Catalog (971)

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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 7/8" t...

A wonderful example of southern American folk art. Southern folk art is very desirable and highly collected. This piece is quite unusual for several reasons: it is done on blue paper, and has the name of the artist (Sarah M. Daye), the location it was done (Charlottesville Seminary), and the date (1851). It depicts a young girl outdoors, feeding treats to her two dogs as a method of training them. The title, "Who Speaks First," is done in calligraphy at the bottom.

The sight size is is 12 1/2...

A beautiful 18K gold ring containing a miniature portrait of a pretty young girl wearing a bicorn hat. The painting is surrounded with authentic seed pearls.

The condition of the painting itself, and the ring, is excellent. The blue section showing in the photo of the underside is a bit of tape that was used to allow a snugger fit for the finger of a previous owner. The front of the ring measures 1 1/8" by 7/8". The ring is a size 7 1/2.

A vibrant and charming American folk art tinsel painting showing a variety of fruit and foliage in a white compote set upon a slab of marble. Wonderful condition, with a sight size of 12 inches by 15 1/4 inches, and a beautiful, non-period frame of 16 3/4 inches by 20 inches.

A well painted miniature portrait done by Charles Robertson. The subject is a bewigged blue-eyed gentleman of striking visage, posed in a blue and gold jacket. The miniature is presented in a silver case with silver scrollwork. The reverse of the case has the impressed mark "L.V".

The condition of the painting and the case is excellent. Sight size is 1 1/2" by 1 1/4", with an overall case size of 2 1/4" by 1 1/2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Charles Robertson (c1760-1821)was born in Dublin and ...

A nice Chamberlain Worcester porcelain dish of gadrooned and gilded edge form, the ground color in a deep apple green, and the center featuring a bouquet of various flowers. Marked on the reverse with "Chamberlain Worcester" in red.

The overall length is 13 1/2" with a width of 9 1/2". Condition is excellent, with no chips, cracks, or restoration. As is not uncommon in this period, there is overall faint craquelure.

A scalloped top coffee cup made by the Richard Chaffers factory in Liverpool. It has a version of the Scarlet Japan pattern with panels of prunus and chrysanthemums separated by orange bands with gilding and reserved with mons. The interior also has three mons in red. The handle is of simple loop form. The cup is 2 1/2 inches tall, and 2 1/8 inches in diameter. The condition is about as close to mint as you can get, with no chips, cracks, scratches, or restoration. The gilding is also in out...

An unrecorded and possibly unique antique English composite stem wine glass. The upper portion of the drawn trumpet bowl leads into an extended plain bowl base. This is above a double series opaque twist stem, comprised of an extremely wide spiral tape outside of a pair of spiral tapes. Completing the rarity of this glass are a shoulder and medial knop. The foot is of conical form, with a rough, snapped pontil.

There are some small internal annealing fissures to the opaque tapes, due to coolin...

A fine multiple spiral air twist (MSAT) wine glass. The flared bell bowl surmounts a stem that has the rare feature of a vermiform collar. Conical foot with rough, snapped pontil. 6 inches in height, with a bowl diameter of 2 9/16 inches, and an extremely generous foot diameter of 3 1/8 inches. Perfect condition.

A heavily jeweled Austrian jewelry box, lined in deep green velvet, unusual in that there are even jewels on the legs; 5 1/2" by 4 1/4" by 3 1/4". Excellent condition.

This is a charming example of a Champion's Bristol coffee cup, of fluted form, decorated with swags of flowers and leaves. Marked on the bottom with a blue "X" and "17" painter's number. Certainly the marks add to the value of this as opposed to it being just an attributed example.

Excellent condition with no chips, cracks, or restoration. Bright colors with no losses. A not uncommon 1/4" glaze separation in the bowl interior, shown in the fifth picture at around 7 o'clock, and a minute flea...

This is an extremely nice example of a Bow porcelain figure of winter from the "Rustic Seasons" group. It depicts an older man wearing a cowled garment, sitting on a mound of rocks, and warming his hands over a brazier. The brazier is set amidst flowers and leaves, with the whole scene raised on four scroll feet.

The piece is 6 1/2" tall, and is in overall excellent and exceptional condition. There are several minor chips to two of the leaves and a flower. There is also glaze dirt or ...

A rare Bow chocolate cup of slightly flared form with the painted Koto Player pattern. Interior painted with Oriental motifs. Excellent condition, with one tiny footrim chip, no cracks, or restoration. There is an in-the-making glaze disturbance on one side. Painter's number 2 on the bottom. 4 inches tall, 2 3/4 inches in diameter.

