catches on as there are so many beautiful agate brooches that are neglected.
Yellow Citroen 2CV Teapot by Andy Titcomb, signed and dated, 1990
Price: £55
Andy Titcomb is an artist with many talents, even including film and television work (image 10 shows him with Martin Clunes in the series ‘Doc Martin’). He is probably best known as a designer and creator of ceramics and within that field in particular for his imaginative series of teapots. On his website, he writes
‘I worked with Paul Cardew in his first business Sunshine Ceramics from 1978 to 1983. After a number of years making and decorating all manner of odd shaped ashtrays, punk mugs and Nat West piggy banks, I left to concentrate on my own work. I made a range of brooches which were selected by the Design Centre. In 1983 with a converted pigsty as a workshop, I made my first teapot...a black and white harlequin. Encouraged by The Teahouse in Covent Garden London I began to make many more teapots.’
By 1990, he had deserted the pigsty and had a studio in North Cornwall where he continued production until 2016 when ‘I decided that there was too much “stuff” in the world without me adding to it, so I retired from all things ceramic and gave my materials and other equipment to other potters.’
Titcomb’s grandmother owned a yellow ‘Sadler’ racing car teapot, a classic design from the 1930s which is much sought after today (see image 11) and this inspired him to make his own version in the form of a Citroen 2CV, although he also produced a model copying the Volkswagen ‘Beetle’. This reinterpretation of the 1930s original, made in 1990 soon after the move to Cornwall has great charm of its own and is as equally collectible as its prototype.
Set of five small landscape paintings attributed to Charles Boyland Turner, C20th
Price: £110
While ‘antique’ in appearance, both in respect of the frames and the style of the paintings themselves, this set of small landscape compositions most likely date to the mid to late years of the twentieth century. As the inscriptions on the backs indicate, all five display Norfolk scenes and are attributed to the artist Charles Boyland Turner. Charles Turner seems to have painted many Norfolk landscape scenes and his pictures sometimes appear at auction. The style is always similar, traditional and with a nineteenth century ‘feel’, but Charles Turner worked in acrylic rather than oil paint, a much more modern medium, and was the author of a book on the subject, ‘Painting Miniatures in Acrylics’, published in 1990 whose cover displays an image very similar to these. Accordingly, while little is known about him, his work is relatively recent which is not to say that it is without its attraction. The five scenes depicted here are extremely pleasing. Many, but not all, of his pieces are signed but these are not, perhaps because of the size, and we have to take the labelling on trust. The close similarity with signed works, though, gives little reason to doubt the attribution.
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.
Chinese silk textile picture, Zhichun Pavilion, the Summer Palace, C20th
Price: £25
This is a Chinese silk textile picture depicting the Zhichun Pavilion within the Summer Palace, Beijing. Built by the Chinese Empress Cixi as a sanctuary for quiet retreat, the Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces. The Zhichun Pavilion is situated on the small island in front of the Hall of Jade Ripples, beside Kunming Lake’s east bank. It backs onto a hill and to the south it faces the sun allowing a view of spring’s arrival, it’s name translating as ‘knowing Spring’. Image (7) shows a contemporary view and this silk textile was, no doubt, made as a tourist souvenir, perhaps in the 1960s.
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.
Two Amelia Art Glass Vases, Apple and Pear
Price: £30
Two art glass vases, one in the form of an apple and one in the form of a pear, both with delicate glass stems and black patterning to the white bodies. These are part of the ‘Amelia Art Glass’ range and are both hand blown. Perhaps intended a paperweights they have an obvious decorative appeal suitable for the contemporary interior. It is remarkable that they have both survived intact!
An unusual Pair of Chinese carved Soapstone Vases, circa 1900
Price: £110
A pair of Chinese soapstone vases with mottled colourings in a wide variety of brown and beige, the triangular form deeply carved on the two front faces with flowering peony and birds nestling in the branches, the reverses flat, each with a rock and a leaf, the base also flat and the interior hollowed out. Soapstone was first used by the Chinese over three thousand years ago but began its popularity in the Ming dynasty (1368 -1644) with the height of production during the ensuing Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911). The triangular form of this pair of vases is most unusual and the depth of carving displays near virtuoso expertise. There is little or no trace of the drill here, unlike some of the later twentieth century pieces, and all the pointers are to a dating no later than around 1900. The carver was fortunate to find two matching pieces of stone which allowed him to produce such a well balanced pair in shape, colour and decoration. The nature of the material means that soapstone pieces are found less often as matching pairs and this triangular shape, perhaps suggested by the original stone pieces themselves, is rarer still.
Charming Novelty handbag, Thailand 1950s
Price: £45
This is a very unusual and large bag constructed in the shape of a house with a central courtyard or balcony and windows which actually open. It is made of raffia and is embroidered with floral motifs. This would most likely have been a souvenir made for tourists. It has a double closure and appears to have been hardly used with a handle that seems sturdy.
Pair of red glass Pears, possibly Murano, late C20th
Price: £45
A pair of glass pears of typical form, the fruit in cherry red glass blending with black glass at the base and the stalks in clear glass. Various glassworks produced pear shape fruit during the mid to late years of the twentieth century, but the style of these suggests Italian work and perhaps manufacture at Murano, where a variety of fruit shapes were produced. Certainly, the finish of the base, with a flat circle to the centre, and the mixture of two types of glass to the body are typical features of Murano pieces. Highly decorative, this pair of fruit can be regarded either as ornaments or, more functionally, paperweights.
Large African hanging wall decoration : lion, rhinoceros and elephant, mid C20th
Price: £75
This is a long hanging wall decoration comprising figures of a lion, rhinoceros and elephant all linked with rings and carved from a single piece of ebony wood. A virtuoso feat of the wood carver's art and seemingly with very few parallels it was made by an African master craftsman and probably dates to the 1950s, destined, no doubt, to be a trophy souvenir.
