Edwardian rolled gold and white agate brooch, c1910
Price: £45
An attractive brooch combining an oval piece of cloudy white agate with red inclusions mounted in a rolled gold rope twist frame with stylised floral petals decorated in an abstract design. The reverse has a bar clasp and is fitted with a guard chain implying that the wearer was intended to take some care of this elegant accessory. The combination of the milky white stone with its coloured detail and the gold coloured surround is particularly appealing and the design of the mount suggests a dating to the early 1900s.
Large silver fancy link Bracelet, modern
Price: £50
This is an unusual variation on the chainmail bracelet form where a triple series of interlocking oval links are combined with small rolled wire beads, quite a demand on the silversmith’s skills. The ends terminate in a ball and clasp fastening and the clasp is marked ‘925’ with a double oval. The style suggests a late twentieth century dating with perhaps English craftsmanship.
Victorian rolled gold and black and white agate Brooch, English c1920
Price: £50
An attractive brooch in which an agate stone of rounded rectangular octagonal form, the grey surface with clearly defined striations in grisaille and white, is framed by an elaborate rolled gold mount with a rococo style border, scrolling milled cord joining two stylised leaf shape panels at each end with round balls in gold tones in between, the bottom with a gold chain loop and a hanging drop and the reverse with a bar clasp. As with the other rolled gold and agate brooch in this sale, the design of the mount suggests the 1920s
Edwardian silver fleur-de-lis collar necklace circa 1910
Price: £85
The ‘fleur-de-lis’, a stylised form of lily symbolising fertility and purity, has been used as decorative motif for centuries and is particularly associated with the French royal family. It is more normally found as a single pendant necklace but the Victorians produced various collar necklaces in silver with the motif. These tend to be slightly heavier in construction than the example here suggesting a slightly later dating probably to the Edwardian era and most likely English manufacture. The finely cast silver fleur-de-lis leaves are joined by links and terminate in a spring ring closure presenting a delicate accessory, perhaps for a young lady.
Please note that the necklace is not marked for silver and has not been tested.
French enamel egyptian revival bracelet c1900
Price: £125
This is a very delicate bracelet comprisng stations with enamel work that depict Egyptian iconography. This was most liklely a souvenir from the Paris Worlds Fair in 1900 where Egypt featured prominently.
Pair of Chinese hardstone plaques, early C20th
Price: £95
A pair of Chinese lacquer panels, the gold ground with painted decoration and hardstone inlay depicting four of the eight immortals, or Baxian, in a stylised garden scene. Amidst painted rocks and flowering prunus with lakes and mountains in the background stand, on the left plaque, Lan Caihe, the patron of florists and gardeners, and Lü Dongbin, a scholar and poet, and on the right plaque Zhongli Quan, associated with death and the power to create silver and gold, often depicted holding a fan, and Li Tieguai, associated with medicine and easing the suffering of the sick and needy, identified by his iron crutch and calabash bottle. The eight immortals are figures of legend which feature in Chinese mythology and are worshipped by Taoists as well as appearing in secular Chinese culture. They are often depicted in Chinese art and it is possible that we have here two plaques from an original set of four representing them all. That said, the compositions here are well balanced with perhaps a deliberate contrast between the attributes of the figures. Plaques with hardstone inlay are known amongst the items exported to the West in the early twentieth century and sometimes occur as furniture screens. The work here is both colourful and expressive and an excellent example of the genre. The frames with their silk border may be slightly later but are certainly Chinese and well complement the compositions which they surround contributing to a highly decorative ensemble for a contemporary interior.
Baroque Style Picture Frame with Still Life, C20th
Price: £25
The elaborate stylised floral decoration of this picture frame looks to the baroque era prevalent in Europe during the late C17th and early C18th with its elaborate floral scrolling but its date of manufacture is rather more recent. The material seems to be resin and the aim was clearly to produce a lavish effect at a bargain price. The picture enclosed is, of course, far from baroque but the semi impressionist style of this floral still life actually matches its surround rather well. A piece of decorative whimsey then, probably 1950/1960s and continental, and a clear antidote to austerity!
Vintage Needlepoint Picture of a Garden Scene, framed, second half C20th
Price: £25
This is a charming embroidery on canvas employing the so called ‘needlepoint’ technique in which over half a dozen stitching techniques are used as opposed to ‘cross stitch’ which uses only one. The varieties of technique employed here can be clearly seen in the detail images (3), (4) and (5). The picture depicts a garden scene with a bird bath and path in the foreground leading to a gate with a pergola like floral arch over it and, in the distance, a thatched cottage. The attraction of the design speaks for itself. Dating is difficult but most likely post war and the frame suggests the mid to late twentieth century.
Vintage Needlepoint Picture of a lady dressed in a crinoline, framed, probably 1930s
Price: £25
Like the previous lot this embroidery picture employs the so called ‘needlepoint’ technique in which over half a dozen stitching techniques are used as opposed to ‘cross stitch’ which uses only one. The varieties of technique employed here can be clearly seen in the detail images (2), (3) and (4). We have another garden composition, this time a lady dressed in a crinoline gathering flowers and standing on a paved terrace (note the weeds between the paving stones!) with roses and hollyhocks. There are other similar examples of this scene which are thought to be from the prewar era and the slight foxing of the canvas and the form of the frame itself are consistent with this.
Japanese Arita Brushwasher, C20th
Price: £25
A small deep bowl with high slightly incurving walls and a lightly scalloped rim, decorated in underglaze blue with small floral blooms, peony representing Spring and prunus representing Winter, the base unglazed. The form suggests a brush washer and the paste of the foot an early to mid twentieth century dating. A modest scholar’s desk ornament then which might find a home in a contemporary office.
Monochrome tubular bead necklace, Modern
Price: £95
This is a rather fabulous necklace that feature very large tubular beads that are half crystal and half onyx. They ae paired with smaller crystal beads with black inclusions. The large beads adre very unusual. It has a silver clasp.
Triple strand of amber Bakelite beads, British 1930s
Price: £750
This is an imposing three strand necklace comprised of assembled graduated marble effect butterscotch amber beads joined at the head with a silver clasp. The beads have recently been restrung with wire to make the whole more robust and safer to wear. The three strands interlock perfectly and the selection of beads has been carefully chosen in respect of colouring and size to produce a striking ensemble which is bound to impress.
Large Peking glass brooch c1940
Price: £55
This is a very dramatic brooch that features a very intricate copper setting set with a very large Peking glass stone. The setting has a blackened effect that is somehow Victorian and modern at the same time. Another find for vintage collectors.
Art Deco Catalin Bakelite necklace, American c1930
Price: £125
This is a fabulous necklace comprising very large mustard coloured catalin beads in tubular, ovoid and globular shapes. Catalin is a form of plastic that is comtemporary with Bakelite. They are very similar as they are both composed of phenol and formeldehyde. The main difference is that Catalin was poured a poured liquid and Bakelite was moulded from a granular powder. Catalin is a brand name developed and trademarked in 1927 by the American Catalin Corporation of New York City, when the patent on Bakelite expired that year. It was used in a variety of applications, including costume jewellery, until the end of the second world war when it became too expensive, as every piece had to be individually cast and polished. Catalin jewellery is often incorrectly referred to as bakelite but has a distinction all of its own and this necklace is prime example of the fashion designs produced in the 1930s.
Papier Mâché Tray with Millefiori Decoration, Kashmir, C20th
Price: £55
A Papier Mâché Tray of octagonal form with rounded indented corners profusely decorated in rich and detailed colourings with small floral blooms, the ‘millefiori’ (thousand flower) pattern, a central roundel and four hemisphere panels at the corners all set on an orange ground, the border with bands of floral spray and repeating geometric design in gilt, the reverse plain showing the black lacquer ground. Trays and boxes in this distinctive style were made in Kashmir in India and some carry the label for Srinagar, a city famous for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts like the Kashmir shawl, papier mâché, wood carving, carpet weaving, and jewel making, which is most likely the place where this tray was made, probably in the 1920s. It is a superb example of the type with exquisite detail in the decoration and a strikingly attractive use of colour.
Mexican Silver Bolo Tie with Aztec mask Head, Taxco, c1950
Price: £125
The word ‘bolo’ derives from ‘boleadora’, an Argentine or Uruguayan lariat or lasso and is used to describe this semi formal type of neckwear in which a cord is held together by a medallion of some sort so that it can be draped around the neck. Mexican silversmiths working at Taxco, the artistic centre of Mexican silver production, produced versions of the bolo in which the medallion is in the form of a hardstone mask head set in silver. In common with many, this piece has an aventurine hardstone face in the form of an Aztec mask framed by an elaborate silver headdress. Through this runs a black cord with silver tips at each end. The mask is stamped at the back ‘925’ ‘TAXCO’ ‘Cheo’ ‘MEXICO’ with an eagle mark 185 at the top left. Dating is most likely to the 1950s. The bolo was regarded as semi formal wear for a man but can equally, or even better, serve a decorative piece of neckwear for a lady with a distinct hint of South American style.
