Victorian large 9ct gold brooch set with amber c1900
Price: £200
This is a very rare brooch comprising a very large oval piece of egg yolk amber with inclusions that show fossilised organisms. This is set in a typical Victorian 9ct gold setting. It is unmarked.
Massive natural coral beads
Price: £175
This is an unbelievable bit of set of graduated coral beads that are natural in both colour and shape. They are ready to be strung to your taste, either as a choker style like Iris Apfel or possibly to mix it with other beads. This size of bead does not come up often and they are only getting more rare.
Mille fiore bead flapper necklace c1930
Price: £95
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.
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.
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.
Pair of Capodimonte ceramic Wall Hanging Plaques, boy and girl praying, Italian 1960s
Price: £25
This is a charming pair of small ceramic wall plaques, the biscuit porcelain with a slight ivory tint, with moulded designs of a boy and a girl praying, their hair and robes carefully detailed, set in velvet covered oval frames with cording at the edge which also forms the loop hangers at the top. Near identical pieces often have a paper mark at the back reading ‘Porcellane Capodimonte’ ‘Made in Italy’ surrounding a crown device with an ‘N’ above. Capodimonte porcelain was first made at Naples, Italy, in the mid eighteenth century and was often marked with an ‘N’ and a crown above. The original factory was to enjoy a relatively short life but there were many imitators in the nineteenth century and beyond to the twentieth who freely used the Capodimonte name. This pair of plaques is a very modest and fairly recent (probably dating to the 1960s) example of these ‘Capodimonte’ wares but nonetheless have a distinct appeal of their own.
Framed Picture of Two Elephants signed Mary Beth Zeitz and dated 2003
Price: £25
This attractive composition was, in fact, drawn on a serviette as the label at the back indicates and can easily be seen from the material itself. Depicted are a pair of confronting elephants with colourful saddle hangings and open top howdahs. The painting is skilful and there is much detail in the representation of the fabric hangings and the sides of the howdahs. But then, this is the work of an accomplished and known artist, Mary Beth Zeitz, whose signature appears at the bottom right hand corner (see another example of her work [image 7] for comparison). Born in the C20th in Louisville, Kentucky, she was raised in Wilmington, Delaware from the age of 3 and then went on to study French at the University there following this with a spell the Universite de Montpellier while she was living in the South of France. Her work is distinguished by detailed subjects and antique-style textures which are often to be seen in her watercolours. Her paintings have found their way into several galleries and have been purchased by private and corporate collectors. The recipient of this gift was lucky then and received a decorative object of great charm and skill.
Bay Ceramic Ewer No 268-30, West Germany, 1960s
Price: £55
A ceramic ewer stoutly potted with a bulbous body above a short straight foot, the slightly concave neck terminating in two slightly flaring bands and fitted with a simple loop handle, the light mustard coloured glaze with moulded decoration of palmette leaves separated by an abstract geometric design and with bands of a repeating ovoid bead work pattern resembling a wheatsheaf, the interior glazed brown and the base with modelled marks ‘Bay’, ‘W-Germany’ ‘268-30’.
Bay Ceramics was founded by Eduard Bay in the 1930s and based in Ransbach Baumbach, the heart of the main West German pottery producing region. Their productions included vases in a wide variety of shapes and designs which continued in production until the 1980s. Bodo Mans was amongst their most famous designers working in the 1950s and 1960s. He seems to have concentrated on organic semi abstract designs and ewers in this form, with the same pattern number but in a variety of different glazes, are attributed to him. This monochrome mustard glaze seems particularly attractive and complements the design very successfully producing a striking and decorative item which might enhance a wide variety of interior settings.
Art Deco Shagreen Picture Frame, 1930s
Price: £110
A rectangular picture frame, the broad border inset with strips of beige and dark grey shagreen skin laid on a wooden surround the edges with short narrow strips stained beige to match the border with graining in imitation of bone, the back stained dark brown with patterning effects designed to imitate animal skin, the central insert hinged and held with fastening clasps to reveal the glass underneath and also fitted with a hinged support.
Shagreen is a natural hide, typically from shark, stingray or dogfish, worked through special processes to produce a granular surface effect. Known in China and Japan from the earliest times and popular in Europe in the eighteenth century Shagreen enjoyed its greatest popularity in the Art Deco period where it was used as a covering for writing desks and well-dressed cabinetry and smaller items such as the picture frame we have here. The clean lines of this piece and the palette of colours employed fit exactly with the ethos of the Art Deco period and a dating to the 1930s is extremely likely. A luxury item at the time it could be used now to provide enhanced presentation of a favourite image adding to it a hint of true elegance.
Murano White Glass Vase of abstract organic form, 1960s
Price: £55
A white glass vase of abstract organic form with wavy edge sides and openwork panels, the edges finished in clear glass, the interior with a slightly blue finish at the bottom and the base clear glass and flat. While there is no direct comparison, very similar pieces were made by the well known Murano factory in Venice and some of them carry its name on an affixed paper label. Murano experimented with many abstract organic shapes and, as with other pieces, dating here seems to be to the mid twentieth century. This piece certainly has a feel of the 1960s and given the complexity of the design, it is remarkable that it has survived unscathed.
Japanese Samurai China Biscuit Box and Cover, C20th
Price: £25
A Japanese ceramic Biscuit Box and Cover with a wicker handle of squared octagonal form, the body slightly flaring outwards and with a flush fitting cover, decorated in bright satsuma style enamels with panels of a samurai and a geisha and two with landscape designs alternating with orange ground panels with stylised foliage in enamel and gilt, the design repeating onto the lid, the base marked ‘Genuine Samurai China’, ‘Japan’, ‘Hand Painted’, and a ‘Reg No’ which cannot be read, the lettering surrounding a shield like device with Japanese characters. The firm ‘Samurai China’ seems to have made modest ceramic items, mainly tea services, for export to the West. Dating is most likely pre war, perhaps to the 1930s.