Three Art Glass Vases, second half C20th
Price: £60
xThis is group of three contrasting but complementary art glass vases from the second half of the twentieth century. The first has a broad ovoid body with a short slightly concave neck and a flaring rim and is decorated in blues and pinks with a ‘pulled feather’ design. Similar vases were made in America, both in shape and design, but this one seems a bit different. The second has an Art Deco look with a compressed ovoid body, banded at the centre, a short foot and a broadly flaring rim and is decorated in pink with a ‘bubble’ design. The similar shape is found in pieces from Clichy, France, but these seem to have gilt highlighting in addition which does not appear here. And the third, bulbous with a flaring foot and rim, the purple glass with three stylised floral medallions, does not have any direct parallels at all but can seem a bit ‘Murano’ like. Truly a mystery lot, then, but perhaps a voyage of discovery for its new owner!
Indian Silver and Enamel pill or trinket Box, early C20th
Price: £55
A small Indian silver and enamel box and cover of near spherical form with three ball like tripod feet and a round finial, the silver body with cloisonne enamel decoration of a central panel of elephants in procession and geometric floral designs to the lid and base with blue enamel compartmented borders, the interior finished in translucent green enamel. Style of decoration indicates an early C20th dating for this highly appealing item which might even have a practical use for its new owner.
Pair of African Wood Figures of a Man and a Woman, probably mid C20th
Price: £25
A pair of wood figures of a man and a woman carved in an abstract style with slender proportions, the man holding a long staff and the woman balancing a vessel (presumably for water or wine) on her head, the clothing of both with etched patterned decoration and their complementary bases with contrasting geometric designs. The patina and colour of the wood suggests ebony and the style is African. As with the previous lot there is a label indicating manufacture in Nigeria and Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Nigeria. It was a trade centre and a likely source of artefacts made for tourists of which these are most likely an example. Dating is probably as the label indicates and many other similar pieces were produced at that time.
Pair of amethyst cluster earrings, c1980
Price: £65
This a quite indricate paid of earrings bezel set with 11 amethyst stones. The stones are great quality with lots of sparkle. They are post and butterfly and are marked 925. They are most likely Indian in origin.
Taxco grape motif necklace, c1980
Price: £350
This is a wonderful example of Taxco work in the grape pattern design which was regularly used by the Taxco silversmiths from the early 20th century onwards. It is marked 'Taxco' 'TS-19' 'Mexico' '925', the second mark indicating 'T' for Taxco and 'S' for the city and the silversmith registration number, an identification system which only came into use after 1979, indicating a dating here circa 1980.
Operculum shell demi parure
Price: £50
This is a wonderful set set with operculum shells. A large statement necklace and earrings set in silver tone base metal. What is an operculum shell?
An operculum is a calcareous structure created by many sea snails that serves as a little “trapdoor” to safely close them inside their shell. When, say, the tide goes out, stranding a sea snail too far from the water, the gastropod can draw itself deep into its shell and pull the operculum closed behind it.
Art Deco silver plate Cigarette Box with monogram, 1930s
Price: £35
While similar pieces with an ovoid profile pointed at the corners are usually described as tea caddies, the flat flush fitting top here, which is not hinged as those of its counterparts are, suggests that this piece was intended rather for cigarettes. The clean lines clearly point to Art Deco and a dating to the late 1920s or 1930s seems likely. By way of example, a similar silver tea caddy made for Harrods has hallmarks for 1922. This is a fine quality item and has, in addition, an elaborate monogram to the lid, presumably containing the original owner’s initials. This was cast separately and fitted to the lid with staples. The device is elaborate but the letters ‘G’, ‘W’, ‘A’ and ‘F’ can be made out although their correct ordering must remain uncertain.
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.
Outstanding Taxco silver bracelet c1960
Price: £295
This is a heavy and substantial bracelet made in the style of William Spratling (1900-1967) the father of Taxco who opened his workshop there, Taller de las Delicias, in the early 1930s . His designs continued to dominate the Taxco silver districts of Mexico and this piece is an excellent example of this. Its design elements reflect the Art Deco styles of the 1930s and 40s but are softened by the scroll work. It has a very sturdy integrated clasp and is marked 'Mexico', '925', 'C-11'. C-11 is the registration number of the silversmith. It was a requirement that all Taxco silversmiths had these registration numbers but the names of their studios cannot always be identified.
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!
Cranston Ware Art Nouveau Style Vase, early C20th
Price: £95
A ceramic vase of bottle form, the broad compressed globular body with a tubular neck terminating in a ‘garlic’ rim, glazed overall in a mottled effect employing tones of mustard, blue and green with two stylised motifs of leaves and grapes on the neck, the interior also with a mottled glaze and the base glazed white with a stamped mark ‘CRANSTON’ ‘POTTERY’ in an oval frame with two globes in the centre displaying a banner ‘P P CO LTD’ and a script mark ‘52/4’.
Cranston Ware was one of the ranges produced by the Pearl Pottery Company, based in Hanley, Stoke on Trent. Founded in 1892, the firm produced a varied selection of ceramic wares, often following contemporary fashions, until its closure in 1947. This vase is demonstrably in the Art Nouveau style and would have been produced when it was at its zenith in the early 1900s. The pattern was known as ‘Tukan’ ware and some of the pieces, but not all, have an impressed mark displaying this. This is an excellent example of the type with the glazes and decorative detail well rendered and certainly deserves the attention of collectors of Art Nouveau.
Gouache Painting of a Court Figure Scene, Indian or Persian, C20th
Price: £45
A painting on silk depicting finely detailed figures at court within an elaborate architectural setting, edged with a simple gilt frame and surrounded by a green ground floral border. The style of painting here is typical of Persian work which was then translated into India and often adopted by artists working in the ‘Mughal’ style. In the late C19th and C20th, many individual scenes were created, some deriving from the book illustrations of Persian romance, and all essentially intended as decorative items for framing. This painting is a typical example of the best work created and is further enhanced by the contemporary frame and silver effect corner mounts.
