Art deco style necklace with large blue stone c1970
Price: £50
This is a beautiful necklace in an Art Deco lariat design. It comprises one oval stone with a long hanging drop of a large blue stone. It has diamante encrusted stations all around. Unsigned.
Fairing Figurine - The last in bed to put out the light, German, late Nineteenth Century
Price: £25
Fairing Figurine "The last in bed to put out the light". 'Fairings', as they are known, were ceramic figures made to be given out, sold or won as prizes at fairs, hence the name. They were a product of the late Victorian era but continued to be made until the beginning of the First World War when they fell out of fashion. Manufacture was in Germany principally by the firm Conta and Boehme who developed a mass production method that no other company could match, thereby achieving a market advantage. They exported large quantities to Britain and the United States, but their pieces have even been found in Australia along with other destinations.
The various figures were made in white glazed porcelain with coloured decoration. The compositions were sculptural and often accompanied by an inscription, as here. Many models are known. Two typical examples are 'Returning from the Ball' and 'Twelve Months after Marriage' but the most common example is represented here 'The last in bed to put out the light'. A couple are seen climbing into a covered bed at the foot of which stands a candle in a holder. These candles are usually broken off, most likely because of simple damage over the years but it has been suggested that this was done deliberately for good luck.
Some of the fairing figurines are marked, as here. The impressed number '2851' comes from the first series of figures produced by the Conta factory with numbers ranging from 2850 to 2899. The earlier examples do not have the shield mark found on most of the pieces which indicates an earlier dating here, more towards the middle of the nineteenth century.
Fairings have been collectors' items for many years now and still hold a naif charm which makes them appealing display items, with a history of their own.
Paris tourist novelty bracelet c1970
Price: £15
This is a fun bracelet in a tarnished silver finish. It depicts Parisian landmarks and the city's coat of arms. They have a 3D effect which is interesting.
A Pair of Art Deco Pressed Glass Trophy Form Vases, Davidson, 1930s
Price: £45
A Pair of pressed glass vases of hexagonal form, the rounded body with a lobed rim and standing on a shaped foot, two handles to the sides in the shape of a trophy. These pieces resemble similar designs in clear pressed glass made by the Davidson factory in the 1930s. George Davidson founded the Teams Flint Glass Works in 1867, which later became known as George Davidson & Co. In the 1880s the company began producing pressed glass tableware in a variety of shapes and by the 1920s their designs began to reflect the new Art Deco trends. The firm continued production until the 1980s, closing in 1987. These vases come from their 'Chippendale' range and were probably made in the 1930s. It has been suggested that this and other similar forms were intended to hold celery. Normally sold singly, it is less common to find a matching pair with their obvious decorative potential.
Beautiful sautoir necklace with Whitby jet pendant 1920s
Price: £35
This is a lovely necklace comprising a very intricate design of multiple strands of French jet beads in different shapes interspersed with unusual Venetian glass triangular beads. This necklace ends in a long pendant comprising a large carved Whitby jet bead and strands of bugle beads.
Long Art Deco pinchbeck watch chain with two pendants
Price: £65
This is a gorgeous long watch chain in a very usual star box link. Attached to the chain is a banded carnelian locket and a rock crystal cross. These are removable and are not original to the chain although they are from the same period.
Pair of Royal Dux Secessionist Style Vases, 1930s
Price: £250
A pair of ceramic vases of semi organic form, the body tapering towards the long slightly flaring neck and the sides with four applied loop handles, decorated with stylized floral designs on a grey/beige mottled ground, the base glazed and with a transfer mark of an acorn in a triangle with the letters ‘D’ ‘P’ ‘M’ and impressed numbers ‘11330’.
These vases form part of a group of ceramic items manufactured by a wide number of factories in the early C20th, including Mintons of England, and heavily influenced by the ‘Secessionist’ movement, in which contemporary artists deliberately broke away from traditional styles, which began in Austria in the late nineteenth century and soon spread to Germany and France. The organic forms of the Art Nouveau movement were a strong influence and can be seen here.
Duxer Porzellanmanufaktur, or the Dux Porcelain Manufactory, was started in 1860 by Eduard Eichler in what was then Duchov, Bohemia, later to become part of Czechoslovakia. Production continued until the beginning of the second world war and beyond. The factory started to imitate designs by Copenhagen, Worcester and Sevrés and their pieces achieved great popularity culminating in the company being rewarded with the Grand Prix prize at the world exhibition in St. Louis in 1904. Their output is now now generally referred to by the abbreviated name, ‘Royal Dux’. Some of their pieces were made in the ‘Secessionist’ style, with emphasis on organic forms, as here. There is a wide variety of Royal Dux marks and the one on these vases, an acorn in a triangle (the letters ‘D’, ‘P’, ‘M’ standing for “Duxer Porzellan-Manufaktur”) , indicates a dating after 1918 suggesting that they were made in the 1920s or 1930s but almost certainly before the beginning of the second world war.
