Decorative Arts & Ephemera
Fairylite Dollies Brush and Comb Set, mid C20th
Price: £20
Fairylite were manufacturers of modest children’s toys and accessories, apparently from the 1930s to the 1960s, with an emphasis on dolls and, in particular, dolls house furniture. Their pieces were not made in the UK, although that seems to have been their principal market, and mostly marked ‘foreign’, as here. It is more than possible that many of them were imported from Japan. When complete with their original boxes, their pieces are now regarded as modestly desirable collectibles for those with a taste in nostalgia. This dressing table set is complete with all its elements intact even down to the fastenings in the interior of the box and probably worth a little more today than its purchase price of one shilling and sixpence : seven and a half pence!
Betterwear celluloid Crinoline Lady Crumb Brush & Tray Set, mid C20th
Price: £20
Betterwear was a UK company founded in 1928 which initially produced brushes which were sold ‘door to door’ and enjoyed great popularity. In 1970 it was renamed ‘Betterware’ to reflect the wider range of domestic products which were now being marketed and in 1986 it became a public company and was one of the best-performing shares on the stockmarket in the early 1990s when its share price rose more than tenfold. But in 2018 it went into administration eventually to be relaunced in 2025.
This crumb tray and brush was a popular design in the 1950s. Made from celluloid, the brush is in the form of a Victorian lady wearing a crinoline, the bristles forming a skirt, with the tray, which is marked ‘Betterwear’ to the reverse, modelled to fit. Elegant and practical, these pieces are now more the province of collectors than home accessories.
Wedgwood plate from the Childrens Story series, The Little Mermaid, with box, 1975
Price: £15
This is the fifth plate from a series of fifteen produced by Wedgwood from 1971 to 1985 under the series title ‘Childrens Stories’, each illustrating a famous fairy tale or fairy tale character. Here we have ‘The Little Mermaid’, a story by Hans Christian Andersen. The plate is complete with its original box and brochure and also a drawing of the design which omits certain of its elements, to be filled in and then coloured by the young owner.
Thai Akha tribe Doll, late C20th
Price: £35
This is a fine example of the dolls produced by the Akha tribe who live in Northern Thailand. The clothes are modelled on traditional Thai designs, the black cloth with brightly coloured accessories, bead work and silver metal accents, and the head, hands and feet are ceramic with painted detail. Made in the late twentieth century, presumably as tourist souvenirs, the charm of these dolls speaks for itself and would add a touch of colour and humour to any contemporary interior.
Wooden wall mounted box with the Coat of Arms of Portugal, first half C20th
Price: £75
A hardwood box with an open top and galleried moulding at the rim and base, the raised backplate with a lobed and curved edge and set with a coat of arms in brass below a crown with banners to each side and cornucopia and dolphins below, the front of the box also brass mounted with two cannons within a wreath. The coat of arms displayed here is that of Portugal and is a version which was first adopted in 1910. It was sometimes incorporated into military devices and this seems to be the context of this piece, although the two cannons at the front suggest artillery while the dolphins have a marine association. There is clearly, then, some history here and the box may have been used to hold stationery or even, perhaps, candles. Dating has to be to the twentieth century and looks to be in the first half. Definitely a piece for further research!
Inuit stone sculpture of a bird, signed Giyori Chakawa, late C20th
Price: £85
The simple, almost abstract, lines of this small stone sculpture carved from granite like rock suggest the work of the Inuit peoples, a widely spread but historically and culturally homogeneous group who live in the Arctic and Sub Arctic regions of Russia and Canada. Art played a major role in these communities and many small sculptures of animals and humans were produced by them, carved from ivory and bone. The use of stone dates to more recent times, placing this piece most likely towards the end of the twentieth century. The bird is carved with its head upraised and an almost expectant expression. Its wings are lightly delineated and its body blends seamlessly into the tail. The underside is carved with the makers name in deeply incised letters ‘Giyori Chakawa’, but nothing is known about him. Inuit pieces are prized today for their modernistic but timeless forms and this piece is a fine example of the genre.
