Catalog (971)

The group of small porcelain items known as "toys" is composed of scent bottles, bonbonnieres, etuis, and seals. These were produced from the early years of Chelsea through to the Chelsea-Derby period. (The most comprehensive work on these items is "The Chelsea Porcelain Toys", by G.E. Bryant, published in 1925.)

Seals were carried by members of the upper class and used to imprint a uniquely identifiable mark in the wax used to sign or secure documents or letters. They were generally 7/8" t...

A fine Chelsea porcelain finger bowl stand,with the red anchor mark and stilt marks on the reverse. Beautifully and softly painted with flowers and insects in the Meissen style. 6" in diameter and in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, or restoration.

The group of small porcelain items known as "toys" is composed of scent bottles, bonbonnieres, etuis, and seals. These were produced from the early years of Chelsea through to the Chelsea-Derby period. (The most comprehensive work on these items is The Chelsea Porcelain Toys, by G.E. Bryant, published in 1925.)

Seals were carried by members of the upper class and used to imprint a uniquely identifiable mark in the wax used to sign or secure documents or letters. They were generally 1" to...

This is a small and charming child's gameboard, measuring 13 3/4" long by 10 3/4" wide by 3/4" thick. It was found in Vermont, and most likely originated there. It is made of maple, with bread-boarded ends, affixed with square nails. The dry paint surface, with its red and black checkerboard, outlined with green stripes, is in superb condition, with no overpainting or areas of loss. The wood itself is in excellent shape, with 2 minor age cracks, and a knothole in the back which fell out. The b...

A strikingly limned portrait miniature painted in watercolor on natural substrate. Because of the framing, the artistic technique used, and the pose, there are very strong indications that this is a China Trade piece. The sitter is clad in a deep navy jacket with a striped vest, and a masonic pin adorning his shirt.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no issues. The period and probably original gilt metal frame has wear to the green velvet border between the inner ands outer metal su...

A miniature painting done in watercolors on natural material, signed "C. Greiner along the left center. The sitter is a gentleman dressed in the clothing and hair style popular in the 1841 to 1844 period. Presented in a cast foliate case, the reverse being engine turned with a glazed aperture containing a braid of hair and engraved with the initials JLD.

The painting and the case are in excellent condition with no issues. Overall size of 2 3/8" by 2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Christopher (or...

This is an elegantly proportioned wine glass with a flared bell bowl and a color twist stem. The stem has two translucent red and two opaque white spiral threads surrounding a loose vertical cable. The foot is of conical form with a rough snapped pontil.

The glass is of heavy, bright metal, and displays good tooling marks and striations. 19th century. The condition is excellent, with no chips, scratches, or repairs of any type.

6 3/16" tall, 2 1/2" bowl diameter, 3 1/16" foot dia...

A beautiful composite stem English wine glass with a tulip bowl above a stem with a multi-spiral air twist over a teared inverted baluster knop above a plain section. The glass has a domed foot with rough pontil.

The form itself is quite uncommon and when found is almost always with a pointed round funnel bowl or round funnel bowl, and of somewhat shorter height. For a glass of that type see Bickerton p. 193, fig 555. The combination of the tulip bowl and a height of 6 7/8" in this example ...

A superb and rare lead metal antique English Georgian period composite stem wine glass. The round funnel bowl is beautifully engraved with a wide band with a foliate and scroll motif. Directly below the bowl are two knops on a plain stem section, below which is a knopped double series opaque twist stem comprised of a central gauze surrounded by two heavy spiral threads. The conical foot has a rough snapped pontil.

The glass is 7 1/8" tall, with a bowl diameter of 3" and a foot diameter of 3 1/...

A spectacular Chelsea porcelain covered porringer. This wonderful piece is profusely decorated, even on the inside of the bowl, with butterflies, moths, other insects, and flowers. A veritable rainbow of colors was used in the enameling. The finial on the lid is a naturalistically molded rose with hues of reds and pinks, and the handles are painted with a distinct bluish green. The underside has the Chelsea red anchor mark and displays the stilt marks indicative of Chelsea.

Overall condition i...

For several reasons, this is a very unusual basket. To start with a basic description, it is a very large (17" by 17" by 15 1/4"), square, covered splint basket from the Maine area, most probably made by the Penobscot Indian tribe. Many baskets of this type are of splint, colored with vegetable dyes. Some have the added design of potato stamped patterns on the splints.

This particular basket is done in vibrant tones of green, yellow, and natural brown. A sun motif was then potato stamped in...

A superbly limned portrait by Daniel Dickinson, done in watercolor on natural material. The sitter is a young man of the Brown family of Philadelphia. This painting was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, "Exhibition of Miniatures", April 22 - May 6, 1893, and was descended through the Brown family..

The condition of the miniature is superb, with no issues of any kind. The gold bezel is original, but the frame is a later Wiebold Studio reproduction, with both of these also bein...

A beautifully executed flashed and engraved covered goblet depicting scenes from the Teplitz and other resorts. The goblet has 6 panels, one of which has the location and date, another with initials, and 4 showing, in wonderful detail, various buildings with their names. The color of the flashing is a deep rich red, which I lightened so that the details could more easily be seen.

The foot has a chip and some loss, shown in two of the photos,and there is a chip on the underside rim of the cover...

This charming miniature, done in watercolor on natural wafer, shows a little girl who obviously just spent time working diligently picking enough berries to fill her basket. Judging by her slight smile, she either had fun doing that, or is anticipating enjoying the (literal) fruits of her labors.

Note how the artist, as naive as was his style, took care to magnify the use of certain features by highlighting them in various areas, such as using the blue background and the blue bow to go w...

A beautiful and elegant Derby covered chocolate cup and saucer. Decorated in cobalt blue, gilding, and heavily painted white dots to simulate pearls. Both the cup and saucer are marked with the puce crown and batons, which indicates a very desirable Derby period. Also, both are marked with an puce "8", indicating that the gilder was William Longden, and a blue "5", showing that the painter was Juno.

Superb condition with no chips, cracks, or restoration. Colors are bright and unscratched, and ...

A fine Derby porcelain dish painted by Zachariah Boreman, marked on the reverse with a blue crowned "D" and pattern number 343. The kidney-shaped dish has a beautiful soft green wide border with a gilded edge. The white ground within the green border has elaborate drape and swag gilding on the outside edge, and gilded foliage surrounding the kidney shaped cartouche in the center. The cartouche has a scene identified on the reverse as Solfatara, Italy. This central painting displays mountains, s...

An unusual double sided miniature by Frederick Buck. One side is painted using watercolors on ivory, and shows a young man with an upswept hair style, dressed in the usual black coat and white stock of the period. The reverse of the case shows an older man in profile, also in a black coat and white stock, but limned in watercolor on card. The paintings were probably done at somewhat different times, and then framed together.

The condition of the full face painting is excellent, with no issues...

A beautiful and well executed Dr. Wall Wall First Period Worcester tankard of rare size and pristine condition. This pattern, named the "Telephone Box", is derived from the Chinese, and is one of those designed specifically for upright pieces. It also is one of the very few patterns that occur both on polychrome and underglaze blue. It features two single figures and two groups of two figures each.

The identical pattern and form is shown on page 153 in "Worcester Porcelain 1751-1790 The Zorens...