Catalog (971)

A beautiful Chelsea Porcelain Factory coffee cup and saucer in the highly uncommon and sought after spiral molded scolopendrium pattern form. Specifically, the cup has an iron-red undulating rim , and a spiral molded tapering body. The handle is of a notched scroll type with a raised central ridge, clearly influenced by Nicholas Sprimont (the first director of the Chelsea factory) and his prior experience as a silversmith. The body of the cup is fulsomely decorated with a variety of blooming flo...

A c 1840 signed portrait miniature by Gabriel Aristede Passot, done on natural material. As is usual with his work, it is superbly painted, and is of a gentleman in a black coat with a multi-colored merit award ribbon.

The miniature is in fine condition, with no chips, cracks, paint loss, or bowing. A light area along the top edge is due to light reflection. The case, of high quality silver with a royal crown and a mother-of-pearl reverse, is in excellent condition. Sight size is 1 5/8" by...

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...

An interesting portrait miniature, by William Baldwin, of a nattily attired gent. The sitter, with a very rakish look about him, is set against a bright blue background, has long thick hair, a soul patch, and is wearing a stickpin with multi-colored jewels. These are motifs, along with the use of a strong blue background, that seem to appear in a number of his minis, as uncommon as they are. In all, a strong and amusing painting, and possibly conjuring up visions of a Mississippi River gambler.

A charming first half 19th centrury miniature of a young woman. The exceptional thing about this piece is the wonderful high karat gold flip case with guilloche work (engine turning) on the front and back. The painting in this little gem is 1 1/8" in diameter and the case is 1 1/2" in diameter. Excellent condition.

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...

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 wonderful American folk art portrait of a Methodist minister painted by Ammi Phillips (1788–1865). The distinguished gentleman is sitting at a table, with his hand holding a pair of spectacles and resting on a Methodist hymnal. The finely rendered depiction of the large dominating figure with dark clothing emphasizes the gravitas of the sitter.

The painting is 32 5/8 inches by 27 1/4 inches sight size, and 37 7/8 inches by 32 3/4 inches framed size. The painting is in overall excellent co...

A Samuel Gilbody of Liverpool porcelain small mug or coffee can with a flattened round loop handle and a flat unglazed base. Painted in famille rose colors with stylized peonies and a prunus bough issuing from a jardiniere. There are sacred Chinese scrolls and a larger peony spray to the right. The interior of the rim has a diaper border with prunus blossoms.

A similar mug was sold during the Watney Collection auctions, and the pattern is also illustrated in the Gilbody section in "Liverpool ...

This painting epitomizes all the characteristics one looks for in a folk art portrait, including the whimsy that is so delightful. Note the vibrant colors, unusual treatment of anatomical features (the shortened arm, for example), and embellishments such as the chair, bonnet, shawl, book, and sheet music. All of these add up to a wonderful example for any collector of American folk art, or just as a superb display piece.

The painting is oil on artist's board, and is in exceptional condition,...

An English 18th century porcelain pickle dish made at the Limehouse Manufactory, in perfect condition. This exceptionally rare piece is molded in the form of a scallop shell, and is painted in underglaze blue, based on a K'ang Hsi pattern, with a Chinese vase containing two feathers. The vase is in front of a partially unrolled scroll, with an insect to the right and three flocks of birds in the distance. The border has three feathers entwined with ribbons, while the reverse has two branches of ...

A pair of late 18th or early 19th century portraits, one showing a well dressed gentleman seated at a secretary bookcase, the other of his wife, seated and holding a flower. Painted in oils on canvas, the detailing, especially in the man, is stunning. He is wearing a blue coat, an elaborately ruffled shirt, and a silk waistcoat. The edging and every button on the jacket and waistcoat are beautifully rendered in multiple colors. The books in the case also have a great amount of attention to their...

An extremely rare and early Worcester bowl, c 1752-3, with an elaborate landscape painted in the Chinese style. Central to the scene is a pavilion on an island among formal trees, flanked by a hut on a short jetty. Continuing the scene on that side are mountains in the distance, and a rocky island with trees in the foreground. To the right of the central pavilion scene is a rocky mountain with trees. There is an empty sampan on the reverse, and yet another treed island with mountains in the int...

A c1753 rare and highly desirable Chelsea Raised Anchor Period octagonal tea bowl painted by Jeffrey Hamet O'Neal (also spelled Jefferyes Hammett O'Neale and other variations). Highly detailed and beautifully decorated with a man standing by a barrel, and two other men with some kind of measuring stick. A building and foliage are in the background. There are 4 insects arrayed around the exterior of cup while the interior has a central flower spray, leaves and a butterfly.

Raised Anchor war...

An 18th century glass, or goblet, of the Newcastle light baluster type. Lead glass; round funnel bowl, inverted baluster knop with multiple tears above a flattened knop above a large inverted baluster knop with a tear, basal knop. Rough snapped pontil. Strong form, perfect condition. 9 inches tall, 4 3/16 inch diameter bowl, 3 3/4 inch diameter foot

A superb oil on canvas American folk art painting depicting a man orating about temperance. He is standing beneath trees which are arching to almost form a bower over him. A courting couple is on either side of him, with a church in the background. The symbolism of the couples probably reflects the belief that marital and family relations improve in temperance households. Note also that the orator is holding a bottle in his left hand, probably just after having poured the contents on the ground...

A superb example of a sand core dark blue glass oenochoe of Greek or Egyptian origin. The pear-shaped jug has a trefoil mouth, convex handle, and a round splayed foot. The central part of the body is decorated with a spiral yellow thread above a yellow zig-zag motif, below which is a turquoise zig zag section above another spiral yellow thread. The rim of the mouth and the foot are decorated with a yellow border.