Japanese Kutani Dish decorated with the Thousand Faces pattern, first half C20th
Price: £45
A Japanese polychrome plate decorated with a central roundel of a gilt stylised dragon and phoenix amidst waves on an iron red ground, surrounded by nine concentric borders, the first two with geometric designs and the next six with small repeating faces, the ‘thousand faces pattern’, and the outermost with chrysanthemum heads edged with an iron red and gilt border. The reverse with an iron red mark ‘Made in Japan’.
The colourings and style of work here clearly indicate the workshops of Kutani (the word means 'nine valleys') in the former Kaga province of Japan. By the nineteenth century the majority of their pieces were decorated in iron red and gold but sometimes with other colours in addition, as here. The ‘thousand faces’ pattern (an apocryphal term and this cataloguer has not attempted to count the number of faces appearing here) seems to have been evolved around the end of the nineteenth century and then continued in production until the mid twentieth. Both plates in various sizes and even tea sets are found in the design. The mark ‘Made in Japan’ was usually employed after 1941 (in the previous twenty years ‘Japan’ was the norm) but there are exceptions and the paste of the foot rim here does suggest a slightly earlier date, perhaps around 1930. In perfect condition, with very little wear to the decoration, this piece is a fine example of a rather eccentric decorative patttern.
Cranberry Glass Vase circa 1900
Price: £30
A cranberry glass (the name obviously deriving from the colour) vase the globular almost spherical body with impressed dimple effect large roundels and rising to a slender round neck with a ‘squared’ top, the flat base densely dimpled. Cranberry or 'Gold Ruby' glass is a red glass made by adding gold salts or colloidal gold to molten glass. It was produced in relatively small quantities due to the cost of the raw materials. Known from Roman times the most famous period of production was in 19th century Britain during the Victorian Era. Many pieces from that era are known with similar ‘dimple’ effects and this is clearly what we have here. The workmanship is high quality, the richly coloured glass with many interesting glaze effects (see image 4) and skilfully modelled. Perhaps just an ornament or possibly a small table decanter but either way an attractive addition to any glass collection.
Framed poster for Victor Bicycles, Overman Wheel Company, C20th
Price: £55
This is an iconic poster image, the original of which was created in 1896 by the famed artist Will H. Bradley for the Overman Wheel Company, famous for their innovative and high quality bicycles in the last years of the nineteenth century. The ‘Victor’ bicycle was the most famous model in their range and enjoyed enormous success after its introduction in 1883. By 1893 it was known as ‘the highest grade bicycle’ and it went on to be sold in a wide variety of models and sizes. But competition and changing economic circumstances saw the company’s business decline sharply and after a devastating fire in 1899 the business was sold in 1900.
Will H. Bradley (1868-1962) was an American artist and illustrator whose work enjoyed enormous popularity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, indeed he became America’s highest paid artist. Some of his most elaborate and original poster and advertisement designs were produced in the last years of the nineteenth century and he was an apt choice for Albert Overman’s then thriving business. His style was quintessentially Art Nouveau and is often compared to that of the English artist, Aubrey Beardsley, indeed he was sometimes dubbed as the ‘American Beardsley'. This poster design for Overman has been much copied and reproduced over the years with original examples residing in museum collections. The dating of this particular printing is not wholly certain; the reproduction is certainly way superior to that of more modern versions and the accompanying frame also indicates some age, perhaps to the 1960s or through to the 1980s. We have, then, both an elegant decorative item and an excellent addition to a collection important poster art.
Chinese style Vase and Cover decorated with ladies and courtiers in a garden scene, C20th
Price: £55
A Chinese style vase of ovoid form with a short neck and foot fitted with a matching dome shape cover with a plain finial, decorated with a polychrome design of two ladies in a garden scene being watched through a stylised window by two courtiers, flowering trees to the front and reverse, probably plum blossom or prunus, and typical verandah fencing, the foot, shoulder and cover with pattern designs loosely imitating those of the eighteenth century, including lotus panels, ju'i form lappets and floral borders with scrolling peony. This piece is a pastiche of Chinese work and probably dates to the 1960s. While it looks back in some respects it has a contemporary feel, particularly in respect of the shape which is simpler and more Western than that of its sources. The mark is pseudo Chinese and the manufacturer was clearly European, most probably an Italian pottery since some pieces exist with a label stating 'made in Italy'.
Two Chinese Fans, painting on silk, 1960s
Price: £15
Two fans of circular form with bamboo effect handles, the silk panels edged with stitching and delicately painted, one with a landscape scene, signed, and the other with a bird seated on a branch of flowering lotus. These fans seem to have been made in China for export in the mid twentieth century as part of the many handicrafts items which were sent to Europe for sale. Each of the scenes depicted here has an attraction of its own and both are a modest reflection of contemporary Chinese painting. It is sometimes suggested that these might be 'wedding fans' but that may be apocryphal.
Black and Gold Copper Glitter Art Glass Scent Bottle, probably Murano late C20th
Price: £55
This is a very stylish scent bottle and stopper with a bulbous body, a concave neck with a flat top rim and a fitted stopper with a ball and pointed top and a long interior seal, the black glass with gilt flecks made from copper in globular and swirling patterns. Almost all the pieces with similar form and decoration are attributed to the Murano glassworks in Venice although none seem to exist with labels which would authenticate this. But the high quality of the glass blowing certainly suggests Murano work and the attribution seems reasonable. This example is particularly pleasing and is in excellent condition with the stopper original and intact.
Sowerby Amber Glass Centrepiece circa 1930
Price: £75
This set comprises a standing figure of a young boy, nude and holding a kid or young goat, mounted on a round plinth with ten pierced holes, combined with a centrepiece bowl with rounded modelled walls and a crimped edge rim, the interior with a central starburst design suurounded by a stylised floral border. Both pieces are made from pressed amber glass with a matt finish and resemble very closely pieces made by the Sowerby factory in the 1930s.
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.
The centrpiece figurine, which was intended as a flower holder or ‘frog’, is rather unusual; normally the figures are female but the style of the modelling is identical. Similar designs to the bowl can be found in a 1936 catalogue but versions of it even appear in another catalogue from 1882. Many centrepiece/bowl combinations are found and some of them are not always original. This may possibly be the case here but if so the ‘match’ is extremely pleasing to the eye and the two elements set one another off perfectly to produce a striking example of Art Deco decorative design.
