Hanley Ware circular bowl, Lancaster and Sons, 1920s
Price: £25
A shallow circular bowl of compressed form, the rim turning in at the top, decorated to the top exterior with a continuous polychrome transfer design depicting a rustic landscape scene edged in black on a yellow lustre ground which is repeated on the interior, the base glazed white, with a transfer mark ‘Made in England’ above a lion couchant, ‘L&Sons Ltd’ above a shield shape panel with ‘Hanley Eng’ below, and impressed numbers ‘216’
Lancaster & Sons Ltd were manufacturers of earthenware at the Dresden works, Tinkersclough, in the Shelton area of Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England. The firm was founded in 1899 under the name ‘Lancaster and Barker’ was renamed ‘Lancaster & Sons Ltd’ in the early 1900s and continued production until 1944. In the 1920s they produced various pieces with rural landscape scenes of which this is an example. Some see reminiscences of the ‘Arts and Crafts’ movement here but the mark found on the bottom clearly dates the piece to the 1920s. The yellow lustre glaze is interesting and free from the crazing sometimes found.
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 necessarily in good taste or not, the skill of the artist is evident and the detailed and colourful riverside scene is continued right inside the 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!
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.
Charming small amber pendant brooch set as an owl c2000
Price: £15
This is a very sweet small pendant brooch that is shaped like an owl with an amber belly. With full hallmarks and bail for pendant.
Chinese Crackleware Ginger Jar decorated with Warriors circa 1900
Price: £25
A Chinese Crackle glaze Ginger Jar of typical rounded ovoid form with a short neck, the beige ground with a feint and minute craquelure glaze and decorated in polychrome enamels with a continuous scene of a warrior on horseback with attendants, the shoulder and base with incised matt brown glaze bands intended to imitate bronze, the base with an apocryphal four character mark within a brown glaze square. Paste of the foot and style of decoration, in particular the rather coarsely decorated ‘bronze’ bands, suggest a circa date at the beginning of the twentieth century.
'Crackleware' glazed pieces, usually with 'bronzed’ bands, were a staple output of the Chinese potteries from the mid nineteenth century onwards and were produced in a wide variety of mainly vase shape forms, both in polychrome and blue and white and intended as decorative pieces for the Victorian rooms of the West. As with other ceramic types, the quality deteriorated and this piece is typical of the late productions with a more modest level of craftsmanship but still retaining a naif charm. As with many ginger jars, this one lacks its original domed cover which would have been decorated to match.
A silver filigree decorative Spoon with an openwork shell shape bowl, probably Scottish circa 1900
Price: £65
This is a delicately worked filigree spoon with an openwork bowl in the form of a shell with stylised leaves, the slender handle of rope twist design with thistle leaf terminals at either end and finished with a thistle flower. Of a decorative rather than practical design, the use of thistles suggests that this piece is Scottish; dating is probably around 1900 or the the early Edwardian period.
Pendant and chain commemorating 25 years of service at Ford, London 1965
Price: £35
This is quite an interesting item. It is a pendant with three generations of Ford men depicted in profile and it says 25 years. This appears to be a company gift to an employee who worked at Ford for 25 years. Presumably this is what the women received. The men probably received a gold watch and a promotion! This is silver with full marks for London 1965 with a makers mark PP & P.
Art Deco Scottish agate necklace
Price: £125
This is a very unusual necklace comprising carved stations of different Scottish agate stones, the stones are slightly graduated and are connected by gilt brass spring like connectors. With original screw clasp.
Russian Enamel Brooch, probably Rostov Finift, mid C20th
Price: £20
This delicate brooch with its elaborate filigree work has a circular painted enamel plaque painted in greens, pinks, light brown and yellow with scrolling lotus flowers and surrounded by fine silver decoration, with scrolling rope twist strands and slender milled ribbons inset with beads. The style and composition, combining enamel and silver work, is typical of the Russian maker ‘Rostov Finift’ (‘finift’ comes from the Greek ‘fingitis’ which means ‘gleaming’) many of whose pieces can be found on the market today. The art of painting on enamel was first developed in Rostov Veliky (125 miles northwest of Moscow) in the 18th century and continued thereafter with pieces of jewellery, made by Rostov Finift and in which enamels are surrounded by elaborate filigree work, appearing in quantity after the second World War. The pieces are not signed and attribution is mainly speculative but this brooch has much in common with other pieces believed to have been made by the same factory.
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.
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.
Amber statement necklace with round drops c1960
Price: £65
This is a really fun necklace comprising stations of large flat amber round beads that are honey coloured. They are strung as stations on brass fittings.
Taxco charm bracelet, makers mark Castelan, 1950s
Price: £85
This is a fun bracelet comprising a heavy curb chain mounted with charms that have a Mexican motif. It bears the marks 'Castelan' , Eagle mark 15, '925' 'Sterling'.
Art Deco rock crystal bead necklace
Price: £25
This a very unusual necklace comprising many different shaped beads made from rock crystal.
Victorian Whitby jet mourning brooch
Price: £75
This is a quite large brooch in a scroll work design and Greek key edging. It is Whitby jet a fossilised wood stone that is from the Jurassic period that is found in the North York moors in northern England. Whitby jet was the main material for mourning jewellery during the Victorian age for obvious reasons.