Two similar Chinese Mille Fleur pattern plates, mid C20th
Price: £55
Two porcelain plates of typical form with a shallow well and a flat rim, richly decorated to the front in ‘Famille Rose’ enamels with densely arranged floral blooms (peony, chrysanthemum, lotus) on a gold ground, the reverse plain and one with an apocryphal four character mark in iron red reading ‘Qianlong Nian Zhi’ (Made in the Qianlong period). This sumptuous floral design, often termed ‘mille fleur’ (thousand flowers) was developed by the Chinese in the mid eighteenth century (Qianlong period 1736-1795) and employed for the next two hundred years or more. The paste of the foot rim and the slightly garish finish of the gilding suggest mid twentieth century work here (the Qianlong mark is wildly optimistic!) but both the plates are as well painted as some of their predecessors and make a highly decorative ensemble.
[Please note that the stands are not included with these items]
Large tooled leather bag with Moroccan Designs 1970s
Price: £85
This is a beautiful large bag made from light soft leather that has been tooled all over with Moroccan patterns and vignette roundels depicting camels and palm trees.Lined in leather, it has four stud feet and is in immaculate condition..
Jigsaw Puzzle of Guy’s Hospital London, with box, 1930s
Price: £10
A novelty jigsaw puzzle with a picture of Guy’s Hospital London, comprising thirty large interlocking pieces which make up the design, complete with the original box which has the picture on the front of the lid to act as a design guide. The motor vehicles seen here and the dress of the bystanders indicate a pre war dating probably to the 1930s. The subject matter, hardly an obvious choice for a commercial item for general sale, points to this item being used as a rehabilitation tool for a patient recovering in hospital or most likely Guy’s Hospital itself. Perhaps her name was indeed Myrtle! Similar puzzles were made by the firm ‘W.G.Evans and Sons’ and advertised as ‘specially recommended for invalids’.
Modernist Silver White Anthurium Brooch, Mexico, 1970s
Price: £25
This is a very unusual brooch that has two white anthurium flowers and gilt stamens. It is marked 'Made in Mexico'.
Mexican silver dolphin bangle bracelet c1990
Price: £65
This bracelet has a fun depiction of a dolphin in the ocean with the sun and waves. It is marked Mexico 925.
Framed Chinese painting on silk, two Silk Dyers, C19th/C20th
Price: £15
This is a Chinese genre painting on silk of two men seemingly engaged in dying skeins of silk in a rocky landscape scene. To the right stands a man holding two loops of fabric thread, most likely silk and to his left, a boy stands in front of a vat filled with liquid, clearly twisting the threads into cord, perhaps having dipped them into liquid dye using the tool he is holding in his left hand. The strip of wood across the top of the vat may have been used to help removed excess fluid from the dyed thread. The significance of the rather desolate landscape setting is unclear. The two workers seem to have been banished by their companions! Silk dyeing was an old tradition in China which is still kept up today (see image 7). While there are many painted scenes of rural and craft activities, this particular manufacturing process does not seem to be illustrated elsewhere. The style of the brushwork suggests a dating to around 1900 and there is a stamped artist's seal mark in red at the bottom left but the frame and mount are clearly later, perhaps mid C20th. An unusual composition, then, for collectors of Chinese art.
Porcelain Mug : Buckingham Palace 1997
Price: £10
A bone china mug, slightly flaring at the rim and base and with a modelled loop handle, richly decorated in gilt with swags and floral wreaths, the front marked ‘Buckingham Palace’ and the reverse ‘1997’, the base with a circular floral wreath surrounding a crown and the wording ‘Buckingham Palace’ ‘1997’. This mug is one of a series produced from 1993 to 2010 for sale in the Royal Collection souvenir shops. Each year was given a different design and all were dated. The manufacturer is unkown. The design and decoration of the ‘1997’ model seems particularly pleasing.
Pair of Chinese hardstone plaques, early C20th
Price: £95
A pair of Chinese lacquer panels, the gold ground with painted decoration and hardstone inlay depicting four of the eight immortals, or Baxian, in a stylised garden scene. Amidst painted rocks and flowering prunus with lakes and mountains in the background stand, on the left plaque, Lan Caihe, the patron of florists and gardeners, and Lü Dongbin, a scholar and poet, and on the right plaque Zhongli Quan, associated with death and the power to create silver and gold, often depicted holding a fan, and Li Tieguai, associated with medicine and easing the suffering of the sick and needy, identified by his iron crutch and calabash bottle. The eight immortals are figures of legend which feature in Chinese mythology and are worshipped by Taoists as well as appearing in secular Chinese culture. They are often depicted in Chinese art and it is possible that we have here two plaques from an original set of four representing them all. That said, the compositions here are well balanced with perhaps a deliberate contrast between the attributes of the figures. Plaques with hardstone inlay are known amongst the items exported to the West in the early twentieth century and sometimes occur as furniture screens. The work here is both colourful and expressive and an excellent example of the genre. The frames with their silk border may be slightly later but are certainly Chinese and well complement the compositions which they surround contributing to a highly decorative ensemble for a contemporary interior.
Chinese Scroll Painting of a Merchant and his Client, C20th
Price: £45
A scroll painting depicting what appears to be a scene in a Chinese merchant’s shop where there can be seen scales and a box containing coins on a table in the background. The elderly trader is seated next to a younger gentleman, presumably his client. One attendant stands watching and another bears an object on a tray which may well be the subject of a bargain to be made. The painting is colourful and expressive, with the faces carefully delineated. The style looks to be early twentieth century work and resembles that of reverse glass paintings from the period. The scroll is offered with a complementary scroll box, European with chinoiserie scenes in gilt, which considerably enhances the decorative effect.