Set of three Wade Bramble Pattern teaware items, 1950s
Price: £25
A set of three teaware items in the ‘Bramble’ pattern made by Wade Ceramics, comprising a pot for honey or jam, a jug and cover and a sugar basin. All are similarly decorated with a colourful briar design of raised blackberry leaves and berries on a cream textured ground, the handles in the form of twigs. The bases are marked ‘Wade’, ‘Bramble’, ‘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. A pair of Art Deco green glazed ‘salts’ are also included in this sale. The ‘Bramble’ design was created in the 1950s and a wide variety of tea service shapes were produced in the pattern. Collectors today can attempt to assemble examples from the whole of the range, towards which these three pieces might provide some assistance.
Japanese Arita Blue and White Saucer decorated Gourd and Grapes, mid C20th
Price: £15
A Japanese Saucer with a lightly shaped edge decorated in underglaze blue with green and pink highlights, a trefoil gourd like motif set on a ground of radiating feather form bands with grapes and vine leaves, the reverse glazed white and plain but with a two character script mark to the centre of the foot. Dating is probably to the 1950s/1960s but the design here is unusual and has been executed with some care, hence, no doubt, the potter’s mark.
Chinese Mandarin Pattern Saucer circa 1780
Price: £45
A saucer of typical form, shallow with raised sides and an unglazed foot rim to the reverse, decorated in bright ‘Famille Rose’ enamels with a scene of court figures, two gentleman presenting a lady accompanied by a child with a book, in a stylised garden terrace with a lake and a pavilion in the distance, the border with repeating stylised leaves and diaper work.
This is a typical example of the ‘Mandarin’ pattern produced by the Chinese in the late eighteenth century for export to the West where it enjoyed great popularity. The name derives from the male court figures, mandarins, who form such an important component of the designs. The scenes are carefully composed with much charm and rendered in a wide variety of coloured enamels with much emphasis on deep pink (‘Famille Rose’) and iron red. A wide variety of wares were produced in the pattern including vases, bowls, dinner services and tea sets, as here, where there would have been a set of bowls and saucers along with matching serving items. The charm and quality of this piece speaks for itself and presents an excellent and collectible example of this opulent pattern from the eighteenth century.
Pair of Chinese Ceramic Shoes, seal mark and with fitted box, C20th
Price: £55
An amusing pair of Chinese ceramic models of shoes or clogs, modelled in the form of a kylin head with a pronounced snout, the sides of the shoe with impressed repeating geometric patterns below a band of stylised scrolling foliage, the brightly coloured glazes all with craquelure patterning, the interior glazed turquoise with an impressed seal mark and the underneath glazed in cream, also with a small circular impressed mark. The pair are presented in a fitted box, fabric covered and silk lined, which is presumably contemporary. Neither of the marks can be deciphered and dating is uncertain, probably to the late C20th, but this does not need to detract the rather humorous design which does have at least one parallel from the C18th (see image XX)and may have been intended as a brushwasher for a scholar with something of a sense of humour.
Chinese style Vase and Cover decorated with ladies and courtiers in a garden scene, C20th
Price: £55
A Chinese style vase of ovoid form with a short neck and foot fitted with a matching dome shape cover with a plain finial, decorated with a polychrome design of two ladies in a garden scene being watched through a stylised window by two courtiers, flowering trees to the front and reverse, probably plum blossom or prunus, and typical verandah fencing, the foot, shoulder and cover with pattern designs loosely imitating those of the eighteenth century, including lotus panels, ju'i form lappets and floral borders with scrolling peony. This piece is a pastiche of Chinese work and probably dates to the 1960s. While it looks back in some respects it has a contemporary feel, particularly in respect of the shape which is simpler and more Western than that of its sources. The mark is pseudo Chinese and the manufacturer was clearly European, most probably an Italian pottery since some pieces exist with a label stating 'made in Italy'.
Large round Scottish agate cloak pin c 1900
Price: £125
This brooch is a traditional Scottish cloak pin and would have been used on the should to hold the cloak in place. This one is a particularly nice example as it has a very intricate twisted design that includes all type of Scottish Agate such as jasper and blood stone. This brooch is unmarked which is not unusual for Scottish silver of this type.
Two jade carvings mounted as a necklace
Price: £125
This is a very striking necklace comprising two large jade carvings that have been joined together on a very thick herringbone chain. The carvings are 20th century but they have the look of a more archaic style. This is a very interesting piece that is totally unique. It is all silver.
Danish silver brooch, Niels Erik From, marked, c1960
Price: £55
This is a wonderful quality silver brooch made by Danish silversmiths Niels Erik From. It is in a characteristic Danish wreath design typical of the modernist designs developed by the firm in the 1970s. Established in 1931, the company took its name from its founder Niels Erik From (1908-1982) and initially concentrated on pieces in the style of the Danish Arts and crafts movement, later adapting to the changing fashions of the time. Niels Erik From's son joined with his father in the 1960s and continued the success of the business, running it himself for a few years after his Father's death but finally closing down in the late 1980s. The firm's designs remain highly collectible and this brooch is an excellent example of their later work. It marked ' Sterling' 'Denmark' 'N.E.From' '925 S'.
Danish silver floral brooch, Max Standager c1960
Price: £55
This is a large brooch in a typical modernist floral design by Max Standager, a silversmith who worked in Copenhagen from 1961 to 1985 and was well known for his organic form designs. It is marked 'Sterling' '925' 'Denmark M.S'.
Florentine style garnet and gold brooch, 20th century
Price: £150
This is a delicate brooch in an oval floral shape comprising many garnet stones of excellent quality. The largest central stones measure 4 x 3 mm. The design is typical of Italian renaissance with fine Mille grain work. Bears illegible mark. It appears to be gold but has not been tested.
