Balinese Silver Bangle with Elephant Heads, 1980s
Price: £45
Balinese Silver Bangle with a typical rope twist design terminating in two elephant heads with raised trunks. One terminal with a small circular pad marked 925 (the nine is very feint and can only be seen with a loop). Style and form of decoration suggest a circa date in the 1980s.
LOT 18
Chinese Cloisonne Small Tray decorated with Flowers and Rocks, 19th Century
Estimate: £100 – 150
3d 19h 47m
£0.00
Art Deco Scottish shield brooch
Price: £20
This is a very striking broochc comprising a large gilt brass shield design set with a large glass stone
Art Deco Scottish shield brooch
Price: £35
This is a very striking broochc comprising a large gilt brass shield design set with a large glass stone
Silver prayer beads with seventeen Beads, 20th century
Price: £75
This is a lovely set of prayer beads made from solid sterling silver. The 17 beads are heavy and have decoration at the ends. They are strung on a chain with aslider and tassel at the end. These are hallmarked, most likely with continental silver marks.
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.
Liberty Dollar 1922 mounted as a pendant on necklace
Price: £35
This is a very interesting piece of ephemera that can be worn. It is a Liberty silver dollar encased in a filigree design. It has been "married" to a torque necklace so it really stands out at the neckline. You definitively won't see many of these around town! :)
Two Vintage Japanese Geisha Dolls, C20th
Price: £25
Two Vintage Japanese Geisha Dolls, the first dressed in an elaborate floral kimono and holding a headdress with flowing hair, the second slightly smaller and dressed in a simpler robe decorated with a stylised river scene and calligraphy; she holds a musical instrument and the base is signed. These are excellent examples of the rather charming dolls made in Japan after the 1950s and probably date to the 1980s. Probably bought by tourists, they are now often found in the West and have an obvious appeal.
Balinese Silver Bangle with Elephant Heads, 1980s
Price: £45
Balinese Silver Bangle with a typical rope twist design terminating in two elephant heads with raised trunks. One terminal with a small circular pad marked 925 (the nine is very feint and can only be seen with a loop). Style and form of decoration suggest a circa date in the 1980s.
Pair of Alhambrian Ware English Majolica Vases with raised decoration circa 1880
Price: £30
Pair of English Alhambrian Ware Majolica Vases of ovoid form with moulded bases and a short flaring neck, decorated in multicoloured glazes, mainly ochre and blue, in imitation of continental 'majolica' wares, the body and neck with a modelled basket work design in mustard brown set with raised panels of flower heads, the base and top rim finished in a blue glaze with the mustard brown glaze repeated on the interior. The foot rim unglazed with a cream glaze to the centre with a stamped or transfer mark in iron red which reads 'Alhambrian'. Alhambrian marked wares were produced by one of the Staffordshire potteries between 1880 and 1910, reflecting the craze for Majolica glazed wares produced by Minton and others. The pieces are very modest imitations but quite decorative in their own right. The form here was quite commonly produced and no doubt intended as a mantel piece ornament.
Stunning Amber and Islamic silver necklace
Price: £45
This is a very beautiful necklace comprising silver filigree stations with amber beads both yellow and cherry, tested as amber
Necklace with soapstone pendant and amber beads
Price: £65
This is a wonderful necklace comprising amber beads with a brown soapstone pendant. Finished with amber, bone and silver beads and a tassel. This is a constructed necklace from the 1990s although the elements are from various periods.
Art Deco style Ceramic Bowl and Cover by Louis Dage (1885-1961), early/mid C20th
Price: £180
Louis Dage was one of the most distinguished French ceramicists of the twentieth century and his works, created in the workshop he started in 1930, with their distinctive designs reflecting contemporary fashions, are highly sought after today. This bowl and cover with its clean lines and striking decoration is an excellent example of his work in the Art Deco style and a rather less commonly found form amongst the examples of his work now available.
……………………………………………………………………………………....................................................................................……
Born in 1885 at Lille, France, Louis Dage was early known as a ceramics artist, describing himself on the birth registration of his daughter in 1906 as a ‘decorator on faience’. In 1920 he joined with Louis Fontinelle (1886-1964) to create a faience factory in Antony, near Paris, but the venture was short lived and they parted company two years later. In 1930, Dage set up his own studio at Saint-Sever in company with his brother and daughter becoming managing director of the firm three years later. There then followed a little over thirty years of production under his direction until his death in 1961. Art Deco designs with their simple lines and bold decoration were produced initially to be followed by pieces of more rugged shapes and patterns, partly resulting from the shortage of conventional raw materials during the second world war.