Rare Ditmar Urbach Art Deco Pitcher, Czech 1930s
Price: £250
The Ditmar Brothers and the Urbach Brothers had merged what was left of their ceramics companies in 1910. Their primary facility was located in Teplitz-Turn, Czechoslovakia. From 1919 to 1938, they operated as Ditmar-Urbach A.G. and produced a large volume of decorative and functional ceramics, many employing forms and decoration typical of the Art Deco style. The form of this vase is unusual, being a double lipped pitcher with a loop handle, and the decoration employs zig zag, almost mountainous, designs in orange, yellow, purple and blue, which can also be found on other pieces from the factory and are typical of the styles of the era. The base is clearly marked ‘Ditmar Urbach’ ‘Made in Czechoslovakia’ which is not the case with all of the pieces made by the firm.
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.
East German Ceramic Vase, VEB Haldensleben, 1950s
Price: £35
An East German Ceramic Vase of simple rounded form with an open neck decorated in yellow, blue and grisaille with bands of overlapping, cloud like segments, the interior glazed in black and the foot glazed in aubergine with an impressed factory mark and the numberd '8409'.
The factory mark, a shallow dish superimposed over the letter 'H' inside a circle, is that of the East German pottery VEB Haldensleben. VEB stands for 'Volkseigener Betrieb', meaning a people-owned enterprise and used in relationship to the state owned workplaces in the GDR. Haldensleben is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany and a ceramics factory was created there in 1945 with the nationalization of the Carstens Uffrecht plant that followed the division of Germany at the end of WWII. Halsdenleben focused primarily on the manufacture of vases. Its output tended to be of superior quality and employed more restrained glazes than those used by its West German counterparts. Upon the reunifucation of Germany in 1990, the factory was returned to its original owners, the Carstens family. The pattern number here is found on other pieces with the same shape but the abstract decoration used is quite individual and evocative of 1950s and early 1960s designs.
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.
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
Framed Chinese painting on silk, two Silk Dyers, C19th/C20th
Price: £15
This is a Chinese genre painting on silk of two men seemingly engaged in dying skeins of silk in a rocky landscape scene. To the right stands a man holding two loops of fabric thread, most likely silk and to his left, a boy stands in front of a vat filled with liquid, clearly twisting the threads into cord, perhaps having dipped them into liquid dye using the tool he is holding in his left hand. The strip of wood across the top of the vat may have been used to help removed excess fluid from the dyed thread. The significance of the rather desolate landscape setting is unclear. The two workers seem to have been banished by their companions! Silk dyeing was an old tradition in China which is still kept up today (see image 7). While there are many painted scenes of rural and craft activities, this particular manufacturing process does not seem to be illustrated elsewhere. The style of the brushwork suggests a dating to around 1900 and there is a stamped artist's seal mark in red at the bottom left but the frame and mount are clearly later, perhaps mid C20th. An unusual composition, then, for collectors of Chinese art.
Lovely 1950s brooch
Price: £10
This is a very striking round brooch set with clear and blue paste stones
2 1950s floral brooches
Price: £10
This is a lot of two similar floral brooches set with green and blue stones
Edwardian Transitional necklace c1920
Price: £75
This is a stunning necklace comprising blue glass bead stations in a lariate style ending with a large blue glass pendant with three drops. It is transitional as it is a bit later than Edwardian so has both Edwardian elements and Art Deco elements in its design. It is set into gilt metal with a screw barrel clasp.
Murano Art Glass Dish, 1960s
Price: £45
An Art Glass dish made by the well known firm of Murano, based in Venice, Italy, the flowing triangular form with turned over sides indented to the centre and joining at three complementary 'lips', the blue glass skilfully combined with clear glass and shades of brown. Just possibly intended as an ashtray, the design is striking and appealing and representative of the best Murano work. A circa date in the 1960s is likely and the style matches other designs from that era.
Silver Lapis lazuli collar necklace, probably Taxco Mexico, c1990
Price: £75
This is a Mexican silver designer necklace comprising small stations with inset lapis ending in a large central station with three sections. It is marked 950 and although it does not have a makers' mark or country stamp it is highly likely that this is from Mexico, most probably from the Taxco region, due to the design and general quality of the piece.
Two Ketsuzan Kiln plates from the Poetic Visions of Japan Series, Japan 1988
Price: £40
These are two decorative plates depicting Japanese beauties. Made at the Ketsuzan Kiln in 1988, the series, entitled 'Poetic Visions of Japan', was designed by the Master Artist, Yoshiharu Katoh, They are decorated with vividly hand coloured transfer prints and marked with a description of the scene in Japanese on the reverse.