Victorian etched glass pendant necklace c1900
Price: £25
This is a charming necklace comprising a large rectangular pendant with an etched glass plaque depicting and classical angel blowing bubbles who is leaning on a Greek column. This is set in a simple silver setting with the original chain. It is unmarked so most likely continental. (Could be etched crystal)
Taxco brooch with abalone shell c1950
Price: £20
This is a very striking brooch comprising a central abalone stone surrounded by leaves made of crushed lapis. It is marked on reverse Taxco with an illegible "eagle" mark. It also has bail so could be used as a pendant.
A Brannam Bowl, Barum ware, Terracotta and Glaze, marked C.H.Brannam, circa 1900
Price: £45
A rustic bowl with a wavy edge rim and moulded shells to the sides, terracotta with green and black 'tea dust' glazes, the foot coardely modelled and with stamped marks 'Made in England'
'C.H.Brannam' 'Barum' 'N.Devon'. Brannam Pottery was a British pottery started by Thomas Backway Brannam in Barnstaple, Devon, England, in 1848. Ownership passed through the family, Thomas' son Charles Hubert joining the firm aged 12 in 1867 and passing on direction of the business himself to his sons in 1913. It later became part of the "rustic" wing of the art pottery movement, mainly owing to efforts of Charles Hubert who began producing his own distinctive wares in 1879 and registering the name 'Royal Barum Ware' in 1886 after receiving an order from Queen Victoria in 1885. The pieces were widely sold including at Liberty in London. Many pieces were produced in terracotta, sometimes with additional glaze effects but the form
and decoration of this bowl is unusual combining the marine motifs with interesting glaze effects offset by the terracotta base. Perhaps it is not too fanciful to see the work of Charles Hubert himself here. Certainly, great care was taken with the production of this piece and the style and mark suggest a dating to around 1900.
Very fine Berber North African necklace c1950
Price: £45
This a very elegant necklace comprising a central pendant with a typical Berber design with turquoise and coral mosaic inlay. This pendand is connected with nine strands of coral and turquoise micro beads. This design is repeated all the way around with a further 4 connecting stations. It has a very faint mark on the large pendant or it might not be a mark but rather a flaw in the silver.
Persian silver bracelet with inset enamel plaques, c1930
Price: £125
This is a rare bracelet comprising silver stations set with domed enamel plaques. The plaques have bird and floral designs and are set in silver with an integrated clasp with floral detail. The piece is unmarked but would be 800 silver. It is in excellent condition which makes it even more unique as these types of bracelet tend to have damage. The size and decoration of the plaques contribute to an elegant piece of traditional 'arm candy'!
Suite of Art Deco banded carnelian necklace and earrings c1920
Price: £95
This is a very unusual suite comprising matched beautiful Scottish banded agate beads. The earrings are very Art Deco with a long chain drop. Both have brass findings.
Massive Egyptian Revival long necklace c1930
Price: £195
This is a very unusual necklace in the Egyptian Revival style that was popular in during the Art Deco period. This one is a very large enamel and brass pendant suspended for a long rope chain. The pendant is depicting "Horus" which was very important deity for the ancient Egyptians.
Suite of Scottish agate necklace and bracelet c1970
Price: £85
This is a very unusual suite of two pieces that both have the same curved link design with similar agate stones. Both have full marks with a makers mark A Mc N. An extender chain has been added so it is very wearable.
Chinese Blue and white ceramic beads, C20th
Price: £15
This is a great strand of Chinese ceramic beads all hand painted i blue and white with symbolic motifs. They are strung on a red cord with an adjustable Chinese knot.
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Fairing Figurine – A Mouse A Mouse, German, late C19th
Price: £25
Fairing Figurine "A Mouse A Mouse". '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'. Here we have a composition entitled “A Mouse A Mouse!”, which shows a couple, the wife raising herself from the bedclothes while her husband crawls on the floor, having knocked over a chamber pot in the process. Notably absent is the mouse itself…
Some of the fairing figurines are marked, as here. The impressed number '1886', which would be a series number, is combined with the impressed shield mark found on Conta and Boehme pieces from the late C19th. The paste of the foot is consistent with this and the slightly ‘brassy’ look to the gilding (compare Lot 5) complements this as well. It has been suggested that this particular model type is, in fact, a modern reproduction and there are other versions of the design which do indeed look contemporary but this is unlikely to be the case here and we most likely have an amusing and period example of the genre.
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.
West German Jasba Ceramic Vase with loop handles, 1960s
Price: £10
A West German ceramic vase of compressed almost inverted gourd like form, the body with two wide and graduated ceramic circles above a spreading foot and with a wide flaring neck set with two loop handles, glazed in orange and brown with craquelure and mottling effects. An impressed mark to the base ‘Jasba’ in an oval and ’11 70 20’, being the pattern number.
The West German ceramics produced after the second world war are characterised by their distinctive and colourful designs. The Jasba factory was founded in 1926 by Jakob Schwaderlapp in Ransbach-Baumbach. The name is derived from his name and the town his factory was located. Production of decorative ceramics ceased in 1975 and the firm concentrated on industrial items and tiles which they still make today. This vase probably dates to the 1960s and the form and glaze effects are quite striking.
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Two Decorative Vintage Fans, 1950s
Price: £10
This is a group of two fans. One is in brown lace with hand painting on faux tortoiseshell pins and the other is blue plastic with pieced geometric designs and marked 'Made in Hong Kong'.
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Vintage Cobalt Blue Glass Perfume Bottle and Stopper, 1930s
Price: £25
A blue glass small bottle and stopper in deep cobalt blue of squared and rounded pyramid form with a stepped concave neck. The shape suggests a perfume bottle and similar examples do exist including one with a gilt Chloé mark which would mean a post 1952 date of manufacture. The technique here, though, resembles the ‘pressed glass’ pieces made in England during the 1930s, for example by the firm Davidson, suggesting a more likely dating to that period. The slightly Art Deco feel to the form fits in with this. While it has slight damage, it is, of course, more unusual to find this shape with its original stopper.
Pair of Japanese Shaped Saucer Dishes, Maruku China, 1940s
Price: £25
A pair of fine quality porcelain saucers in the form of a leaf with a pierced handle, decorated in bright enamels with gilt dragons and flames amidst puce impressionistically represented waves, the edges gilt and the reverses plain with a painted blue mark ‘Maruku China’ beneath a crown.
