Catalog (971)

A fine and early Bow porcelain pickle dish with a serrated rim and short stalk, painted in shades of blue with bamboo and peonies issuing from rocks, all surrounded by a low fence. Workman's marks in blue on the underneath.

The condition of this gem, which was part of a private collection for over 15 years, is all that one could possibly hope for and rarely finds, with no flaws whatsoever, and vibrant colors. Any skips or dullness in the photos are due to reflections. The width is 4" and the ...

A nicely done late 18th century miniature of a woman wearing a blue dress and white fichu, her powdered hair with an interwoven white ribbon. Presented in a gilt bracelet clasp mount. Excellent condition with an overall size of 1 3/8" by 1 1/8".

A fine miniature by Charles Dixon, signed "CD" and dated 1750. The subject is a gentleman with his hair tied back, wearing a blue coat, red waistcoat, and black stock. Presented in a gilt metal mount with bracelet clasp, measuring 1 3/8" by 1 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Information about Charles Dixon (fl 1748 - 1798) appears to be quite sparse, and there is not even certainty that his first name was Charles since those pieces he signed were done so with "CD". It is known that Benjamin Frankl...

A fine portrait miniature attributed to John Downman, although Charles Hayter is a secondary possibility. Simply attired in a white gown, and with powdered hair, the sitter is shown with a pensive and somewhat downcast expression. Presented in a gold frame, the glazed reverse having a plaited hair border and a hairwork wheat-sheaf with seed pearls on opalescent glass. The condition is excellent, and the overall size is 3" by 2 3/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John Downman (1750 - 1824), born in W...

A fine c1751 miniature watercolor on natural wafer, signed and dated by J. Lacon. The sitter is wearing a décolleté white dress and a lace underslip. The trimming of the blue ribbons provides a pop of color and wonderful contrast to the rest of the painting. Presented in a gilt metal reeded frame with remnants of collection labels on the reverse. 1 7/8" by 1 1/2".

Lacon (fl. c1740 - 1760) worked in Bath, England, painting miniatures and water color portraits. He also owned a popular pup...

A beautiful, extremely rare, and early First Period Worcester coffee cup and saucer, each piece finely molded with fluting resembling pleats. The small, bell shaped cup has a crisply molded triple scroll handle with a pronounced thumb rest and a full blown rose in the inside. Both pieces have a strap-fluted ground reserving embossed rococo cartouches edged with scrollwork and leaves in purple and green enamel, the principal panels painted in bright puce with European landscapes including a ruine...

Considering all the feathers and foliage, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a bird actually living in the mass of ostrich feathers, flowers, and upswept hair of the blue-eyed sitter. This late 18th century miniature is in excellent condition and is presented in a 1 5/8" by 1 3/8" gold bracelet clasp.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Francisca Efigenia Meléndez y Durazzo, sometimes given as Francisca Meléndez de Múquiz (1770–1825) was a Spanish miniaturist and pastellist. She was the daughter of J...

A wonderful and uncommon Worcester Scratch Cross period high-footed silver form sauce boat of desirable small size. This charming piece has a scroll handle with an upturned thumb rest, the body molded with scroll panels painted with "strutting birds" near a triangular fence and flowering rocks.

The length, including the handle, is 6 1/2 ", the width is 3 1/4", and the height is 2 1/2". Superb condition with vibrant colors and no flaws.

A nice English c1795 miniature of a gent wearing a white shirt and ascot, with a red waistcoat and black jacket. The reverse of the gilded metal case has a a central fabric section set into an opalescent surround over guilloche work. Excellent condition with an overall size of 2 5/8" by 2 1/8".

An English wine glass featuring a pointed round funnel bowl with a solid teared base above a short plain stem section above a ball knop topping a four-sided molded pedestal stem. Lead glass. Conical foot with folded rim. Rough pontil.

Fine condition with no issues, standing 5 1/2" tall with a bowl diameter of 2 3/8" and a foot diameter of 2 5/8". Good color and striations. The glass has museum and collection labels and marks on the foot, all easiy removed if desired.

Deaccessioned from...

An extremely fine depiction of an older woman, attributed to Charles Jagger, done in watercolor on natural wafer. Jagger was known to draw with a high degree of accuracy and talent, especially in the faces of his subjects, and that is certainly the case here. Also note the way the lace edges and the satin dress are highlighted. The condition of this 3 1/8" by 2 1/2" work is excellent, as is that of the period 5 1/4" by 4 5/8" wood frame.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Charles Jagger (c1770 - 1827)...

An English wine featuring a pointed round funnel bowl with a solid base above a short plain stem section above a ball knop topping a four-sided molded pedestal stem. Lead glass. Conical foot with folded rim. Rough pontil.