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.
Perfume Bottle and Stopper, Island Studio, Guernsey, late C20th
Price: £30
A perfume bottle and stopper, the globular almost spherical body with short collar fitted with a rounded stopper, the glass blown with purple and white flecking effects merging into a swirling design at the top which continues to the stopper. Similar pieces can be found with the label 'Island Glass, Guernsey', and one of these also has the moulded mark on the bottom which appears here and may represent trees and waves. Island Glass was a glass studio based in Guernsey which seems to have had a very short existence in the late C20th. It is believed that one of the employees there was Chris Dodds who was later to set up his own studio in Selkirk, Scotland. Little is known of this firm but they were clearly capable of making pieces of high quality and appeal.
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.
Pair of Taxco Mexican silver earrings, c1980
Price: £75
This is a stunning pair of earrings comprising large oval malachite stones set in silver with beading and rope twist work around the edge. They are from Taxco, the silver district in Mexico, and date to the 1980s. Marked 'Mexico', 'TZ-16', '925', they have been adapted from clip to post earrings to make them more easily wearable.
Lovely Bakelite bloom pendant on chain
Price: £15
This a quite unusual pendant necklace comprising a flower Bakelite pendant and gold tone chain. Bakelite jewellery focussed mainly on bangles and brooches so a necklace is quite rare.
Mint Coronet Rapid camera with case 1950s
Price: £45
Coronet Rapide is a folding 120 film camera model of Coronet Co., Birmingham, England. It was also manufactured under license by Tiranty Company, Paris, France and produced in late 1940s and early 1950s. This one is particularly interesting because of its condition and the condition of the case. They appear to be unused or very well cared for. It has a Meniscu lenz. This camera has not been tested so we cannot guarantee it works although the condition would indicate that it does work.
A Set of Six Blue and White Willow Pattern Coasters English Ironstone 1980s
Price: £25
A set of six Ironstone china coasters, decorated in the traditional 'Willow Pattern' with a typical Chinese landscape scene. Ironstone china is a type of vitreous pottery first made in the United Kingdom in the 19th century by potters in Staffordshire, England, as a cheaper, mass-produced alternative for porcelain. It is often associated with the firm founded by Mason in 1813 following his registration of a patent for the ware. Subsequently others manufactured it as well including William Turner and Josiah Spode. Essentially a product of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries there was a revival of interest in these traditional wares from the 1970s onwards and one of the manufacturers was the 'English Ironstone Tableware Ltd' which traded from 1973 to 1994 when it went into receivership. Their impressed mark can be seen on the back.
These coasters formed part of their range. The decoration employs the transfer pattern technique developed in England in the mid eighteenth century and a staple of nineteenth century productions. Printed designs were 'transferred' to the ceramic surface allowing the production of extensive services in a matching pattern. The Chinese derived 'Willow Pattern' design seems to have been first used around 1790 and was probably designed by Thomas Minton for Spode. All the versions contain similar elements besides the pagodas and landscape scenes most notably the three figures on a bridge and a pair of flying swallows. In order to promote sales, various stories were invented based on elements of the design. These coasters are an amusing recollection of times past and highly practical in addition.
Set of two vintage Chinese painted eggs in glass display boxes
Price: £25
This is a beautiful set of very detailed painted eggs mounted in glass display boxes. The eggs are decorated with butterflies and flowers and both are set in red tufted silk. Not sure what kind of bird the eggs are from. The seem small for Chicken eggs.
Massive pearl and mother of pearl necklace and earrings 1970s
Price: £95
This is a totally unique necklace and earrings comprising cultured pearls set with large curtain of smaller pearls and mother of pearl geometric shapes with corresponding earrings. This is exclusively pears and mother of pearl, there are no other materials aside from the mirco beads, clasp and earring hooks. The work that went into this is astounding! This is not for a wall flower but if you like to get noticed try this one! :)
Modernist malachite pendant with chain
Price: £45
This is a very striking large pendant in a modernist design which really shows off the stone, pendant is hallmarked probably Scottish definitely British marks, chain looks great with it and is a highly polished chunky herringbone design
Regency style statement necklace c1950
Price: £125
This a very usual necklace comprising brass and glass elements that have a "rather" regency style in the design. Maybe more of a nod to the design is more accurate. The central pendant has a central stone surrounded by glass leaves and flowers. It is a lariat style with green and blue glass beads that perfectly match the central pendant.
Brass and Enamel Campaign Serving Set, Made in British India mark, 1920s
Price: £45
This is an attractive set of three small serving dishes, presumably for sweetmeats or cakes, hinged to fold flat and be used as a travelling or 'campaign' item. The central dish rotates around a pivot which can be tightened to hold it in position when open and the side dishes drop down in alignment. The brass body is decorated in relief modelled enamels with stylised floral designs in red, blue, turquoise and cream typical of Anglo British work in the early 20th century. Each of the dishes and the hinges are marked '2.6' and the two outer dishes are stamped 'Made in British India' in addition.
