Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (543)

An elegant and rare Newcastle light baluster (NLB) antique English trick wine glass, with a round funnel bowl set on a tall stem with a shoulder annular knop above a knop, above a large, teared medial knop, finishing with a ball basal knop. Conical foot with rough snapped pontil.

The bowl is Dutch engraved with a band of leaves and flowerheads, with a sprig below. The "trick" to this glass is that it is a dribble glass, with holes in the center of three of the flowerheads...

A beautiful and tall open flame oil lamp of Facon de Venice type, probably from Liege. Showing superb proportions and elegance, the large spouted font sits atop a capstan type knop, above a hollow, squat inverted baluster knop, which in turn leads into an elongated, hollow, rib-molded inverted baluster type stem that has 3 graduated applied ruffled collars or trailings, finally ending in a basal knop above a folded foot.

The lamp is 9 5/16" tall, with a foot diameter of 4 3/8"...

A nicely executed painting of Stephen Girard, capturing the inner essence of this important person. Excellent condition, and in a period gilt frame which is in very good condition. Sight size is 21 3/4" by 16".

Stephen Girard came to the United States, and Philadelphia, around 1776, and became one of the wealthiest men in the nation. He was well-known for his philanthropy, and founded Girard College. During the War of 1812, Girard was responsible for saving the U.S. from financial collapse...

A rare and beautiful double series opaque twist wine glass. The bowl, of uncommon tulip form, sits atop a stem containing two heavy spiral threads around a central gauze. What makes this glass rare, aside from the bowl shape, is that, opposed to being conical, as is usually the case, the foot is domed, a feature very rarely found on opaque twist glasses.

This fine example is 6 1/8" tall, with a bowl diameter of 2 7/16", and a foot diameter of 2 5/8"...

An elegant and wonderfully proportioned Dutch glass; soda metal with a bell bowl above a shoulder-knopped double series opaque twist comprised of a central gauze with 4 outer spiral threads.

Excellent condition with some minor nibbling in one section to the underside of the foot, not visible from the top

6 1/4" tall, 2 5/8" diameter bowl, 2 3/4" diameter foot

A beautiful opaque twist cordial glass, the bucket bowl fulsomely engraved with fruiting grapevines. The stem, of the single series opaque twist type (SSOT), making it much less common than the usual double series, has two spiral gauzes. Conical foot with snapped pontil.

This gem is in excellent condition, showing good color, tool marks, striations, and appropriate foot wear...

A beautiful and elegant double series opaque twist (DSOT) cordial glass with a honeycomb molded round funnel bowl. The stem has a 12 ply spiral band around a central lace twist. 6 11/16" tall, with a bowl diameter of 1 7/8" and a foot diameter of 2 9/16". Rough snapped pontil, superb condition.

A fine double series opaque twist (DSOT) wine glass with a widely flaring waisted bucket bowl, the bowl atop a stem containing a pair of spiral threads outside of a central gauze. Conical foot with rough snapped pontil. Lead glass with good color, striations, and tooling marks.

Condition is excellent, with no chips, cracks, scratches, or restoration. Height 6", bowl diameter 2 3/8", foot diameter 2 5/8".

A beautifully fashioned English antique firing dram glass. Most glasses of this type (opaque twist firing glasses) have an ogee or ovoid bowl, as opposed to this funnel, or conical, type. The lower half of the bowl is fluted, while the stem contains a double series opaque twist comprised of a pair of spiral threads outside of a central gauze.

Condition is excellent, with no problems at all. Good color, striations, and tooling...

A fine example of a triple knopped double series opaque twist (DSOT) antique wine glass. The bell bowl sits above a stem with three heavy spiral threads outside of a loose central gauze, and with shoulder, medial, and basal 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 the value. Each additional knop increases these factors...

A beautiful antique wine glass with a bell bowl above a double series opaque twist stem (DSOT) with collar, medial, and basal knops. Knops on opaque twists are much less common than straight stem opaque twists, and the more knops, the rarer. The opaque twist has a pair of 3-ply spiral bands outside of a central gauze.