The Maruku factory seems to have operated in Japan after the second world war producing modest but good quality wares for export, rather in the style of Noritake pieces. Usually their pieces are marked in addition ‘Made in Japan’ but for some reason not here. The forms, colourings and designs here are quite unusual and while modest, these are good quality decorative items suitable for a contemporary interior.
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Japanese Satsuma style Censer, 1930s
Price: £15
A Japanese ceramic censer or incense burner of rounded octagonal form, the squat baluster body with an open top cover, decorated with alternating panels of figures and trees, a band of geometric panels and beadwork. The colourings used and the heavy style of the enamel work is typical of early twentieth century productions recalling the satsuma pieces made for export in Japan in the nineteenth century. No detail of craftsmanship here, but a naif charm nevertheless. The mark ‘FOREIGN’ stamped on the base was applied to pieces exported to Great Britain in the early C20th, not necessarily just from Japan, but the style here betrays the country of manufacture.
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A Japanese Hichozan Shinpo Brush washer circa 1880
Price: £10
A Japanese brushwasher of squat cylindrical form with a short neck and a flat unglazed base, decorated in brightly coloured enamels with Samurai and banners. The style of painting and palette of colours resembles pieces made by the Tashiro factory in Japan, founded by Tashiro Monzaeman (1816-1900) in the late Edo period during the mid-1850s, and which were marked ‘Hichozan Shinpo’. This piece carries very feint traces of a red mark underneath which may have originally indicated the artist’s name, but even without this, the resemblance is very close and an attribution almost certain. The form suggests a brush washer, part of the scholar’s desk set.
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Figure of a Young Girl Praying, Continental, probably mid C20th
Price: £45
This is an elegant figure of a young woman at prayer, her slender body carefully modelled with upraised elongated hands and expressive detail to the face and enshrouded, niche like, in a robe green tinted on the inside and brown on the exterior, the base with an oval opening and impressed numbers ‘825’ and a stamped number ‘31’. There are no obvious parallels to this piece which has some resemblance to Goldscheider compositions but a completely different finish to the foot and none of the Goldscheider markings. And while there are some similarities it also looks later with more of a mid century feel. Italian work comes to mind, but there is no proof of this. Perhaps we are intended to see the Virgin Mary here although the young lady seems a bit too youthful for a secure identification. Whoever she is, she has been rendered with skill and charm and well deserves her admirers today.
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.
Collection Parfums Lalique miniature set in display box 1990s
Price: £55
This is a lovely set of miniauture perfume bottles by Lalique. Each bottle is 4.5 ml and the scents included are Nilang, Lalique, Le Baiser, Lalique Homme and Claire.
French Art Deco Clutch bag with faux jade insert
Price: £65
This is a very elegant small bag that features a faux jade moulded glass plaque surrounded by Art Deco motif paste stones. It comprises very soft kid suede and is lined in taffeta with the typical inside purse. The taffeta on this bag is quite degraded as can happen. This is not noticeable on the exterior so this bag is very usable. It has two chain handles.
Art Deco Python Clutch
Price: £85
This is a stunning Art Deco clutch in all over python skin that is in pristine condition. It is lined in typical taffeta fabric with the interior purse for coins. The hardware is chromed metal with a black enamel closure. Is a good size that would be suitable for evening use as it can handle the essentials.
Outstanding Suede Lanvin Clutch in original box 1950s
Price: £250
This is a stunning large clutch bag comprising brown kid suede with kid skin edging. it is a basic envelope design with no closure and one interior zip compartment. It is constructed to fold over securely to fit under the arm. A feature of this bag is the Art Nouveau enamel decoration on the front of the bag. The bag is lined in fabric that has a monogram logo. It is worth noting that Lanvin did not manufacture their handbags in the 1950s but rather designed them and outsourced the manufacture as most couture houses did during that time. This bag comes in its original box with the plastic dust jacket intact as well. The labelling 'Made in British Colony Hong Kong' was used principally in the 1950s/1960s which matches the dating here, although some clothing manufacturers continued to employ it into the 1980s. Complete, then, with its original packaging, this is a timeless and elegant bag that is worthy of Audrey Hepburn!
Glossy brown crocodile handbag 1960s
Price: £65
This is a stunning hard side bag that is covered in brown patent croc. It is lined with suede. It is most likely made in England although it is unmarked. The handle has been restored to it's original beauty and is ready for daily use.
Small suede handbag, England 1940s
Price: £25
This is a lovely small handbag in soft suede with a polished leather closure.
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!
Diamond cut millegrain silver bracelet, 20th century
Price: £45
This is a very intricately designed bracelet comprising numerous diamond cut spheres that have been individually connected. This is most likely Italian. It is marked 925.
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.
Art Deco Style Ceramic Jug with Floral Handle, probably 1930s
Price: £35
A ceramic jug, the concave body rising to form the spout and with a shouldered base below and a short spreading foot, the handle in the form of two flower heads with foliage, the base glazed and with impressed marks ‘Made in England’ and '51'. The style of decoration here with the deep cream tone glaze and the brightly coloured applied and modelled decoration in shades of green, yellow and orange suggests Clarice Cliff but there are no markings for this and the manufacturer merely impressed the base ‘Made in England’, a mark first used after 1921 and generally indicative of a pre war date. One of the Staffordshire potteries is the most likely source but while hard to attribute this piece certainly accurately reflects the decorative trends of the 1930s and would be an attractive and practical addition to a collection of ceramics from that period.
Oriental Style Vase, West German Pottery, possibly Scheurich, late C20th
Price: £45
An Oriental Style Vase, the body of baluster form with a ribbed shoulder and a slender slightly flaring neck, the bottom with a spreading foot and ridged bands, the base glazed to the centre with an unglazed foot rim, covered in a purple flambé glaze with mottled effects. While Chinese in style overall, the paste of the foot clearly indicates European manufacture and is very similar to that found on some West German pottery pieces; the brown glazing at the interior top rim reflects West German work as well. The most likely candidate is the firm Scheurich Keramik who were well known for their experimental glazes. Three other examples of their work are included in this sale. Not all of their pieces were marked and this may well be a slightly later example of their work, perhaps dating to the 1980s. Certainly it is a fine quality piece and the elegantly potted form is combined with complex glaze decoration which would not have been easy to achieve and certainly can match that of its Chinese counterparts.
