Catalog (971)

A fine and charming portrait miniature with an unusual and exceptional reverse. The sitter is a sweet woman painted in an ethereal manner. She is wearing pearl earrings and a cream gown with a pair of roses at the low point of the neckline. There is a lace fichu with a double blue line at the border. The background is done in a grayish green color.

The case is of gilt floral form, with the reverse being testudines with a large inset area of sterling silver, the initials "GU" engraved in the ce...

An uncommon and striking bowl in a deep Bristol blue color. The top rim is scalloped, the sides are step and panel cut, and the underside of the foot is radial cut. Excellent condition with a 5" bowl diameter and a 4" foot diameter.

A fine Georgian ratafia glass featuring an extremely narrow drawn trumpet bowl, the top half engraved with flowers and leaves, and the bottom half of the bowl with molded fluting. The stem is a double series opaque twist (DSOT) with a pair of spiral tapes outside of a loose central gauze. Conical foot with rough pontil.

The glass is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, cloudiness, or restoration. Good color, striations, and tooling marks. Wonderfully and elegantly proportioned, bei...

A striking dark green enamel on copper button, dating from the 18th century. There is a central stylized flower, with a central faux pearl with branches emanating from it. Each branch has tiny faux pearls set in it. Circling the flower are two concentric rings of gold stars. To finish off the exquisite and detailed workmanship of this tour de force is a border of faux pearls.

While examples similar to this form can be found, albeit with difficulty, most are blue, and the use of the green c...

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

This is a beautiful and elegant 18th lead toasting glass. It is of two part construction, and features a flared drawn trumpet bowl, and a multiple spiral (MSAT) stem on a conical foot with a rough snapped pontil.

Excellent color with good tool marks and striations on the bowl and foot; pristine condition. Please note that what appears to be a disturbance on the front of the bowl is merely a reflection or glare.

A tall 7 1/4" in height, 2 7/16" bowl diameter, 2 11/16" foot diameter.

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 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 truly superb pair of English porcelain spill vases, fully decorated with feather painting. Decoration with the incredible quality, lushness, and detailing that these display can only be found on the wares of several manufacturers, and are always highly sought after. Although unmarked, these vases were most probably made by the Chamberlain Worcester factory. Further, very few painters had the skills necessary to paint such masterpieces, and the vases here were likely done by Thomas Baxter or Wi...

A beautiful Dr. Wall First Period Worcester coffee cup and saucer in the Jabberwocky pattern, one of the most sought after polychrome patterns done by Worcester. Both the cup and saucer are fluted, placing it in the earlier period of this pattern. The color palette used includes turquoise, reds, deep blue, greens, and rich gilding. The interior border of the cup is also lavishly decorated. Both pieces have the blue fretted square mark on the underside.

The condition of these pieces is superb, ...

In addition to being a wonderful piece of American folk art, this watercolor and pen and ink on paper gives some good insight into one of the courting customs of the 18th and 19th centuries. Often, when young people were "seeing" each other, they would leave little love notes in prearranged places for their partner, either to arrange a tryst, or just to express their feelings.

This charming painting depicts just such an instance, with the attractive young woman leaving a note in the hollow ...

A finely rendered miniature portrait of a boy, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is wearing a black jacket, vest, and bowtie, with a white shirt with a gold stud.

The condition of the painting is excellent, with no issues. The cast foliate case is also in fine condition, engraved on the reverse with the initials "T.W." and a cutting of hair in the glazed aperture.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: William Harrison Scarborough (1812-1871) was born in Tennessee to parents whose family origins ...

A fine miniature portrait of a pretty young child, done in watercolors on organic material by William Egley. The case has hallmarks for 9K London gold and a maker's mark for G.S. Both the case and the painting are in excellent condition with no problems. The size is 1 5/16" by 1 1/16".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: William Egley (1798–1870), was born in Doncaster, England, and moved shortly after to Nottingham. Originally working in a publishing house and bookshop, he had developed an interest in pai...

A beautifully painted William Reid coffee cup with a large floral group and several smaller ones. Loop handle. The paste and glaze combination gives this cup a very distinct greenish gray appearance, not seen in other factories. It is difficult to capture the color properly in photos, but the first one shown in this listing comes closest to the actual color.

This piece is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, or restoration. It is 2 3/8" tall, with a diameter of 2 1/16" at the top.