Victorian silver bracelet set with garnets 1900
Price: £35
This is a lovely and delicate bracelet comprising intricate silver mesh set with garnet stones and silver spheres. The clasp is a buckle that is very typical of this period.
Vintage Carved wood bust of a Lady, Bali, Indonesia, second half C20th
Price: £65
A finely carved wood bust with a rich patina and veining of a young woman wearing traditional headdress. The style of this piece indicates that it was the work of a Balinese craftsman. The island of Bali in Indonesia has a rich tradition of wood carving dating back hundreds of years. Known in the Balinese language as 'Batuan', wood carving has its roots in Bali's
Hindu-Buddhist culture. Typically, the pieces are made from hardwoods with a coarse grain including teak, chempaka wood and sandalwood. The decorative grain effects here, though, suggest mahogany and the highly polished finish is quite striking and far less commonly found today. Dating is probably to the 1960s but the aura of calm contemplation recalls Chinese pieces of an earlier era.
English Silver pin cushion in the form of a boot, London 1991
Price: £75
This is a charming small pin cushion in the form of a worn out boot. It has a typical blue velvet interior and is very lifelike with a hole in the sole. It has full English hallmarks for London 1991 and a makers' mark 'DB'.
Stunning 1950s paste necklace
Price: £25
This is a beautiful necklace that features large emerald cut paste stones all around the necklace
Victorian Chinoiserie chatelaine note pad
Price: £125
This is a gorgeous piece of ephemera - a writing pad meant to hang from a lady's chatelaine, comprising two Chinoiserie silver incised panels that open to expose 4 celluloid pages
Set of 6 Peking glass shirt studs in fitted box
Price: £45
This is an unusual set of studs comprising Peking glass with brass fittings in fitted box.
Studio Pottery Vase with flambé glaze, C20th
Price: £55
A studio pottery vase, the body of broad ovoid form, ribbed and rising to a wide neck, covered in a multicoloured purple flambé gaze with splash glaze effects, the flat base unglazed and with a handwritten script mark. The look of this piece is Oriental with borrowings from both China and Japan but the shape does not resemble pieces from either and the paste suggests European and almost certainly English manufacture. Potters from the early twentieth century onwards studied the work of their Oriental counterparts intently, producing pieces ‘in the style of’ rather than direct copies. Bernard Leach (1887 to 1979) was the trailblazer here and had many successors at the Leach pottery which still produces pieces today. Bernard’s son, David (1911 to 2005), created many pieces similar to this vase but the foot is different and they are always signed. The maker of this piece must be anonymous, at least for now, but displays great skill in the potting and the handling of the complex glaze effects which look towards Chinese Jun ware and Japanese tenmoku glazes. The script signature, which is hard to decipher, seems to be contemporary to the manufacture and the handwriting style looks towards the early twentieth century, so possibly a dating here to the 1920s or 1930s, but this is very speculative. But the quality of workmanship is not in doubt and presents an interesting addition for the collector of studio pottery wares.
A Celtic or Pictish Brooch decorated with Horses, St Justin of Cornwall, circa 1980
Price: £10
A circular pewter Brooch, the decoration based on a Pictish horse engraving found on a stone in Inverurie. The three horses are shown embedded in a nest of classic Celtic lines and knots. This brooch was made by the firm St.Justin of Cornwall with Cornish Pewter. Their mark can be seen to the reverse.
Inverurie is a town in Scotland where Pictish carved stones are found in the graveyard dating from the 7th Century. The Picts were a tribe of peoples living in the East and North of Scotland. Little is known of their origins but they were called 'Picts' by the Romans because of their painted and tattooed bodies. The Inverurie horse is the inspiration for this brooch. The actual design of the three horses was created by George Bain (1881-1968) the Scottish artist and teacher, famous for chronicling Celtic Art.
St Justin of Cornwall is well known for the production of 'craft' pieces in a variety of forms and materials. This piece probably dates to the 1980s and certainly cannot be found in their current catalogue.
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!
Compagnie des Indes style reticulated edge Armorial Plate, Chinese C20th
Price: £45
The general appearance here is that of a piece of Chinese Export porcelain dinner ware (the so called ‘Compagnie des Indes’ or ‘East India Company’ style) made around 1800. This plate essentially follows the late eighteenth century form, even in its openwork or reticulated edge which was not uncommon at the time although the lightly scalloped edge is anachronistic and the piece is far heavier than an original would be.. The centre is painted with an armorial crest but not, on this piece, one that can be identified indicating a ‘pseudo’ composition. The border has a repeating grape vine pattern and a band of blue enamel with stars, both typical of late C18th Chinese work but if the front seems reasonably authentic, the reverse betrays the date of manufacture with the printed wording in iron red which reads ‘For decorative purposes only’ ‘Not for food use’ [and as if that was not enough] ‘Article may poison food’. Similar wording is found on other C20th Chinese pieces and is probably indicative of a post war dating to the 1950s or 1960s. There was clearly no attempt to deceive here and the producers presumably sensed a demand for such pastiche pieces which do seem to be collectible, even today.