This bowl and cover represents the best of Dage’s earlier work. The base has straight sides curving in slightly towards the base and has a flush fitting flat and gently domed cover overhanging slightly at the edge. The piece is covered overall with a mottled glaze in tones of blue and light aubergine on which are painted maple leaves in green with bright blue berries, a design which can be found on some of Dage’s other pieces (see image 13). The lid carries his signature ‘DAGE’ with a flowing line underneath, a much less common version of the Dage mark but which can be found elsewhere (see image 14). More normally pieces are signed ‘L.Dage’, the name being in lower case rather than capitals.Form and decoration combine to produce a striking object, characteristic of the fashions of the time of its production and a worthy tribute to its maker.
LOT 6
A group of twenty assorted artists Stamps in H&R Johnson sample Box, C20th
Estimate: £60 – 80
3d 19h 23m
£0.00
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.
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.
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.
Egyptian Eye of Horus braclet c20th
Price: £25
This is a cool bracelet that features a silver Eye of Horus flanked by Ankh symbols. These are put together on a double faux leather cord. With Egyptian hallmarkes
Pair of Japanese Prints, C20th
Price: £25
Pair of Japanese Prints depicting geisha ladies in an interior and a garden setting with elaborate panel inscriptions.
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!
Turquoise Native American Cuff Bracelet, 1960s
Price: £95
This is a very striking bracelet comprising a puzzle work of large turquoise stones. Please note: this bracelet does not adjust and is made for quite a small wrist. Please only consider if your wrist is 6 inches or less. It is marked Sterling 925. The maker is not certain but it has the look of a Zuni piece from New Mexico.
Framed Chinese Embroidery Silk Textile, signed, second half C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese silk textile with an embroidered design of a peacock and a peahen (the male and female peafowl) sitting on the branch of a pine tree with peony growing below in a stylised garden scene. There is a four character signature to the top left, probably denoting the artist. The style of the embroidery and the calligraphy of the signature suggest mid to late C20th work, perhaps dating to the 1960s or 1970s. The composition and the detail and colourings of the embroidery work are pleasing, combining to produce an excellent example of the genre. The frame is European and perhaps contemporary with the date of manufacture (see Lot 24).
Nine strand authentic seed pearl necklace 1980s
Price: £45
This is a lovely and delicate necklace comprising 9 strands of real seed pearls. Three of the strands also have gold tone beads. It ends in a gold tone box clasp. Probably Japanese in origin. Pearls have a very high lustre and are of great quality.
Czech rhinestone jewelled glass metal filigree Perfume Bottle and Stopper, C20th
Price: £25
This is an elaborately decorated perfume bottle of a type produced by Czech workshops in a variety of similar but differing designs. The blue glass bottle is encased with elaborate gilt filigree work which does not cover the entirety of the reverse as is quite common. The intricate filigree design is enhanced by studded rhinestones, or imitation diamonds, in greens and blues, which adds to the opulence of the piece. There is a removable gilt cap fitted with a glass wand which remains intact. Definitely an addition to the handbag for a very special occasion!
Chinese Pale Celadon Jade Bangle, probably Nineteenth Century
Price: £45
A Chinese Pale Celadon Jade or Jadeite Bangle, of typical stout circular form, the mottled stone of a pleasing pale celadon colour with typical dark grey and black inclusions.
Jade is usually divided into two types, nephrite jade and jadeite jade. The latter is heavier and slightly harder, making it more difficult to scratch. The weight of this piece suggests that we do have jadeite here. The stone was selected for carving on the basis of its attractive appearance and the finish, which bears no trace of machine tooled manufacture, suggests a pre twentieth century dating, but certainty in these matters is notoriously difficult
The size of this piece is unusually large, suggesting that it would have been intended for a male wearer. This too suggests an earlier rather than later time of manufacture. The stone is exceptionally pleasant to the hand and would have been an elegant accompaniment to any wardrobe.
Burmese silver plated Scent Bottle on a chain c1880
Price: £45
This is a very wearable piece of fashion history. It comprises a large repousse decorated scent bottle cast from silver plated white metal and depicting Burmese lions, fitted to a very long necklace chain. The stopper is attached by chain and comes out to reveal the scent wand. Not without a practical use this piece certainly fulfils a decorative function!
Art Deco Scottish bloodstone brooch
Price: £25
This a petite brooch comprising one piece of work bloodstone.
Stunning Art Deco silver bead work necklace
Price: £85
This is a very striking necklace comprising detailed silver beadwork. It has 8 hanging central strands ending in triangular stations. Most likely English silver although it is unmarked. Tests as 925 silver.