Jigsaw Puzzle of Guy’s Hospital London, with box, 1930s
Price: £10
A novelty jigsaw puzzle with a picture of Guy’s Hospital London, comprising thirty large interlocking pieces which make up the design, complete with the original box which has the picture on the front of the lid to act as a design guide. The motor vehicles seen here and the dress of the bystanders indicate a pre war dating probably to the 1930s. The subject matter, hardly an obvious choice for a commercial item for general sale, points to this item being used as a rehabilitation tool for a patient recovering in hospital or most likely Guy’s Hospital itself. Perhaps her name was indeed Myrtle! Similar puzzles were made by the firm ‘W.G.Evans and Sons’ and advertised as ‘specially recommended for invalids’.
Art Deco silver plate Cigarette Box with monogram, 1930s
Price: £35
While similar pieces with an ovoid profile pointed at the corners are usually described as tea caddies, the flat flush fitting top here, which is not hinged as those of its counterparts are, suggests that this piece was intended rather for cigarettes. The clean lines clearly point to Art Deco and a dating to the late 1920s or 1930s seems likely. By way of example, a similar silver tea caddy made for Harrods has hallmarks for 1922. This is a fine quality item and has, in addition, an elaborate monogram to the lid, presumably containing the original owner’s initials. This was cast separately and fitted to the lid with staples. The device is elaborate but the letters ‘G’, ‘W’, ‘A’ and ‘F’ can be made out although their correct ordering must remain uncertain.
Wedgwood heart shape Boxes : Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
Price: £25
Two Wedgwood ‘jasperware’ heart shape boxes and covers, one dark and one pale blue, each with a cameo portrait medallion of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh within a wreath and two floral rosettes, Prince Philip identified by his name and the Queen celebrated for her silver jubilee in 1977. These boxes were produced as commemorative souvenirs of a reign which had reached twenty five years but was to see many more jubilees in the future. Wedgwood employed their classic ‘jasperware’ design with raised and modelled white decoration on a plain biscuit ground, here two contrasting shades of blue, although these boxes were made in both light and dark blue. While modest productions, the quality of these pieces well matches that of their predecessors and they are a collectible memento of one of the significant milestones of the longest reign in British history.
Yellow Citroen 2CV Teapot by Andy Titcomb, signed and dated, 1990
Price: £55
Andy Titcomb is an artist with many talents, even including film and television work (image 10 shows him with Martin Clunes in the series ‘Doc Martin’). He is probably best known as a designer and creator of ceramics and within that field in particular for his imaginative series of teapots. On his website, he writes
‘I worked with Paul Cardew in his first business Sunshine Ceramics from 1978 to 1983. After a number of years making and decorating all manner of odd shaped ashtrays, punk mugs and Nat West piggy banks, I left to concentrate on my own work. I made a range of brooches which were selected by the Design Centre. In 1983 with a converted pigsty as a workshop, I made my first teapot...a black and white harlequin. Encouraged by The Teahouse in Covent Garden London I began to make many more teapots.’
By 1990, he had deserted the pigsty and had a studio in North Cornwall where he continued production until 2016 when ‘I decided that there was too much “stuff” in the world without me adding to it, so I retired from all things ceramic and gave my materials and other equipment to other potters.’
Titcomb’s grandmother owned a yellow ‘Sadler’ racing car teapot, a classic design from the 1930s which is much sought after today (see image 11) and this inspired him to make his own version in the form of a Citroen 2CV, although he also produced a model copying the Volkswagen ‘Beetle’. This reinterpretation of the 1930s original, made in 1990 soon after the move to Cornwall has great charm of its own and is as equally collectible as its prototype.