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!
Mottled blue Bakelite buckle in the shape of an airplane
Price: £45
This is another unusual buckle in the shape of an airplane in mottled navy blue with a silver blue mottling
French Orientalist etching aquatint - Paris La Rue Saint Rustique
Price: £35
This is a beautile small etching aquatint that is signed. One reverse is the printers label of "Georges Hautecoer & Co. Gravures Encadements 172 Rue de Rivoli Paris". It is a scene of a very famous street in the Monmarte district of Paris. The signature is illegible but it is lovely quality.
Incredible Hobe suite of Earrings and a Brooch 1950s
Price: £300
This is an extremely rare set of portrait miniatures set into earrings and a brooch by Hobe. Hobe was originally a French Jeweller established in 1887. His son emigrated to the USA in 1927 and set up a branch there. These miniatures are surrounded by diamantes and faux pearls. The portraits themselves are prints with hand colouring. All three pieces are signed, as illustrated.
Chinoiserie necklace with peking glass plaques c1960
Price: £45
This a lovely necklace by an American company called "Exquisite". It has faux jade or Peking glass plaques and oriental motif gold tone stations. It is signed or marked Exquisite.
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 onyx Chess Set with board and fitted box, 1930s
Price: £110
This is a very elegant chess set comprising finely carved onyx pieces which are stored in their own fitted case. The top of the case has been inlaid with onyx and agate pieces to make up a chess board. The pieces are smaller than a standard chess set which makes the fine carving even more beautiful and all have survived in excellent condition which is unusual. The perfect gift for devotees of the game!
Rose bud bracelet, 1970s
Price: £15
This is a very unusual bracelet comprising stations with suspended small flower buds and leaves. These are natural flowers that have been encased in acrylic and set in sterling silver. This type of jewellery was quite popular in the 1970s.
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!
Mods at Clacton 1964, Photograph by Terry Disney for the Daily Express
Price: £45
Easter 1964 saw a gathering of two wheeler transport fanatics in the sea town of Clacton, Essex. These were the ‘mods’ and ‘rockers’ famous at the time, the ‘mods’ with their sharp suits and scooters and the ‘rockers’ with leather jackets and motorcycles. Relationships between the two groups were less than friendly and the inevitable resulted. But if the two rival ‘gangs’ disliked one another, they disliked the police even more and when officialdom stepped in, the chaos increased. Exactly what happened has been debated ever since. The press called it anarchy (see image 6) but the local council was not so sure.
It was, though, a newsworthy confrontation and press photographers were sent in to record events. The most notable of these was Terry Disney who worked for the Daily Express newspaper. Disney was a distinguished and prolific photographer from the 1960s onwards and many of his striking images survive, not least those capturing the major personalities of the entertainment world at the time, including the Beatles themselves. His images of the ‘mods’ (he seemed less interested in the ‘rockers’) capture the atmosphere of the scenes vividly and this photograph is an excellent example of his work on that Easter weekend (for another see image 5). Often only obtainable under licence, this print is an ideal opportunity for a collector to acquire a near iconic image. It is offered with a very basic frame which might well be replaced with something which would enhance the photograph more sympathetically.
Lovely fleur de lis brooch 1960s
Price: £10
This is a lovely and delicate brooch in a fleur de lis design set with glass stones and faux pearls
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 Vintage Japanese Kokeshi Doll Groups, C20th
Price: £25
Kokeshi are simple wooden Japanese dolls that have been made in Japan for more than 150 years as children's toys. Originally from the Tohoku region in northern Honshu, kokeshi are handmade from wood, having a simple torso and head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. One characteristic of kokeshi dolls is their lack of arms or legs. Production continues to this day and the dolls are regarded as highly collectible. These two groups are a variation on the traditional design. In one, two child dolls, a boy and a girl, sit in a wicker pannier basket, presumably expecting to be carried. The cylindrical objects on top may be intended to represent logs. In the other, two lady figures are seen wearing the traditional straw rain cape. Regarded as good luck charms, these dolls have a naif charm of their own and might well appeal to an adult as well!
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.
Burmese Jade sautoir Necklace, C20th
Price: £45
This is a very unusual 'sautoir' necklace (the term denotes its length) comprising jade facetted roundel beads that end in two clusters, a piece which you can tie around the neck in different ways depending on your outfit and mood. The beads are different types of celadon jade interspaced with silver beads, the clusters ending in two silver beads with millegrain terminals. A flexible addition to the wardrobe in more than one sense!