Fine condition with no issues, standing 5 3/8" tall with a bowl diameter of 2 3/8" and a foot diameter of 2 1/2". Good color and striations. The glass has museum and collection labels and marks on the foot, all easiy removed if desired.

Deaccessioned from the Bennin...

A fine c1790 portrait miniature of a woman with a somewhat serious demeanor, wearing a white fichu with lace trim, her powdered hair beneath a white bonnet with blue bows. The painting is in a period gold bracelet clasp frame. Excellent condition with an overall size of 1 5/8" by 1 1/4".

An uncommon and fine English wine glass with a pan top round funnel bowl atop a multiple spiral air twist (MSAT) stem with a medial swelled knop. Lead glass, rough snapped pontil.

No condition issues at all, and with excellent color, striations, and tool marks. The glass is 6" tall, with a bowl diameter of 2" and a nice foot diameter of 2 3/8".

Provenance: Bennington Museum, Bennington VT.

A charming portrait miniature that can be strongly attributed to the highly thought of artist Francois Dumont (1751-1831). The sitter is an attractive young woman wearing a white dress tied over a blue shirt that is accented by the blue ribbon in her hair. The overall diameter of the fabric-backed brass frame is 2 1/8".

A very similar work by Dumont is coming up at a European auction house in December 2022, with an estimate of 1500 Euro, not including premium.

Provenance: From an...

A strong English portrait miniature on natural wafer that will cause you to see spots before your eyes. However, they are on a high-necked dress worn by this woman whose attire also features a cap or wide headband. The reverse of the 2 1/2" by 2 1/8" gilt metal case has interwoven plaits of hair. Excellent condition.

A wonderful offering of a c1758 Vauxhall porcelain coffee can, very finely potted and painted in the highly sought after and uncommon "sticky blue". The scene is of two figures on a hill with a tree and a pagoda.

The condition is excellent, looking factory fresh, with no chips, cracks, paint loss, staining, restoration, etc. Any apparent shadows, white areas, streaks, or other issues are only due to photographic flaws and are not present when viewed in person. The can is 2 9/16" tall, with...

A beautiful example of a large Scratch Cross period Worcester tankard of spreading base form with a double groove strap handle. The pattern is "The Zig-Zag Fence", and is the first in a long series of Worcester fence patterns. The particular speciman offered here, with its single line mark, would be early in the c1751 to 1755 period in which this pattern was made. The expected blue workman's mark is on the base.

Condition is excellent, with no cracks, scratches, or chips. Colors are stro...

An elegant and beautiful English ratafia DSOT (double series opaque twist) glass. Ratafia glasses are quite uncommon, and this is fine and exceptionally tall example. The elongated narrow conical bowl is above a double series opaque twist stem with a pair of three-ply spiral bands outside of a pair of corkscrew tapes.

The glass is in perfect condition with no chips, cracks, or restoration. The proportions are excellent, with a height of 7 1/2 inches, a bowl diameter of 1.7 inches, and a g...

An extremely rare and striking c1754 Chelsea cup and saucer. The bell bowl with loop handle features a bird on a leafed branch, with several insects around the girth of the cup. The saucer is similarly decorated.

The overall condition is excellent, with clear and bright colors. Both pieces have the red anchor and stilt marks. The saucer is 5" in diameter, with the cup being 2 1/8" in height. 

A c1800 miniature, reasonably attributed to George Place. The silver shoulder belt plate indicates that the sitter was an officer in the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot, c.1800 - 1810. The single epaulette on the right at this period shows he was an Ensign, Lieutenant, or Captain. The framed size of this piece, in its later frame with fabric backing, is 2 5/8" by 2 1/8". The white area at the top of the photo is a reflection.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Although his date of birth is not kno...

A fine and early English saucer showing a Chinese man with a bird. Done in blue and white, lot 303 of the Bonham's sale of the famous and important Watney collection showed this same pattern and identified it as being William Reid porcelain.

The saucer is in excellent condition and is 4 7/8" in diameter.

NOTE: William Reid & Co. were porcelain makers in Liverpool between 1756-61. Their factory was situated on Brownlow Hill where a bone-ash porcelain was produced.

A superb and early spread base mug example of the Worcester "Walk in the Garden" pattern. Although Branyan, in his book "Worcester Blue and White Porcelain 1751 - 1790" indicates the date range for this pattern to be 1755 to 1765, the lovely pale grayish-blue color of the decoration and the presence of a scratch cross mark on the base would place manufacture of this mug (or tankard) several years earlier, making this a truly exceptional piece. In addition to the incised line on the base there is...