Mexican Silver Bracelet with Aztec Designs, Taxco, 1950s
Price: £65
This is a fine example of a ‘classic’ bracelet design produced by the Mexican silversmiths working at Taxco, the artistic centre of Mexican silver production. The bracelet comprises four curved rectangles of silver joined with hinges and terminating in a square push clap. When assembled the pieces form a circular bracelet which sits snugly on the wrist. Each piece has an engraved design employing Aztec motifs, so often a source for decoration on Taxco jewellery, key pattern between a triangular and a stylised floral motif on a ground etched to imitate stone. The square clasp is stamped at the back with a diamond tablet with the characters ‘GURDO925’‘FP’ and an eagle mark 4. Dating is most likely to the 1950s. FP is the Taxco silversmith who would have been active in the 1940s and 50s based on this eagle mark.
Egyptian Silver Pill Box with Mother of Pearl Inlay, marked, second half C20th
Price: £45
An oval silver box and cover, the lid with an inlaid mother of pearl design comprising geometric shapes which combine to produce a 3D ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect of solid shapes within a rope twist border, the exterior of the lid with a small stamped mark and the interior of the box with three small stamped marks. The markings here, which can be seen on other examples indicate that we have Egyptian work and there are a fair number of similar silver boxes but more commonly in a round shape. They are usually dated to the mid twentieth century. The quality of the craftsmanship is obvious and the form and decoration make this a highly desirable collector’s item.
Bakelite Ivorine Mourning Brooch, British c1930
Price: £25
This is a brooch formed from bakelite intended to mimic ivory with its off white colouring. It shows a hand holding a rose and the slightly antique style reflects the fact that this was originally a Victorian design, intended to be a mourning brooch, the material of which would have been ivory (see image 4 for examples in the British Museum). Developed in New York in 1907 and patented two years later bakelite was the first plastic made from synthetic components. By the 1920s it became a popular material for jewellery and pieces were produced for some years thereafter. Dating here is probably to the 1930s or 1940s.
Russian Enamel Brooch, probably Rostov Finift, mid C20th
Price: £20
This delicate brooch with its elaborate filigree work has a circular painted enamel plaque painted in greens, pinks, light brown and yellow with scrolling lotus flowers and surrounded by fine silver decoration, with scrolling rope twist strands and slender milled ribbons inset with beads. The style and composition, combining enamel and silver work, is typical of the Russian maker ‘Rostov Finift’ (‘finift’ comes from the Greek ‘fingitis’ which means ‘gleaming’) many of whose pieces can be found on the market today. The art of painting on enamel was first developed in Rostov Veliky (125 miles northwest of Moscow) in the 18th century and continued thereafter with pieces of jewellery, made by Rostov Finift and in which enamels are surrounded by elaborate filigree work, appearing in quantity after the second World War. The pieces are not signed and attribution is mainly speculative but this brooch has much in common with other pieces believed to have been made by the same factory.
Pair of amethyst cluster earrings, c1980
Price: £65
This a quite indricate paid of earrings bezel set with 11 amethyst stones. The stones are great quality with lots of sparkle. They are post and butterfly and are marked 925. They are most likely Indian in origin.
Art Deco Catalin Bakelite necklace, American c1930
Price: £125
This is a fabulous necklace comprising very large mustard coloured catalin beads in tubular, ovoid and globular shapes. Catalin is a form of plastic that is comtemporary with Bakelite. They are very similar as they are both composed of phenol and formeldehyde. The main difference is that Catalin was poured a poured liquid and Bakelite was moulded from a granular powder. Catalin is a brand name developed and trademarked in 1927 by the American Catalin Corporation of New York City, when the patent on Bakelite expired that year. It was used in a variety of applications, including costume jewellery, until the end of the second world war when it became too expensive, as every piece had to be individually cast and polished. Catalin jewellery is often incorrectly referred to as bakelite but has a distinction all of its own and this necklace is prime example of the fashion designs produced in the 1930s.
Czech rhinestone jewelled glass metal filigree Perfume Bottle and Stopper, C20th
Price: £45
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!
Japanese Polychrome Bowl, Shibata Toki ware, late c20th
Price: £45
A fine quality Japanese porcelain bowl with deep sides curving in towards the base and with ribbing in the lower section, the interior delicately decorated in polychrome enamels with a design of flowering peony, the exterior with gilt diaper work on an iron red ground above a border of repeating stylised leaves, the base with a four character mark in iron red reading ‘Shiba-ta-to-ki’, ‘Shibata Porcelain’. The porcelain manufacturer Shibata began production in 1948, based at Mizunami city, near to Nagoya in Japan. They were known for their fine quality porcelains whose work resembles that of the nineteenth century Fukagawa kilns. Their pieces are marked, as here, sometimes with the addition of their name in Western lettering. This bowl probably dates to the 1970s and is a fine example of their work. Since 2004, the company has also operated from workshops in China.
Tall glass swirl design Vase, Herner Glas Germany, late C20th
Price: £35
A tall glass vase, the body of tapering form with a short concave neck and flaring rim, decorated in mustard and brown colourings and traces of white with a trailing swirl pattern, a small label to the side reading ‘Herner Glas’. The firm ‘Herner Glas’ was founded in 1986 at Herne, a town in the Ruhr area of Germany. It specialises in hand blown art glass and marble effect pieces, as here, are one of its particular specialities. Many of its pieces survive with the original maker’s label containing the distinctive red ace of spades and some also include the model number.
Chinese Cloisonne Shallow Bowl, C19th
Price: £45
A Chinese cloisonne shallow bowl of typical form with a compressed globular body, a wide opening with a gilt metal rim, a short gilt metal foot, the interior and the base enamelled in blue and the exterior decorated in cloisonne enamels with multicoloured floral blooms on a green ground with repeating a repeating fish scale border at the base and a band of ‘ju’i’ lappets at the top. 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. The weight of this piece and the quality of the decoration suggests a dating to the nineteenth century, perhaps towards the middle. Certainly, it is a much above average example of a form which was to be produced in substantial quantities in the early years of the twentieth century for export to the West. Its smaller size enhances its attraction making it an attractive collector’s item.
Art Deco style Glass Box and Cover decorated with a dancing Ballerina, mid C20th
Price: £35
An opaque cream coloured circular glass box and cover, the bulbous body with high domed lid which is decorated with a dark grisaille dancing ballerina poised on one leg with grass below and hanging willow above within a yellow scalloped border which is repeated on the base. The style of decoration clearly suggests the 1930s and this piece probably dates to that era although there is no certain proof of this. Presumably a powder box it retains great charm and could well find a home in a contemporary setting.
Art Deco style Glass Box and Cover decorated with a dancing Ballerina, mid C20th
Price: £35
An opaque cream coloured circular glass box and cover, the bulbous body with high domed lid which is decorated with a dark grisaille dancing ballerina poised on one leg with grass below and hanging willow above within a yellow scalloped border which is repeated on the base. The style of decoration clearly suggests the 1930s and this piece probably dates to that era although there is no certain proof of this. Presumably a powder box it retains great charm and could well find a home in a contemporary setting.
Chinese rice grain Dish with Jingdezhen Mark, late C20th
Price: £35
A small ceramic dish of saucer form, decorated in underglaze blue, red, green, black enamel and gold with a central roundel of a dragon amidst flames within a border of geometric design and bats, itself within a ground of stylised fans and flowers edged with a diaper border, the reverse with a four character seal mark in underglaze blue reading 'Jing-De-Zhen-Zi', indicating manufacture at the well known kiln town of Jingdezhen in the Jiangxi province. The rim of the plate has 'rice grain' decoration where the porcelain is pierced and the glaze allowed to cover the openings made so that the holes can be seen in a strong light. The mark here found on other pieces and seems first to have been used around 1950 but was still employed around forty years later. Dating is probably to the late twentieth century.
Deaking & Francis silver bangle, Birmingham 1955
Price: £125
This is a stunning wide bangle bracelet by well known silversmiths Deaking & Francis. It is very finely engraved with typica leave and scrollwork. It is hinged and has a safety chain. It is marked for Birmingham 1955 and it also says WAX FILLED. This is to indicate that the piece is not solid and is weighted with wax.
Powder Compact, British Empire Exhibition (1924-1925), dated 1925
Price: £45
The success of the Franco-British Exhibition held at the White City, London, in 1908 stimulated plans for an exhibition to showcase the arts, scientific achievements and commerce of the British Empire itself, the largest in the world at the time. Arrangements began to be made in 1913 with the exhibition to be held at the same venue but were put on hold by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. However, at the end of this in 1918, the project was revived culminating in the opening of the ‘British Empire Exhibition’ on the 23rd April 1924, this time at the Wembley stadium where the Cup Final had been held for the first time in 1923 when the building was completed. Planned to close on the 1st September, the exhibition enjoyed such popularity that it reopened in 1925 for a second season. Over the two years it received 27,102,498 visitors.
