Catalog (971)

A charming button with a beautiful border of champlevé work with a turquoise enamel on brass.

The condition is excellent with no problems and a few errant black dots of paint. The diameter is 1 1/4".

PLEASE NOTE: We collected buttons for many years, but have decided to sell our collection. The buttons shown on our site represent but a small sample on what we have, so please do not hesitate to ask if you are looking for a particular type.

Also, we frequently add items to our site,...

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...

A beautiful decanter set composed of 3 barrel shaped decanters, each heavily cut and retaining the original target stoppers. The stand is electroplate silver and of elegantly molded trefoil form, with rings to hold the stoppers.

Both the stand and decanters are in excellent condition, the glass without chips, etc., and the stand with little to no bleeding. The height is 10" and the width is 9".

An elegantly proportioned and executed Georgian wine flute, of lead metal. The drawn trumpet bowl sits above a double series opaque twist (DSOT) stem which is comprised of a pair of spiral threads around a central gauze. Conical foot with rough, snapped pontil.

The condition of the glass is excellent, with no cracks or chips. Good color, striations, and tool marks. There is a very small pot stone at the foot rim. Any discolorations, specks, or streaks are due to the photos. The height of this ...

A very early Bow porcelain coffee cup with the "Cross-Legged Chinaman" pattern. Adding to the rarity of this cup, in addition to its age, is the crabstock handle.

he condition of the cup is excellent, with no cracks, chips, staining, or restoration. The height is 2 1/4" and the diameter is 2 1/8".

A beautifully made heavy copper trivet of wonderful form. Pierced top, paw feet, and strong rivet construction. Excellent condition. 11 1/2" by 7 1/2" by 5 1/4".

A beautiful Chelsea finger bowl of bellied form, the rim with a brownish-red line, and the body and interior painted with various flowers. Red anchor mark.

This wonderful example of an uncommon form is in excellent condition, with no flaws or issues to speak of. 3" in height, 3 3/4" maximum diameter.

A beautiful Bow shallow bowl painted in the famille rose manner with rockwork, bamboo, flowers and foliage. Purchased over 15 years ago and retaining the label of Mercury Antiques, a well-known and respected London porcelain dealer.

Superb condition with bright paint and no chips, cracks, restoration, or paint loss. The diameter is 7 7/8".

An extremely fine baluster wine glass of beautiful proportions and lead composition. The flared bell bowl with an air tear in its base sits atop a stem with a medial flattened ball knop. Strong domed with rough, snapped pontil. Height 6 inches, bowl diameter 2 1/2 inches, foot diameter 3 inches. Superb condition.

An elegant lead metal wine glass of balustroid type, having a round funnel bowl over a shoulder angular knop over a straight stem with an extended tear and basal knop. High conical folded foot. A well-fashioned and tall example of this form.

Overall excellent condition, with no restoration or cracks. Wonderful color, striations, and tooling marks. There is a small potstone inclusion near the rim (showing as the white spot in the main photo), and an in-the-making sliver slice under the foot, ju...

A beautiful example of the Coalport factory "Rock and Tree" pattern, done in the Imari palette, derived from the Japanese. This pattern was highly favored by George, the Prince of Wales and the Prince Regent, and was used and still displayed at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

The dish, or soup bowl, is in superb condition, with no flaws and with factory-fresh looking painting and gilding. The diameter is 9 1/2".

Note: Two photos of the front are shown to show both halves without reflect...

An attractive antique wine glass with a waisted bucket bowl above a single series air twist stem with a pair of spiral cables. The glass has a conical foot and is 6 1/4 inches tall, with a bowl diameter of 2 5/16 inches and a foot diameter of 2 5/8 inches. There is a very small invisible fill under the foot.

A beautifully limned tinsel, or foil, painting, reverse painted on glass. The subject matter is a white urn, filled with a an array of various flowers, including a large rose and a lily. The period and probably original frame is of high quality.