French cockerel brooch 1920s
Price: £75
This is a very striking large brooch in hand worked brass with enamelled feathers, head and feet. It is very cleverly made to give you the effect of many voluminous tail feathers.
Victorian Rolled Gold Necklace with Pendants, late C19th
Price: £45
This is an interesting necklace made from rolled gold (in which a thin layer of gold is applied to a baser metal) and comprising a linked chain from which are suspended a facetted rose de france amethyst bead in the shape of a heart, a ‘lucky bean’, a framed portrait medallion and a miniature whistle (that works!). The choice of the pendant ‘charms’ is not wholly clear. While the heart has an obvious meaning and the bean shape denotes good fortune (during the Victorian and Edwardian eras, beans washed up on the seashore which then went on to germinate were regarded as infused with good luck), both of which might well been associated with the young lady whose portrait photo can be seen, the significance of the whistle is not certain and was perhaps only known to the wearer. A piece of evocative nostalgia then for collectors of Victorian decorative jewellery.
Vintage Brass Pocket Case with a lid, probably a Vesta case for Matches, circa 1900
Price: £55
A small brass case with a hinged lid of irregular rectangular form decorated in high relief repoussé tecnique with a devil’s head encircled by a snake whose scaly tail continues onto the lid. Repoussé work is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief. Other examples of these cases are known with a similar shape and technique and even the devil and snake motif. It is more than likely that this case was designed for matches, the so called 'Vesta Case' of which there is another example in this auction. Like that piece it is fitted with a ring, presumably to allow it to be attached to a watch chain. But other uses could have been intended, possibly for business or visiting cards (the Victorian calling card was much smaller) or perhaps for pills. The style of decoration very much recalls 'Arts and Crafts' pieces made around 1900 and a similar dating seems likely here.
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.
LOT 9
Large Shelley Harmony Ware Vase glazed in blue and grey, 1930s
Estimate: £40 – 60
5d 6h 2m
£26.00
West German Studio Pottery Vase, Scheurich, 1960s
Price: £35
A ceramic vase of near cylindrical form, the body tapering slightly outwards towards the base and incurving towards the foot, the sharply defined shoulder below a compressed circular rim, the whole decorated in shades of yellow and brown with a wide variety of glaze effects including speckle and craquelure. The base has moulded marks reading ‘XX-XX’ and ‘W.GERMANY’ indicating the firm ‘Scheurich Keramik’ which started production in 1954, rather later than most of its competitors, but soon became the largest producer of commercial art pottery in Germany. Their pieces rarely carried the factory name but usually the model number followed by the height in centimetres with ‘W.Germany’ below, as here. Scheurich were well known for producing a wide variety of pieces with variegated, almost experimental glazes and this vase is a particularly successful example of their work with a well balanced selection of colours and interesting glaze effects.
Two American Polychrome Enamel Bracelets decorated with Kabuki Masks, 1980s
Price: £20
Two American polychrome enamel bracelets decorated with Kabuki masks on contrasting blue and red enamel grounds, each with spring loaded hinges, 1980s
Scottish silver ring inset with a Chalcedony stone, 1950s
Price: £45
A Scottish silver ring with a thistle design, inset with a Chalcedony stone, marked ‘silver’ to the interior, 1950s.
Italian silver Cuff Bangle with chainmail decoration, modern
Price: £30
An Italian silver cuff bangle, heavily cast with a chain mail design, the interior marked 925, modern
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.
Silver cuff bracelet set with Scottish banded carnelian stone, Birmingham 1975
Price: £85
This is a very striking bracelet set with a very large Scottish.banded canelian stone. The setting is a very simple and elegant three band design. Bears full silver marks for Birmingham 1975. The makers mark is AP.
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!
Two Corgi Silver Jubilee Toys Boxed, (41) State Landau, (417) London Bus, 1977
Price: £45
The silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977 stimulated the production of a near avalanche of commemorative items. Mettoy, the manufacturers of the well known brand of Corgi toys, played their part in this producing a model of the 1902 state landau used in the royal processions and an accompanying model of a silver jubilee London bus with its special silver livery colour. The state landau is an example of their rather more ambitious pieces with the carriage rendered in great detail and the figures of the Queen and Prince Philip realistically modelled. The designer also allowed himself to include a corgi dog, appropriate for two quite distinct reasons. The bus is a typical example of the ‘Corgi Toys’ collected by so many during the years of their production and indeed thereafter. The typical ‘Corgi Toy’ was finely cast with detailed modelling and colouring accurately reflecting the features of its original. The two together, then, complete with their original boxes and in in good condition are a souvenir in themselves of a whole area of collecting.
Art Deco Czech glass necklace with enamel and glass stones, 1930s
Price: £45
This is a stunning statement necklace that is typical of Czech glass jewellery. It is inset with stones to emulate aquamarine. It also has unusual enamel work set on an architectural design that is quintessentially Art Deco. It is brass that would have been more gold in colour in its time.
Chinese Cloisonné Bowl with a wavy edge, 20th Century
Price: £25
A Chinese Cloisonné Bowl of shallow form with a short gilt metal foot and a wavy edge rim also finished in gilt metal, decorated with peony and rocks and a flying bird in bold polychrome enamels with shading effects on a black ground with a gilt wire design of repeating small stylised clouds, the base finished in blue enamel. The style of decoration suggests a circa date in the first half of the twentieth century.