Souvenirs and medals were produced, amongst which were silver plated powder compacts as here. The round container for the powder has a hinged lid revealing the powder well below, originally fitted with a mauve ribbon tasseled powder puff, and a mirror above. On the surface of the lid, which has a tab for lifting, is a stylised brass lion, a symbol of the British Empire, vitreous enameled in black, red and blue with the wording ‘British Empire Exhibition 1925 ’ There is a short rounded handle and the back has an engraved mark ‘Rd [registered] 689177’ for the patent number. While many were doubtless made (and there is another version with a more slender handle, with a ring at the end, and the background colourings of the lettering reversed) few of these compacts seem to have survived making this a desirable addition to a collection of British memorabilia.
An Art Deco ceramic group of two Fish by Guido Cacciapuoti, signed, 1930s
Price: £150
A ceramic group of two fish, most likely carp, realistically modelled, with their tails bent as if swimming through water, and glazed in a deep red, the base flat and unglazed with two holes to assist firing and with an impressed mark to the underside of one of the fins ‘MADE IN ITALY’. Also at the bottom can be seen an inscribed signature which reads ‘Guido Cacciapuoti’.
Guido Cacciapuoti was a celebrated Italian ceramicist. Born in Naples in 1892 and from a family with a tradition in the creation of majolica pottery, Guido exhibited his work widely in the 1920s and finally, in collaboration with his brother, Mario, and Angelo Bignami as the administrative and commercial director, he founded the factory ‘Gres d'Arte Cacciapuoti Bignami & C.' in Milan in 1927. Mario unfortunately died three years later leaving Guido to carry on on his own until his death in 1953.
In the 1930s, Guido’s workshop became famous for the production of ceramic animal sculptures with fish being a particular speciality. More commonly seen are groups of John Dory, again with a red glaze, but the smoother lines here and the particularly intense colour reflect more closely the contemporary Art Deco style. Sought after in their own time, with patrons such as the King of Italy and Mussolini, Guido’s works are highly collectible today and this group would make a striking addition to a collection of Art Deco ceramics with considerable decorative appeal.
Chinese Republican Style small Famille Rose Ginger Jar and Cover, late c20th
Price: £20
A small ginger jar and cover of typical near globular form with a matching domed cover decorated in ‘Famille Rose’ enamels with two ladies in a garden scene, the base with a band of repeating stylised lotus leaves and the shoulder with a border of stylised scrolling foliage (peony and lotus) on a pink enamel ground, the cover with two butterflies and a band of fleur de lis and the reverse with a calligraphy inscription in black with seal marks in iron red. The base has a stamped iron red mark with the Chinese characters ‘Zhong Guo Jingdezhen’ which translate ‘Made in China’ which is also written in Western characters underneath. Below this is the number ‘07’ between two horizontal lines which may indicate the factory or cooperative where the piece was made. This form of mark indicates a dating to the 1980s which is consistent with both the paste of the foot and the style of the decoration. Not perhaps Chinese craftsmanship at its best but not without a certain charm.
Art Nouveau style turquoise glazed Urn shape Vase, Bretby ware, early C20th
Price: £75
A ceramic urn shape vase, the body of compressed bulbous form with a wide cylindrical neck and two angular handles, the moulded and dimpled surface glazed in turquoise a craquelure effect, applied modelled floral decoration to the front and reverse in pinks and greens, the base with impressed marks ‘BRETBY’ below a sunburst motif, ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’ and ‘1742'.
The firm Bretby was the result of an amalgamation between Henry Tooth and William Ault who formed a partnership in 1883. Both had previously worked at the Linthorpe pottery established by Christopher Dresser in 1879 and retained a comnnection with the celebrated designer even after striking out on their own. Success came early and the firm won a gold award in the Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1884, patenting their trademark with its sunburst design above the name Bretby in the same year. Ault left the partnership in 1887 to set up his own business under his own name but Henry Tooth continued to oversee production until his death in 1918, the business then remaining under the control of the Tooth family until it was sold in 1933. Production continued, though, well into the twentieth century until the firm closed around in the late 1990s.
This piece is typical of their earlier work with a nod to both the art nouveau style and Dresser himself, particularly in the shape of the handles. ‘Hammered’ decoration was typical of the Arts and Crafts movement popular at the time and the applied floral decoration has some parallels with Japanese pieces again much in vogue at that period. Similar pieces are known with the same shape and pattern number (1742) which seems itself also to indicate an early twentieth century dating, but the applied decoration seen here is unusual.
Set of Three Celluloid Figures of Monks, Japanese, first half C20th
Price: £45
This is an amusing group of three Japanese celluloid figures representing young boys dressed as monks. Each wears a patterned coat with complementary trousers and boots, the coloured details carefully picked out. Their poses resemble those of the celebrated three wise monkeys ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ which is a humorous combination with their apparently spiritual role. Celluloid, often known as the first plastic, was used for the manufacture of accessories and collectibles from the late nineteenth century to the 1940s and can be regarded as a cheaper alternative to bone or ivory. The Japanese produced many pieces in the material, other examples of which can be seen elsewhere on this site, but this small group, probably dating to the 1930s, is a particularly charming example.
Purple Art Glass Vase by Anthony Stern, late C20th
Price: £150
This is a strikingly bold art glass vase heavily blown with thick walls, the simple ovoid body with a small concave aperture at the top and a rounded spreading foot below. The light purple of the body is contrasted with the clear glass base and the underneath contains the incised signature of Anthony Stern. Born in Cambridge in 1944, Anthony Stern (see image 7) was initially known as a film maker working with many of the pop stars and media personalities of the 1960s and 1970s including Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones. By 1976 he had begun to tire of this and went on to complete an MA at the Royal College of Art in Glass then becoming a highly successful glass maker whose work eventually found its way into the collections of Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Elton John, the Saudi Royal Family (Red Sea Palace), the Victoria & Albert Museum, Barclays Bank, Morgan Stanley, the Nomura Group, Sir Derek Jacobi, and the Broadfield House Glass Museum amongst others. To Stern, there was a firm link between the two disciplines once saying that ‘Glass and film are identical, they’re both translucent materials through which light passes.’ Eventually succumbing to Parkinson’s, after which he made a brief return to the world of film, Stern died in 2022. His work was mainly sculptural and often employed an imaginative use of colour effects (see image 8 showing his glass studio). The form here is much simpler and seems also to have been made in much smaller white glass examples. His pieces are signed with an etched, slightly dotted inscription bearing his name as here. The size and colour of this piece appear to make it unique and a desirable acquisition for collectors of C20th art glass or perhaps devotees of the pop culture which flourished at the time.
Pair of Mamluk Revival hexagonal brass Vases, Cairo Ware, probably Syria C20th
Price: £150
An unusual pair of brass vases of hexagonal form, the angular baluster body above a spreading foot and below a long, slender concave neck flaring out towards the top, decorated all over in repoussé work with stylised floral tendrils on a chased hammer punched ground of small circles, the base, shoulder and top rim with bands of studding. 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 are often combined, as here.
The form and style of these vases link them to a group of pieces known as ‘Mamluk Revival’ ware, produced in Syria in the early twentieth century and marketed through Cairo, where the Sultans there gave considerable stimulus towards their production and sale. The Mamluk period (1250–1517) was the greatest Islamic empire of the later Middle Ages and included control of the holy cities Mecca and Medina. During it, the arts flourished with an especial concentration on elaborately decorated metalware and it was these pieces which provided the inspiration for the twentieth century craftsmen copying and adapting their style. Similar and rather grander pieces are known where the brass is inlaid with silver and copper, often with Islamic calligraphy. This pair of vases is rather more modest and perhaps intended for a domestic rather than export audience, but no small amount of care was taken in their manufacture, the soldered joins of the various panels forming the vases as a whole requiring great skill. Under a strong light the decoration, from which a considerable amount of old dried polish has been removed, glows with an attractive intensity and the vases certainly have a pronounced ‘Islamic’ look and feel.
Very fine Moroccan engraved silver bracelet c1930
Price: £95
This a silver bracelet comprising very finely engraved stations that are connected as links. These have been set with silver gilt camels and elephants together wilh Arabic letters. It has the usual barrel type clasp that is very secure. There are illegible hallmarks.
Pair of Silhouette Portraits by Enid Elliot Linder, framed, late C20th
Price: £25
A pair of silhouette portraits depicting, according to the labels on the reverse, ‘Miss Rosamund’ and ‘A Naval Gentleman’, each signed ‘Enid Elliot Linder’ with matching mounts and frames. The ‘silhouette’, as we now know it, gained popularity from the mid eighteenth century onwards. An image, often of a person, was represented as a solid shape of a single colour, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject and mounted on a light background, usually white. Early silhouettes were normally made from cut black card and took their name from the French finance minister Étienne de Silhouette, who, in 1759, was forced by France's credit crisis during the Seven Years' War to impose severe economic demands upon the French people. Famous for his austere economies, his name became synonymous with anything done cheaply and so with this form of portraiture.