This good-sized painting is in overall excellent condition, as is the frame. The sight size is 14 5/8" by 12 3/8", and the framed size is 19 5/8" by 17 1/4".

NOTE: Foil paintings were done primarily in the second half of the 19th century, and ...

A very fine American portrait miniature painting, on natural organic material, of a young man attired in the latest fashion of his period, wearing a brown vest and velvet collar coat.

The miniature is 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches sight size and the deep purple velvet-lined thermoplastic case it is in is 3 inches by 2 1/2 inches. The piece is in superb condition, with no cracks, chips, bowing, or inpainting. The case, with its gilt brass liner, has only a tiny nick at one point on the edge and is ...

A powerful watercolor on wafer miniature, where the artist decided to show the sitter staring head-on and almost directly at the viewer. The unusual crisscross tie is used to further enhance the strength and immediacy of the handsome subject.

The simple gilt metal case is 2 3/8" by 2", and is in excellent condition, with a missing cover glass to the aperture on the reverse, which is of no import.

A nicely painted portrait miniature on natural organic wafer. The sitter is a gentleman dressed in a black jacket and stock, with a white shirt and vest, set against a background which shades from light blue to a darker blue hue. Housed in its original cast foliate case with a glazed rear aperture containing a circlet of hair.

The condition of the painting is excellent with no cracks, chips, paint loss, bowing, or restoration. The case is in good condition with the back of it showing wear and ...

A graceful stepped strap-handled pitcher of lead glass, featuring trailed threading at the rim, and engraved "RFE" with vines above ribbons, the reverse with flowering vines.

The condition is excellent, with no flaws to speak of. Good color and tooling. Snapped rough pontil. The height is 7 1/4".

An extremely nice Wedgwood jasperware button depicting Andromache weeping over the ashes of Hector. Dating from the 4th quarter of the 18th century, the button is incised "WEDGWOOD" and the later mount is hallmarked as silver.

Excellent condition with no issues of note, and of very large size at 1 5/8". The metal surround is not lopsided as shown in the photo, which was taken at a slight angle.

PLEASE NOTE: We collected buttons for many years, but have decided to sell our collection. The b...

An 18th century coffee cup painted in blue and white. Nicely potted, the decoration features an oriental scene of a garden structure on a promontory, and trees, flowers, and foliage. Excellent condition, with no issues, and a height and diameter of 2 3/8".

Hand painted on natural organic wafer, this button depicts a cherub beside a flame topped memorial column, with greenery along the border. Photos under different lighting are shown, with the second photo probably being the most accurate in natural light.

No condition issues, and a diameter of 1 3/8".

Absolutely charming, and a rare piece.

PLEASE NOTE: We collected buttons for many years, but have decided to sell our collection. The buttons shown on our site represent but a small sample o...

An unusual family grouping of three miniature portraits on organic wafers. All pieces, clearly done by the same hand (as yet unidentified), have a wonderful "feel" to them and are cleanly executed. The reverend in his black non-liturgical clothing, his wife in her black dress with white lace and cap, and their beautiful daughter, posed beside a tree and attired in a high-waisted gown with a blue ribbon and wearing a tortoiseshell comb in her hair, are set against a blue sky background. An old in...

A charming pair of portraits of a brother and sister, painted in watercolor on natural material.

The condition of both paintings is excellent, with no issues. The gold case is also without problems. Sight size is 2 1/8" by 1 3/4", and the overall size is 2 3/8" by 1 7/8".

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 sweet tinsel (foil) painting of a large bouquet of flowers. The painting itself is in very good condition, with no chips, breaks, or image loss. The period or earlier gilded wood frame has normal expected wear. Period wood backboard. The sight size is 11 1/4" by 9 5/8", and the overall size is 12 3/4" by 11".

NOTE: Between September 12, 2012 and January 13, 2013 the American Folk Art Museum held an exhibit on this art form. The following is excerpted from the catalog of that exhibition: "T...

A very nice watercolor painting on natural wafer. The sitter is a beautiful young girl with hazel eyes and brown hair, simply dressed in a bluish gray gown with lace edging at the bodice.