Art Deco Chinese Export silver Buckle later converted to a Necklace
Price: £125
This is a beautiful necklace comprising a very detailed silver buckle that depicts a sinuous dragon encricling the characters for "Blessing", It has been converted to a necklace using a period belcher chain. Full import marks to the reverse and marked Silver.
Victorian Indian paste pendant
Price: £55
This is a very large pendant that was made in India for European taste. It comprises numerous paste stones surrounding a very large paste pear shaped stone, set in brass. The design is typical of the Victorian era with scroll work and fleur-de-lis. With rock crystal bead drops, the chain not included.
Butler and Wilson Skull Necklace, boxed, modern
Price: £125
There is certainly a hint of the macabre in this ‘halloween’ necklace made by the well known British firm, Butler and Wilson. Founded by Nicky Butler and Simon Wilson in 1969 and initially trading from the once famous Antiquarius antiques market in Chelsea, the company is best-known for its crystal costume jewellery and their pieces have been worn by celebrities and even members of the Royal Family. The firm still trades today and their current range does include a number of skull design pieces but this necklace is around 15 years old. Silver metal and crystals are used to create five skull heads, the largest acting as a pendant with five skull drops. These are linked by a chain which terminates in a spring closure which has a circular medallion embossed with the firm’s name. The necklace comes with its original box which remains in excellent condition. Not perhaps to everyone’s taste but certainly a statement accessory!
Vintage Carved wood bust of a Lady, Bali, Indonesia, second half C20th
Price: £75
A finely carved wood bust with a rich patina and veining of a young woman wearing traditional headdress. The style of this piece indicates that it was the work of a Balinese craftsman. The island of Bali in Indonesia has a rich tradition of wood carving dating back hundreds of years. Known in the Balinese language as 'Batuan', wood carving has its roots in Bali's
Hindu-Buddhist culture. Typically, the pieces are made from hardwoods with a coarse grain including teak, chempaka wood and sandalwood. The decorative grain effects here, though, suggest mahogany and the highly polished finish is quite striking and far less commonly found today. Dating is probably to the 1960s but the aura of calm contemplation recalls Chinese pieces of an earlier era.
Sowerby Blue Glass Footed Bowl, 1930s/1940s
Price: £25
A pressed blue glass bowl with ribbed sides and four spreading feet, made by the firm Sowerby of Gateshead. Other examples exist with their label mark attached and the style of this piece points to a manufacture date in the 1930s or 1940s. It is a clear reflection of the Art Deco designs produced at that time.
The Sowerby family came from the North West of England near Carlisle and settled in Gateshead in the late eighteenth century. The firm Sowerby Glassworks is known from 1807 onwards and continued production until 1972, concentrating on pressed glass. Catalogues of their wares still exist and they produced pieces in a wide variety of styles and shapes which retain their popularity today.
Tigers Eye bracelet with a large central carved dragon bead, certificate for 2012
Price: £15
This is a very striking bracelet comprising very high quality tigers eye beads and a carved dragon. It comes with original certificate of authenticity dated 2012 from Thailand.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS FREE UK SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM. For international buyers the shipping cost will be reduced by the UK shipping cost, so don't worry if you are outside the UK, you still receive this benefit!
Chinese cord bracelet with jade stones carved as fish
Price: £15
This is a modern bracelet comprising six carved fish beads interspersed with round beads. it is on a typical adjustable cord.
Very unusual banded carnelian panel bracelet
Price: £45
This is a very striking bracelet comprising six large banded carnelian panels interspersed with carnelian beads on typical stretch elastic. This is especially beautiful because the stones have natural inclusions. The origin of this bracelet is not clear. Could be Scottish or possibly Chinese.
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 Gentlemans trinket dish with coat of arms
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 very likely 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.,
Chinese agate carving with onyx beads, 20th century
Price: £35
This necklace is a lovely design with a large carved banded agate carving. It is paired with onyx beads and agate beads. It is elegant and undestated due to the monochrome palette but definitely makes a statement.
A Pair of African Ebony Wood Makonde Style Carved Figures, probably late C20th
Price: £55
A Pair of African Ebony Wood Makonde Style Carved Figures of a Man and a Woman, probably late C20th
This pair of wood figures represents a man (left) and a woman (right) carved in a semi abstract and elongated style. Both are dressed in flowing robes, the lady’s pulled away to expose her right breast. The man holds a stylised shield and the lady a stylised musical instrument as indicators of their gender and the lady is slightly more ornately dressed with a necklace collar and bangles at her hands and ankles. Both are represented with the stretched earlobes typical of the Maasai people. The weight, graining and dark highly polished surface of the wood sugests ebony which became the preferred material for wood carving of the Makonde people after the 1930s when their art began to attract the attention of Western collectors.
Maasai and Makonde are ethnic terms used to describe African peoples who live in Tanzania, Mozamique and Kenya, with their own distinctive languages, culture and art. This pair of figures is typical of the wood carvings produced by their craftsmen in the second half of the twentieth century but their quality and size is well above average, the ebony wood finely rendered with much attention to detail and finished with a highly attractive glossy patina. The two figures complement one another well, their heads slightly turned to face one another with their legs turned slightly outwards and their robes flowing almost in mirror image. The abstract style makes them well suited to a contemporary interior where they could prove a striking accessory.