Antqiue Scottish agate specimen brooch/pendant
Price: £55
This is a very good example of this type of brooch with a bale so can be worn as a pendant. The panels are carnelian, jasper etc.
Framed Watercolour of a Countryside Scene, C20th
Price: £45
This is a highly attractive watercolour painting of a countryside scene. A river winds from left to right with a mother and child walking along a path in the foreground and trees and buildings to the rear. On the river sails a barge drawn by a horse which has just passed under the brick built bridge to which the couple are approaching. This is certainly a ‘period’ composition suggesting the nineteenth century but the artist, an accomplished amateur, was clearly working in the twentieth. If the frame is contemporary, then this indicates a dating to the 1960s or 1970s but this is admittedly something of a guess. But the charm of the piece is obvious and it would be an appealing addition to a modern home.
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.
Georgian neck brooch c1820
Price: £85
This is a very unusual brooch meant to be warn at the neck. It comprises white metal and brass elements. It has a hanging garland that moves and then there are three chains attached. It has a typical Regency design. It has been restored so the pin and clasp are not original. Nor are the chains original although they compliment the brooch so well this most likely is an authentic restoration back to its original state.
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.
Art Nouveau Fairy earrings c1930
Price: £25
These are a pair of earrings comprising a pink paste stone with a suspended Mucha style fairy figure ending in a long faux pearl. These are post and butterfly earrings that are quite light and easy to wear.
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.
Pair of Art Deco chrome wall sconces
Price: £50
This is a stunning pair of Art Deco sconces in polished chrome. These hold candles and are in a very unusual Art Deco design. A not to be missed lot for Art Deco collectors!
Art Nouveau Bronze Plaque c.1900
Price: £75
This is a beautiful bronze hanging plaque depicting an Art Nouveau woman in natural setting, with integrated ring to hang
Maud Frizon Handbag c1980
Price: £150
This is a lovely calfskin shoulder bag by the well known shoe designer Maud Frizon. It has multiple interior compartments and a flap over front with stud detail. The zip pulls are tiny shoes with her initials MF. Her name also appears on the label inside.
LOT 39
An Unusual Pair of Bradawl Form Sewing Tools, probably Persian C20th
Estimate: £40 – 60
3d 20h 29m
£0.00
Lovely large brooch by Thomas L Mott c1940
Price: £20
This is a large brooch with a very detailed enameled plaque depicting a Louis XV style scene of lovers in a landscape. Signed on reverse TLM (b 1881)
Art Deco necklace with French Jet and paste stations
Price: £45
This is a beautiful and un unusual long necklace comprising stations of long French Jet bugle beads and paste spheres. It also features some interesting cracked crystal effect glass beads and clear glass beads.
Set of Three Empire Porcelain Company Biscuit Jars circa 1900
Price: £120
This is a set of three biscuit jars each of rounded straight sided barrel form, one squat, and fitted with brass lids and loop handles. The light blue, or teal, ground is decorated with a central circular panel depicting a mythological scene, the largest showing the three graces and the other two a pair of classical lovers perhaps Cupid and Psyche in one, within white dot and gilt borders. The bases all have printed marks (some slightly indistinct), a crown above a banner reading ‘EMPIRE WARE’, the cipher monogram ‘E’ ‘P’ ‘C’ and a further banner reading ‘STOKE ON TRENT’ with ‘ENGLAND’ below. Two also have the written mark ‘300/4479’ which is presumably the pattern or model number.
The Empire Porcelain Company was established in 1896 at the Empire Works in Stoke Road, Hanley, Stoke on Trent. A wide range of pottery and porcelain was subsequently produced until the factory’s closure in 1967. The various marks include the initials EPC, EP or the word Empire. The form of the mark seen here occurs on the earliest pieces made between 1896 and 1912. Blue ground pieces with mythological scenes were produced in a variety of forms during this period, some decorative, such as ornamental vases, and some more practical, as here : modest but graceful accessories for the Edwardian drawing room.
Modernist Silver White Anthurium Brooch, Mexico, 1970s
Price: £25
This is a very unusual brooch that has two white anthurium flowers and gilt stamens. It is marked 'Made in Mexico'.
Lot of 3 vintage Chinese miniature cork groups
Price: £25
These are very delicate cork groups that also have colour added. They depict cranes and well as birds in an cherry blossom tree.
LOT 1
Set of 5 matching 18ct gold sewing tools in fitted case, August Boileau, French c.1850
Estimate: £100 – 200Auction Begins
01/01/70 UTC
£0.00
Graduated set of three Royal Doulton Harvest Pattern Jugs, early C20th
Price: £150
A graduated set of salt glaze earthenware jugs, each of compressed globular form with straight necks, a pinched spout and a strap handle, ribbed with a leaf terminal, the bodies glazed in contrasting fields of matt mustard and glossy brown with moulded decoration in cream depicting scenes of rural life including hunting and drinking, the base unglazed and with an impressed mark for Royal Doulton, the pattern number ‘2892’ on two of the jugs and on the largest jug the artist’s mark ‘a’.