West German Bay Keramik Pitcher with stylised floral designs, late C20th
Price: £45
A brown glaze pitcher of broad bulbous form with a slender neck flaring at the top and a loop handle above a short foot, the base glazed and with impressed marks ‘Bay’ ‘W Germany’ ’6190’.The brown, almost lustre like, glaze is decorative with a lightly incised design in mustard enamel with stylised leaves and flower heads.
Founded by Eduard Bay in the 1930s and based in Ransbach Baumbach in the heart of the main West German pottery producing region, Bay Keramik grew to be one of the most prolific producers of ceramics in the ‘West German’ style and continued production into the 1990s. This piece retains its original paper label and the format of this allows dating to the 1970s/1980s. The jug has almost a slightly rustic feel and recalls much earlier German ceramic items. The numbers on the base indicate the form number but it has not been possible to identify this.
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.
Yellow ground Bursley Ware Dragon Bowl by Frederick Rhead, circa 1920
Price: £55
A shallow ceramic bowl of squat form with a turnover rim, resembling a Chinese brushwasher, the yellow lustre glaze with a feint craquelure and boldly decorated with an interior design of a dragon pursuing the flaming pearl amidst seaweed, the exterior with two similar dragons, all coloured in bright shades of red and green with the outline design in blue, the base glazed and with the mark ‘Dragon’ within a rococo style border and the manufacturer’s name ‘Bursley Ware England’.
From 1910 to 1982, the firm Wood and Sons Ltd operated potteries at the Trent, New Wharf and Stanley Potteries Burslem. Throughout its history the firm produced high quality earthenware pieces aimed at the middle market, using a variety of brand names including Bursley Ware. Frederick Alfred Rhead, the Father of Charlotte Rhead, was a ceramicist and designer who worked for Bursley Ware in the 1920s and 1930s. The ‘Dragon’ pattern is one of his best known designs and was made in a variety of forms and colours including white and orange. The yellow glaze here is particularly effective and the piece combines Chinese inspired designs with an Art Deco twist to produce an object with decorative appeal even today.
Pair of Royal Doulton Spill Vases with gilt decoration, 1920s
Price: £180
A pair of pottery vases of upright spill form with wide flat bases, the body glazed in mottled blue with two bands of curved raised bead work with leaves and rosettes, the centre with an incised design of overlapping whorl pattern, gilt, the base glazed in mottled brown and the interior in mottled aubergine, the foot unglazed and with an impressed mark ‘Royal Doulton England’, a model number ‘8409’, artist’s marks ‘a’ and ‘hd’ and another script mark. The mark for Doulton is one of the standard impressed 'Royal Doulton England' marks where the lettering forms part of a circle combined with three thick lines and the centre is filled with four interlocking 'D's. The addition of a lion but not with the usual accompanying crown allows a fairly precise dating to between 1923 and 1927. This fits with the form and decoration which have an almost Art Deco feel. It seems that two different artists worked on these pieces, ‘a’ standing for Louisa Ayling and ‘hd’ for E Violet Hayward. The pattern number ‘8409’ occurs on other pieces of the same shape and but these usually have the central section left in plain biscuit. The addition of gilding here is rather striking.
Necklace with massive Agate Disc strung set with facetted ruby beads, India, c1940
Price: £325
This is a very substantial and heavy necklace that features a very large banded agate stone mounted in silver and set with facetted rubies. The necklace is strung with very large facetted ruby beads that are approximatelyl 12 mm wide. This really is a one off. It is from India and may have been a commissioned piece. It has been restrung recently on metal cord with a new clasp so is quite strong. The ruby beads are particularly interesting and hard to find in this size.
Classic black crocodile handbag 1940s
Price: £75
This is a very classic style bag in a square shape typical of the period. It is lined with black leather and is in excellent condition. The handle has been restored to it's original beauty and is ready for daily use. All you need are some white gloves and you are ready for anything!
Round pendant set with turquoise, Mexico, c1970, the chain later.
Price: £65
This is a large round pendant converted from a brooch depicting a figure on a burro on a background of turquoise pieces. Marked' Heche en Mexico', '925' it is attached to a later chain.
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
Taxco bracelet set with carved obsidian stones c1950
Price: £55
This is a bracelet that is often seen in different forms and must have been quite popular in its time. It is silver with a gold colour wash and set with carved obsidian stones. Aztec face heads alternate with square stone stations and the surrounding silverwork borders depict the headdress of the Aztec face carvings with scrollwork to the square stations. Marked 'Heche en Mexico' with an eagle head which denotes 925 silver.
Fun vintage jade necklace with hook and ring closure c1980
Price: £25
This is a lovely necklace comprising celadon jade beads with a jade ring and dragon head hook that is a feature of the necklace. The jade is most likely treated or stabilized.
Large Victorian Turquoise pendant c1900
Price: £95
This is massive piece of turquoise mounted as a pendant surrounded by paste stones. It is mounted in white metal and is Indian made for the European market. It is lovely as a pendant but is also an amazing single stone.
Druzy Quartz and Onyx panel Bracelet, c1940
Price: £125
This is a very unusual and large bracelet comprising stations of black onyx together with fine druzy quartz. The panels are graduated with an integrated clasp. It is unmarked but probably of Scottish origin.
Pair of Beige Opaline Glass Vases, enamelled decoration, probably French late C19th
Price: £75
An elegant pair of beige glass vases of bottle form with a stepped foot, modelled collar and a tall slightly flaring neck, decorated in coloured enamels with flowering holly, the reverses plain and the top rims gilt. Opaline glass is produced by adding materials such as bone ash or lead-crystal to produce a semi opaque effect, the colour varying according to the minerals added and ranging from white through yellows, greens and blues to black. First made in Murano in the sixteenth century it was to enjoy an enormous vogue in France during the nineteenth but had also been produced in England at Bristol in the eighteenth. The delicate style of the decoration here clearly points to French work and a dating towards the end of the nineteenth century seems reasonable indeed the beginnings of the Art Nouveau can perhaps be seen here. Form, colour and decoration combine to produce a highly attractive pair of ornaments which can be enjoyed in a contemporary setting as much as they were when they were made.