Japanese Imari Dish in the form of a Treasure Boat ‘Takarabune’, Meiji Period, circa 1900
Price: £250
A Japanese Imari Dish in the form of a Treasure Boat, the body shallow potted with a modelled stern and prow, the decoration in the typical ‘Imari’ palette of underglaze blue, iron red and gold with the addition of small areas of green enamel, the exterior sides decorated with stylised waves and sea spray in underglaze blue, the interior with a fabric derived ‘brocade’ design of floral panels with two ‘ho ho’ birds within a border of repeated roundels with lozenge on a blue and gilt ground, the flat base unglazed.
In Japanese folklore, the Takarabune or "Treasure Ship", is a mythical ship piloted through the heavens by the Seven Lucky Gods during the first three days of the New Year. Ceramic boat shape dishes were produced during the Meiji period (1868-1912) in both Arita and Imari porcelains. Paste of the foot rim and style of decoration suggest a circa date here towards the end of the nineteenth century.
Art Deco marcasite and aquamarine earrings c1940
Price: £55
This is a lovely pair of earrings. They are in a quintessential Art Deco design set with marcasite stones and aquamarine drops. They are marked 925.
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!
Pair of Chinese Ginger Jars decorated Birds and Flowers, late C20th
Price: £45
A pair of Chinese ceramic ginger jars of typical ovoid globular form with a short straight neck decorated in polychrome enamels with birds amidst trailing peony on a matt lime green ground with craquelure effects, the bases each with a circular mark in iron red, one with the numbers ‘141’. The look of this pair is more European than Eastern but the finish of the base suggests production in China and similar examples can be found marked ‘Fabricado em Macau’ (‘Made in Macau’) and Macau was indeed a centre for the manufacture of ceramics from the sixteenth century onwards, continuing production well into the twentieth with an emphasis towards the end on souvenirs for tourists. The style of decoration tended to be more heavily influenced by Western techniques and motifs which explains the more hybrid decoration of this pair, not without a certain charm in itself. Dating is most likely towards the end of the twentieth century.
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!
Murano style Art Glass Paperweight, second half C20th
Price: £45
An art glass paperweight of tapering ovoid form with a flat base, the clear crystal glass enclosing a cluster of bubbles emerging from a dark grey rock like formation below. This design of ‘controlled’ bubbles occurs on paperweights from a wide variety of sources including the glassworks at Murano, Venice, a few of them retaining the original label with wording including ‘Made in Italy’ ‘Murano’ ‘Venezia’. The marked examples tend to have a crisp flat bottom, as here, sometimes with a distinct inner roundel to the centre of the foot, again as here. A Venetian provenance, then, is a possibility but no more than that. But, whoever the maker, this is certainly a piece demonstrating a high quality of both manufacture and design. Dating is most likely to the 1960s onwards when ‘organic’ and rounded forms were very much in fashion.
Large Mdina Glass Paperweight/Doorstop, late C 20th
Price: £55
A very large glass paperweight or doorstop of rounded, slightly flattened globular form decorated in a swirling design of yellow, green and blue and signed to the base ‘Mdina’. Mdina Glass was founded in the Maltese town of Mdina in 1968 by Michael Harris and Eric Dobson. The town had no history of glass making but the venture proved to be a success. Its wares, free formed organic glassware, often in colours inspired from the sea, sand, earth and sky, proved very popular with tourists visiting Malta. Michael Harris left Mdina in 1972 and formed a new company, Isle of Wight Studio Glass, on the Isle of Wight, UK, leaving Eric Dobson in charge, but many of the designs he created continued to be made at Mdina Glass after his departure although new designs and patterns were added as well. Ownership of the company later changed but it is still producing a popular range of glasswares today. Traditionally this pattern has been referred to as ‘Sea and Sand’ but a recent study of Mdina by Mark Warner states that the correct name for this range is ‘Blue Summer’.
Blue and Green Ice Glass Square Bowl, designed by Tapio Wirkalla for Iitala Finland, late C20th
Price: £55
A heavily modelled glass bowl of rounded square form with raised corners and indented concave sides with a textured base underneath, the clear glass blended with green and blue glass, each of the colours covering half the surface of the interior with a diagonal 'join'. The weight and textured finish to this piece is clearly intended to represent ice and while 'ice glass' pieces were made by various Scandinavian manufacturers, the model here was made in the 1970s by Iitala, a glass studio in Finland, and was part of the ‘Lunaria’ range designed for them by Tapio Wirkalla.
The Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala (1915–1985) was a major figure of post-war design, working in a wide variety of media including ceramics, wood and glass as well as postage stamps, bank notes and even light bulbs. His first piece for Iitala was produced in 1946 and the commercial ‘Tapio’ collection from 1954. Some of his ‘ice glass’ effects took the Iitala craftsmen many hours to perfect the glass blowing techniques required to produce them but enjoyed immense popularity. These chunky bowls, almost brutalist in style, were produced in the 1970s and 1980s and are an excellent example of his work for the popular market.
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.
Art Deco lapis and marcasite earrings c1930
Price: £65
These are a pair of pure Art Deco earrings. They are very architectural like a skyscraper. They feature silver set with marcasite and large lapis stones. They are marked A935.
Majolica Style Jardiniere, French, circa 1900
Price: £55
A ceramic jardiniere of elongated rococo style form with upraised handles and a spreading foot, one side of the wavy edge rim with pierced lattice work, decorated all over in brightly coloured glazes on a mustard ground with slight craquelure, the front with a multicoloured panel of flowers and the back with a moulded panel of a floral spray, the foot with a moulded mark ‘D 9’.
This is a French interpretation of the ‘Majolica’ style which became so popular, particularly in England in the second half of the nineteenth century. A very distant relation of the tin glazed Italian and Spanish wares which share the name, nineteenth century majolica employed a wide variety of brightly coloured glazes applied to elaborate forms some of which had a slightly ‘classical’ feel and some a reflection of ‘rococo’ designs. The paste and glazes here suggest France, which produced various pieces in the ‘majolica’ style and dating is probably to the end of the nineteenth century.