While this model, often called the ‘harvest pattern’, is found quite often, it is very unusual to see a graduated set of three, all matching. The form of the mark, where the lion does not sit above a crown, was used between 1922 and 1927 which gives us the dating here. The largest jug carries the letter ‘a’ which was a decorator’s mark and stands for Louisa Ayling. Perhaps she worked on all three, but this must remain a guess although the quality of the work on all three is quite consistent producing a highly decorative and attractive ensemble.
Fun 1970s button bangle
Price: £25
This is a super bangle comprising buttons encased in lucite. it has a rather homemade quality so it might have been made from a kit. This just adds to the vintage look and makes it even more fun! :)
Japanese Gouache Painting of Flowering Lotus, signed and framed, C20th
Price: £45
A Japanese Gouache painting in tones of green and blue of flowering lotus and reeds with a butterfly hovering above, inscribed to the left with a two character signature in black and a seal mark in red. While the artist of this piece cannot be identified his skill is self evident in both the overall composition and its execution. The fine white and yellow detail on the lotus leaves is striking and the depiction of the butterfly vivid with life. Executed on a circular panel, perhaps originally from a screen, the painting has been sympathetically framed in an octagonal format, with a dark blue mount into which it is inset. The combination presents an object of obvious decorative appeal both to a specialist and to a general collector.
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.
Large tooled leather bag with Moroccan Designs 1970s
Price: £85
This is a beautiful large bag made from light soft leather that has been tooled all over with Moroccan patterns and vignette roundels depicting camels and palm trees.Lined in leather, it has four stud feet and is in immaculate condition..
Lomonosov Teapot in the form of a Samovar, late C20th
Price: £75
This is another teapot from the Lomonosov factory but in the rather unusual design of an adapted samovar with a teapot on the top acting as the lid. The conventional samovar form used in Russia had an urn shaped base with a spigot for the release of hot water. A teapot surmounted it in which the tea was brewed. Here the base is in the form of a teapot not an urn and the lid merely acts as a decorative accompaniment. This novelty form seems to have been developed by the Lomonosov factory in the late twentieth century and can be purchased new today. Various examples can be found with widely different marks underneath but sharing the same shape and decoration (by repute known as ‘sunny day’ and attributed to the designer L. I. Grigoryeva). The mark underneath includes the Russian letter cipher for Lomonosov often found (ЛФЗ), that is ‘LFZ’ in English which is an abbreviation of the factory name ‘Lomonosovkiy Farforoviy Zavod’, but also the word ‘Russia’ which dates the piece post 1991 after the fall of the USSR. But if fairly late in the series of pieces produced by Lomonosov, there is no relaxation in the quality here and fine hard paste porcelain is combined with detailed and skilful decoration to produce a work of great appeal.
Victorian decorated papier mache glove box with pair of kidskin gloves
Price: £65
This is a stunning Victorian papier mache glove box with very fine painted decoration depicting an Austrian landscape and flowers, the interior finished in red. It is offered with wonderful pair of kidskin gloves, perhaps contemporary. These are a good size suitable to fit a small hand, size 4 or 5. Truly a collector's item for the fashion conscious!
Set of 6 small Art Deco style plates by C.T. Altwasser, Silesia, 1920s/1930s
Price: £75
A set of six porcelain plates, Art Deco style, with fluted edges and a modelled design of four overlapping leaves and basket weave, glazed in shades of green and mustard yellow, the rims gilt and the bases with a transfer mark in blue of an eagle above the initials CT.
Carl Tielsch founded the Altwasser factory in 1845. It swiftly became second largest porcelain factory in Silesia, a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. After twenty years the factory employeed 1,400 employees. Products of the Tielsch factory quickly became known for their high quality and artistry even being compared to Berlin or Meissen porcelains and seem to have continued to be manufactured until the 1950s, the later pieces being marked first ‘Germany’ then ‘Poland’. The mark here, an eagle above the initials CT, was used from 1875 to 1935 but the style of decoration, which shows the influence of Art Deco pieces, indicates a dating to the 1920s or 1930s. Probably intended as side plates, this set is rather unusual amongst the Altwasser pieces found today and highly attractive.
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.
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.