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.
Japanese Celadon Ground Tazza with Chinese Nanking decoration, late C19th
Price: £25
This is an unusual and hybrid piece combining elements of both Japanese and Chinese decoration. The stoutly potted footed bowl, or tazza, is Japanese porcelain employing a fine quality stone like clay, visible on the underneath of the three feet, often found in these celadon glazed pieces made for export towards the end of the nineteenth century. The pedestal feet support a stubby bulbous column which in turn supports the circular serving dish on top. The underside of the dish has moulded decoration and its edge is slightly shaped. The celadon glaze is enhanced with blue and white decoration and the dish itself is wholly decorated in blue and white with a landscape scene closely resembling the designs on Chinese export wares of the late eighteenth century (see the previous lot in this sale for a typical example) and often known as ‘Nanking’ ware in Europe, Nanking being the Chinese port from which it was shipped to the West. The elaborate border with cell and diaper work and stylised flowers also copies the Chinese exemplar. The shape is a Japanese interpretation of a European form and was clearly intended as a serving dish, perhaps for a small desert service of pieces in a similar pattern, but it can stand on its own today as a piece both decorative and practical.
A set of three Brass Lizards, Peerage Brass, England 1930s
Price: £55
A set of three brass lizards, naturalistically modelled with crouching feet and sinuous tails, the largest with its head slightly raised and turned to the left and all with carefully punched decoration representing the skin. One of them bears a mark in which the letters 'p' 'e' 'e' and a further 'e' at the end can be made out above 'ENGLAND'. This indicates the English manufacturer 'Peerage Brass' which is known to have commenced in business before 1900 and made original copper & brass ware, with the height of production between 1910 and the 1940's. Their aim was quality period reproductions which were occasionally marked. Peerage Brass became the brand name after World War II until the trademark lapsed in 1991. The format of the mark here, then, with just the wording 'peerage', indicates a date before the second world war probably in the 1930s. The weight of the brass and the quality of the casting and modelling indicate that the factory certainly attained its goal here. While obviously decorative these animals may well have been intended as desk items, the two smallest perhaps as paperweights. Even larger examples are known and these probably acted as doorstops.
Fabulous necklace with hanging articulated fish pendant 20th century
Price: £125
This is a very unusual necklace comprising a pendant with two identical silver articulated fish that are engraved to resemble scales and tail. They are on a very fine herringbone chain. Both fish have full English hallmarks that are so small they seem illegible. Maybe your eagle eyes will have more luck. :) The chain and pendant have been "married" so did not originally come together.
Necklace with FA cup pendant, Alexander Clark Co. 1976
Price: £85
This is a very unusual necklace that has a large silver pendant in the form of what appears to be the FA cup, or the The Football Association Challenge Cup which is a big thing in Britain. It is very finely made with full English hallmarks for London, 1976, makers mark Alexander Clark Co.
Victorian Grand Tour Wedding Cake glass necklace
Price: £125
These glass beads are very unusual due to their age and condition. It is a perfectly graduated set of 25 beads with original brass findings. These beads are gold in colour decorated with detailed floral and scroll work. The stations are interspersed with amber glass spacer beads.
Dresden style model of a Coach and Horses, probably German early C20th
Price: £75
This is a spirited ceramic model of a Coach and Horses, the coachman himself seated at the front of the carriage with two outriders at the front and back, while inside sits a lady clearly dressed for a ball to which she is presumably being conveyed. A sense of urgency and speed is artfully conveyed, the coachman’s cloak billowing behind him, the outriders’ horses prancing and the carriage horses themselves straining at the reins (now lost) as they speed the vehicle along. The composition sits on a rococo style base with scrolling foliage which complements it well. Considerable care was taken in the manufacture of this piece which has miraculously survived undamaged apart from the loss of the original fitments which would have been made from cotton rope or wire. The detail of the modelling speaks for itself with the addition of the passenger figure cunningly placed inside the carriage. Many German factories made these ‘coach and horse’ models in the late C19th and early C20th and some of their pieces are marked which helps with identification. For all of them the style is clearly ‘Dresden’. Italian ‘Capodimonte’ (see Lot XX) examples also exist but the paste and finish of the base here does suggest German work and the ‘brassy’ effect of the gilding an early C20th dating. Clearly a shelf or mantelpiece ornament designed to be seen best from the front and an item of immediate and obvious appeal both to a contemporary and current audience.
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.
Early Egyptian Revival necklace with ruby glass stones c1900
Price: £175
This is a very rare necklace that has an intricate design with Egyptian motifs throughout. There are ruby glass stations that culminate into a multi strand design ending in a large pendant with Tutankhamun flanked by two large ruby paste glass stones. It is most likely French or Belgian.
Two Burmese Textiles, mid C20th
Price: £55
A pair of Burmese wall hangings, heavily embroidered with circular panels, one depicting the ‘Burmese Lion’ and the other two fish, both elements in the Burmese Signs of the Zodiac, which follow the Western Zodiac closely, suggesting that these two hangings may derive from an original set of twelve, the decoration sewn onto a brown fabric backing which forms the border.