A miniature of a beautiful young child who unfortunately passed away in 1798. The theme here is blue and white: in the clouds, in Harriet's eyes, and the ribbon in her hair. In contrast to that are the small areas where red makes its appearance: in the necklace, the child's lips and cheeks, and, to a lesser extent, in her hair.

The reverse of the case is engraved "Harriet Franklyn/B. 9 Oct 1795 D. 31 August 1798/Daughter of/Richard Franklyn/One of the Moneyers/of H. Mint, of Oxgate/Will...

A good c1770 British miniature portrait of a older gentleman, with the artist having cleverly displayed the wrinkles of age. He is dressed simply in the style of the time, wearing a wig, a white stock, and a gray coat.

The condition of the painting is excellent, and the papier mache frame is also in good condition but with a nick at the top right edge. The sight size is 2 1/2" by 2", with a framed size of 4 5/8" by 4".

NOTE: For those of you who are new to collecting portrait miniat...

A c1795 continental miniature of a gent who looks somewhat disgruntled, possibly with the waistcoat with blue polka dots and the black jacket with pearl buttons that his wife picked out for him. The reverse of the painting has a "B" embroidered on pink silk fabric. Both the front and back have beveled glass. The diameter of the gilt metal case is 2".

A fine example of a four knopped double series opaque twist (DSOT) antique wine glass. The bell bowl is over a stem with a pair of spiral threads outside of a central gauze, and with an annular knop and three ball knops. Conical foot with rough, snapped pontil.

The vast majority of opaque twist glasses have straight stems, and the addition of even one knop adds substantially to the difficulty of making them, and to the value. Each additional knop increases these factors. Also, unlike many ...

A fine and uncommon blue and white Liverpool Delft plate depicting a heron and fenced garden. The 9" plate is in fine condition, with some minor, common, and expected fritting at a few places along the rim.

A fine 17th century French tapestry table runner, with the motif weaving flowers and fruit throughout the piece. The overall condition is excellent, with no holes or tears. Carefully laid down on a linen backing. The length is 67" and the width is 13 3/4".

Acquired from a long time private collection, where it was used as a table display piece, but could certainly be used, in smaller segments, to make a number of exquisite pillows.

A very early and rare miniature, enamel on copper, done circa 1690-1700 by Peter Boy the Elder (1651-1727). The sitter is Johann Wilheim II. He was Elector Palatine (1658–1716) of the Wittelsbach dynasty and was Duke of Neuburg (1690–1716), Duke of Jülich and Berg (1679–1716), and Duke of Upper Palatinate and Cham (1707–1714). From 1697 onwards Johann Wilhelm was also Count of Megen. Clearly a busy and well titled fellow.

The miniature is in its original gold mount on a 19th c...

A charming miniature portrait by Susan Penelope Rosse, executed in gouache on gesso-washed vellum or card. The sitter is a sweet looking girl with long hair, wearing a blue gown with white lace edging at the bodice. The case for the miniature deserves special mention, being a flip type made of testudines shell with gold mounts.

The painting is in quite fine condition, with no issues, as is the clever case. The sight size is 1 3/8" by 1 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Susan Penelope Rosse (or Rose) ...

A fine example of a textile fragment from a 17th century chausable, purple cut velvet in a geometric vine design on a yellow background, mounted on silk. Overall fine condition, with a sight size of 18" by 18 1/2".

A fine watercolor on vellum painting of an aristocratic woman. The sitter, a blue-eyed blonde powder haired woman who is coquettishly toying with a long lock of her hair, is gloriously decked out in a very low cut white gown with a red shawl. The gown is partially held up by a long strand of diamond and gold jewelry with a matching bracelet on her left arm. Farther up that arm the sleeve of the gown is cinched by a diamond and pearl brooch. A pearl bracelet circles her right arm.

A label on p...

A fine in-period Kangxi saucer with two dragons. The reverse with a Ming dynasty mark which is not uncommonly found on legitimate Kangxi pieces.

Excellent bright, vibrant condition with no problems at all. (The lightness of the double line border at the lower part of the photos is due to reflection, and is not paint loss or fading.) The diameter is 4 1/2".

A superb in-period Kangxi scalloped dish with two Long Eliza figures and a Jumping Boy figure in the central scene. Immediately surrounding that scene the cavetto is divided into compartments, each with a flower head motif. Surrounding that are further compartments, each containing a different stylized botanical speciman. The reverse of the dish with a full Kangxi mark in the center Surrounding that, in raised compartments, are floral depictions, and outside that a border of various symbols.

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A charming in-period Kangxi octagonal saucer with 5 figures of women, each playing a different musical instrument. Fully marked on the reverse, with foliage outside the double line encircling the marks.

Bright, vibrant colors and glaze, with no condition problems at all. The diameter is 5 1/2".