Small Chinese Gilt Ground Cloisonné Bowl, C20th
Price: £35
A small bowl with a short foot and an everted rim, the gilt ground decorated in raised cloisonne enamel with prunus flowers, the base and interior finished in mottled turquoise enamel. The cloisonné technique, where glass derived enamels are inlaid between gilt metal outline designs, the so called 'cloisons' or 'partitions', was developed in China from as early as the fourteenth century and employed continuously thereafter, even until the present day. In the early twentieth century pieces were produced with a gilt ground onto which were applied raised cloisonne enamel designs, as here. The quality of the work is excellent and self evident but note in particular the shading effects in the enamels which are seen in images (3) and (4). Prunus is the emblem of Winter and the symbol of life because its blossom appears in springtime on an apparently lifeless tree. This small bowl or cup was probably intended for drinking tea or wine which explains the shape of the rim. Dating is most likely to the first half of the C20th.
Art Deco Style Bagley Glass Vase with fin type handles 1930s
Price: £45
An Art Deco style glass Vase made by Bagley Glass, of urn form, the slender ovoid body modelled with a swirling design and finished with a crimped rim, set with two fin shape handles and resting on a squared base, all finished in a mottled blue colour wave. The form clearly reflects pieces from the Art Deco period and coloured glass was not produced by the firm until the 1930s. The shape here is unusual and similar examples are hard to find. This piece was mould made, as can be seen from the base, but probably also finished by hand in common with many other pieces from the firm. Dating has to be assumed. Bagley pieces are not marked and popular designs were sometimes continued long after their introduction.
Large Art Deco green Bakelite Buckle with a label for Harlem Adler, American 1930s
Price: £35
This is an unusual and rare buckle in olive green swirl and marble effect bakelite. The design is a classic Art Deco shape its angular form and typical carved geometric lines. The closure does not depend upon metal fitments which is uncommon and pleasing. The buckle is a very large size and comes with its original sample store tag from Harlem-Adler & Co. in New York, who were known principally as manufactures of buttons from the 1930s to 1950s but carried lines in other fashion accessories as well. A classic of its time, then, complete with a bit of history and true collector’s item!
Large floral ivory white Bakelite buckle, British 1930s
Price: £65
This is a very large buckle in ivory white bakelite carved with leaves and flower heads set in an openwork ‘bow tie’ frame, the reverse with metal fitments for securing the belt and fastening the buckle. The naturalistic decoration here is something of a contrast with many of the Art Deco buckles produced although floral design brooches from the period are quite commonly found and there is enough abstraction in the design here to make this piece clearly representative of the period.
Rare large ruby red Bakelite buckle, American 1930s
Price: £75
This is a very unusual and large buckle made from ruby red Bakelite, shaped in a semi abstract form with a large rectangular central plaque between two similar smaller plaques each with a stylised openwork foliate device at the ends, the plaques with deeply cut wavy line designs, the reverse plain with metal bar attachment fittings and a curved edge clasp all attached with screws. There are no real parallels for this piece which almost seems like a reinterpretation of ancient Chinese lacquer wares but the angular and abstract design is very much from the Art Deco era.
Arts and Crafts Hand Mirror with Repousse Decoration, circa 1900
Price: £55
A very unusual hand mirror of shaped paddle form, the wood body with applied hammered pewter decoration, the back with an overall design, very finely worked, of flowering lotus and a butterfly on a minutely hammer punched ground, the plain border with studded nail head fixings, the front with a small pewter panel to the handle, similarly decorated and secured, and with a single red cabochon bead to the head, the frame of the mirror in plain wood.
Elements of two contrasting contemporary styles combine here with features from both the Arts and Crafts and the Art Nouveau movement. The hammered pewter with the almost rustic nail head fixings and the red bead reflect the former but the elegant depiction of the lotus and butterfly, with more than a hint of the Orient, reflect the latter. The maker is anonymous but doubtless British and clearly a highly skilled craftsman. Much thought and expertise went into the design of this piece which would be a desirable addition for collectors of either or both of the pieces made under the influence of these two highly popular design movements.
Native American Zuni silver cuff bracelet c1970
Price: £125
This is a stunning bracelet made by Zuni silversmiths in the area of New Mexico. It comprises a large mosaic of turquoise, mother of pearl and coral that is indicative of Zuni design and work. This mosaic is set into a silver halo of a flower and leaves, also a typical design. It is marked Sterling 925
A Pair of Japanese Lacquered Porcelain Ginger Jars and Covers, late C19th
Price: £240
A pair of Japanese porcelain ginger jars of typical form with globular bodies, a short neck and a domed cover, the ceramic bodies decorated with brown lacquer in imitation of bronze and painted with complementary landscape scenes in gold, iron red and light brown depicting lakeside scenes with pavilions, boats, rocks and trees, the covers plain and with a band of stylised repeating flower heads at the bottom. The interiors of the jars and covers with a glossy black lacquer glaze. There are various forms of lacquer decorated porcelains produced by the Japanese in the late nineteenth century. Large pairs of vases where polychrome lacquer was applied to an underglaze blue and white body were a familiar occupant of the English Country House. These pieces are more domestic in scale but highly decorative nonetheless and rather less often found than their larger counterparts. Dating here would be within the Meiji period (1868-1912) probably around 1880.