The distinctive style of embroidery and applied work here is typical of Burmese work known as ‘Kalaga’ which means ‘curtain’ in Burmese and is used to refer to heavily embroidered appliqué tapestry sewn with a technique called ‘shwe gyi do’. First produced around 150 years ago, Kalagas are generally linen, silk, cotton or velvet background fabrics embellished with sequins, embroidery, beads, coloured stones, tiny pearls, coral, braids and metal threads, the choice of materials depending in part on the client’s budget. Cotton padding was used to produce the ‘3D’ effect seen here and on many other examples of the work. The elaborate decoration meant that some of the larger pieces could take many months to produce. These two panels are an excellent example of the genre with the lavish use of gold thread. They have survived in excellent condition and can decorate an interior today in the same way that they graced the interiors of the makers’ contemporaries. Dating is difficult and a mid C20th attribution is probably sensible but an earlier period of manufacture is quite possible.
Statement fob brooch with large faux citrine drop c1950
Price: £15
This is a very unusual brooch featuring very detailed gilt metal elements that have a hanging fob that has a large faux citrine. It is a three dimensional cushion shaped drop with a wreath and basket weave design on the back.
Black glass apple pendant on a long chain, 1980s
Price: £10
This is an amusing necklace comprising a black glass pendant in the form of an apple mounted with a leaf with diamante stones and suspended from a long complementary chain.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS FREE UK SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM. For international buyers the shipping cost will be reduced by the UK shipping cost, so don't worry if you are outside the UK, you still receive this benefit!
Art Deco Scottish bloodstone brooch
Price: £25
This a petite brooch comprising one piece of work bloodstone.
Graduated set of Three Chinese Blue and White Ginger Jars and Covers, 20th Century
Price: £45
A set of three Chinese Blue and White Miniature Ginger Jars and Covers of graduated sizes and typical form with globular bodies and domed covers, decorated in the 'Ming Style' in underglaze blue with lotus heads and stylised scrolling foliage, a band of lotus form panels to the base and ju'i form lappets to the neck, the design repeated on the cover.
Although of relatively recent manufacture, the quality of these pieces continues the Chinese ceramic productions of the late nineteenth century and together they form an attractive decorative ensemble for the contemporary interior.
Chinese Small Blue and White Potiche and Cover with wood stand, late C20th
Price: £45
A small Chinese porcelain potiche and cover, the straight sides curving out slightly to the top and the overhanging lid slightly domed with a wide knob finial, decorated in underglaze blue and white with a continuous scene of birds and flowers and rocks, the flowers repeated on the lid as floral sprays. The design here is unusual for Chinese ceramics and rather ‘modern’ in appearance which fits with a probable dating to the late twentieth century. While the porcelain is of good quality the paste of the foot suggests fairly recent manufacture (see image 9) and the painting appears to depend partly on stencilled outlines (see especially the bird in the first image). But the wood stand suggests at least some age and the ensemble can be enjoyed its own right as a modest decorative item with the potential for practical use.
Gilt decorated English porcelain powder box and cover, probably mid C20th
Price: £15
This is a large English porcelain powder box and cover, the circular body with a shallow domed cover, the surface glazed white with elaborate gilt decoration of embossed stylised floral bands with stylised floral gilt borders above and below. The base is unmarked but the paste of the foot suggests English manufacture and the rich gilt decoration reflects that of dinner services produced by some of the well known twentieth century porcelain producers, Minton in particular.
Large Art Nouveau enamel and silver brooch c1910
Price: £150
This is a large brooch meant to be worn on high necked dresses in an Art Nouveau design. It is continental silver with enamel depicting a brightly coloured moth. Unmarked with safety chain.
Scheurich West German Vase in Brutalist Style, late C20th
Price: £55
A ceramic vase or ewer, the body of upright cylindrical form, the neck very slightly narrowing above the pronounced shoulder towards the galleried rim, a simple loop handle to the reverse, the interior glazed dark brown and the exterior with a mottled brown glaze with geometric relief decoration in a style often termed ‘brutalist’, the base also glazed and with relief marks ‘407-35’ (pattern number plus size in centimetres) and ‘W.Germany’.
Although not marked with their name (few pieces were until the later years of production) this vase has all the hallmarks of the Scheurich factory founded in 1954 by Alois Scheurich who had been a partner before then in the firm ‘Scheurich and Greulich’ (S&G) since 1927. While founded later than many of its competitors, Scheurich grew to become the principal exporter of West German ceramics through until the 1980s and beyond, making vases in a wide variety of shapes and designs. This piece is rather more austere than many of their productions and the clean lines of the form combined with the rather stark decoration perhaps make it particularly suitable for a contemporary interior.
Art Deco French jet and pearl necklace c1940
Price: £40
This is a wonderful and unique necklace comprising square stations of faux pearls ending with 6 strands of French jet beads. This really is an Art Deco find for the collectors.
Unusual Victorian style earrings
Price: £15
This is quite an usual pair of earring in the Victorian style made in the 1920s, They have a typical Victorian lyre shape with a bow. The unusual part is that they have beautiful enamel medallions that are Yin and Yang symbols. They are gilt brass and were modest costume jewellery in their time.