The painting is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, bowing, or restoration. The original pressed brass frame with wood backing, and has some dents and a crease, which do not take away from the appearance. Sight size is 2 3/8" by 1 7/8", with the framed size being 3 3/4" by 3".

A nicely done miniature portrait, on natural organic material, of an attractive young woman. The sitter is wearing a white dress, a black necklace and earrings, and an upswept hairdo. The painting is housed in its blue velvet travel case, with a glass cover.

Condition is excellent, with no problems. The sight size is 2" by 1 1/2", and the closed case size is 3" by 2 1/2".

A fine miniature portrait by Jeremiah Meyer, painted in watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter, an attractive woman with long brown hair, is simply presented in a teal gown, with no jewelry or other distractions from her natural beauty.

The painting has no cracks, chips, bowing, or restoration. The brass case is in fine condition with an unimportant dent in the back. The overall size is 1 7/8" by 1 5/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Born in Germany, and brought to England in 1749, Jeremiah Me...

A miniature portrait painting by Abraham Parsell, done in his recognizable style with somewhat frizzy hair, and the sitter posed with his arm on a chair. Housed in its original cast foliate frame with a rear aperture containing a lock of hair.

The painting is 2 5/16" by 1 7/8", while the overall locket size is 2 1/2" by 2 1/8". Condition is excellent with no chips, cracks, bowing, paint loss or restoration.

Note: Abraham Parsell (1792 - after 1856), a popular American folk miniature painte...

An Abraham Parsell painting on natural organic material of a young man with his hand resting on a book. All the characteristics that make Parsell so sought after are present, from the folky treatment of the face, the frizzy hair, and the accessory point of interest, in this case the book. The sitter is Dye Brewer, of Edenton, Chowan county, NC, and this painting descended in the family to a direct relative, a Mrs. Morris of Houston, TX.

The miniature is in a beautiful, cast foliate, period lo...

A fine example of an Abraham Parsell watercolor on organic wafer. The sitter, with brown hair and hazel eyes, is dressed in a black coat and cravat and a white shirt with gold stickpin. The background is done in the multi-color style typical of Parsell's work, as is the sketch on the reverse of the wafer.

The 2 3/8" by 2" sight size miniature is housed in a cast foliate case with a glazed lens on the reverse. The condition of the painting is fine, with no cracks, chips, restoration, or bowing....

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 set of 4 watercolor schoolgirl paintings executed with a very high degree of artistry, probably originally done as bookplates. They have been mounted in pairs in attractive figured maple frames. The first frame has the paintings shown in the 2nd and 3rd photos and the 2nd frame has the paintings shown in the 4th and 5th photos.

The paintings and frames are in excellent condition, with the first frame, shown in the top left of the first photo, measuring 12 5/8" by 10 3/4". The second fr...

A very fine miniature of a young lady, done in watercolor on organic wafer. Signed lower right "Becker Px". The sitter is a wearing a gown with elaborate bows along the neckline and sleeves, and a pink sash. The glassless gilded wood frame is original to the painting.

There is a good amount of information on the back, some of which is missing or hard to make out. However, what can be determined is that this is a portrait of Julie von Haller, who was a member of the court of the Homburg Landg...

These wonderful painted (some outlining is printed) plaques were done in the Staffordshire area of England in the late 18th century. They are 6 1/2" long and 4 1/2" wide. Each depicts a classical head in profile. It is uncommon to find a pair, especially in such wonderful condition. There are no chips, cracks or repairs of any kind, and the painting is vibrant and unscratched.

A truly lovely and engaging portrait miniature, on natural wafer, of a beautiful young woman. The subject, attired in a green velvet dress with a black cape and a white fichu, is seated in front of an orange drapery with a view of a landscape. The framing of this gem is of fine construction, with an inner gold plated frame that is easily removable (and replaced) if a smaller overall size is desired. Both frames are in very fine order.

The condition of the painting is excellent, with bright col...

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.

...