The height of the jug is 3 1/4", with a diameter at its widest point of 1 3/4" an...

An extremely rare Chaffers porcelain hexagonal beaker, painted in pale and dark tones of blue. The sides depict a scene of a seated lady holding a bunch of flowers, a rock out of which grow similar flowers, a child jumping into the air, and two bare trees on a hill. The interior has a lattice and root border, while the underneath of the beaker has 4 pseudo Chinese characters. Retains the label of Rod Jellicoe, a highly esteemed London ceramics dealer.

The condition of the beaker is excellent, ...

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 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 wonderful idyllic scene of a girl gathering flowers in a hat. Near her is a lake with cows watering, while in the immediate background is another group of cows and a young girl. The far background has trees and a house. The charming naïve style, and the inclusion so many items of interest combine to make this work an exceptional piece.

Often even simple watercolors of this age have substantial condition issues, ranging from tears, stain, folds, di89scolrations, etc. The example offered here...

A spectacular and beautiful circa 1730 English silk embroidered apron front, exquisitely embroidered in polychrome silk and metallic threads with garlands and sprays of flowers urns. Scalloped edges are finished with embroidered metallic trim. A somewhat later but very similar example is shown in The Lotus Collection.

There are some scattered unimportant splits and very very minor and small spots of discoloration, all to be expected in such a delicate piece. The textile size is 41 3/8" by 17 ...

A beautiful Flight Barr and Barr large sauce tureen from the Harlequin service. Two sides of the tureen have an exotic bird painted, by Henry Stinton, in a central reserve which is surrounded by a white field edged with gilded rococo scrollwork. The remainder of the body is a sky blue decorated with insects. The lid of this piece has a gold pineapple finial while the body has a gadrooned rim and handles, all in gold.

This wonderful example is in excellent condition, without cracks, paint or g...

A beautiful early 17th century silk floss textile embroidered with a variety of flowers in a panoply of colors. The central section has larger and more elaborate examples, while the borders have smaller meandering flora. Most probably of Italian origin.

The condition is quite fine, and the dimensions are 67" by 16". This wonderful piece has been part of my collection for 25 years and has not been previously shown or offered.

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...

A beautiful and charming portrait on porcelain, painted, and signed on the reverse, by the well-known English artist, William Corden. The sitter is a young girl in a pretty white dress trimmed in blue, with matching shoes and necklace. She is seated in front of a red drapery, holding a basket of flowers, with several scattered by her side on the chaise-longue. signed on the reverse. Mounted in a period, and probably original, gilt over gesso frame.

The sight size of this gem is 6 1/4" by 5 1/8...

A wonderful example of a pastel painting on sandpaper. The scene shows a man in 18th century garb, holding a fawn that his daughter is feeding. They stand on a dirt path lined with a wooden fence. Other deer are in the foreground and near the lake that occupies the mid-ground of this work. In the immediate background is a fantasy type building on a hill, with mountains in the background. Above all this is is the sky at dusk, rendered in a beautiful array of colors.

As with other types of 19th...

An extremely fine and beautiful Worcester mug or tankard of Scratch Cross type. The tankard, which has a grooved strap handle, flares, or spreads, toward the bottom, a shape which evolved from the silver form popular at the beginning of the 18th century.

Painted in a variety of colors with a standing Long Eliza figure, another figure seated at a table to her left, and a third figure and garden seat to her right. A tall gilded stand is behind the table. This pattern, taken from the Chinese, wa...

An exceedingly rare portrait miniature, done in watercolor on organic wafer, by John Miers (1756–1821) who was the most famous profilist or painter of silhouettes in Britain. (Actually, the term “silhouette” was not used until the 1830’s. Prior to that, black silhouettes were known as “shades,” “shadow portraits,” or “profiles.”) Although Miers was known to have done tens of thousands of shades, only a very few full color portrait miniatures are thought to exist.

The p...

An extremely folky and graphically strong hooked rug with vibrant colors, initialled KP and dated 1898;some minor and invisible museum quality restoration was done, and the rug was then mounted on acid free cloth and frame; a nice large size of 56" by 27"

An extremely fine pair of American folk art mourning pictures. The paintings are watercolor and gouache (to highlight skin areas) on heavy stock or card. The oval format work shows a sad woman holding a hat with a dog at her feet. In the background are what appear to be a number of monuments. The round format shows two young girls with a dove in a cage and two others they have just set free. The doves symbolically represent the release of the spirit or soul. The atmosphere that the artist impart...

A rare pale green Dutch or German roemer with a large cup bowl above a wide hollow stem flaring out to a folded foot. Immediately beneath the bowl is an applied milled collar above a section with applied strawberry prunts, below which is another collar.

This huge example is 8" tall, with a bowl diameter of 5" and a foot diameter of 4 1/2". The condition is excellent, with no cracks chips, mineral deposits, restoration, or other problems.

NOTE: The roemer was purchased in 1970 from Kunstza...

An early and rare c1754 Bow porcelain sparrow beak creamer painted with oriental scenery. This fine piece had been part of the important Watney collection, and then was shown at the Amor exhibit . The underside has the 3 dot mark and retains the label from Amor. It has been part of our collection for 20 years.

Excellent condition with no issues, the jug is 3 1/4" tall.

A fine Lowestoft porcelain strap-handled creamboat, the ovoid molded body with an undulating rim. Hand painted in a dark blue with the "Two Porter Landscape" pattern, which features two figures in a landscape with trees and birds. The reverse side, the interior center, the rim, and the lip all with floral sprays.

This particular example is particularly uncommon because of the small size, being almost an inch less in length than other examples. A "17" workman's mark is on the bottom rim. ...

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.

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.