Known first as ‘profiles’ or ‘shades’ silhouettes became a common form of portraiture before the development of photography but continued to be made well after and indeed into the C20th. This pair of portrait heads, two from a series of twenty according to the label on the reverse, were produced in a studio set up by Enid Elliot Linder in the 1970s. Starting in a room at the back of a house in Babbacombe, Enid Linder, an artist with a great talent for painting silhouettes, began production in 1972 and, within the space of a few months, helped by her husband and four assistants was producing 500 pictures a week, necessitating a move to larger premises on the Teignmouth Road. By 1980, the ‘Pennyfarthing Galleries’, as they had become known, had sold an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 pictures all around the world. All were all produced at the Teignmouth Road premises, and checked and signed in pencil by the artist. Various series were produced and this pair of portraits come from what seems to have been a series of generic images of early nineteenth century figures. The influence of Jane Austen is obvious and these two silhouette heads are an attractive reminder of a tradition of portraiture with long historical associations.
Rectangular Footed Green Onyx Box and Cover, G.S.E. Ottone Garantito, 1960s
Price: £45
A box and cover of rectangular form constructed from joined sections of light green veined onyx, the base and lid gilt metal mounted with four small claw feet, markings on the bottom and side ‘G.S.E. Ottone Garantito’ (‘guaranteed brass’). Onyx is named from the Greek 'ónux', meaning “nail,” or “claw,” and is a variety of the mineral chalcedony, a kind of quartz. Onyx with flesh-coloured and white bands can sometimes resemble a fingernail which explains the name but is obviously not in evidence here. The mark confirms an Italian origin and a mid twentieth century dating seems likely.
Rectangular Box and Cover, Basanite Jasper, C20th
Price: £95
A rectangular box and cover constructed from joined slabs of basanite Jasper, both parts with the rims metal mounted and joined by a hinge at the rear, the base with four short feet. The material here is a form of Jasper, a naturally formed rock which can appear in a variety of colours and patterns. One of these is ‘picture jasper’ where the outline of scenes or images can be seen on the polished surface and another ‘basanite jasper’ known for its black streaked tones. Both of these can be seen here, particularly the apparently mountainous design of the lid and the two side panels, front and back. Jasper is found in a wide variety of locations, including Russia but it is not possible to determine the origin here. Dating is equally uncertain, but the piece has a strong ‘Art Deco’ look with its clean lines and simple geometric feet and this may well point to the timing of its manufacture. Colour and form, though, combine to produce a striking decorative item well suited to the most contemporary interior.
Bohemian Green Glass Moser style Ewer, late C19th
Price: £35
A small green glass ewer, the slender body of rounded inverted cone form above a rounded spreading foot, the narrow cylindrical neck with a deeply scalloped rim forming the spout and to the side a tall loop handle, decorated with beaded gilt bands and flowers, the top rim and handle with traces of gilding. The form and decoration here is typical of the so called ‘Bohemian’ glass produced for export in the nineteenth century by the workshops from the regions of Bohemia and Silesia, now parts of the Czech Republic. With its origins in the renaissance, Bohemian glass in elaborate forms and with colourful decoration of thickly enamelled floral subjects was made in substantial quantities in the second half of the nineteenth century satisfying an eager demand in both Europe and America. This ewer resembles pieces made by the well known factory Moser but is unlikely to be one of their productions, more a modest version for a mass audience. But it is highly representative of the style and attractive in its own right.
Pair of Chinese Hand Painted Eggs in Case, 1970s
Price: £25
This is an excellent example of a type of souvenir model made in China, probably in the 1970s. The pair of eggs are delicately painted with ladies in a garden scene to the front which continues to the reverse. They are displayed on small stands set on a crushed fabric base and set within a purpose built case made from wood and glass. Underneath is a label reading ‘Made in China’ with four Chinese characters ‘Zhong Guo Zhi Zao’ which translate as the same. This type of mark seems to have been used on porcelains from the 1970s allowing an approximate dating here.
Japanese Kutani Teapot in a carrying Basket, circa 1900
Price: £45
A Japanese Kutani teapot, the body of broad ovoid form with two lug handles and a curved spout, fitted with a very faintly domed flush lid with a knob finial, set in a matching carrying basket of woven wicker with a metal hook and eye fastener, two ring hinges and two loop handles.
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. Vases, bowls and plaques are found in this style but also teapots of which this is a typical example. The decoration is of birds and flowers on a faintly craquelure glaze ground and the lid has a complementary ‘brocade pattern’ design. The base has a two character mark reading ‘ku’ ‘tani’ as is often found. The basket is of tightly woven wicker with the metal fitments as described and is probably Chinese in common with many similar examples, although the Japanese did, of course, have a basket weaving tradition of their own. Slight damage means that the ensemble has to be of decorative value rather than practical use but it remains an interesting and entertaining souvenir item from the orient.
Studio Pottery Vessel by David White, signed DW, late C20th
Price: £180
A ceramic vessel of near goblet form, the globular circular body above a slender slightly concave foot and flaring outwards to the broad rim, the base countersunk, the glaze with carefully controlled craquelure effects in cream and blue, the interior of the base glazed black and with a stylised cipher mark ‘DW’.
The mark is for David James White (1934-2011) who established Broadstairs Pottery with his wife in 1978 (see lot XXXX) and then sold this in 1983 to concentrate on his own work which focused on high-fired porcelain decorated with a blend of crackle glazes in a range of colours with a high sophistication of technique, see ‘British Studio Potters’ Marks’ by Eric Yates-Owen and Robert Fournier (2nd edition 2005 p534). This vessel, a form he produced in a variety of colourings of which this is perhaps one of the most pleasing, is an excellent example of his work which rivals some of the best creations of earlier Chinese potters in the standard of finish achieved.
Gentlemans waistcoat pin set with four watch fobs 1930s
Price: £150
This is a bespoke waiscoat pin with four hanging watch fobs. The owner was someone called R.S. Hollands as they all bear this name. They all have dates 1927, 1936 x 2 and 1934. There are different places on them and two have the designation of "Senior Rounder" and S.C.A.B.A. One also has the name Boosey and Co a company that manufactued brass instruments. Rounders is a game much like baseball. Mr Hollands definetly wanted to show these off. :) Thie is a piece of history that can be worn as a brooch, what could be better for a vintage collector?
Wedgwood Calendar Plate, 80th Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, 2006
Price: £10
From the 1970s to the early 2000s the Daily Mail newspaper commissioned a series of ‘Calendar Plates’ from the celebrated manufacturers Wedgwood to be offered for sale to their readers. The themes chosen were varied, but in 2006 the Queen’s Eightieth Birthday was the subject and this blue and white decorative plaque produced. The central image of the smiling Queen is surrounded by the twelve calendar months and there is a brief description on the reverse. These plates were issued in boxes coloured in the distinctive ‘Wedgwood Blue’ and this example retains its original packaging.
Silver Medal or Watch Fob dated 1923, B.P.C.G.S.
Price: £35
A small piece of history here which will need some unravelling. Suspended on a piece of blue ribbon from a silver bar pin marked ‘1923’ is an oval silver medal or watch fob, decorated to the front with two bands of laurel leaves, geometric shapes in an art deco style and a central gilt coloured shield with the engraved letters B.P.C.G.S. The reverse is plain with the engraved wording ‘SENIOR 1ST’ ‘APPARATUS’ ‘LMILES’ and hall marks for 1923 with the maker’s mark ‘JD&CO’, standing for Joseph Daffern & Co, silversmiths at Hatton Garden from 1908 to 1931 and producers of commemorative medals and watch fobs. ‘Apparatus’ is the Latin word used in English to denote equipment or organisation but may have had a special meaning for whatever body is indicated by the acronym on the front. We may never know but L MILES was clearly a successful and deserving recipient!
Pair of fine quality Japanese Bronze Vases decorated birds, circa 1880
Price: £220
A pair of Japanese bronze vases of angular baluster form with stepped bases, a concave neck and a stepped flaring rim, the necks with applied cast handles in the form of cranes and the front and reverse with raised cast decoration of birds amidst plants and flowers. Vases in bronze, usually with applied cast decoration and elaborate handles, were a staple production of Japanese metalware manufacturers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, essentially for export to the West. Some of the pieces attained nearly art studio status but many were fairly routine and some rather hastily produced with poor materials. These vases are well above average with good quality bronze in an attractive patina cast in an imaginative and pleasing shape. The applied decoration is well defined with good detailing and the ornate handles effectively offset the clean lines of the shape. Attractive ornaments in their time this pair of vases would be an elegant enhancement for a contemporary interior.
Two Chinese folding Fan Leaves with landscape scenes, now mounted, C20th
Price: £25
As quite often, these two paintings were created for use as folding fans but then mounted on board for display. Each has a landscape scene in tones of grey and blue inks painted on mustard coloured fabric. The designs include the typical elements of Chinese landscape painting : rocky outcrops with trees and lakeside scenes. In one can be seen a seated figure, in the other a man in a boat. Both have a calligraphy inscription and a red artist’s seal. The fairly sketchy brushwork suggests a mid C20th dating for which there are many parallels. Both are mounted on paper with an identical pattern of diaper work and roundels with phoenix and dragons implying that this was done at the same time. While the mounts are foxed, the paintings remain clear and if reframed would provide attractive examples of the genre.