6 1/8 inches tall, 2 3/8 inch diameter bowl, 2 5/8 inch diameter foot

An exceptional American gameboard with a red wash and black painted decoration; compartments at each end for the game pieces; construction is pine with breadboarded ends and wrought nails; condition is excellent with all original surface; one small portion of a breadboarded end has been replaced at some point long ago; 30" by 17 3/4"

Boards of this type (non 8 x 8 squares) are often commonly and mistakenly called checkerboards...

A pine lap desk, in original turkey red with yellow sponged decoration; probably PA; 13" by 11" by 6". Excellent condition.

A striking and colorful painting on silk of a signet ring with, not surprisngly, the word "Signet" and the date 1870; period frame; 11 1/4" by 9 1/2" framed size, 8 1/2" by 6 1/2" sight size

A charming scene showing classical ruins; great detail and contrast in the sky; great period frame; sight size 20 1/4" by 14 7/8", framed size 26 1/2" by 21"

A fine example of a coffee can made by the Seth Pennington Liverpool factory. The pattern, known as the "Scolding Woman" shows two polychrome Chinoiserie figures along with a large tree and rockwork.

The condition is superb, with no flaws and looking factory fresh. The height is 2 1/2" and the diameter is 2 1/4".

A beautifully done Pennsylvania Quaker sampler, featuring three sets of the alphabet, two bushes, an urn of flowers, birds and dogs, and the verse:

Let the most blessed be my guide
If it be his blessed will
Unto his vale into his fold
Up to his holy hill.

The sampler is signed Martha Graham Work Done in her 11th Year 182X...

A beautiful handmade tablecloth and napkins set of Italian needle lace of Pointe de Venice type, with the characteristic scrolling floral patterns with additional floral motifs worked in relief (embroidered).

The condition is excellent, with no tears or other flaws of anything but minor note. The tablecloth is 106" by 70" and the 12 napkins are 21" by 21".

A lovely Chaffers Liverpool bowl, decorated with peonies issuing from hollow rockwork, a red bird on a branch. and an insect to the reverse. Chaffers, even more so than the more common Liverpool factories, has seen a substantial and lightning growth in interest and value, especially for items in good condition. This piece is in overall excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, or restoration, although the interior has a rubbed flower, as is often the case...

A fine oil on board of Isaac Henderson, attributed to Giddings Hyde Ballou. Ballou was a highly regarded itinerant painter, born in CT, who did a good portion of his work in the Cape Cod area. Documentation relating to his work is provided with this painting.

Sight size 15" by 12"

A fine and charming watercolor on paper portrait of a mother and daughter, the daughter with a book and an apple. Sight size is 5 3/4 inches by 4 1/4 inches, while the framed size is 9 5/8 inches by 8 inches.

The portrait is in excellent condition, although the photos exaggerate some very minor toning. The bird's eye maple frame, which is not new and might be original, is also in excellent condition.

A fine example from the Quadrupeds Series, manufactured, primarily for the American market, by John Hall between 1802 and 1832. This particular piece depicts the pronghorn antelope, with a beaver, otter, coyote, and raccoon in the cartouches at the edge of the plate. Marked on the reverse a printed "Hall Quadrupeds".

The plate is 8" in diameter and is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, or restoration, and having the desirable deep blue ripple glaze.

En suite with p1108.

A fine and rare mixed twist wine glass with a pan top bowl. The stem has a central air cable surrounded by two heavy spiral opaque threads. 6 1/4 inches tall, with a bowl diameter of 2 5/16 inches and a foot diameter of 2 11/16 inches.

This glass is a true pair with item jg116.

This is an unusual, wonderful, and beautifully done folk art example of a tinsel or foil painting. The vast majority of tinsel paintings are of flowers. This rarity depicts a bluebird hovering over a basket filled with pears, a melon, and apples. A cluster of cherries, and bunches of grapes and foliage surround the basket. Colors are deep and very vibrant, and include blues, purple, brown, various shades of yellow and green, white, reds, and others...

This is a superb, early, and rare Chinese libation cup...

Formerly owned by Ingrid Bergman and Alan Freed, this is a large and exceptional fine American tinsel or foil painting featuring a full wreath encircling an urn of flowers on a green base. Although the use of a wreath in a tinsel painting is not at all uncommon, this particular format is extremely rare, if not unique. The flowers are so densely packed as to make the execution of the painting quite difficult. Further, there are 6 birds amidst the flowers, and the lower area motif has switched fr...