Chinese cloisonné Vase decorated birds, C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese cloisonné vase of baluster form, the ovoid body above a spreading foot and below a stepped concave neck, the top and bottom finished with gilt metal bands and the base in blue enamel, the decoration in the cloisonné technique of polychrome glass derived enamels set in wire outlines (the so called ‘cloisons’ from the French word), with birds in a stylised garden scene with lotus on a black ground with a wire inlay design representing clouds, between elaborate borders at the top and bottom including ‘ju’i’ lappets and stylised lotus leaves. The cloisonné technique was developed in China in the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and then used throughout, right up until the C20th; indeed pieces are still produced today. The later examples can have their own charm and often the quality of the work is excellent, as here, with an imaginative use of colours and shading effects to the enamels. Dating is most likely to the early twentieth century and this vase clearly shows that a high standard of workmanship was still maintained at this time.
Ewenny Pottery Beaker, signed, late C20th
Price: £25
A studio pottery beaker of broad flaring form with a stepped base, channelled at the top, the interior glazed with pronounced potting rings and the base also glazed with an incised script mark ‘Ewenny Pottery’, the main body coloured in mottled grey/green and the interior and base in mottled brown.
There has been a pottery at the small Welsh town of Ewenny since 1610, the area around being, at the time, a fertile source of clay. In the early 1800s Evan Jenkins married Mary, the daughter of then owner John Morgan, and this began a period of ownership by the Jenkins family which continues today, the studio and shop being run by Alun Jenkins and his daughter Caitlin, who is the eighth generation member of the business. Their mark can be seen at ‘British Studio Potters’ Marks’ by Eric Yates-Owen and Robert Fournier (2nd edition 2005 p157). Production has tended to concentrate on modest utilitarian items, hand potted and finished with the distinctive glazes for which the studio is known which involve dipping the pot in one glaze adding another with the splash technique and firing the item so that the two glazes fuse. The effects seen on this beaker are typical of their work as is also the clear evidence of hand throwing. Ewenny pieces are made and sold today, but the current catalogue does not list items exactly similar to this, so a late twentieth century dating is the most likely.
Mille fiore bead flapper necklace c1930
Price: £50
This is a a very detailed necklace disc and cubed shaped mille fiore beads strung together with three strands of microbeads ending in a long tassel detail.
Chinese Porcelain Teabowl and Spoon Tray with calligraphy insciptions, 1997
Price: £15
Probably a remnant from a rather larger more extensive tea service, these two pieces of Chinese porcelain comprise a tea bowl and a small spoon tray, white glazed with calligraphic inscriptions. The writing on the tray reads ‘Tea Ceremony’ ‘Tea for the lucky ones’ ‘Those who are rich drink tea and those who are rich drink tea exclusively’ ‘Xinhele Tea’ ‘National Treasure blessing’ with a stamped iron red four character mark to the reverse. The characters on the bowl indicate the ‘Ding Chou’ year, the Chinese year of the Ox recurring every sixty years and accordingly most likely 1997 here. The admonition on the tray should, perhaps, be taken to heart by tea drinkers!
Needlework sampler with a prayer by Sarah Flower Adams, probably late C19th
Price: £25
Samplers (the name derives from the Latin ‘exemplum’, meaning ‘example’) were exhibition pieces intended to demonstrate skill in needlework and have a long history dating back even to BCE times. They were produced in Europe from the sixteenth century onwards but enjoyed something of a heyday in England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, becoming one of the accomplishments expected of young girls to demonstrate their achievement and industry, a fashion which was to die out after the 1900s.
Many of the samplers found today were signed by the maker, but not all, as here. At a guess this piece was probably made in the second half of the nineteenth century (the frame is much later) by a fairly devout needleworker. The text closely follows a known prayer composed by Sarah Flower Adams (1805-1848). As a member of the congregation of the Rev. W. J. Fox, a Unitarian minister in London, she contributed 13 hymns to his work ‘Hymns and Anthems’ which was published in 1841.
The prayer by her found there reads as follows:
Part in peace!- Christ's life was peace; Let us breath our breath in Him. Part in peace!- Christ's death was peace, Let us die death in Him. Part in peace!- Christ promise gave Of a life beyond the grave, Where all mortal partings cease Part in peace!
It is just possible that the last line has been altered to reflect a recent family loss, but this must remain speculation. The sentiments, though, are clear enough and have been carefully and devotedly worked.
Art Deco chalcedony brooch or pendant
Price: £65
This is a lovely and delicate brooch with bail for a pendant. It is set in silver that has a modern floral design is both polished and textured giving it a very fine and detailed look. The stone is a Scottish chalcedony stone. Marked 925
Blue art glass bud vase, Hjorts Glasbruk, Sweden, second half C20th
Price: £35
An art glass vase, probably for the display of a single flower, the slender ovoid blue glass body supported by a ribbed clear glass circular foot. Towards the top is a label reading ‘Swedish Art Glass’ with a monogram ‘GH’ within a stylised crown which points to the Swedish glassmakers ‘Hjorts Glasbruk’, rather less well known than some of their competitors. Dating is most likely to the later years of the twentieth century.
Taxco Silver and Copper Bracelet, c1940
Price: £55
This is a striking bracelet comprising Mexican or Mayan iconographic designs in silver and copper work surrounded by crushed turquoise, lapis and other stones and with Greek Key pattern borders. It is marked 'Hecho en Mexico', '925', and with an Eagle stamp '3' and an illegible maker's mark.
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 Reverse Glass Painting of Two Ladies on a Garden Terrace, first half C20th
Price: £240
A reverse glass (or verre eglomise) painting depicting two ladies in elaborate court dress on a garden terrace with fencing at the front and a stylised garden scene at the rear with rocks, prunus and bamboo (symbolising longevity and renewal); one reads a book and the other holds a small library book box. Reverse glass paintings became a staple of the decorative items exported by China in the eighteenth century and production continued into the twentieth. The style of painting here, a little less detailed than that found in older counterparts but still with charm and skill in the brushwork, suggests a dating to the 1920s which would fit with the frame which is most likely original and retains its original fastening pegs at the back. The composition is well balanced and attractive and this is an excellent example of the genre in good and original condition.