Fine quality Japanese Cloisonne bottle form Vase with black ground, late C19th
Price: £45
A cloisonne vase of bottle form, the bulbous ovoid body rising to a tall narrow cylindrical neck, the flat base in copper metal, the black ground decorated on the body with flowers including peony and butterflies, with a stylised wave border below and a band of peony blooms on the shoulder on a brown speckle ground, and on the neck with stylised hanging floral blooms. While not necessarily at the level of some of the signed pieces produced by the Japanese craftsmen in the late nineteenth century, this vase is an excellent example of the best work produced for export. The decoration is detailed and complex and employs some of the ‘special effects’ used, including shading to the enamels and a speckle ground, created with the addition of gold filings to the enamel, both seen in the decoration to the shoulder (see image 5). No doubt intended as a cabinet piece and not necessarily one of a pair, this vase is an excellent tribute to one of the classic ‘arts of Japan’ produced towards the end of the nineteenth century.
Figure of a Seated Ballerina, Royal Dux, late C20th
Price: £75
This is a highly attractive ceramic figure of a ballerina represented seated with her right leg raised as she ties her shoe. The salmon pink tones of the skin contrast vividly with the pure white of her dress, while the detail of her face is picked out in red, blue and brown with gilt highlighting to her white headband. While Art Deco in style this piece dates to the late twentieth century as is indicated by the form of the marks found on the base.
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 was to continue until the beginning of the second world war and beyond and their later pieces are now generally referred to by the abbreviated name, ‘Royal Dux’. The distinctive pink triangle plaque mark was first used in the late nineteenth century but appears on pieces from all dates, the version found here indicating late twentieth century work which is also confirmed by the rather indistinct stamped mark comprising a triangle surrounded by the wording ‘Hand Painted Made in Czech Republic’. The artist is named as ‘V.David’ and there seem to be two other companion pieces in different poses. The quality is quite excellent and explains the original popularity of the firm when it began manufacturing in the nineteenth century and produced highly successful imitations of its contemporary rivals.
Pair of framed watercolours, Dartmoor scenes, signed S.Miller, early C20th
Price: £150
A pair of watercolours depicting two Dartmoor landscape scenes, each with heather bordered streams in the foreground and mist covered mountains in the background beneath cloudy skies, the sun rising in one, both signed to the bottom left ‘S.Miller’. While other signed works are known by this artist little or nothing else is known about his or her identity. Perhaps Cornwall was ‘home’ since all the other pictures found are of Dartmoor as well and are all painted in the same semi impressionistic style with colour tones emphasising browns and blues. The mood reflects the misty uncertainties of the world of Debussy’s ‘Pelleas et Melisande’ and an early twentieth century dating seems reasonable. Surviving as a well balanced pair in sympathetic frames which are doubtless later, these two scenes would be an elegant addition to a traditional interior, as well as of interest to a collector of twentieth century English watercolours.
Chinese boxwood carved figure with silver inlay of Li Tieguai circa 1900
Price: £55
A wood carving of Li Tieguai dressed in an elaborate robe, carrying a crutch in his right hand and holding his belt in his left, represented standing on a crab. Li Tieguai was one of the eight Daoist immortals and is often depicted as a beggar carrying a crutch. He was associated with medicine and while known for his irascible temper was benevolent to the poor and needy. By legend, a handsome scholar whose spirit left his body to meet with other immortals, it is said that on one occasion his apprentice cremated his body before his return to it, forcing him to inhabit instead the body of a lame beggar. He is associated with the crab, a deer, or a bat, the crab motif, seen here, perhaps being related to the story of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea and using their powers to traverse the waves. Li Tieguai was often the subject of the wood carvers’ art and this figure is a good example of the representations of him produced in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. The carving is expressive and unusually inlaid with silver wire detail indicating considerable care in the manufacture. Most likely this figure was intended for the export market and would have been destined to stand on the mantle piece of a Victorian interior.
Murano style Art Glass Paperweight, second half C20th
Price: £45
An art glass paperweight of tapering ovoid form with a flat base, the clear crystal glass enclosing a cluster of bubbles emerging from a dark grey rock like formation below. This design of ‘controlled’ bubbles occurs on paperweights from a wide variety of sources including the glassworks at Murano, Venice, a few of them retaining the original label with wording including ‘Made in Italy’ ‘Murano’ ‘Venezia’. The marked examples tend to have a crisp flat bottom, as here, sometimes with a distinct inner roundel to the centre of the foot, again as here. A Venetian provenance, then, is a possibility but no more than that. But, whoever the maker, this is certainly a piece demonstrating a high quality of both manufacture and design. Dating is most likely to the 1960s onwards when ‘organic’ and rounded forms were very much in fashion.
Figure of a Seated Huntsman, Zsolnay Pecs, 1970s
Price: £55
This is a finely modelled porcelain figure of a seated huntsman, dressed in flowing white robes, black boots and a grey hat with a colourful cloak at his back, he holds a flute in his hand while beside him is his stick and an accompanying dog looking expectantly at his master. The base is glazed with two concentric oval foot rims, within the smaller of which can be seen a slightly indistinct stamped mark, a green urn like shape with the lettering ‘PECS’ ‘6’, alongside a green script signature.
The mark is for the well known ceramics manufacturer Zsolnay, based in Pecs, Hungary. Founded by Miklos Zsolnay in 1853, the firm gained a worldwide reputation in the late nineteenth century exhibiting at international fairs and exhibitions. Production declined after the first world war and the factory was bombed during the second. Revived under communism in 1948, the firm started to produce utilitarian pieces under the name ‘Pécs Porcelain Factory’ but gradually their traditional wares were revived and the Zsolnay name was restored in 1982.
This figure is one of the products of Zsolnay’s late renaissance but dating to the 1970s, as indicated by the form of the mark, it still carries only the Pecs brand name. But the quality typical of Zsolnay is emphatically there with fine quality porcelain and careful modelling and decoration all combining to produce a most decorative and attractive composition.
Vintage floral decorated Sugar Bowl and Cream Jug, probably Bohemian mid C20th
Price: £25
This is a matching duo from an original tea service comprising a sugar bowl and cover and a cream jug. Both are elaborately formed with fluted bodies and rococo style handles and are decorated with vertical bands with floral blooms on green and yellow grounds. They are clearly continental and the style of decoration suggests porcelain made in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. These pieces are known for their quality and the use of traditional techniques, often featuring hand-painted decoration, as here. Dating is probably to the 1950s with the intention to recreate and imitate earlier European styles.
Japanese Arita shallow Bowl circa 1880
Price: £55
A Japanese Arita porcelain bowl of shallow form with straight sides turning in towards the foot, decorated in polychrome enamels with a central scene of two panels, one square with a fabric derived ‘brocade’ design and one rectangular with a landscape scene including waves, mountains, the setting moon and cranes, both with tassels underneath, the outside edge with stylised floral panels, lotus and chrysanthemum, and the base with a band of repeating geometric design in underglaze blue.
The town of Arita in the former Hizen Province, northwestern Kyūshū island, was a major centre for the production of porcelains in Japan. Best known for blue and white pieces it also produced polychrome wares as well, including the familiar Imari colourings. While similar to Imari, the wider palette of colours used here is usually termed ‘Arita’ and this bowl employs not only the colourings but also many of the decorative elements found in these wares. The angular form, though, is unusual. Dating is to the Meiji era (1868-1912) probably around 1880.
Pink pressed glass dressing table set, Libochoviche, Czech, 1950s
Price: £35
A five piece dressing table or trinket set made from press moulded pink glass and comprising a tray, a pair of candlesticks, a covered pot and a ring stand, all elaborately modelled with repeating ball borders. The designs for this set can be found in a pattern book for the Libochovice glassworks in Czecholslovakia which apparently dates to some time before 1958. The tray is pattern number 3020 and the other pieces have numbers between 3021 and 3024, there being two numbers for the covered pot which was made in different sizes. The Libochoviche factory was founded in 1912 by H. Feigl and J. Moráve and after an initial period of producing mainly utilitarian pieces turned to the creation of innovative decorative items, mostly in pressed glass for which it had perfected the techniques and in combination with professional artists of the day, maintaining a highly popular output of designs until its closure in 2006. In 1945 it became part of the Sklo Union cooperative along with other manufactures of pressed glass such as Rosice and Hermanova Hut whose work can be seen elsewhere on this site.
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.