Art Deco glass bead necklace
Price: £20
This is a simple and elegant necklace comprising clear and green glass beads
Ceramic Model of a Viking Longboat, Wade, 1950s/1960s
Price: £25
A ceramic model of a Viking longboat with planking to the sides fitted with overlapping shields, the prow and stern in the form of a stylised dragon and the foot in the form of rolling waves, colourfully glazed all over in blues and browns and the underneath with a moulded mark for the Wade factory ‘Wade Porcelain Made in 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.
Many of their pieces were designed to act as small containers for flowers and trinkets and this piece is a particularly amusing example of the type. Two colour ranges exist, one as here and one with much darker tones which is held to be later. Dating here, then, is most likely to the 1950s/1960s when the Wade production lines were in full swing and enjoying considerable popularity.
Set of ring and earrings with obsidian mask motif, Mexico, 1950s
Price: £45
This is a very striking and recognizable motif of Aztec masks that feature often in Mexican design. These are carved obsidian set in silver. The earrings are screw back and marked 'Silver Mexico'. The ring is marked 'Sterling'.
Lacquer Box in the form of a Duck, possibly Persian C20th
Price: £35
This is an amusing trinket box in the form of a duck made from black lacquer with gilt decoration, the lid with wings and a feathered tail and the head with gilt eyes and beak. The base has a simple band of a repeating gilt geometric design. The form resembles the well known Chinese export porcelain 'goose' tureens made in the eighteenth century but the lacquer technique has more of Persian feel to it and this may be a more likely provenance. The whimsical style also suggests a date of manufacture in the 1960s or 1970s.
Elegant Modernist pendant 1970s
Price: £15
This is a delicate silver necklace with a pendant in a Modernist shape set with a tigers eye stone
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.
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.
A Ceramic Moneybox in the form of a Pig, Helensgate Ceramics, mid twentieth century
Price: £25
A ceramic moneybox, pink glazed and amusingly modelled in the form of a rotund pig with wide eyes and ribbon bow, the back with a slot to insert the coins and the base with a circular aperture to retrieve them, sealed with a plastic plug, probably original. A paper label affixed reading 'Helensgate Ceramics'. Little seems to be known about this firm but they clearly specialised in amusing animal figures and in particular moneyboxes. The piece has a mid twentieth century look to it and a circa date of 1960 seems reasonable. While less in use now, there are still some for whom 'cash is king'. If so, this would be a desirable acquisition!
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.
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.
Egyptian Revival suite of a necklace and earrings, 20th century, c1980
Price: £65
This is a lovely set of a necklace and earrings in silver both with typical Egyptian iconographic designs and Egyptian silver hall marks.
Art Deco Czech glass bracelet
Price: £35
This is a fantastic piece of Czech glass comprising stations of turquoise colour cabochons and faux pearls. All elements are intact and the clasp works well.
Victorian marquetry miniature table top games table
Price: £75
This is a very unusual miniature table top games table comprising a beautiful marquetry design ready for chess or any game. It is an octagon shape with eight legs. Could be a cabinet maker's example of a large table.
Art Nouveau repousse Pendant on later chain, c1910
Price: £95
This is a large repousse plaque pendant decorated in a typical Art Nouveau floral design. It is marked 'AL-P' which seems to suggest a European origin but more likely Belgium or one of the Scandinavian countries rather than France, to judge from the style. The plaque dates to the early twentieth century and is fitted with a later chain.
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.
Oil Painting of a landscape scene with trees, framed, C20th
Price: £25
An oil painting on hardboard in impressionistic style of a landscape scene with trees, a field in the foreground and a river bank in the distance, signed, but illegibly in the bottom right corner. Doubtless the work of an amateur artist this presents an attractive scene employing the techniques of the ‘impressionist’ masters and rather more affordable than their work. The frame is simple but complementary. The use of hardboard suggests a dating to the 1950s or 1960s when that material was particularly in vogue. On the back can be made out the letters 'RICHARDSON' 'NO PIC' 'G' and the signature at the front may well be read as 'Richardson'. Many artists by that name are known but while this picture cannot be atrributed to any of them, the painter was clearly accomplished.
