Pair of Alhambrian Ware English Majolica Vases with raised decoration circa 1880
Price: £30Chinese Celadon glaze Bowl of Conical Form, 20th Century
Price: £30A Pair of Royal Doulton Ewers, marked, early C20th
Price: £150Taxco charm bracelet, makers mark Castelan, 1950s
Price: £95Pair of Dorset Fossil limestone goblets in presentation box
Price: £35Tigers Eye long necklace 1970s
Price: £50Art Deco Long Mille Fiore bead necklace
Price: £60Long Murano Glass Necklace 1970s
Price: £30Balinese Portrait Bust of a Male Head, early C20th
Price: £30Silver Lapis lazuli collar necklace, probably Taxco Mexico, c1990
Price: £75Japanese Imari Dish with a lobed edge circa 1880
Price: £125Long Art Deco carnelian, bloodstone and goldstone necklace 1930s
Price: £150Goldstone is a type of glittering glass made in a low-oxygen reducing atmosphere. The finished product can take a smooth polish and be carved into beads, figurines, or other artifacts suitable for semiprecious stone, and in fact goldstone is often mistaken for or misrepresented as a natural material. It was first made in the 17th century in Italy. (Credit: Wikipedia)
Heavy silver curb collar necklace, Mexico 1970s
Price: £150Operculum shell demi parure
Price: £50An 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.
Jade roundel bead necklace
Price: £35Lovely Bakelite bloom pendant on chain
Price: £20Art Deco rock crystal bead necklace
Price: £35Victorian Whitby jet mourning brooch
Price: £45Two long infinity strands of cultured pearls
Price: £50A Poole Pottery Atlantis Vase by Jenny Haigh, 1970s
Price: £55A gilt metal and onyx figure of a Cherub holding a Globe 1960s
Price: £25Czech Egyptian Revival Necklace with glass mounts and drops, Edwardian circa 1910
Price: £120Two American Polychrome Enamel Bracelets decorated with Kabuki Masks, 1980s
Price: £20Scottish silver ring inset with a Chalcedony stone, 1950s
Price: £40Italian silver Cuff Bangle with chainmail decoration, modern
Price: £30Chinese Silver Bangle with Dragon Heads, C20th
Price: £30Two lacquer bird brooches 1980s
Price: £15Tibetan turquoise and silver necklace 1930s
Price: £40Japanese Arita Jardiniere decorated with flowers and two tassels, Meiji period, circa 1900
Price: £350Chinese Cloisonné Bowl with a wavy edge, 20th Century
Price: £40Art Deco Chinese Export silver Buckle later converted to a Necklace
Price: £100Victorian Indian paste pendant
Price: £100Pair of Victorian marcasite and silver earrings
Price: £50Heavy brass and enamel collar necklace in the manner of Albert Gustav Bunge (1893 - 1967)
Price: £60Victorian style copper bracelet with buckle detail 1950s
Price: £20Victorian Chinese turquoise beads 1900
Price: £400Very unusual banded carnelian panel bracelet
Price: £30Chinese cloisonne bangle with raised enamel decoration circa 1900
Price: £40Chinese Sancai Glaze Model of a Horse in the Tang Dynasty Style, 20th Century
Price: £40The Braves and the Fair Men of Letters and Women of Fame of Old China circa 1900
Price: £75Each of the ten characters are described in a double page spread, the right hand containing texts in both Chinese and English and the left hand with hand coloured illustrations on silk , delicately rendered. The book 'works' from right to left and the reverses of the pages are left blank. At each end are fabric covered boards, the front board with a pasted paper inscription in Chinese with a small red seal mark. Other examples are finished with boards in wood, but these are, perhaps, not original or a more deluxe version of the volume.
The illustrations are in excellent condition with the colours still bright. The yellow finish to the paper is original and perhaps intended to give an 'antique' effect. Each of the end boards are very slightly scuffed at the borders. The pages, including the title page and the two end papers, suffer from varying degrees of 'worm hole' perforation. There are also various tears. A selection of illustrations can be seen above and further images (and a more detailed condition report) are, of course, available on request. But these condition issues should not necessarily detract from the charm of the item which is an Englishman's attempt to capture some of the folk lore of China, a land which attracted such popular interest during the Victorian period.