Chinese blue and white porcelain Plaque with two horses, framed, C20th
Price: £350
A Chinese porcelain plaque decorated in underglaze blue with underglaze copper red detail depicting two horses galloping across a field with rocks, two calligraphic inscriptions to the top left. The theme of two horses in Chinese tradition refers to harmony, partnership, and swift success. They are associated with the motto ‘Ma Dao Cheng Gong’ (馬到成功), which translates ‘horses arrive, and with them success’ and the characters of this motto are contained in the left of the two calligraphic inscriptions, the right hand inscription possibly containing the name of the artist. The style of the drawing very loosely resembles that of the famous Chinese artist Wang Bu (1898-1968), known from many fine and original works by his hand but much copied by other porcelain painters in the twentieth century. The general effect of this piece and the flat mirror like finish to the tile itself suggest a dating to the Republican period (1912–1949) and the wood of the frame is not inconsistent with this. The scene here is not commonly found amongst porcelain tiles from this period and the addition of the underglaze copper red detail, again an unusual feature, indicates no small amount of care in the production.
Czech glass faux turquoise brooch c1930
Price: £65
This is a very rare brooch comprising a central faux turquoise glass stone surrounded by smaller beadwork set into white metal. This is a typical Czech glass design for makers such as the Neiger Brothers.
Chinese Silk picture of Two Birds and Flowering Plum Blossom, signed, C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese silk picture of two birds sitting on a branch of flowering plum blossom or prunus, the flowers and leaves delicately rendered, a red seal mark to the top, perhaps indicating the maker, alongside four characters of calligraphy probably describing the scene depicted. This piece is not framed but simply taped to card backing. The style and quality of the workmanship suggests a C20th dating perhaps to the mid 1950s and the composition retains great charm.
Vintage Chinese Cloisonne Bead Necklace, mid C20th
Price: £75
Cloisonne enamelling, a technique in which glass derived enamels are set on a metal ground and separated with fine wire divisions (the ‘cloisons’), is normally associated with solid forms such as vases and dishes but is employed here to create a series of thirty six similarly sized multicoloured beads in which irregularly shaped green, pink and red panels are separated by fine gold wire and laid on a gilt metal ground. These are linked with knotted cord and joined at the end by a gilt metal clasp and hook with embossed decoration of birds on a branch. The skill of the craftsmanship is obvious and produces a piece of decorative opulence. The work is Chinese and similar pieces are dated to the 1960s which seems reasonable here.
Chinese Soapstone Double Brushwasher, C20th
Price: £45
A Chinese soapstone brushwasher carved in the form of two hollow bamboo stems standing between strands of trailing peach and resting on a rocky base with stylised foliage and a bird, the curved reverse plain and with three holes to facilitate the carving and the base recessed and with small holes. Various similar pieces can be found with one or more containers or vases surrounded by flowers or sometimes animals and presumably intended as brushwashers. Soapstone was first used by the Chinese over three thousand years ago but began its popularity in the Ming dynasty (1368 -1644) with the height of production during the ensuing Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911). Production continued into the 20th Century and even takes place now, but the style of work here, with fairly coarse hand carving but the evident use of a drill, and the colouring of the stone itself suggest a mid century dating, perhaps to the 1940s. But while not of the highest technical expertise, this piece certainly has a rustic charm and can act as a pleasing ornament with the potential use as a desk accessory.
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.
Pair of Art Deco glass Vases with applied silver snakes, 1930s
Price: £95
This is a very unusual pair of glass vases with no obvious parallels. The shape is that of a slender beaker vase flaring out towards the base and neck. The black glass of the body has a narrow band of silvered decoration at the top and bottom and applied silver snakes are coiled around the centre, making an effective contrast. The clean lines of the pieces imply a dating to the Art Deco era and the decoration, with its reflection of Egyptian Revival, suggests manufacture in France but this is not certain. But whatever the provenance these vases are striking decorative accessories which could find a home in the most contemporary of interiors.
Trade+Aid Enamel Teapot, No.292.UK, 1990s
Price: £25
This is an intriguing enamel teapot, the rectangular body curving in towards the lid and with a loop handle and spout. It is brightly decorated in coloured enamels on a yellow ground with a large sheaf of sunflowers on each side. The base is marked ‘Trade+Aid’ ‘No.292.UK’ with three Chinese characters below. It comes from a range of teapots produced for ‘Charlotte di Vita Collections’ under the trading name ‘Trade+Aid’. These were hand crafted items using traditional techniques whose sale benefited charitable projects and initiatives worldwide. The various designs were usually limited editions and some are quite collectible today. The decoration on this piece is inspired by the famous painting ‘Sunflowers’ by Gustav Klimt making it one of the more interesting models produced.
Art Deco brooch with large zircon stone c1930
Price: £175
This is a silver bar brooch set with European cut diamonds and a large blue zircon. It is set in an elegant Art Deco design that shows off the central stone. It is unmarked.
Five Murano glass fish pendants
Price: £25
This is a rather random lot comprising five small Murano glass pendants. Each one has a hole in the fin so they are all ready to be worn as necklaces or to be put together as one fabulous necklace. It is all up to you! :)
Silk Print of a Bird, Bianchini-Ferier, France, early C20th
Price: £25
A silk print of a bird perched on a branch of flowering acorns. The design of the bird itself employs ‘flock work’ technique where slender coloured threads are laid onto the fabric surface to produce a slightly raised effect but the remainder of the image is printed onto the silk using grisaille colouring. Similar examples are known, some depicting birds and some flowers, but all are marked at the bottm ‘Bianchini-Ferier’ ‘Made in France’.
Bianchini Ferier was a silk weaving manufacturer based in Lyons. Founded in 1888 by Francois Atuyer, Charles Bianchini and Francois Ferier, it first produced fine silk damasks mainly for the clothing industry. After gaining a silver medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889 it went on to enjoy great success and many well known artists created designs for it in the early C20th, most notably Raoul Dufy. Production continued until the early 1990s when the firm was acquired by Tissages Bauman.
This print resembles designs in the firm’s archives from the late C19th and was probably created in the early C20th. It was designed for framing and the dotted line definition of the composition can be seen at the edges. Presented now in a modern surround it provides an excellent example of the firm’s work and a reflection of the Art Nouveau style so popular when it was produced.
Abalone and silver modernist design Necklace, modern
Price: £60
This is a very interesting necklace comprising geometric shapes set with abalone. The chain links mirror these shapes which adds an elegance and completeness to the design. The origin of this necklace is unclear but the work could perhaps be Greek or Cypriot. It is difficult to say definitively though as the design is so unique and abalone can be found in many parts of the world.
Small Chinese Blue and White Brushwasher, C20th
Price: £25
The form here, a flattened broad body with curved walls and a wide opening at the top, is an example of one of the classic ceramic Chinese brush washer shapes and is found in a wide variety of decoration, often monochromes but there are also many pieces where underglaze blue and white was employed. The miniature size here is rather unusual; just possibly it was part of a set. The exterior is decorated with continuous scrolling lotus (perhaps an association with water was intended) below two concentric circles at the top with a single circle at the base. Underneath is the standard four character mark for the Qianlong period (1736 -1795), the characters reading from right to left and top to bottom ‘Qian’ ‘long’ ‘nien’ ‘chi’ (Qianlong years made). This is, of course wildly optimistic. The paste of the foot suggests a dating to the early years of the twentieth century, but this desk accessory has great charm, nevertheless.
Reproduction Limoges Porcelain Box with Scent Bottles, Modern
Price: £25
Presenting itself as production of the celebrated ceramics factories in Limoges, France, this elaborately decorated porcelain box containing four glass scent bottles is, in fact, a contemporary reproduction and most likely made in China. While it looks hand painted, close examination shows the microdots of laser printing (see image 7) a technique commonly used by the Chinese now to create high quality looking but machine made ceramic items. The mark, employing a single ‘L’ in a style sometimes found beginning the word ‘Limoges’ inscribed on genuine pieces, is found nowhere else on true Limoges items and seems to have been a flight of fancy on the manufacturer’s behalf. But this particular box certainly looks the part and could perhaps find its place as a purely decorative item for the dressing table!
Pair of Opera Binocular Glasses in green leather Case, French, first half C20th
Price: £25
Pocket size binoculars intended for use at the opera to gain a close up view of the stage and the singers for those seated in the rather more distant seats were made in various countries from the early 1900s onwards. Some are marked, as here where ‘PARIS can be clearly seen, indicating manufacture in France. Their form is typical, the curved brass frames with a central ridged adjustment knob which causes the lenses to expand or contract in order to achieve the desired focus. This pair come with a fitted case in green leather, plush lined with gold tooling to the edges at the cover and a small engraved brass push button closure device, all features of high quality manufacture. The design of the case looks to the 1920s and probably gives an indication of the date. These would have been a luxury item at the time and, surviving in excellent condition, remain highly collectible today.
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.
Etruscan style rock crystal and turquoise round brooch c1900
Price: £65
This is a very striking neck brooch comprising a very large facetted rock crystal stone drilled and set with a turquoise stone. It is unmarked silver. Probably Italian or Greek.
Large faux coral Bakelite brooch, British c1940
Price: £45
A fine quality large floral brooch made from faux coral Bakelite with a bar pin to the reverse, carefully carved to represent the rose petals in fine detail. Dating from the 1940s this piece has remarkably survived in perfect condition making it the ideal statement fashion accessory.