Chinese aventurine lariat necklace
Price: £20
This is a lovely necklace that features aventurine beads and central pendant. It is threaded on cotton cord with a Chinese knot closure.
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.
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 Rice Grain Plate decorated in underglaze blue, iron red and gold, circa 1900
Price: £45
Chinese Plate of typical form with a straight flaring edge, decorated in underglaze blue with a central panel of chrysanthemum within a border of bats and a repeating geometric design, the edge with a band of diaper design and between a border of stylised scrolling floral blooms in iron red and gold with turquoise enamel highlighting. The reverse with concentric circles in underglaze blue and a 'shop mark' to the centre, the rim of the plate also with 'rice grain' decoration where the porcelain is pierced and the glaze allowed to cover the openings made. Paste and style of decoration suggest a circa date towards the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912) probably circa 1900.
Chinese Famille Rose Bowl decorated with ladies, Qianlong mark, Republican period
Price: £45
Chinese Famille Rose Bowl of typical deep form with a short foot decorated to the exterior with two panels of ladies seated in a stylised garden scene, the lobed borders in iron red, on a ground of densely packed floral blooms in the 'mille feur' pattern, the interior similarly decorated with peony and lotus, the exterior decoration continuing over the foot rim which is unusual. The base with an apocryphal Qianlong period mark (1736 - 1795) in iron red. The style of decoration and paste of the foot rim suggests a dating in the Republican period (1912 - 1949), perhaps around 1930 and this piece, which very loosely follows Imperial designs from the eighteenth century, was probably intended for the local market, in common with the 'Straits Chinese Porcelain' pieces also produced for the local market in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
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!
Nesting Set of Four Small Brass Trays with an engraved designs of Bats, Chinese C20th
Price: £30
A set of four brass trays in graduating sizes of rounded rectangular form with indented corners each with an engraved design of four bats symbolising good fortune, longevity and happiness surrounding a central ‘shou’ symbol of simplified form, again representing longevity. The function of this set is unclear but care was taken in its manufacture so that the individual pieces fit precisely into one another. Perhaps for sweetmeats or other delicacies and probably made in the early twentieth century for the local market.
Wall plaque by Giovanni Schoeman depicting classical style figures, 1970s
Price: £75
A diamond shape wall plaque comprising over 40 small tablet form plaques in various colours and sizes, moulded in high relief with Art Nouveau style classical figures. This is the work of the artist Giovanni Schoeman (1940-1981) who was born in South Africa and worked in London and America. He was well known for working in the recently developed medium of ‘Cold Cast Resin Metal’. Metal powder, often bronze, was mixed with a resin binder and poured into a mould to produce a cast with the appearance of solid metal. Different metal powders such as brass, nickel and copper were also used depending on the effect desired and this plaque is an excellent example of the effects which could be achieved.
While Art Nouveau in style, Schoeman only perfected these techniques in the late 1960s, producing pieces in the style from a studio in Kentish Town which sold well in the London outdoor art markets. In the late 1970s, Schoeman moved to America with the intention of producing large scale art but the venture foundered and he died in 1981. This plaque, of which other examples are known, must have been one of his most popular designs in those London years and is a striking example of the techniques he developed and mastered.
Silver Snake bangle, 20th century
Price: £25
This is a very elegant silver bangle in a typical Egyptian snake motif design with hallmarks.
Group of Three Chinese carved bone Horses with wood stands, probably mid C20th
Price: £30
This is a group of three bone horses carved in China most likely in the 1930s/1940s. The patina is attractive and the three different poses imaginatively created. One horse is shown grazing, another standing with his head turned back and the third galloping with his tail upraised. These are almost certainly three from an original set of eight which would have represented the famous 'Eight Horses of Wang Mu', so often depicted in Chinese Art. The Emperor Mu of the Zhou dynasty (1023-983 BC) was the subject of a romance legend in which he sought to visit the heavenly paradise and taste the peaches of immortality. A charioteer named Zaofu used his chariot drawn by eight horses to carry Wang Mu to his desired destination and the legend was then perpetuated in Chinese Art. As well as being found in Chinese painting and on Chinese porcelains, the horses were also the subject of Chinese sculptors working in ivory, bone and even wood. Many of these small groups exist and most are no more than a hundred years old. The style here and the form of the fitted wood stands suggests mid C20th work, probably as tourist souvenirs. While missing their companions, this group still enjoy a unity of their own and make a highly decorative ensemble.
Large Scottish agate specimen brooch 1910
Price: £55
This is a unique large oval brooch set with a slice of agate with that has beautiful markings that really highlight the stone.