Unusual Brass Table or Desk Set with Elephant Heads, Indian, first half C20th
Price: £240
This is an unusual table or desk set comprising a pair of candlesticks and a spherical censer like vessel, all made from fine quality brass, well cast, the candlesticks with a circular base with a gadroon edge on which sit three elephants' heads supporting the elaborate candlestick column with a gadroon edge drip pan at the top and an urn like candle holder above, the central vessel with a similar base supporting a near spherical container with a hinged lid, its sides modelled to match the candle holders and the lid decorated with stylised leaves and with a pine cone finial, the inside with a loose brass container and cover.
The craftsmanship of this set is self evident both in the quality and weight of the brass and the casting techniques used. Its purpose is less certain and there are no easy parallels. The central vessel might have been designed for incense (although the cover is solid rather than openwork) in which case we could have a table ornament here, but the interior of the vessel can seem to resemble an inkwell in which case we might have a desk set. It's new owner will have to decide! Style of decoration suggests India in the early part of the C20th and this set would then be one of the many pieces exported to the Britain from India at that time and which became very much a feature of contemporary domestic interiors.
Rennie Mackintosh silver scarf ring with scarf included, c1990
Price: £45
This is a very elegant scarf ring that bears the designs of Rennie Mackintosh. It is hallmarked with the mark of Mackintosh's estate copyright. It i also marked 925. The black and white silk scarf is included so you are ready to go!
An Unusual Pair of Bradawl Form Sewing Tools with Silver and Gilt metal chased handles, probably Persian C20th
Price: £45
The indented twisting to the ‘blades’ of these pieces suggests a device for making a hole, similar to a gimlet used in woodworking. The size and delicacy of these pieces, though, suggests use with a less robust material, perhaps leather. The handles are elaborately decorated with a raised gilt metal design of bamboo with a bird on a silver metal ground with ‘punched’ decoration reminiscent of Chinese Tang Silver work. An Eastern origin is clear but it is hard to determine the exact provenance. China seems less likely but there are similarities here to Japanese, Indian and Persian work, the latter perhaps being the most likely. Probably early to mid C20th and quite possibly part of a set of sewing tools, so perhaps something for collectors in this field.
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!
Art Deco paste bracelet by Schreiber & Hiller c1930
Price: £75
This is a very rare bracelet marked DGRM 1138525. This is a German patent number held by Schreiber and Hiller and pertains to the type of fluid link that has been designed to hold channel set stones. This patent was issued in September 1930. The company ceased to trade during WW2.
Taxco silver bracelet, c1980
Price: £50
This is a very recognizable Taxco design with heavy ball and bar stations. It has a typical Taxco box clasp that is marked 'Mexico' 'TC-314' '925 with additional stamped smaller marks including '925'.
Florentine style lapis and silver brooch c1900
Price: £35
This is a intricate brooch designed with scroll work and column details. It is Scottish due to the thistle design on the east west corners. This was always included in Scottish designs as it is the national flower.
Victorian Black Watch iron doorstop c1890
Price: £25
This is a whimsical doorstop in the form of a Black Watch soldier. It is made of cold paint decorated iron. The 'Black Watch' was another name for The Royal Highlanders, a famed Scottish regiment of the British Army, distinguished by its longevity, having been initially formed in 1725.
Vintage Carved wood figure of a seated Man, Bali, Indonesia, second half C20th
Price: £75
A finely carved wood figure with a rich patina of a seated man in deep contemplation wearing traditional headdress. The style and quality of this piece indicate 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 highly decorative grain effects here suggest teak and the patterning complements the composition perfectly. Dating is probably to the 1950s or 1960s. Similar pieces are said to have been purchased around that time.
Stunning rope and tassel necklace, signed, c1990
Price: £45
This is a very striking necklace with twisted rope motif ending in two large tassel drops. It has a signature monogram that we cannot seem to find so perhaps you will know! :) This might be quite a find.
Egyptian Revival necklace depicting Tutankhamun c1980
Price: £45
This is a a dramatic necklace in the Egyptian Revival style. It has a large central pendant with three drops with stations all the way around depicting Tutankhamun in a rather humorous way. This necklace appears to be a museum edition from possibly the British Museum or the Met in New York. The reverse of the stations and pendant are also finished with Egyptian designs. A very well thought out and finished piece.
Brown Alabaster Egg painted with a bird and flowers, fitted wood stand, Chinese C20th
Price: £25
This is a charming decorative ornament comprising an alabaster egg shape stone in light brown carefully painted with a design of a bird sittting amidst a spray of flowers with peony and bamboo, fitted with a complementary wood stand. The work is typical of Chinese painters and the fitted stand suggests a late C20th dating.
Statement necklace in the manner of Lalaounis c1990
Price: £75
This is a wonderful quality necklace comprising two tiers of Etruscan design elements and numerous acorn form drops. This is made to emulate the designs of Lalaounis a very popular jewellery designer and goldsmith who worked in Greece until his death in 2013. It has three tiers of drops and the swirl design is the main design element. The origin of this necklace is unknown but it is amazing quality and is drenched in buttery gold plating.
Two brooches - Jerusalem Mother of Pearl and Egyptian Silver, 1950s
Price: £15
This is a lovely group of two very different brooches. One is a large very finely carved mother of pearl brooch that is known as Jerusalem Mother of Pearl. The other is an Egyptian filigree silver brooch depicting a camel.
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!
Two marcasite convertable dress clip brooches c1940
Price: £35
These are two complimentary dress clips or brooches that have a distinctive designs. They are set with marcasite stones and can be either mounted as a brooch or used separately as dress clips.