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
Victorian vulcanite anchor chain necklace with carved jet pendant c1880
Price: £195
This is quite a rare necklace as due to the type of link combined with the long length of the necklace. The links are a large anchor design combined with the finely carved jet pendant.
ABOUT VULCANITE
Exciting scientific and technological advances punctuated the nineteenth century. Growth and development with regard to jewelry-making techniques and new and innovative jewelry materials were an important part of these creative endeavors. Combining imitation gems with various imitation jewelry materials had already been en vogue since the early Eighteenth century and viable replacements for faux non-metallic jewelry materials were chiefly derived from plastics and rubber.
Uncured rubber is somewhat brittle and does not have the stamina to hold up over the long term necessary to be viable for jewelry use. It was not until Charles Goodyear patented the vulcanization process in America in 1844 and Thomas Hancock did the same in England, that jewelry production with a rubber composition was possible. Vulcanization is a high-heat process that adds sulfur to the mix and renders the result more durable than rubber or plastic alone. Both gentlemen exhibited their achievements at the Great Exhibition, displaying molds of items intended to substitute for the very popular, but exceedingly brittle jet.
One of the main purveyors of vulcanite jewellery was the Britannia Rubber and Kamptulicon Company, set up in 1854 at Cannon Street in the City, with the works in the East End of London at Bow Common, “for the purpose of manufacturing in England articles invented by Mr. Goodyear.” From 1866, they placed advertisements in The Times for ” Indiarubber chaines Benoiton, wholesale and export only,” offering a full range of industrial, household and ornamental goods including “Imitation Jet (India Rubber): Albert chains, Victoria chains, long chains, Latin, Greek, Maltese and Dagmar crosses, brooches, bracelets, earrings, waist-clasps, charms and trinkets, gauntlets and armlets, fancy black combs, and dressing combs,” assuring their customers that these items had the “the beauty of polish and deepness of colour of jet, without its dangerous quality of brittleness…You may dash a bracelet or chain of this material to the ground without injuring it.”1
Sources:
Lang Antiques (www.langantiques.com)
Gere, Charlotte and Rudoe, Judy. Jewellery in the Age of Queen Victoria: A Mirror to the World: London, The British Museum Press, 2010.
Victorian tortoiseshell hair ornament
Price: £20
This is a very lovely hair comb with engraved decoration set with paste stones
Pair of Chinese Paintings on Silk, framed, C20th
Price: £45
A pair of Chinese paintings on silk, each rectangular panel with indented corners and finished with yellow ground patterned edging, the first depicting a lady in a garden with rocks and bamboo, the second with a mountainous landscape scene, a river bank and a man in a boat to the foreground with craggy tree lined rocky outcrops in the distance the further one surrounded by mist. Both pictures are signed in script with a red seal mark below, most likely denoting the artist or the artist copied by the painter. The style of the brushwork implies twentieth century work and the dating is probably to the 1960s. The paintings were later framed in Europe and provide a complementary pair of decorative items which accurately reflect the tradition of classical Chinese painting.
Vintage Ceramic Table Brush marked Germany, 1930s
Price: £15
A Vintage Ceramic table brush in the form of an Art Deco style lady wearing a blue hat, her brown blouse with a red bow and a woven material belt below, her 'skirt' forming the brush itself. Table brushes in a similar form were made in various countries but ours is clearly marked 'Germany' so its origin is certain. The composition of the figure, the style of decoration and the form of the mark itself all point to a pre-war dating, probably in the 1930s. This piece is highly decorative but also extremely practical, even today!
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!
Japanese Kutani Shell Shape Dish, circa 1880
Price: £45
A Japanese Kutani dish in the form of a shell with typical modelled ribbing to the front and finely decorated in iron red, sepia, grisaille and gold with three shell shape panels filled with birds
and flowers (peony and chrysanthemum) on an iron red ground with stylised gilt foliage with, in addition, roundel and part roundel shape panels with gilt floral patterns, the reverse plain
and with a two character mark 'Ku' 'Tani' to the centre.
Kutani (the word means 'nine valleys') porcelain was made at various factories in the former Kaga province of Japan. The earliest pieces were in a completely different style employing a palette of colours emphasising green, the so called 'Ko Kutani'. Production of this ceased around 1730, and manufacturing was not revived until the early nineteenth century when the more familiar colourings of iron red and gold were introduced. Many pieces were exported to the West in a variety of forms including vases and wall plates. This shell dish is more unusual; the shape is more normally found in Chinese ceramics. Perhaps one of an original pair, this dish, like its Chinese counterparts, was probably intended as a serving dish and could even be used as such today although it can well stand as a decorative item.