Massive Victorian Carnelian Cameo Shell
Price: £55
This is a very large example of a carnelian shell, such pieces often being used for the creation of cameos in the nineteenth century and before. This example has been polished in certain areas to give the shell a more elegant and finely worked decoration suitable for use as a table ornament. Carved carnelian cameo shells were favoured souvenirs from the Grand Tour and were found mainly in the North and West African waters. This piece is of an exceptionally large size, which is both desirable in itself and occurs much less frequently.
Victorian leather bound photo album made by Mechi and Bazin c.1870
Price: £110
This is an incredible photo album comprising a finely tooled green leather cover and gilt edged pages that have inserts for the photos. It is made by Mechi and Bazin, a well respected manufacturer based on Regent Street in central London and mainly known for their campaign fitted toiletry boxes and writing slopes. This album is quite petite so it was most likely also meant for travel. It holds 23 beautiful Victorian photographs : mainly portraits with a few outdoor views.The album Is marked 'Mechi & Bazin Makers London' on front cover.
LOT 22
Chinese soapstone Amulet decorated with a coiled dragon, C20th
Estimate: £20 – 30
3d 19h 55m
£10.00
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.
Victorian Chinese turquoise beads 1900
Price: £400
This is a Chinese graduated turquoise bead necklace. The stones are untreated and natural colours and markings really make this a stunning example. It is very finely graduated so they imperceptibly decrease in size which adds to the elegance and quality.
Dutch Delft Blue and White Gourd Vase in C18th Style, late C20th
Price: £25
A ceramic vase of double gourd form with a short foot and a flaring rim, the fluted body decorated in underglaze blue with flowering peony and flowers in a chinoiserie style, the base with underglaze blue marks including the symbols for Delft ware and the name Delft itself. The tin glazed earthenware pieces, mostly blue and white, produced at Delft in Holland are a familiar staple of the ceramics repertoire. Production began as early as the sixteenth century but the most famous era of output was between the mid seventeenth and eighteenth although pieces continued to be manufactured after that, both in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, usually copying the forms and designs of the earlier wares but no longer employing the tin glaze of the earlier pieces which proved to be too expensive.
This vase is typical of one of these later creations and copies an eighteenth century original which itself was based on Chinese pieces. The marks underneath, although some of them are blurred, offer a clue to the dating. Below an ‘A’ at the top can be seen a vase which stands for ‘De Porcelyne Fles (The Porcelain Bottle) a factory which was established in 1653 and continues production today. There follow the initials ‘JT’ as a monogram standing for Joost Thooft who bought the factory in 1876 and below this ‘Delft’. At the bottom are usually found the painter’s initials to the left and letters to the right which are the date mark. On this vase these are unclear but the painter’s initials read ‘MA’ which appears to stand for M.H.van Aalst who worked for the firm from 1941to 1983. This would fit with a likely dating here to the second half of the twentieth century, but the artist has successfully recreated the work of his predecessors and produced a piece of great charm.
Operculum shell demi parure
Price: £35
This is a wonderful set set with operculum shells. A large statement necklace and earrings set in silver tone base metal. What is an operculum shell?
An operculum is a calcareous structure created by many sea snails that serves as a little “trapdoor” to safely close them inside their shell. When, say, the tide goes out, stranding a sea snail too far from the water, the gastropod can draw itself deep into its shell and pull the operculum closed behind it.
Zuni Cuff Bracelet set with Kingman Turquoise, marked, New Mexico 1970s
Price: £300
This is a heavy silver cuff bracelet comprising a large oval Kingman turquoise stone set into a typical Zuni design featuring clean lines and millegrain work. The Zuni Tribe, located 34 miles south of Gallup, New Mexico, is an extensive community with over 10,000 members and renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship and artistry, particularly in the realm of jewellery manufacture. Many of their pieces employ the use of turquoise and the colouration and features of the stone here indicate a provenance from the Kingman mine in North West Arizona. This exceptional piece has the stamped maker's mark 'CIRCLE J.W.' 'STERLING', possibly for Jack Whittaker, an artist known for other pieces in a similar style, and is a prime example of Zuni work, highly fashionable at the time of manufacture in the 1970s and highly desirable today.
Jakob Bengal Art Deco galalith and metal necklace
Price: £45
This is a striking example of Jacob Bengel jewellery in his signature galalith and white mettal. The penant is dark brown and black in a triangular shape.
A Complementary Pair of Gilt Metal Art Nouveau style picture frames, 20th Century
Price: £45
Two Gilt Metal Picture Frames of differing sizes but with matching designs in mirror image modelled in typical Art Nouveau style with slender ladies holding a branch and flowering wheat sheaves and lotus, the reverses with swing mount stands