Harmony Kingdom Trinket Box with Puffins, dated 2001
Price: £20
A novelty trinket box, the wood interior covered in ivory coloured resin modelled to form a group of puffins closely packed together, their faces and feathers picked out in grisaille detail and their beaks in mustard yellow and red, the interior with a snake at the bottom and the base with a paper label reading ‘Harmony Kingdom’ ‘Made in England’ ‘In Fine feather’ ‘Copyright 1996’. Inside the top rim is scratched mark ‘1 May 2001’ ‘VAS’ which gives the exact date of manufacture and presumably the initials of the maker.
Harmony Kingdom is a business set up by Peter Calvesbert in 1992. Their studio is situated in the Malvern Hills and they have been producing whimsical figurine sculptures for over 25 years which have an enthusiastic following, particularly in the USA. ‘In Fine Feather’ is a discontinued item so now has a very modest rarity value in addition to its intrinsic charm.
Small Chinese Cloisonné Dish decorated lotus, C20th
Price: £25
A small Chinese cloisonné enamel circular dish of typical form decorated with scrolling flowering lotus on a black ground with gilt stylised floral scrolls within a lobed edge blue border and a gilt metal rim, the reverse plain and in blue enamel. The cloisonné technique, in which glass derived enamels were set in wire outlines (the so called ‘cloisons’ from the French word), was developed in China in the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and then used throughout, right up until the C20th, indeed pieces are still produced today. The later examples can have their own charm and often the quality of the work is excellent, as here, with an imaginative use of colours and shading effects to the enamels, seen here in the lotus flowers and leaves. Some of the later examples can have paper labels indicating a date of manufacture during the era the People’s Republic of China’ (1912-1949) and a circa date of around 1930 seems reasonable here and is confirmed by the weight of the dish and its finish at the reverse.
Japanese Fukagawa Jug and Stand decorated lotus, signed, circa 1900
Price: £45
This is an unusual jug and matching stand made by the celebrated Japanese ceramics manufacturers Fukagawa, more commonly known for their vases, bowls and plaques, many in the classic Imari colourings. The squat ovoid form jug has a wide opening at the top with a broad spout and a loop handle in the form of a dragon’s head; it sits on a complementary deep dish or stand of lobed ‘kiku’ or chrysanthemum form. Both pieces are decorated with finely enamelled lotus flowers on a deep blue ground with gilt detail, the stand with continuous stylised floral detail on the exterior and each with one of the characteristic Fukagawa marks underneath, a mountain and stream followed by the script characters for the firm.
The Fukagawa kilns produced the best quality Imari items made in Japan in the late nineteenth century for export to the West. Their history starts with Ezaiemon Fukagawa who in 1856 became head of his family's porcelain business and in 1875 founded Koransha (The Company of the Scented Orchid) in Arita, Japan, to produce tableware for export. In 1894 the modern Fukagawa company was founded by Chuji Fukagawa, with the Fukagawa trade mark of Mount Fuji and a stream, as its trade mark. Dating of these pieces is therefore towards the end of the Meiji period (1868 - 1912) probably around 1900. While the decoration is similar to that found on other Fukagawa pieces there are few, if any parallels, and tea ware pieces by the firm are not very often seen.
Commemorative Ware Silver Jubilee Plate, James Kent Ltd, England, 1935
Price: £35
A small circular serving dish the shallow concave centre surrounded by a shaped and modelled edge with gilt decoration, cream glazed with polychrome transfer decoration in honour of the Silver Jubilee of King George the Fifth in 1935. He is shown with his wife Queen Mary in an elaborate composition of shields and flags with the royal crown and the motto ‘honi soit qui mal y pense’. At the back is the mark ‘SILVER JUBILEE WARE’ ‘James Kent Ltd’ ‘England’. James Kent Ltd were long established earthenware and porcelain manufacturers based in Stoke on Trent, England. For the 1935 Jubilee they produced a range of wares including mugs and plates. This serving dish seems to be a slightly more unusual form and would be a useful addition to a collection of these commemorative wares.
Persian Marquetry Khatam Kari Desk Set, second half C20th
Price: £55
This marquetry desk set is a typical example of a range of similar pieces made by Persian Craftsmen in the second half of the twentieth century. The low rectangular wood base has curved corners and a bowed front in which is set a drawer. The centre has a slightly raised panel with two removable brass loop handles. To the rear of this are two pen holders and behind two upright panels forming a letter rack. Even the pens, which can be fitted with removable biro refills, have marquetry decoration, which is unusual. The base is plain with four short feet.
The intricate marquetry decoration used here, with its repeating star form pattern, is called ‘Khatam’ work. Khatam is the capital of Khatam County in Iran and is the centre for craftsmen working in this technique. Khatam is a Persian version of marquetry in which the surface of wooden articles is decorated with small pieces of wood, bone and metal formed into precisely-cut geometric shapes. The process is time consuming involving the cutting of the shapes and gluing them in place, followed by smoothing, oiling and polishing. In Persian, the work is known as ‘Khatam kari’, ‘the art of crafting Khatam ware’.
These desk sets occur in a wide variety of forms. The drawer is less commonly found and decorated pen holders are, as said above, most unusual. These sets seem to have been made from the 1950s onwards. The use of a ‘biro’ pen indicates a dating from the 1960s onwards and perhaps this example is a bit later than that, but the workmanship speaks for itself and the piece has survived in excellent condition with minimal damage, providing a truly elegant ‘desk tidy’ for the contemporary study!
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.
Art Nouveau style Lily bouquet brooch c1950
Price: £65
This is a large brooch with a lily spray design. It is marked 'silver' and there is a makers mark. The origin of this piece isn't clear.
Outstanding Egyptian Revival necklace c1960
Price: £125
This is a very unusual necklace that features a large central pendant that depicts a beautiful design of Egyptian iconography. This includes cobras, ankh symbols, Horus the bird god and Ramses II. It is all done in bright gold with enamel work. This is on its original rope style chain fashioned to allow the pendant sit on the upper chest. It is probably of American manufacture.
African Carved Wood Figure of a Lady, probably mid C20th
Price: £25
A carved wood figure of a lady in abstract expressionistic style represented kneeling with her legs presumably tucked up behind her, the body smooth and with detailing to the hair which flows down onto her back, the base in the form of a sketchily modelled rock. The colour and patina of the wood suggests ebony and the style seems African - Nigerian, in fact, if the label is to be believed, although the town indicated, Takarodi, seems to be located in Ghana. Dating, though, is probably as the label suggests and this was, no doubt, one of the many pieces made by local craftsmen as tourist souvenirs.
Vintage black crocodile Handbag, Italian, 1980s
Price: £150
While lacking the branding of some of its contemporaries, notably those produced by Gucci, this elegant handbag is certainly a match for them in quality. Made from fine crocodile skin, soft with detailed patterning and carefully stitched (see image 3) it is of the traditional ‘bellows’ form with three interior compartments, one of them zip fastened (see image 7), and a strap handle. The fastenings of the handle and the flap buckle are in gilt metal of geometric almost art deco like designs and the interior is lined in leather.The work is Italian craftsmanship at its best and dating is probably to the 1980s after which these unbranded bags were no longer produced. An elegant accessory in its time, it would be an elegant accessory now.
Pair of Doulton Lambeth Vases, signed and dated 1882
Price: £150
A pair of Doulton Lambeth Vases of elegant Islamic inspired shape, the slender baluster bodies with broadly spreading feet and narrow necks with a wide rim, covered overall with bands of raised moulded decoration with repeating stylised leaf and circle patterns on alternating blue and coffee glaze grounds, the countersunk bases unglazed with impressed marks.
The 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 factory mark indicates, these pieces were made at the Lambeth factory and the absence of ‘England’ below it indicates that it dates to before 1891. The Lambeth ware pieces were often marked with the date of manufacture, here 1882 which is fully consistent with a design inspired by Eastern influence. The artist’s mark, ‘B’ with a tail, which appears on both pieces, is for Alice L Burlton, whose signature can be seen on other pieces of a similar date with similar raised decoration. The other three markings ‘B’ and ‘OO’ presumably indicate the pattern number.
In general, Doulton designs were often both striking an experimental and this pair of vases is an example of their work at its best, a striking form combined with skilful decoration making them true collector’s items.
Novelty Bonnet Posy Vase, 1940s/1950s
Price: £25
This is an amusing posy vase for the display of small flowers in the form of a straw bonnet, yellow, slightly craquelure effect, glazed with modelled moulded decoration to the hat rim and crown, the latter with a green glazed tied ribbon, and a deep channel in between to hold the floral display, the underside with a ‘C’ shape foot with a printed mark ‘Made in England’ to the centre and the pattern number impressed at the side ‘REG No 837952’. Some similar pieces have a printed mark ‘Falcon Ware’ and others a printed mark ‘SYLVAC’. Falcon Ware was made by Thomas Lawrence (Longton) Ltd and Sylvac Ware (often marked ‘SylvaC’) by Shaw and Copestake, both firms being founded in the late 1800s. The two firms worked independently for over thirty years but amalgamated in the mid 1930s and during the 1940s shared the Thomas Lawrence factory for a time. Models and designs were often shared which explains the different markings on these posy vases which are otherwise near identical. Dating is probably to the post war period, either late 1940s or early 1950s, when Sylvac in particular produced many novelty items which are collected today.