Studio pottery style wavy edge Bowl, 7th Layer Ceramics, China, early C21st
Price: £25
A studio pottery style stoneware shallow bowl with a wavy edge rim, stoutly potted and glazed on the outside and top interior in cream, the interior with contrasting green glazes with a craquelure effect, the foot unglazed and with a printed mark to the centre ‘7th Layer’ next to a circular logo. 7th Layer Design Ltd was a Chinese firm making high quality ceramics heavily inspired by European studio pottery techniques and the Director of the firm can be seen showing a selection of their range in a Facebook video dated to 2007 (see image 9 for a still photograph from this) but there is no record of them now and it has to be assumed that the business ceased production since then and today only selected pieces by them are available online on eBay or Etsy. Not yet, then, a collector’s item perhaps, but this bowl is a good example of the wares that the firm was trying to produce which unfortunately did not achieve long lasting commercial success.
Avon Brand vintage wood telephone Money Boxes, 1950s/1960s
Price: £20
These are two items of nostalgia from the 1950s/1960s acting as money boxes for the cost of a telephone call. Presumably they were placed next to the telephone as a hint to a guest user to make a contribution to the cost of a call when using the host’s telephone! Each has a roundel with a slightly saucy young lady with an image of a telephone next to it. There is a slot at the top and a removable panel to the rear to give access to the coins stored inside. Each has a label at the back ‘Avon Brand’ one with ‘Seal of Quality’ and the other with ‘Made in England’. The format of the telephone dates these boxes to the late 1950s or early 1960s which is entirely consistent with their general style. Nothing is known about the ‘Avon Brand’ (who were lucky not to get involved in a trademark dispute with the more famous user of the name…) but there are many other similar pieces with their label, some with the image of a town and its name written on the base. Perfect items for devotees of ‘kitsch’!
Stars and Stripes Newspaper, Victory Edition front page, May 8, 1945
Price: £75
The Stars and Stripes newspaper is a daily American military newspaper reporting on matters concerning the members of the United States Armed Forces. It was first printed in 1861 and is still in circulation today. During World War Two it was printed in many editions in many locations. This example was the Paris Edition and announces the momentous news of Germany’s surrender on May 8th, 1945, anticipating the simultaneous ‘official’ announcement by the British, American and Russian governments later in the day at 3.00pm. Copies of the original newspaper seem hard to come by now making this a significant souvenir for those interested in the history of the Second World War or major historical events in general.
Three Chinese embroidered textiles in Bakelite frames, 1950s
Price: £25
Three Chinese embroidered textiles, the two larger showing scenes with pagodas from the West Lake, Hangzhou and the smaller the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests within the Temple of Heaven complex, Beijing. Similar images can be found with a maker’s name displayed at the side, the Jinsheng Silk Weaving Co Ltd, Hangzhou, China and these colourful textile designs were doubtless made as tourist souvenirs. The frames are Bakelite, coloured brown in imitation of wood, and can sometimes be seen elsewhere with a label reading ‘MADE IN HONG KONG FABRIQUE’ AU HONG KONG’; one carries a British registration mark ‘1006697’ which again appears elsewhere. The use of Bakelite for the frames suggests a dating to the 1950s and other similar textile images seem also to have been made at that time. As a set, this group is a quaint souvenir of the ‘Land of Cathay’ with a distinctively mid century feel.
Cambridge ware tea caddy and cover with T monogram on the lid, mid C20th
Price: £25
A tea caddy and cover of round ovoid form with a flat lid, the body comprised of small wood segments joined together in bands of different types, including teak and mahogany, and colours, the central band ridged, the base and cover plain and the top of the cover with an inset metal monogram reading ‘T’, doubtless for ‘tea’ surrounded by stylised foliage. The work here is typical of so called ‘Cambridge Ware’ produced by an anonymous firm, presumably based in or near to Cambridge itself, and was apparently produced from small recycled pieces of wood. Besides tea caddies, the firm also produced ice buckets and bowls, many with a green beize felt covering underneath (as here) and some with a foil or paper label identifying the manufacturer (missing here). Their pieces seem to have been made in the 1950s and 1960s and were quite popular at the time but have become modest collector’s items now.