A strong enamel on copper painting by William Prewett, depicting James Thomson. Thompson (1700 - 1748) was a Scottish poet and playwright, best known now for writing the lyrics to "Rule Britannia". The case is original, but engraved as follows several years after the death of the sitter: James Thomson/Poet/1700 - 1748.

The condition of the painting and the case is excellent. Overall size is 1 7/8" by 1 5/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: According to Foskett: "William Prewett (or Prewitt) (fl. 1735 - ...

A beautifully painted portrait miniature by William Naish, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is a nice-looking gentleman with brown eyes and powdered hair with a pigtail. He is attired in a blue jacket, a white ruffled shirt, an elaborately tied white scarf, all highlighted with a slash of brilliant red. The case is copper, of very high quality, of the type with side pins holding together the front and back. The reverse of the case has a glazed aperture containing a plait of hair.

A striking oil on canvas portrait of an attractive young woman painted by William Matthew Prior. The woman is sitting in front of a window draped with red fabric, trees seen through it in the background. She is holding a book and sits on a chair which has a red shawl over the back. Use of the highly lit face and hands against a dark background exemplify characteristics of Prior's and Prior-Hamblin works.

The painting is 25 1/2" by 21 1/2" sight size, while what appears to be the original paint...

A nicely limned portrait miniature painting on natural wafer. The sitter is a young gentleman with brown eyes and curly brown hair, attired in a black tie and jacket, white shirt, and yellow vest. The background is a pleasing bluish-gray. Set in a gilt metal case engraved on the reverse with "G.A.H." and the date 1836. The glazed aperture on the reverse contains a circlet of hair.

The sight size of the painting is 2 1/8" by 1 3/4". The painting is in excellent condition, with no cracks, bowing...

A charming miniature portrait of two beautiful children, painted on natural material by William Egley. Housed in what is probably the original bronze frame.

Both the painting and the frame are in excellent condition, with no issues. The painting is 1 3/4" in diameter, and the frame is 2 7/8".

Biographical Note: William Egley (1798–1870), was born in Doncaster, England, and moved shortly after to Nottingham. Originally working in a publishing house and bookshop, he had developed an interes...

A nicely done watercolor, on natural organic material, miniature painting by William Massey Stroud Doyle, signed and dated "1814" center left. The sitter is wearing a black coat, red-striped yellow vest, and white shirt. E. Grosvenor Paine provenance.

The painting is is excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, bowing, or other problems. The black lacquered frame does have crackling. The sight size is 2 5/8" by 2 1/8", and the framed size is 4 1/2" by 3 7/8".

NOTE: Doyle (1769 - 1828) was...

A miniature painting displaying the work of Walter Stephens Lethbridge at its finest. The sitter, according to family records of the former owners, is H.B. Lott, a Member of Parliament from Honiton, Devon. Lott, a handsome blue-eyed curly-haired gentleman, is posed against a clouded blue background, and is wearing a bluish gray jacket with gold buttons, a gold weskit, and a white ruffled shirt with a white stock.

The reverse of the gold case deserves special mention, having a tailed circlet of...

A superb Walter Robertson miniature portrait painting done in watercolor on natural organic material. The stately blue-eyed gentleman is wearing a powdered wig, blue jacket with gold buttons, salmon vest, and a white stock. The case for this fine piece is 14K gold, and the reverse has, under glass, 4 sections of hair set at right angles to one another.

The condition of both the painting and the case is excellent, with no issues whatsoever. The lighter sections near the edges of the mini...

This stunning twill silk scarf is titled "Brise de Charme." The noted artist and designer, Julia Abadie, did the graphics work for this, which was made in 1985. To my knowledge, it has never been re-issued.

With a background of a beautiful blue, it depicts, in marvelous detail and a rainbow of colors, a panoply of handpainted 18th and 19th century fans. As it should be, it is 90 cm square (35.4"), with handrolled stitched edges.

The scarf has never been used, and was only unfolded o...

This is a superb example of the hooked rug pattern generally attributed to E.S. Frost & Company. Although Frost did have a lion pattern, it was substantially different and less complex than the Lion and Palm pattern designed by Ebenezer Ross, which is the one offered here. This particular rug is also done in a beautiful and uncommon combination of colors. Notice the striped motif along the bottom, mirroring a tiger or zebra pattern.