English silver filigree floral necklace
Price: £35
This is a lovely filigree necklace comprising 17 small floral filigree stations. Unmarked silver
Stunning opera length string of rock crystal beads
Price: £35
This is a very long strand of approximately 95 graduating facetted rock crystal beads that have been recently restrung using pink cord. This necklace is difficult to date but judging form the type of beads it is most likely early 20th century or could be Victorian.
Japanese Celadon glaze vase with enamel decoration, late C19th
Price: £25
A Japanese vase of ovoid form with a short slightly concave neck, the celadon glaze with raised enamel decoration in green, white and pink of flowering peony, the base glazed in white. Many pieces of enameled celadon ware were produced by the Japanese potters for export to the West in a variety of forms including vases, jardinieres and garden seats, the latter implying, perhaps, a destination of the conservatory. Their appeal is obvious and the work is of high quality. This vase, one, no doubt, of an original pair is a typical example with its rich celadon glaze enhanced by the floral decoration. Dating is most likely towards the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912) around 1900. The provenance of these pieces is uncertain, although sometimes Seto ware, better known for its productions in blue and white, is suggested.
Victorian set of matched Scottish agate beads c. 1880
Price: £450
These are an incredibly rare set of large graduated matching Scottish agate beads restrung with a 9k gold clasp and clear spacer beads. Matched sets like this come at quite a premium and can fetch eye watering prices. It is a very fine example of beads like this.
Art Deco necklace with large green glass pendant 1930s
Price: £85
This is a very striking necklace comprising green glass bead stations ending in a massive green paste stone. The element are gilt metai. Most likely it is French.
A Pair of African Carved Wood Figure Head Plaques, C20th
Price: £45
A pair of carved wood plaques depicting the heads of a man and a woman and carved in a semi abstract style with black coloured detailing to the hair and facial features and marked ‘O’ ‘B’ to the reverse. The style of these and other similar pieces suggests African work but the provenance is uncertain. Both Senegal and Ghana are sometimes mentioned. These are certainly striking examples and probably date to the late C20th.
Japanese Kutani Shell Shape Dish, circa 1880
Price: £45
A Japanese Kutani dish in the form of a shell with typical modelled ribbing to the front and finely decorated in iron red, sepia, grisaille and gold with three shell shape panels filled with birds
and flowers (peony and chrysanthemum) on an iron red ground with stylised gilt foliage with, in addition, roundel and part roundel shape panels with gilt floral patterns, the reverse plain
and with a two character mark 'Ku' 'Tani' to the centre.
Kutani (the word means 'nine valleys') porcelain was made at various factories in the former Kaga province of Japan. The earliest pieces were in a completely different style employing a palette of colours emphasising green, the so called 'Ko Kutani'. Production of this ceased around 1730, and manufacturing was not revived until the early nineteenth century when the more familiar colourings of iron red and gold were introduced. Many pieces were exported to the West in a variety of forms including vases and wall plates. This shell dish is more unusual; the shape is more normally found in Chinese ceramics. Perhaps one of an original pair, this dish, like its Chinese counterparts, was probably intended as a serving dish and could even be used as such today although it can well stand as a decorative item.
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.
Pair of Taxco Mexican silver earrings, c1980
Price: £75
This is a stunning pair of earrings comprising large oval malachite stones set in silver with beading and rope twist work around the edge. They are from Taxco, the silver district in Mexico, and date to the 1980s. Marked 'Mexico', 'TZ-16', '925', they have been adapted from clip to post earrings to make them more easily wearable.
American Art Deco silver and marcasite brooch
Price: £35
This is a very interesting brooch in an Art Deco architectural design. It comprises marcasite and paste stones set into silver. It is marked Sterling which indicates that it is American. A real find the vintage collector.
Studio Pottery Vase with Robin’s Egg Glaze marked Zambia, Modern
Price: £30
This is a stoneware vase, the pear shape body with a slender concave neck and flaring rim, covered overall with a mottled blue glaze closely imitating the Chinese ‘Robin’s Egg’ effects which extends to the interior, the foot rim unglazed and the lightly glazed base with incised marks ‘ZAMBIA’ ‘BJ’ above and (?) ‘R’ below. The stoneware body aside (and, of course the marks at the base) this vase could almost have originated in China both in respect of its shape and its glaze which almost exactly copies the Robin’s Egg colourings produced by the Chinese potters, a glaze which originated in the eighteenth century and employed the technique of blowing turquoise onto a blue glaze base to produce mottled effects. But the studio potters based England in the early to mid twentieth century often turned to their Oriental counterparts for inspiration and when studio pottery was developed in Zambia in later years, partly with the assistance of visiting European artists, it was no surprise that this influence should be repeated. Zambia now has its own tradition of studio pottery and other pieces are found marked with the country of origin just as this one is. The potters must remain largely unknown to us, despite their signature marks, but this vase shows that they are capable of producing pieces of high quality, both collectible for students of studio ceramics and decorative in their own right.
Paris tourist novelty bracelet c1970
Price: £15
This is a fun bracelet in a tarnished silver finish. It depicts Parisian landmarks and the city's coat of arms. They have a 3D effect which is interesting.