Kenton Clock Radio Hong Kong 1970s
Price: £35Necklace with FA cup pendant
Price: £75Art Deco necklace with French Jet and paste stations
Price: £25Large Scottish agate specimen brooch 1910
Price: £65Art Deco Scottish moss agate ring
Price: £75Art Deco chalcedony brooch or pendant
Price: £35Exceptional Paste necklace 1940s
Price: £15Art Deco Scottish bloodstone brooch
Price: £15Graduated set of Three Chinese Blue and White Ginger Jars and Covers, 20th Century
Price: £20Although 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.
1960s Dorothy picnic basket
Price: £25Murano Art Glass Dish, 1960s
Price: £35Victorian silver bracelet set with garnets 1900
Price: £25A Matched Pair of Chinese Cloisonne Bottle form Vases circa 1900
Price: £15Charming pair of silver piglet earrings
Price: £25Unusual Victorian style earrings
Price: £20English silver filigree floral necklace
Price: £25Modern twist on classic gate link bracelet
Price: £25Two Bronze Pre Colombian style Figurine Pendants
Price: £25'Pre-Columbian' art is a broad category that encompasses the art of the indigenous peoples of North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean prior to the arrival of the Spanish at the beginning of the 16th century. The figure sculptures, made in a wide variety of media, are highly stylised and many contain some of the features seen here, although an exact parallel is hard to find. These two figures are cast in good quality bronze and were presumably intended as souvenirs of some kind. While not contemporary, the dating of these pieces is difficult and they must be assessed on their decorative appeal.
Art Pottery Vase with Geometric Motifs, C20th
Price: £45The style of decoration suggests Art Nouveau designs but there are no obvious parallels. Continental manufacture seems likely, perhaps France or Germany.
Taxco bracelet with Aztec mask motif, 1940s
Price: £85Lot of two Victorian glass hat pins
Price: £20Unusual 1950s puka shell and coral necklace
Price: £30Beautiful Chinese carnelian silver bracelet
Price: £65Carved Chinese brown jade necklace
Price: £50Victorian small note pad for chatelaine
Price: £50West German Ceramic Vase, Marei, 1970s
Price: £45While not stamped with a maker's mark, vases of this type are attributed to the West German Ceramics factory Marei which produced pieces from 1949 to 2016. Marei was the commonly used abbreviation for the firm's name which was Majolikafabrik Rheinbach Jean Fuss and Sohn. The pieces are distinguished by the use of a reddish clay but this was sometimes more brown or dark brown depending on the suppliers used. Marks are usually impressed into the base although these are often just pattern numbers, as here. Many pieces are unmarked and some are stamped 'MADE IN GERMANY' or 'W.GERMANY'. The pattern number here is '7104'and is found on similar pieces with the same shape but different decoration. This vase was probably made in the 1970s and is typical of the striking designs the firm produced.
Outstanding swirl Bakelite necklace with faux cameo, 1920s
Price: £45American Art Deco silver and marcasite brooch
Price: £75Chinese Pale Celadon Jade Bangle, probably Nineteenth Century
Price: £45Jade 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.
Small Bakelite buckle
Price: £15French Regency style Bevelled Amber Glass & Filigree Ormolu Casket, mid twentieth century
Price: £65Various pieces in this style where amber glass panels are combined with elaborate gilt metal work can be found. Most were intended as dressing table ornaments, as here. Sometimes termed 'Hollywood' these items were designed to add a touch of luxury to the bedroom. They are usually regarded as French and thought to have been made between the 1920s and 1940s. This is a particularly nice example with no damage either to the glass or the metalwork.
Royal Doulton bottle form Vase decorated with flowering lotus, early 20th Century
Estimate: £40 – 60Daum Crystal Glass Swallowtail Bowl, signed Daum-France circa 1960
Price: £180Vases in this form were produced by the well known French maker Daum in the 1950s and the 1960s. The sizes and designs can vary with some examples measuring up to two feet and intended as table ornaments. This piece is rather smaller and perhaps more elegant. The crystal glass is of extremely high quality and reflects the light in a very attractive way. The weight is good and the glass itself is thickly blown and expertly formed, The flat base shows signs of bevelled edging at the exterior and one of the sides bears the typical etched Daum mark with 'Daum' and 'France' separated by a device comprising an upright line with two crosses.