A striking and extremely rare hooked rug featuring a peacock displaying its beautiful plumage. This is a very graphically strong depiction, striking in its design.

One of the factors that contributes greatly to the rarity is the use of silver metallic threads circling the "eyes" of the peacock's feathers. The color range in the rug is beautiful, with no jarring clashes. All dyes are natural, with no use of artificial coloring.

The condition is excellent, with virtually no worn spots, tear...

A Bow porcelain coffee cup of very rare beaker, or bucket, form. The scene is "The Koto Player", depicting a woman seated under a tree, playing the koto. The other side shows a table with a few fronds in a vase. Labels on the base show the provenance as the Bonham's Billie Paine sale, and Rod Jellicoe, a highly respected English porcelain dealer.

The condition of this piece is excellent, with no flaws, and deep clear colors. The height is 2 1/4", with a top diameter of 2 1/2" and a base diamet...

A beautiful and rare bucket shaped cup made by the Bow porcelain factory and decorated in gilt, iron red, green, and blue in the kakiemon "Two Quail" pattern. The arrangement of the pattern is also unusual on this piece, with the birds placed directly opposite the handle.

This piece is in superb condition, with no chips or restoration, and showing bright enamels, with a truly minor in the making glaze split at the top of the handle (shown in extreme magnification in the 6th photo). The cup is...

A fine and rare Bow porcelain coffee cup and saucer painted with the "Dragon Chasing (the Flaming) Pearl (of Wisdom). The interior of the cup also shows the dragon, while the exterior of the saucer is painted with clouds. One of the ways to distinguish this early Bow version is the arrow shaped tongue emanating from the mouth of the dragon. The pieces are very finely potted, and each has a workman's number 13 on the bottom. The handle of the cup is of the crabstock or twig form.

The condition ...

A very fine and rare Bow porcelain chocolate cup with the "Golfer and Caddy" pattern. The cup of tall "U" Shape with a strap handle. The interior with a wavy border, the handle with a flowering plant, and the base with a "2" workman's mark.

The overall condition is excellent, with only an invisibly done museum quality repair to a small interior rim flake. This wonderful example looks much better in person than the photos show. Cup height is 2 7/8" with a 2 3/4" diameter.

A wonderful Bow porcelain factory tea bowl painted in the "Jumping Boy" pattern. Although this pattern is occasionally found on Chaffers porcelain, and is not common, it appears to occur even much less frequently on Bow porcelain pieces. The potting is extremely thin and light. The painting, done in shades of dark and lighter blues, is extremely well done, and features a seated Oriental woman holding a sprig of flowers. To her left is the jumping boy, suspended in mid-air with a Chinese emblem a...

A Bow porcelain factory wine coaster of deep circular form. This elegant and pleasing form, although it is very rarely seen, is also described as a potted meat dish. Painted in shades of blue with vignettes of oriental symbols and the "Koto Player" in a landscape, the interior also painted with a scroll. Retains labels from Klaber & Klaber and the Barbara Leake Collection.

Overall condition is quite good, with some minor scattered kiln speckling and a little slight blurring to one wavy line (s...

A rare Chaffers Liverpool porcelain hexagonal beaker, handpainted in blue and white. The design, taken from the Chinese, shows alternating panels of floral groups, with a trellised and floral diaper along the upper rim.

The condition of this piece is excellent, with no cracks or restoration. There is a tiny firing bite at the rim, and the bottom shows kiln bubbling common to this factory. The height is 3" and the diameter is 2 3/8". Retains the label of Winifred Williams, a well known and hig...

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 Chelsea ecuelle and cover, fulsomely painted with fancy and aquatic birds. Applied flowers and leaves decorate the bases of the twig handles, while the uncommon (but original) knop on the lid is a beautiful flower painted in three colors. The ecuelle's interior features a large convolvulus spray.

The condition of this gem is superb, with bright colors and no missing paint. There is a very small spot of high quality and invisible restoration to the bottom of the knop's stem, where it meets t...