LOT 18
Yellow ground Bursley Ware Dragon Bowl by Frederick Rhead, circa 1920
Estimate: £40 – 60
5d 6h 20m
£26.00
Victorian ladies watch chain c1900
Price: £40
This is a lovely chain comprising different silver stations with engraved details with an Albert clasp. Can be easily used as a bracelet or part of a necklace. Clasp is marked Sterling 925
Pair of Art Deco style Wall Pocket Vases, Poole Pottery, mid C20th
Price: £55
A pair of wall pocket vases of urn form with scrolling handles, a crimped base and a scalloped top, the backs flat with one pierced hole for hanging, kiln spur marks and impressed marks ‘POOLE ENGLAND’ ‘879’ and a stamped mark ‘C 54’, both glazed in shades of cream and brown. Poole Pottery began production in 1873 and continued into and throughout the twentieth century, suffering vicissitudes and even periods of liquidation in more recent years but still continuing production to this day. The design of these wall pockets has an Art Deco feel and may have been originally created in the 1930s but was still being made into the 1950s. The two colour or ‘twintone’ decoration was also first produced in the 1930s and the form of the marks here, where the just the factory name appears without the ubiquitous dolphin, may well indicate a pre war rather than post war dating. The impressed numbers indicate the model number and the stamped mark the colour scheme. Pairs of these wall pockets in good condition are not often found and the particular colour range here, which is rather pleasing, is unusual. Desirable items, then for collectors of Poole Pottery but also with a general decorative appeal.
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.
Cherry amber Bakelite necklace, Germany 1920s
Price: £125
This is a very beautiful necklace comprising graduated bright and clear facetted cherry amber Bakelite beads, strung with braided and knotted orange thread and with a spring ring clasp. These necklaces are quite rare and the clear red colour here, enriched by the faceting, is one of the most desirable.
Exceptional strand of Scottish Moss agate beads
Price: £45
This is a lovely example of these Art Deco beads as they have very clear stones where the inclusions are bright and noticeable. They are graduated with a silver clasp.
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.
Victorian enamel buckle c1900
Price: £45
This is a lovely example of these buckles in a scrollwork design with bright enameling in turquoise and pinks. It is brass.
LOT 17
Framed poster for Victor Bicycles, Overman Wheel Company, C20th
Estimate: £40 – 60
12d 6h 18m
£0.00
Pink porcelain powder box, Radnor Bone China, English Staffordshire, 1950s
Price: £15
This is an attractive porcelain powder box and cover, the circular body in pink fitted with a matching cover mounted with a delicately modelled floral spray, yellow petals with green and blue below, both the box and cover with gilt rims, the base marked ‘HB’ within a crown, ‘Hand Made’, ‘RADNOR’, ‘Bone China’, ‘Staffordshire’, ‘England’, all within a floral border.
Radnor was the trade name used by Hall Bros (Longton) Ltd. Hall Brothers was a China manufacturer based at the Radnor Works, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, England which traded from 1947 until its liquidation in 1972. It produced figures, birds, toby jugs and floral ware, mainly small porcelain boxes which were distinguished by their decoration of finely modelled flowers (see image XX for an advert from the 1960s). This box is a typical example and survives in excellent condition with just a very small amount of near inevitable damage to the petals.
Chinese Reverse Painted Glass Globe depicting tigers, Modern
Price: £45
A Chinese Glass globe with thick walls, hollow inside and with a round opening at the base, reverse painted in great detail with three tigers in a landscape setting with bamboo, the base with an inscription 'Dick and Sadie'. Reverse painting is a technique often used by the Chinese for the decoration of snuff bottles where the brush is inserted through the opening at the top and the decoration applied. Here the decorative technique has been used on a rather larger object but with no diminution in the skill of the craftsman indeed the much larger 'canvas' must have proved quite demanding. By repute the decorators require at least one day to create a single example. Heavy and of extremely high quality glass, these pieces, of which various examples are known (there is another one as the following lot to this) may have been intended as paperweights or more likely simply as decorative objects. Some are found with modern wood stands. This piece is sold with a contemporary illuminated stand which, when lit, serves to enhance the decorative effect (see image 8).
Brass and Enamel Campaign Serving Set, Made in British India mark, 1920s
Price: £45
This is an attractive set of three small serving dishes, presumably for sweetmeats or cakes, hinged to fold flat and be used as a travelling or 'campaign' item. The central dish rotates around a pivot which can be tightened to hold it in position when open and the side dishes drop down in alignment. The brass body is decorated in relief modelled enamels with stylised floral designs in red, blue, turquoise and cream typical of Anglo British work in the early 20th century. Each of the dishes and the hinges are marked '2.6' and the two outer dishes are stamped 'Made in British India' in addition.
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.
Vintage Gilt Metal Powder Box with a Tapestry Panel, probably French, 1930s
Price: £10
A gilt metal powder box with embossed niello work designs in a variety of repeating stylised floral patterns, three paw feet to the base and the lid with a glazed tapestry panel depicting a floral spray of peony and lotus, opening to reveal a mirror on the underside of the cover and a container for the powder with a fine gauze sifter. The work resembles similar pieces in the French 'Hollywood' style of the 1930s and a similar provenance and dating is likely here.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS FREE UK SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM. For international buyers the shipping cost will be reduced by the UK shipping cost, so don't worry if you are outside the UK, you still receive this benefit!
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.
Japanese satsuma style match stick holder c1940
Price: £45
This is a lovely little figure of a Japanese man holding a vessel that is used to hold matches. It is done in a satsuma style motif and is marked Made in Japan on the bottom. A lovely souvenir from a trip long ago.