The more petite size and the quality of the manufacture and design make this a most appealing example of Daum's work at its best. Dating can be assumed to be around 1960 if not slightly before. A desirable piece indeed for collectors of twentieth century art glass.
East German Ceramic Vase, VEB Haldensleben, 1950s
Price: £35The 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.
Art Deco Czech glass necklace with enamel and glass stones, 1930s
Price: £35Fairing Figurine - The last in bed to put out the light, German, late Nineteenth Century
Price: £25The 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.
Pair of Indian Bronze and Enamel Candlesticks in the form of Cobras, early 20th century
Price: £75These snake form candlesticks were a popular form with the Indian manufacturers of decorative metal items for export in during the 1920s and 1930s. The design is striking and their appeal is obvious. The form was also produced as plain brass but the combination here of gilt metal and red enamel is far more attractive.
Circular Glass Panel depicting a Chinoiserie Scene, Hotelier Limited, Leeds, England, 1960s
Price: £30Cherry amber Bakelite necklace 1920s
Price: £150Exceptional strand of Scottish Moss agate beads
Price: £35Scottish Agate bar brooch
Price: £25Antique English Staffordshire pitcher, William Brownfield and Sons, circa 1860.
Estimate: £40 – 60Chinese cord bracelet with jade stones carved as fish
Price: £15Chinese Soapstone Brushwasher decorated with flowering Lotus, early 20th Century
Price: £45Gilt brass and glass stone bangle bracelet 1930s
Price: £20Intricate Czech glass necklace 1930s
Price: £30Stunning demi parure by Hobe 1950s, necklace and bracelet
Price: £350Hobé 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)
Victorian Silver Buckle set with Paste Stones, German circa 1900
Price: £90The sparkling stones and high quality mounting (there is a considerable weight of silver in this piece) would have made this buckle a striking addition to the Victorian ladies' wardrobe and it could equally well catch the eye today.
Gilt metal and Glass Bead Necklace by Louis Rousselet, French 1920s
Price: £70This necklace comprises three delicately modelled gilt metal stylised flower heads with yellow glass beads at the centre, joined on either side by further glass beads and flower heads and then a chain with fine metal and glass bead links.
A Brannam Bowl, Barum ware, Terracotta and Glaze, marked C.H.Brannam, circa 1900
Estimate: £30 – 40A set of three Brass Lizards, Peerage Brass, England 1930s
Price: £45Art Deco Galalith jewellery Necklace and Pendant with Coral Red plaques, 1930s
Price: £50Galalith is a a synthetic plastic made out of the interaction of casein and formaldehyde and was introduced to the fashion world by Coco Chanel in 1926. The commercial name is derived from the Ancient Greek words 'gala' (milk) and 'lithos' (stone).
Art Deco continental black spinel and marcasite ring, 1920s
Price: £75Egyptian Revival scarab ring, 1930s
Price: £40A Set of Six Blue and White Willow Pattern Coasters English Ironstone 1980s
Price: £30These 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.
Chinese Reverse Painted Glass Globe depicting deities and attendants, Modern
Price: £40Chinese Reverse Painted Glass Globe depicting tigers, Modern
Price: £40Doulton and Slaters Patent Jardiniere circa 1890
Price: £750The Doulton factory began production in 1815, first at Vauxhall and later moving to Lambeth. In 1882 it opened an additional factory at Burslem, Stoke on Trent in the centre of the English pottery. Known at first mainly for utilitarian works it began to develop decorative wares more extensively in the 1860s and soon gained a reputation for its distinctive designs. As the mark indicates, this piece was made at the Lambeth factory and the absence of ‘England’ in the Doulton mark, which has the typical design of interlocking ‘D’ at its centre, indicates that it dates to before 1891. The decorative technique, employing impressed designs was known as ‘Chine’ ware and protected by the patent ‘Doulton and Slaters Patent’ which is clearly marked underneath. Pieces of linen, lace, net or other fabrics were pressed onto the unfired soft clay shortly after potting, leaving a corresponding pattern behind. This piece has elaborately modelled lotus strands in addition as well as gilt flower heads, an unusual combination which does not seem to often occur. On the base are found stamped numbers and letters which should indicate the pattern number and artist decorator but it has not been possible to identify these accurately. Dating though is confirmed and this was clearly a deluxe item amongst the range of pieces produced at that time.