Pair of Chinese Dalian Glass Co. Ltd Vases, second half C20th
Price: £45
Distinctively Italian in style and resembling closely pieces made by the glassworks Vetreria Barbieri, based at or near Empoli, this pair of vases was, in fact, made in China in the mid to late twentieth century by the manufacturer ‘Dalian Glass Co. Ltd’, one of many glass factories on the Dalian headland, often known as the ‘crystal coast’. Just a few pieces still carry their factory label and an example of this from another vase is shown here (see image 9) which not only identifies the maker but also the pattern design used which was called ‘snowflakes’. Dalian Glass was not blown by hand but rather made using moulds and factory production techniques. But the quality is still there, leading many of their pieces to be confused with those made at Murano and the swirl decoration varies from piece to piece. With their shaped ovoid body and crimped rim set off by the multicoloured ‘trail’ decoration on a variegated yellow ground, this pair of vases is an excellent example of the Dalian Glass factory’s work, well able to stand comparison with the originals from which they took their inspiration.
Two Carnival Glass Vases, Marigold, probably Fenton USA, early C20th
Price: £55
These are two fine examples of so called ‘carnival’ glass. The forms are similar, a tall columnar like body, slightly tapering inwards to the spreading base and flaring outwards to the broad crimped rim, but one has a plainer panelled body and the other is fluted. Carnival glass is moulded or pressed glass to which an iridescent surface shimmer has been applied, which can be seen very clearly here. The technique was developed by the American firm, Fenton Art Glass Company, in 1908. Sales were initially sluggish but when the wares were discounted in price they rapidly gained in popularity and were then manufactured in great numbers over a period of approximately twenty five years. The aim was to recreate the effects of the much more expensive blown iridescent glass by makers such as Tiffany, leading to the unfortunate designation ‘poor man’s Tiffany’, but the modest purchase price allowed a wide circulation amongst the enthusiastic buyers. Various American firms produced these pieces which were then mass produced around the world. The term ‘Carnival’ was adopted in the 1950s and derives from the fact that these pieces were often given out as prizes at carnivals, fetes, and fairgrounds but originally the majority of them were bought as decoration for the home. Few pieces are marked, but the colourings here match the ‘Marigold’ tones produced by Fenton in the 1920s and these vases were most likely made by them.
Art Deco emerald cut paste stone ring c1920
Price: £55
This is a very elegant ring made up of silver set with marcasite stones with a large octogan cut purple paste stone. It is unmarked.
Pair of African Wood Figures of a Man and a Woman, probably mid C20th
Price: £25
A pair of wood figures of a man and a woman carved in an abstract style with slender proportions, the man holding a long staff and the woman balancing a vessel (presumably for water or wine) on her head, the clothing of both with etched patterned decoration and their complementary bases with contrasting geometric designs. The patina and colour of the wood suggests ebony and the style is African. As with the previous lot there is a label indicating manufacture in Nigeria and Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Nigeria. It was a trade centre and a likely source of artefacts made for tourists of which these are most likely an example. Dating is probably as the label indicates and many other similar pieces were produced at that time.
Large African hanging wall decoration : lion, rhinoceros and elephant, mid C20th
Price: £75
This is a long hanging wall decoration comprising figures of a lion, rhinoceros and elephant all linked with rings and carved from a single piece of ebony wood. A virtuoso feat of the wood carver's art and seemingly with very few parallels it was made by an African master craftsman and probably dates to the 1950s, destined, no doubt, to be a trophy souvenir.
Mdina Earthtones Pattern Vase, late C20th
Price: £55
While lacking a signature at the base, this vase is almost certainly from the glassworks at Mdina, Malta. The body is an upright cylinder with a protruding band at the top below the concave neck and flaring rim. The finish of the base and the stoutly blown glass have the hallmarks of Mdina but the pattern has direct parallels with other pieces which are signed. It was called ‘earthtones’ and later just ‘earth’ and introduced in the mid 1970s. One example in this shape (but not signed either) comes with a large ball shape stopper, implying that we may have the base of a decanter here. If so, the form is still complete in itself to the eye and there are various other similar examples.
Mdina Glass was founded in the Maltese town of Mdina in 1968 by Michael Harris and Eric Dobson. The town had no history of glass making but the venture proved to be a success. Its wares, free formed organic glassware, often in colours inspired from the sea, sand, earth and sky, proved very popular with tourists visiting Malta. Michael Harris left Mdina in 1972 and formed a new company, Isle of Wight Studio Glass, on the Isle of Wight, UK, leaving Eric Dobson in charge, but many of the designs he created continued to be made at Mdina Glass after his departure although new designs and patterns were added as well of which this vase is an example. Ownership of the company later changed but it is still producing a popular range of glasswares today.
Doulton Vase with raised grape and peach decoration, 1920s
Price: £110
A Doulton Vase, the body of near cylindrical, slender and slightly rounded form with a small spreading foot, the cylindrical neck with a flaring rim, the body glazed in deep blue with two mould modelled clusters of grapes and peach in greens and pinks, the neck and rim glazed in a mottled light mustard splash glaze on the outside and a dark mustard splash glaze on the inside, the base unglazed and with impressed marks for Royal Doulton, an impressed artist’s mark ‘P’, a scratched artist’s mark (?) ‘EM’ and impressed pattern numbers ‘X8975Z’ ‘9224’.
The mark for Doulton is one of the standard impressed 'Royal Doulton England' marks where the lettering forms part of a circle combined with three thick lines and the centre is filled with four interlocking 'D's. The addition of a lion but not with the usual accompanying crown allows a fairly precise dating to between 1923 and 1927, although the pattern number beginning with ‘X’, which appears on other pieces with similar decoration but a different shape, is supposedly found on pieces made for couple of years thereafter. Either way, the mid to late 1920s dating fits with both the form and the decoration which have a distinctly Art Deco feel. The mark ‘P’ is for the decorator Lizzie Padbury but the scratched mark cannot be identified. Presumably the second set of numbers indicate the shape.
Royal Doulton produced many pieces reflecting the Art Deco style and other similar vases can be found on this site. They are an elegant reinterpretation producing pieces of great decorative appeal.
Indian silver onyx and carnelian pendant necklace/brooch, 2006
Price: £125
This is a very striking necklace comprising a large pendant with onyx and carnelian cabachons. Both the pendant and necklace are marked with a Birmingham import mark for 2006 together with '925' and 'DK'. The mark 'DK' is for the 'sponsor' or importer. The necklace and pendant are clearly meant to be worn together as they bear the same mark. There is also a brooch mechanism so that the piece can also be worn this way if desired.
Chinese blue ground Vase decorated Prunus, late C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese ceramic vase of ovoid form with a flaring neck, the blue enamel ground decorated with flowering prunus branches in grisaille and green, the base with the numbers ‘31’ in iron red. Flowering prunus or plum blossom is one of the most iconic designs used in the decoration of porcelain, occurring from the late seventeenth century onwards. This vase is a rather more modest version of the pattern and most likely dates to the late twentieth century. The paste of the foot is coarse and the painting perfunctory, not even wholly Eastern in appearance and similar pieces are sometimes catalogued as French. But the explanation most likely lies in production further afield in China from the main porcelain factories at Jingdezhen and perhaps the source was Macau where poorer and more European influenced pieces were being made in the last years of the twentieth century. But, if not the work of Chinese potters at their best, this vase still has a naif charm to be enjoyed today.
Hollywood Regency Ormolu and Glass Scent Bottle, second half C20th
Price: £95
This is a classic example of the decorative pieces produced in the ‘Hollywood Regency’ style which evolved from the work of designers furnishing the homes of film stars and actors from the 1920s onwards. Opulence was the key here with recollections of and variations on the design styles of earlier years particularly those of the rococo era. Dressing table pieces were made to be intentionally luxurious with elaborate gilt metal decoration and bevelled glass panels combining to produce ornaments of showpiece quality. The scent bottle here has two oval bevelled glass panels set in a gilt metal case with elaborately cast sides, a spreading foot and a crown knob stopper, all with twisting and interlocking stylised floral decoration. The body of the piece was refillable and the stopper has a glass rod for application. Similar pieces were made by the New York firm ‘Stylebuilt’ which was founded in 1946; many carry an impressed mark but some have just a paper label reading ‘Stylebuilt Accessories’ ‘NEW YORK’ ‘’24 K GOLD PLATED’ ‘GUARANTEED NOT TO TARNISH’. The style here is so close that we may well have a genuine ‘Stylebuilt’ accessory here missing its original paper label, but there is no certain proof of this. Accessories from the firm seem to date from the 1950s to the 1970s and this is most likely the time of production of this particular piece. It survives in perfect condition with the gilt work bright and shining, definitely living up to the claim of remaining untarnished, and is a fine memento of an extravagant style, once so popular.