Long Art Nouveau necklace with multiple drops c1930
Price: £75
This is a very elegant long necklace that has central pendant suspended from a web of glass beads with two corresponding plaques on the sides. It has brass and glass elements with no clasp as it is an over the head design.
Large Islamic silver necklace with heart shaped box c1920
Price: £85
This is a very large statement necklace comprising a detailed pendant that is a tubular piece set with malachites stones with handing drops. There is a very large hard shaped pendant attached that is a box with a red fabric interior. This may have some religious signficance such as a prayer box. This is set with beautiful agate stone that is also heart shaped. The pandant has filigree work on both the pieces of the pendant. It comes with its original herringbone style chain. This does not appear to be silver like the pendant. The pendant is 800 silver so a slightly lower grade fo 925 or sterling silver.
Chinese Reverse Painted Glass Globe depicting deities and attendants, Modern
Price: £45
A Chinese Glass globe with thick walls, hollow inside and with a round opening at the base, reverse painted in great detail with deities and attendants amidst clouds, an eight character inscription to the side with a small red seal mark. Reverse painting is a technique often used by the Chinese for the decoration of snuff bottles where the brush is inserted through the opening at the top and the decoration applied. Here the decorative technique has been used on a rather larger object but with no diminution in the skill of the craftsman indeed the much larger 'canvas' must have proved quite demanding. By repute the decorators require at least one day to create a single example. Heavy, but a little lighter than the previous lot (41), and of extremely high quality glass, these pieces, of which various examples are known (there is another one as the previous lot to this) may have been intended as paperweights or more likely simply as decorative objects. Some are found with modern wood stands. This piece is sold with a contemporary illuminated stand which, when lit, serves to enhance the decorative effect (see image 6).
Stunning suite of necklace and bracelet by Hobe 1950s,
Price: £350
This is a beautiful set of necklace and earrings be Hobe, one of the most collected makers around. It comprised a large statement necklace with three strands of large glass bead stations in amber and black glass with gold tone fittings. One of the most striking parts of both the necklace and bracelet is the corresponding clasp on each that is a large black stone surrounded by the amber glass stones that perfectly complement the piece. This also means that it can be work with hair up or hair that is in a shorter style. The bracelet has the same elements as the necklace. Both are marked Hobe. It is worth noting that these are in pristine condition which makes them all the more rare. All the findings are original.
Hobe was founded in 1887 by the French goldsmith Jacques Hobe as makers of fine jewellery. The costume jewellery division, Hobe Cie, was added 40 years later by his son, William Hobe, who brought the firm to America in 1927 and was commissioned by Flo Ziegfeld to design and manufacture jewellery for his Ziegfeld Follies costumes. By repute this is the origin of the expression costume jewellery. Production continued from the 1930s to the 1990s and the form of mark here suggests a more later dating within their range.
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.
Ring Tail Lizard Skin Minaudiere with a strap handle marked JD, 1930s
Price: £95
The Minaudière is a women's fashion accessory intended to substitute for an evening bag. A case with compartments, it allows storage for several items in a small space, such as a makeup compact, lipstick, watch, reading glasses, or keys.Minaudières appeared during the 1930s and their invention is attributed to Charles Arpels, of Van Cleef & Arpels, but many jewellers and haute couture designers have created their own models.
This example opens out on one side (the clasp is rather stiff) to reveal a mirror and two lidded powder compacts (complete with the guaze liners) and a holder for a comb (now missing) and on the other where there is a cigarette holder and a compartment presumably for matches. On the lid of this is a pouch doubtless intended as a purse. At the end is a pull out lipstick holder with a small strap and the piece hangs from a strap handle marked with the initials JD.
The piece is in remarkable condition for its age and recalls an era of elegance which a contemporary user might emulate on some special occasion.
West German Vase with drip glaze decoration, Scheurich, 1960s
Price: £45
A ceramic vase of upright cylindrical form with a compressed concave neck and a galleried rim, the cream coloured ground with light craquelure in places and with drip glaze decoration in shades of brown, the interior glazed brown and the cream coloured glazed base with moulded marks ‘517-30’ ‘W-GERMANY’.
Although not marked as such, this vase has all the hallmarks of the firm Scheurich Keramik which started production in 1954, rather later than most of its competitors, but soon became the largest producer of commercial art pottery in Germany. Their pieces rarely carried the factory name but usually the model number followed by the height in centimetres with ‘W-Germany’ below, as here. Model ‘517’ can be found in a variety of different glazes but the colourings here with the contrast between browns and cream are particularly successful. Dating is to the 1960s.
Small Art Deco wrist bag with Bakelite closure, French 1920s
Price: £35
This is a lovely small bag that is made from taffeta in the form of a gathered sack with a strap handle. The interesting feature is the large carved Bakelite closure in black and white. It is lined in a woollen fabric as the original lining, traces of which remain, has been removed as it must have degraded. Although quite small for today's requirements still quite usable and definitely a collectible piece!
Art deco style necklace with large blue stone c1970
Price: £50
This is a beautiful necklace in an Art Deco lariat design. It comprises one oval stone with a long hanging drop of a large blue stone. It has diamante encrusted stations all around. Unsigned.