It measures approximately 61 1/2 inches by 33 inches, and i...

A large and striking carnival gambling wheel, painted in vibrant yellow, red, black, and blue. In overall excellent condition, and has a support post and spinner. All divider nails are present. 35 inches in diameter.

An extremely rare triple series opaque twist (TSOT) English glass wine goblet. The capacious round funnel bowl is above a stem that has a pair of 8 ply spiral bands outside of a central solid spiral core surrounded by a spiral gauze. This configuration, with 3 distinct twists, is so uncommon that L. M. Bickerton, in his classic book, did not even address the question of triple series opaque twists.

The glass stands 7 1/4" tall, with a bowl diameter of 3 5/16" and a foot diameter of 3 3/8". The...

A spectacular and rare 18th century Chelsea porcelain teabowl and saucer, each piece very finely and thinly potted and fulsomely painted with exotic birds and insects in landscapes, with a thin reddish-brown edge to the rims. The interior of the bowl has a flower sprig. Examples of this pattern are almost unheard of, and because of the superb technique, the painting was very probably done by Jeffrey Hamet O'Neal or William Duvivier. I cannot stress enough how striking these pieces are, and how ...

A fine miniature portrait on natural wafer, done en grisaille in watercolor and ink against a blue background. The sitter, an older woman wearing a lace cap and fichu, is beautifully limned in profile, an uncommon approach. Housed in a gold plated metal frame with fabric on the reverse.

There are no condition problems with the painting, which measures 2 1/2" in diameter.

PROVENANCE: The well-known Dr. Leo Catzenstein Collection, and thence to his descendants.

A beautiful and unusual form dram glass with a thick firing type foot. Drawn trumpet bowl above a double series opaque twist (DSOT) stem composed of heavy threads surrounding a spiral cable. Rough snapped pontil. 4 1/2" tall.

An uncommon English lead balustroid wine glass made for export; the conical bowl, with "beech nut" moulding, sits atop a rib twisted stem which has a bisected (or split) shoulder knop, and a basal knop; 5.75" tall, 2.25" diameter bowl, 2.8" diameter folded foot; rough pontil

A beautiful and highly desirable Dr. Wall Worcester salt in the form of a scallop shell, the interior painted with an agitated bird amidst foliage with red berries, the rim shaded with pink, and the whole supported on a raised trefoil base applied with a variety of shells, seaweed, and coral in vibrant colors. The underside of the rim of the base marked with an impressed "T" for John Toulouse.

The overall condition is excellent, with a small, very tight, hardly visible hairline, about 3/4" whi...

A truly beautiful pair of miniature portraits, on natural wafer, exemplifying Hugh Bridport at his very best. Signed on the back of the boy,, in graphite, "Painted by Hugh Bridport, Phila".

The very handsome gentleman is wearing a black ascot, white collar, white shirt with onyx studs, and a black jacket. The young boy, with fine, light brown hair, is wearing a sky blue garment with white embroidery on the wide collar.

Both miniatures are in superb condition, with no cracks, chips, or bowing...

An unusual balustroid short cordial (rarer than a standard wine) glass with a round funnel bowl; an annular knop under the bowl, a central annulated knop above a hollow stem section, and a basal knop; 5.2" tall

A rare deceptive toastmaster's baluster form wine glass with a heavy walled conical bowl above three collars and a teared inverted baluster stem. Folded conical foot with a rough pontil.

Excellent condition with no issues, and having fine color, striations, and tooling marks. 5 1/8" in height, with a bowl diameter of 2 1/2" and a foot diameter of 2 3/4".

A superbly constructed copper weathervane of a three masted barque ship. The details and accuracy of this ship vane are amazing, with its multiple sails and rigging. This fine example was previously part of the collection at the Texaco world headquarters.

The ship, on a custom made stand, is 36" long and 32" tall, with a beautiful patina, is in excellent condition, with no flaws to speak of.

It is unusual to find such a striking multi-colored basket of such size and in such wonderful condition. The splint basket, with its wooden handle, is from the Northeast area of the United States, and is done in shades of blue-green, orange-red, and brown.

The basket is 18" long, 12" wide, and 14 " to the top of the handle. Overall condition is excellent, with only one splint split on the interior, not visible from the outside.

A fantastic display or collection piece.