Victorian guilloche enamel and marcasite ring
Price: £60
This is a lovely and delicate ring comprising a panel of blue guilloche enamel surrounded with marcasite stones
Czech Egyptian Revival Necklace with glass mounts and drops, Edwardian circa 1910
Price: £150
A Czech Egyptian Revival Necklace, cast in brass with a typical design of a pharaoh’s head and two stylised beetles all on a plaque in the shape of a butterfly and inset with red and blue glass beads, three glass bead drops to the bottom and a single large blue glass oval bead at the top from which hangs a thin brass link chain with a small clasp. The style of decoration indicates that this piece belongs to the ‘first wave’ of Egyptian Revival pieces and dates to the Edwardian era.
Dark chestnut crocodile handbag 1940s
Price: £75
Here we have a soft crocodile handbag with soft leather lining. It has brass fittings and is in excellent condition. The handle has been restored to it's original beauty and is ready for daily use. This bag is not marked but is almost definitely made in England. It is a great size that is large enough for the essentials.
Rare Ermani Bulatti brooch 1980s
Price: £45
This is a very unusual brooch by Dutch company Ermani Bulatti . A very modern design in gilt metal and set with a faux hematite stone
Art Deco moulded glass necklace
Price: £25
This is a great necklace in lovely colours, all are moulded glass beads ending in a tassel, restrung using period elements
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.
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.
Framed Chinese Embroidery Silk Textile, signed, second half C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese silk textile with an embroidered design of a peacock and a peahen (the male and female peafowl) standing on a grass embankment with a flowering peony bush behind them. There is a four character signature to the top left, probably denoting the artist. The style of the embroidery and the calligraphy of the signature suggest mid to late C20th work, perhaps dating to the 1960s or 1970s. Other embroidery panels with a similar design can be found which are much later. As with the previous lot the composition and the detail and colourings of the embroidery work are pleasing, combining to produce another excellent example of the genre. The frame is European and perhaps contemporary with the date of manufacture (see Lot 24).
Chinese Cloisonné Bowl with a wavy edge, 20th Century
Price: £25
A Chinese Cloisonné Bowl of shallow form with a short gilt metal foot and a wavy edge rim also finished in gilt metal, decorated with peony and rocks and a flying bird in bold polychrome enamels with shading effects on a black ground with a gilt wire design of repeating small stylised clouds, the base finished in blue enamel. The style of decoration suggests a circa date in the first half of the twentieth century.
Large brass portrait bust of Ramses II
Price: £25
This is an amusing portrait bust cast in brass with slender profile form depicting Ramses II, (Ramesses/Rameses II) the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt c1303BC - 1213BC and one of the most famous rulers of the country of whom the statues and images surviving have become iconic. He is depicted here wearing a typical bird beak helmet and a heavy metal shawl collar. The composition reflects 'Egyptian Revival ' pieces of the early twentieth century but the dating here is rather later.
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.
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
LOT 24
Set of Four Japanese Beakers decorated Geisha, late C20th
Estimate: £20 – 30
7d 11h 45m
£13.00
Stunning suite of necklace and bracelet by Hobe 1950s,
Price: £350
This is a beautiful set of necklace and earrings be Hobe, one of the most collected makers around. It comprised a large statement necklace with three strands of large glass bead stations in amber and black glass with gold tone fittings. One of the most striking parts of both the necklace and bracelet is the corresponding clasp on each that is a large black stone surrounded by the amber glass stones that perfectly complement the piece. This also means that it can be work with hair up or hair that is in a shorter style. The bracelet has the same elements as the necklace. Both are marked Hobe. It is worth noting that these are in pristine condition which makes them all the more rare. All the findings are original.
Hobé et Cie was founded by Jacques Hobé in France in 1887. While he was trained as a master goldsmith, his business focused primarily on finely crafted sterling silver jewelry. William Hobé, his son, moved to the United States around 1920 bringing his family's acuity for producing high quality jewelry with him. (Credit: Google)
Art Deco Whitby Jet Necklace
Price: £50
This is a beautiful necklace comprising a string of Whitby Jet beads in geometric shapes. The centre bead is a carved round bead, the surrounding beds are half rounds with flat round beads in between to give it that Art Deco look.
Incredible quality Silver and paste brooch c1950
Price: £45
This is an amazing brooch that comprises silver and paste stone in a very detailed and flowing ribbon design. The numerous stones are prong set. There is a central faux pearl. It is marked 925 and it has a very secure barrel clasp that pulls out so the pin is held fast.
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.