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.
Art Deco Flower Vase, Frog and Stand, Bagley Glass, Spinette Range, 1930s
Price: £45
A flower vase and stand of angular form, the green glass diamond shape body with a spreading foot and fitted with a matching black glass stand below, the interior of the vase with a removable display stand or 'frog' with diamond shape apertures for the presentation of flowers and the body of the vase with pressed glass decoration of stylised fans. The form of this piece appears in the catalogues of the Bagley glass factory in the 'Spinette Range' and with the model number 3180 allowing a secure dating to the 1930s which is fully consistent with the Art Deco inspired design of the piece.
Bagley Glass was established in Knottingly, England (south east of Leeds) in 1871. Bottle makers at first they branched out in 1912 and opened a department 'The Crystal Glass company' which made crystal and pressed glass. But it was for the latter that Bagley were to become famous and they became the biggest manufacturer of pressed glass in England in the years before and after the war. Many of their designs were influenced by the Art Nouveau styles and this flower vase, unusually presented complete with its frog and stand, is a classic example of their range.
Art Deco Galalith Necklace and Pendant with Coral Red plaques, 1930s
Price: £75
This is a striking necklace and matching pendant made from Galalith, the necklace comprising red facetted graduated beads separated by small rings with grey facetted beads below and two silver gilt metal large modelled ovoid beads, all with silver gilt chain links, terminating in a trapezoid form plaque with a large grey hemispherical stone set in a stylised floral silver gilt mount, with further red and grey stones below and two triangular drops with silver gilt metal styised floral mounts.
Galalith is a a synthetic plastic made out of the interaction of casein and formaldehyde and was introduced to the fashion world by Coco Chanel in 1926. The commercial name is derived from the Ancient Greek words 'gala' (milk) and 'lithos' (stone).
Fine Quality Cloisonne Box and Cover in the form of a Snail, Japanese circa 1880
Price: £95
A fine quality Japanese Cloisonne Box and cover in the form of a snail, the lid modelled with typical shell spirals and the base with a conforming shape, the decoration comprising small flower heads and butterflies on a blue enamel ground with gilt scroll work, the lid and base edged with a red enamel band highlighted with repeating gilt circles, the foot with a similar red enamel band highlighted with gilt semi circles and with two bands of gilt semi circles filled with a minutely speckled green enamel fill, the interior and the foot of the base finished in blue enamel.
The Japanese produced copies of natural forms in a variety of media. Carved ivory fruit and small animals are well known. Here, cloisonne enamel is used which is less common. The quality of the work speaks for itself and can be judged form the small butterflies on the cover and the green speckle enamel fill at the base. It is typical of the best Meiji period (1868-1912) work and a circa date towards the end of the nineteenth century is most likely.
Betterwear celluloid Crinoline Lady Crumb Brush & Tray Set, mid C20th
Price: £20
Betterwear was a UK company founded in 1928 which initially produced brushes which were sold ‘door to door’ and enjoyed great popularity. In 1970 it was renamed ‘Betterware’ to reflect the wider range of domestic products which were now being marketed and in 1986 it became a public company and was one of the best-performing shares on the stockmarket in the early 1990s when its share price rose more than tenfold. But in 2018 it went into administration eventually to be relaunced in 2025.
This crumb tray and brush was a popular design in the 1950s. Made from celluloid, the brush is in the form of a Victorian lady wearing a crinoline, the bristles forming a skirt, with the tray, which is marked ‘Betterwear’ to the reverse, modelled to fit. Elegant and practical, these pieces are now more the province of collectors than home accessories.
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!
Continental Figure of a Cellist, Conta and Bohme, Germany late C19th
Price: £55
This is an amusing ceramic figure of a cellist, seated with his instrument between his legs and a bow in his right hand. He wears a floral decorated tailcoat with brown knee breeches and a purple cap on his head. Below is a rectangular base with gilt decoration to the front. The composition is carefully modelled and finely painted, especially the detail to the face. The underneath has impressed marks, a shield device and the numbers ‘5313’ and ‘154’. The shield device, a small arm holding a dagger (see image 10), was used by the makers Conta and Bohme best known for the manufacture of ‘fairings', which were exported in large quantities to Britain and the USA in the late nineteenth century which is most likely the date of production of this figure. Sometimes this composition is found with a companion figure of a violinist, bearing the same shield mark but different numbers and it is most likely one of an original pair. But it can clearly stand on its own a good example of the decorative porcelains produced in Germany before the first World War.
Bird form ewer with cover, possibly Russian c1960
Price: £45
This is a very unusual large jug or ewer modelled in the stylised form of bird with a man riding on it. It appears to be Russian although there are no markings to confirm this.
Large suede pouch bag with concertina opening c1930
Price: £65
This is a wonderfully large handbag comprising a brown suede pouch with a brass opening. It is unlined.
Large Peking glass brooch c1940
Price: £55
This is a very dramatic brooch that features a very intricate copper setting set with a very large Peking glass stone. The setting has a blackened effect that is somehow Victorian and modern at the same time. Another find for vintage collectors.
Art Deco opaline glass necklace 1930s
Price: £125
This is a stunning strand of large tear drop opaline glass beads strung with conical silver beads. Opaline glass has been around since the 19th century and can be seen in jewellery from this time. These beads are of exceptional quality and appear to glow in both low light and daylight. There are flashes of pink and yellow that make these beads dance like they are lit from within. They are better quality than most authentic opals of this type. Has been fitted with a modern extender.
Fun vintage souvenir shell necklace 1960s
Price: £15
This is quite an intricately made necklace that would have been a souvenir piece in the 1960s. It comprises three types of shells that are woven together. It is difficult to name the shells unless you are an oceanographer (!) but the main type of shell is a flat and there are two other smaller shells with one artificially coloured green.