Toulouse Lautrec poster entitled Jane Avril c1950
Price: £95
This is a very good example of the Jane Avril poster by Lautrec. This was originally printed 1893. This version of the print is very true to the original and is not a current reprint. It has been photographed out of the frame to show its age and the accuracy of the colours.
Vintage Carved wood figure of a seated Man, Bali, Indonesia, second half C20th
Price: £75
A finely carved wood figure with a rich patina of a seated man in deep contemplation wearing traditional headdress. The style and quality of this piece indicate 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 highly decorative grain effects here suggest teak and the patterning complements the composition perfectly. Dating is probably to the 1950s or 1960s. Similar pieces are said to have been purchased around that time.
Ceramic and Bronze figure of a Blue Tit, Albany Worcester, late C20th
Price: £35
A superbly modelled polychrome ceramic figure of a Blue Tit hanging from a gnarled twig well worked in bronze, the base stamped 'Albany England'. Albany Worcester was launched in 1973 by David Palmer, Bill Nichols & David Lovegrove, who all previously worked at the Royal Worcester Porcelain factory. Their pieces, distinguished for their quality and detail, rapidly became popular and Harrods and the Queen's jeweller Asprey became customers. Sales grew to be global and some of their china and bronze pieces were even reputed to have been bought as wedding presents for the Prince and Princess of Wales. But the firm, which had just two full-time employees at the end, started to decline in the late 1980s and sales figures fell even further when the factory, which was then based in Lowesmoor, suffered a serious fire in 1995. There was something of a revival after this but fashions had changed and it proved to be short lived with the company closing in 2005. This piece is truly a sculpture in miniature and well deserves the protective dome in which it now stands. A reminiscence of a past era, perhaps, but surely deserving of a place in a contemporary interior.
LOT 18
Small Art Deco wrist bag with Bakelite closure, French 1920s
Estimate: £20 – 30
2d 18h 24m
£0.00
Indian silver repousse cuff bracelet, c1920
Price: £85
This is a beautiful cuff bracelet which has very fine repousse work with floral designs and millegrain patterning. The large central panel has two bands of delicately rendered stylised scrolling foliage on a textured ground edged with a border of repeating stylised shells and detailed beading work and is flanked by two similar smaller panels at the sides. The piece is unmarked but is most likely '925' grade as was the tradition with Indian silver at this time.
Estruscan style necklace in the manner of Lalaounis c1990
Price: £75
This is a wonderful quality necklace comprising two tiers of Etruscan design elements and numerous acorn form drops. This is made to emulate the designs of Lalaounis a very popular jewellery designer and goldsmith who worked in Greece until his death in 2013. The origin of this necklace is unknown but it is amazing quality and is drenched in buttery gold plating.
Vintage Woven Straw and Raffia Beach Bag, 1950s
Price: £65
This is a roomy beach bag made from woven straw with a bold floral design to the front in raffia work using soft vintage colours in pinks, yellows, blues and light apricot with green foliage. Semi circular in shape it has a double zip with the tags marked ‘Rex’ and a simple loop handle. The edges are bound in fabric and the base protected by a sheet of clear plastic with eight metal stud feet. The interior is fabric lined with a design of repeating rose blooms on a black dot ground and there is a large pocket. A summery design from the 1950s which could find its place on a picnic today!
Striking continental silver modernist bracelet c1960
Price: £55
This a very beautiful and detailed bracelet comprising panels with organic shapes in front of coral like designs. It is marked Sterling Foreign 925. It seems that it should be attributed to a particular jewellery designer as it is so unique and high quality.
Outstanding Art Deco necklace with French jet and rock crystal beads c1920
Price: £175
This is a stunning and rare necklace comprising French jet glass beads combinded with facetted rock crystal beads. There are two stations that are tear drop shaped that have both French jet and crystal elements, this is very typical of the Art Deco period in jewellery. This necklace has been recenlty restrung to ensure that it is strong.
Long lapis lazuli bead necklace c1980
Price: £30
This is very elegant necklace that features different shaped stone beads of Lapis Lazuli. These beads are very high quality with excellent colour. They are flat pebble shaped, together with square and round beads. They are connected by gold fittings with a toggle clasp.
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.
A very finely carved white pendent on traditional silk cord, Modern
Price: £25
This is a lovely piece of white jade that has been carved with a typical dragon motif and Chinese characters. It is strung onto a very well designed silk cord. This is quite a modest item and it is almost surely treated in some way.
Persian Painting on Silk depicting Courtiers in a Palace Scene, C19th/C20th
Price: £75
A finely detailed painting on silk depicting court figures in a palace scene with fountains to the front and a mountainous forest to the rear, the border with scrolling foliage. The work is typical of that produced by Persian artists and the scene bears a close resemblance (lacking the patient lying on the floor) to a work entitled ‘The Physicians Duel’ which depicts a scene from the Khamsa by Nizami Ghanjavi and is included in the British Museum collection.
The ‘Khamsa’ (Quintet or Quinary) is the best known work of Nizami Ghanjavi (c1141 – 1209) considered the greatest romantic epic poet in Persian literature. It comprises five long narrative poems the first of which is ‘Makhzan-ol-Asrar’ (The Treasury or Storehouse of Mysteries) and contains an episode where two physicians agree to fight each other with poison: each would give the other a poison and the doctors would then attempt, by their skill, to provide an antidote. One doctor succeeds but the other has less luck and in the version of the scene mentioned above is depicted lying ill on the ground.
The Khamsa was a popular subject for lavish manuscripts illustrated with painted miniatures at the Persian and Mughal courts in later centuries. The British Museum picture mentioned above, for example, comes from a manuscript created for the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 1590s. Scenes from these works were then copied or adapted in turn by Persian artists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries which is what we have here. The quality of the execution remains high producing a highly decorative example of the best Persian work.
Show stopping suite of necklace and earrings c1960
Price: £85
This is a dramatic necklace comprising five strands of aurora borealis glass beads with the matching clip earrings. The beads are graduating and are facetted with gold tone spacer beads. The clasp is original in a matching design. The earrings are clusters of the same beads and the clips are quite sturdy.