Pair of Japanese Imari Plates, Meiji Period circa 1880
Price: £150
Pair of fine quality Japanese Imari Plates, Meiji Period (1868-1912) circa 1880, decorated in underglaze blue, iron red and gold with a typical fabric derived 'brocade' style design, the central three leaf clover shape roundel surrounded by three shaped panels with fans all on a ground of stylised scrolling foliage, the reverses plain with two concentric circles in underglaze blue next to the foot rim. The form of these plates is unusual, copying the standard design of a Chinese eighteenth century dinner plate.
Striking Art Deco brooch
Price: £15
This is a very vivid brooch in a Regency design, featuring a faux onyx stone and faux pearl drops
Striking Art Deco brooch
Price: £25
This is a very vivid brooch in a Regency design, featuring a faux onyx stone and faux pearl drops
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.
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!
Murano glass Sommerso three layer Tear Drop shape Vase, 1960s
Price: £55
A stoutly blown art glass vase of pear or tear drop shape, very thickly walled with a narrow aperture at the top, three different layers of coloured glass, blue pink and magenta, formed using the ‘sommerso’ technique (Italian ‘submerged’) and set in clear glass, the base flat. Sommerso pieces are formed by dipping coloured glass into molten glass of a different colour, before blowing the glass into the required form, creating two or more contrasting layers without the colours mixing together. The technique was developed by the Murano factory in Venice and there are similar signed pieces by Flavio Poli and Luigi Onesto which date from the 1960s. The creator of this piece is anonymous but no less accomplished; indeed few other examples are found with three layers of coloured glass. It is reasonable to assume then that this is the product of one of the workshops at Murano and dates to the same period of manufacture as the signed examples we have. It is a highly attractive example of the technique.
A set of three Brass Lizards, Peerage Brass, England 1930s
Price: £55
A set of three brass lizards, naturalistically modelled with crouching feet and sinuous tails, the largest with its head slightly raised and turned to the left and all with carefully punched decoration representing the skin. One of them bears a mark in which the letters 'p' 'e' 'e' and a further 'e' at the end can be made out above 'ENGLAND'. This indicates the English manufacturer 'Peerage Brass' which is known to have commenced in business before 1900' and made original copper & brass ware, with the height of production between 1910-1940's. Their aim was quality period reproductions which were occasionally marked. Peerage Brass became the brand name after World War II until the trademark lapsed in 1991. The format of the mark here, then, indicates a date before the second world war probably in the 1930s. The weight of the brass and the quality of the casting and modelling indicate that the factory certainly attained its goal here. While obviously decorative these animals may well have been intended as desk items, the two smallest perhaps as paperweights. Even larger examples are known and these probably acted as doorstops.
LOT 7
Abstract Heart Shape Ceramic Sculpture, Pier One Imports, late C20th
Estimate: £20 – 30
7d 11h 11m
£0.00
Art Deco mother of pearl card case
Price: £50
This is a beautiful card case comprising mother of pearl in a diamond pattern. With wood lining
Rare Neiger Brothers Egyptian Revival Uranium glass sautoir necklace 1930s
Price: £75
This is a very rare necklace comprising uranium glass beads depicting scarabs, sarcophagi and elephants. You can see how it fluoresces under the UV light which shows the uranium content in the beads. This is in a very Art Deco design or sautoir.
Victorian Whitby Jet mourning necklace with portrait plaque
Price: £125
Victorian Whitby Jet mourning necklace with portrait plaque.
Art Deco large cuff bracelet
Price: £75
This is a wonderful cuff bracelet comprising silver and coral, probably from Morocco.
Victorian Egyptian Revival motif necklace with red stones c1900
Price: £85
This is an unusual statement necklace designed in the Victorian era.. These designs were due to the The Egyptian Pavilion at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 in Paris. This world's fair was extremely popular and it was global news. These designs have more of a European look to them. It wasn't until the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 that the iconography. became more accurate. This necklace is mounted with red glass stones and is the necklace also had red glass beads and diamante roundels.
Victorian Grand Tour Wedding Cake glass necklace
Price: £125
These glass beads are very unusual due to their age and condition. It is a perfectly graduated set of 25 beads with original brass findings. These beads are gold in colour decorated with detailed floral and scroll work. The stations are interspersed with amber glass spacer beads.
An Arts and Crafts small Brass Tray, English early twentieth century
Price: £40
A small Brass circular tray with a wide flat rim edged with repeating bead work and a round concave centre decorated in repousse work with a procession of parrots on a boldly chased punch work ground. Repoussé work is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief. Chasing or embossing is a similar technique in which the piece is hammered on the front side, often with a punch, sinking the metal. The two techniques are often used in conjunction as here, although the effect is slightly bolder than in the previous lot (35). Metalware items with 'hammered' decoration were a common feature of 'Arts and Crafts' work with their reminiscences of earlier metal working techniques and the effect of the slightly rustic. As in the previous lot, the bold metalworking techniques used complement the medium of burnished brass. A dating to the early twentieth century seems reasonable