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Pink and yellow enamel butterfly brooch, Norway c1950
Price: £45
This is a very lovely quality guilloche enamel butterfly brooch in pink, yellow and lavendar. It is from Norway and can be attributed to Hroar Prydz but it is not marked with his mark so it could be from another workshop. This design was very popular so there would have been those who made similar designs. It is marked Sterling.
Pair of Wade green glazed Mermaid salts, 1950s
Price: £55
A pair of ceramic salts in the form of a slender organic urn, green glazed with moulded handles in the form of mermaids and moulded decoration of sea urchins, aquatic reeds and seaweed, the base unglazed and with a raised mark ‘Wade’ ‘England’.
Wade Ceramics Ltd was a manufacturer of porcelain and earthenware, headquartered in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Founded in 1867, it was run by various members of the Wade family until the death of George Anthony Wade in 1987 after which there was a succession of management buyouts. Despite substantial investment in 2009, the firm eventually went into administration in 2022. Wade produced a wide variety of ceramics, including the well known Wade Whimsies animal figurines.
This pair of salts is rather different to many of their productions and have a distinctly ‘Art Nouveau’ feel but, in fact, date to the 1950s when this particular format of the factory mark was used. It seems to be one of the rarer forms and pairs are even rarer still, so definitely one for Wade collectors!
Italian square Perfume Bottle with sommerso and confetti designs, second half C20th
Price: £55
An unusual perfume bottle and stopper, the body of square form with cut corners and edges, the stopper rectangular with similar edges and both with metal screw thread fittings for attachment. The decoration combines layers of clear and blue glass in the ‘sommerso’ technique enclosing panels of multi coloured glass in a confetti like pattern, while the stopper alternates blue faces with blue combined with clear glass, again in a ‘sommerso’ like technique. The practice of layering different colours of glass was very much a hallmark of the Murano glass studios and there are similarly shaped examples, albeit with different decoration, which appear to originate from them, so this might also be the case here. Almost certainly the work is Italian and, whoever the maker, there is certainly skill in the execution here and this attractive design is not commonly found. General style suggests a dating to the 1970s or 1980s.
Vintage Lacquer Box with an inset ceramic Shard, probably Persian C20th
Price: £25
A lacquer box of rounded square form with a concave, pillow form cover inset with a blue and white ceramic shard. The box is decorated with stylised scrolling foliage on a dark red ground and the ceramic fragment with a design of lotus flowers and clouds. The box was clearly designed to fit the shape of the shard which presumably derives from a vase of some form. Similar boxes are usually described as Chinese with inserts that are obviously Chinese as well, but the lacquer work on these looks more to be Persian and here, the ceramic fragment definitely has a Persian rather than Chinese style of decoration, suggesting that in this case, at least, both the box and its insert are, in fact, Persian. This was an ingenious way of recycling broken pieces of porcelain and these boxes seem to have been made as tourist souvenirs. Despite the aged appearance, dating is probably to the early to mid twentieth century.
Chinese Shoushan Soapstone Seal with the characters A.H., C20th
Price: £45
A Chinese soapstone Seal of slender square form, the top with a relief carved figure of a sage dressed in flowing robes and holding two scrolls in his left hand, set in a niche with a curved top, the base with two raised carved letters ‘A.H.’ The stone used here with its burnt orange, finely mottled surface is an example of ‘Shoushan’ soapstone which was very commonly used in the production of seals. It was mined in the Fujian province at or near the village of Shoushan in the North, from which it takes its name. Seals made from Shoushan stone in this burnt orange colouring, often found as pairs, were made from the nineteenth century onwards. The rather sketchy carving of the figure here suggests the mid to late twentieth century work, though, and, with its two European letters below, this was clearly a special commission. But the form and the quality of the material used are pleasing making this a useful addition to a collection of Chinese desk ornaments.
Scottish agate modernist brooch c1970
Price: £25
This is a striking brooch comprising a large agate stone set into an abstract shape. It is marked 925.
Charming Dog motif Earrings c1930
Price: £15
This are very unusual and charming pierced earrings with dog heads that appear to be beagles or some sort of hound. They are set with paste stones and faux pearls.
Fairing Figurine - The last in bed to put out the light, German, late Nineteenth Century
Price: £25
Fairing Figurine "The last in bed to put out the light". 'Fairings', as they are known, were ceramic figures made to be given out, sold or won as prizes at fairs, hence the name. They were a product of the late Victorian era but continued to be made until the beginning of the First World War when they fell out of fashion. Manufacture was in Germany principally by the firm Conta and Boehme who developed a mass production method that no other company could match, thereby achieving a market advantage. They exported large quantities to Britain and the United States, but their pieces have even been found in Australia along with other destinations.
The various figures were made in white glazed porcelain with coloured decoration. The compositions were sculptural and often accompanied by an inscription, as here. Many models are known. Two typical examples are 'Returning from the Ball' and 'Twelve Months after Marriage' but the most common example is represented here 'The last in bed to put out the light'. A couple are seen climbing into a covered bed at the foot of which stands a candle in a holder. These candles are usually broken off, most likely because of simple damage over the years but it has been suggested that this was done deliberately for good luck.
Some of the fairing figurines are marked, as here. The impressed number '2851' comes from the first series of figures produced by the Conta factory with numbers ranging from 2850 to 2899. The earlier examples do not have the shield mark found on most of the pieces which indicates an earlier dating here, more towards the middle of the nineteenth century.
Fairings have been collectors' items for many years now and still hold a naif charm which makes them appealing display items, with a history of their own.
Chinese Plate No 3 from the series Beauties of the Red Mansion, Jingdezhen, 1985
Price: £35
This is the third plate from the series ‘Beauties of the Red Mansion’ comprising twelve plates in all, produced by ‘Imperial Jingdezhen Porcelain’ and titled ‘Beauties of the Red Mansion’. The plates were designed by the master artisan Zhao Huimin and depict characters from the famous Chinese romance novel ‘The Dream of the Red Chamber’ or ‘The Story of the Stone’ written by Cao Xueqin during the Qing Dynasty. Each plate depicts one of the court lady characters which appear in the work (Pao-chai, Yuan-chun, Hsi-feng, Hsi-chun, Mao-yu, Ying-chun, Tai-yu, Li-wan, Ko-ching, Hsiang-yun, Tan-chun, Chiao-chieh), all renowned not only for their physical beauty but also for their complex personalities and roles in the narrative of the novel. The twelfth plate depicts Chiao-chieh, the daughter of Hsi-Feng who was eventually forced to abandon the luxury and wealth of court life as a result of the unscrupulous actions of her Mother. The plate has an elaborate inscription on the back along with the factory name and the date of production, 1985. While the work is detailed it is not hand done but seems to have been produced by some form of printing process. The ‘micro dot’ detail of this can be seen in some of the images. The plate comes with its original box and descriptive leaflet which gives extensive background detail and a translation of the inscription on the reverse. These are not always found, making this an interesting collector’s item.
Native American Zuni silver cuff bracelet c1970
Price: £125
This is a stunning bracelet made by Zuni silversmiths in the area of New Mexico. It comprises a large mosaic of turquoise, mother of pearl and coral that is indicative of Zuni design and work. This mosaic is set into a silver halo of a flower and leaves, also a typical design. It is marked Sterling 925
Silver and marcasite statement brooch, 1956
Price: £125
This is a real showstopper of a brooch. It is very large in a floral spray and ribbon design. It has numerous silver marks including an English import mark from 1956. The other marks indicate that it is most likely continental possibly Belgian or Swiss.
What stands out with this brooch is the quality of the workmanship. It is encrusted with hundreds of marcasite stones that are all prong set. There is not one missing stone. We get so used the costume versions of a brooch like this; it is such a pleasure to see an original.
Primitive studio pottery Flask and Cover, signed, possibly Allison Weightman, C20th
Price: £45
This is a primitive, almost rustic, stoneware flask and cover the body of rounded flattened ovoid form with a short neck and the stopper of an ill defined shape with notching at the top, matt glazed in browns and mustard with scratch pattern decoration and three irregular bands of splash glaze at the shoulder centre and base in blues, greens and browns, the glaze at the bottom dripping over onto the unglazed base and with an impressed mark. The mark seems to resemble that of the potter Allison Weightman (born 1963; see image 11) who specialises in decorative wares in raku, stoneware and porcelain and also sculptural wall pieces, for which this might have been a test piece since nothing else like it seems to be on the market at the moment. The illustration of her mark, which apparently depicts impressed sheep vertebrae at ‘British Studio Potters’ Marks’ by Eric Yates-Owen and Robert Fournier (2nd edition 2005 p526) is very similar to what we have here (see image 10) and while apparently ‘one off’ this flask is consistent with other pieces by her which have been described as follows ‘Allison creates hand-built vessels and forms that relate to her love of the natural environment. The rich depths to her glazes are achieved through her development of multi-layering and multi-firing the work she produces.’ (Edinburgh Design School website).
Wedgwood heart shape Boxes : Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
Price: £25
Two Wedgwood ‘jasperware’ heart shape boxes and covers, one dark and one pale blue, each with a cameo portrait medallion of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh within a wreath and two floral rosettes, Prince Philip identified by his name and the Queen celebrated for her silver jubilee in 1977. These boxes were produced as commemorative souvenirs of a reign which had reached twenty five years but was to see many more jubilees in the future. Wedgwood employed their classic ‘jasperware’ design with raised and modelled white decoration on a plain biscuit ground, here two contrasting shades of blue, although these boxes were made in both light and dark blue. While modest productions, the quality of these pieces well matches that of their predecessors and they are a collectible memento of one of the significant milestones of the longest reign in British history.
Victorian facetted amber bead necklace c1900
Price: £125
This is a lovely graduated honey coloured amber bead necklace. They are beautifully colour matched and are of excellent quality.
Victorian enamel buckle c1900
Price: £40
This is a lovely example of these buckles in a scrollwork design with bright enameling in turquoise and pinks. It is brass.
Chinese Soapstone Brushwasher decorated with flowering Lotus, early 20th Century
Price: £45
A Chinese soapstone Brushwasher, carved in high relief with two vase like vessels and a shallow bowl all surrounded by flowering lotus and set on a ground of stylised rockwork, the back flat carved and the base hollowed out at the interior. Various similar pieces can be found with one or more vases surrounded by flowers or sometimes animals and presumably intended as brushwashers. Soapstone was first used by the Chinese over three thousand years ago but began its popularity in the Ming dynasty (1368 -1644) with the height of production during the ensuing Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911) when a stone mined in the Shoushan village in northern Fujian was most commonly used. Shoushan soapstone is noted for its smooth texture, bright colours and fine grain and a wide variety of objects were carved from it. Production continued into the 20th Century which is what we have here but the quality of the work, with sparing use of the drill, suggests a dating in the early 1900s.
Arts and Crafts brass Tray with hammered decoration, early C20th
Price: £45
An oval brass tray polished at the front, the sunken centre with a broad flat rim, the interior decorated with a punched or ‘hammered’ design and the outer rim with six embossed stylised flowers, probably intended to represent lotus, the reverse unpolished. There are slightly hybrid design elements here. The general form draws on the aesthetic of the Arts and Crafts movement with its emphasis on simplicity of design and a slightly rustic appearance whereas the six flower heads with their flowing semi abstract design reflect more the style of Art Nouveau. The two design trends were partially contemporary, of course, and not dissimilar in their objectives so that there was sometimes an overlapping between the two. Unsigned, this tray was probably made as a modest decorative item for the home but it has an appeal of its own, even when set beside rather more grand productions. Dating is probably to the Edwardian period when this style was still very much in vogue.
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.