A simple but charming Benjamin Trott watercolor of an attractive blue-eyed young woman with a ribbon in her hair and dressed in a white empire gown. There are no condition issues. The sight size is 2 1/2" by 1 7/8", and the later frame is 4 7/8" by 3 78".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES:
1. From "The Smithsonian Art Museum": Benjamin Trott (c1770 - 1843), thought to have been born in Boston, ranks with Edward Greene Malbone and Charles Fraser as one of America's best miniaturists. During a long career t...

A superb wine glass enameled by William Beilby, with the additional embellishment of a gilded rim. Leaves and clusters of grapes adorn this glass, with the white enamel displaying the slight pinkish undertone which is one of the hallmarks for identification of works by Beilby.

The ogee bowl sits above a DSOT (double series opaque twist) stem which has a multi-ply spiral band outside of a pair of spiral tapes. The glass is 5 11/16 inches tall, with a bowl diameter of 2 3/16 inches and a foot di...

An American miniature portrait painting, on natural organic material, of a very attractive boy with gray-blue eyes, wearing a red velvet jacket. The painting is 2 3/4" by 2 1/4" and is in excellent condition.

A fine and small mahogany tea caddy with inlaid scallop shell, crossbanding and chequering; key; 4 1/4" by 4 5/8" by 4 1/2"

A stunning Chelsea-Derby tea bowl and saucer, finely painted in puce monochrome with scattered floral sprays and sprigs, reserved on a ground of closely packed gilded spirals. The interior of the bowl is painted with a puce rose and leaves. Both pieces are marked with a gold anchor.

Condition is excellent, with no chips, cracks, or restoration. Minor gilding wear to the extreme rim edges. The height of the bowl is is 1 7/8", and the diameter is 3 1/8", while the saucer diameter is 5".

A lovely balustroid drinking glass with a flared bell bowl on a stem with an inverted baluster knop with enclosed tear. All this above a cushion basal knop surmounting a beaded knop above a domed and folded foot. Note that balustroids with teared knops are sometimes attributed to Newcastle glass houses. The bowl has a small black slag seed.

6 1/2 inches in height, with a bowl diameter of 2 1/4 inches and a foot diameter of 2 1/2 inches.

An extremely fine example of a saltglaze plate with a scalloped rim and a molded, or embossed, border.

The diameter is 9 1/4" and the condition is excellent with no chips, cracks, or restoration. There are 3 very minor small brown spots on the front due to kiln impurities. It is very unusual to find them in this condition. The color of the paste might appear slightly different in the photos, but that is due to the lighting and reflection.

A beautiful display piece, or for the discrimi...

This is an absolutely charming American folk art painting depicting an idyllic country scene. The work, done in oil on academy board, shows a woman with a sleeping child in the foreground, while in the central distance can be seen a group of building, above which are a richly colored sky and clouds. On the right is a small waterfall with a shepherd surrounded by sheep. The trees and foliage throughout the painting are limned in a whimsical folky style.

The sight size of the painting is 24" by...

A nicely painted miniature portrait on organic wafer. The sitter is a young gentleman with blue eyes, attired in a white shirt, black tie, jacket and vest. The background is a pleasing shaded blue. Set in a gilt metal case with an unglazed aperture on the reverse.

The cased size of the painting is 2 1/2" by 2". The painting is in excellent condition, with no cracks, bowing, or restoration. The glass on the front has a scratch.

Biographical Note: William Lewis was born in Salem MA in 178...

A superb and extremely rare bucket bowl wine goblet with an everted lip. The stem is an 8 sided molded pedestal type, also known as a Silesian stem. What makes it particularly uncommon is that it is not straight, but is wrythen molded, with the additional rarity of diamond molding at the shoulders. Completing the beauty of this piece is the single collar below the bowl, and the double collar above the large foot, which has a rough snapped pontil and an extremely wide fold.

The glass is in perf...

A heavily jeweled Austrian jewelry box lined in velvet; 4 3/4" by 3 1/4" by 3 1/4"

A strongly limned portrait miniature, on natural material, done by Augustus Fuller. The subject is a young lady with dotted white organza collar and fichu, a tall tortoiseshell comb, and ruby and diamond earrings.

Fuller did sign a number of his miniatures, but apparently always on the back. Since this example is presented in its never opened original frame, it is possible that it is a signed piece. Regardless, because of the technique and composition, there is no question that this was done ...

An extremely powerful portrait attributed to Jeremiah Paul Jr., though it is possible that Benjamin Trott was the artist. In any case, due to the technique and strong features of the sitter, the painting has an immediate impact on the viewer and was done by a highly skilled artist.

The overall condition of the painting is excellent, as is the case, The size is 2 7/8" by 2 1/4". Please note that the first photo is an accurate depiction of the miniature, and the second photo, which has all man...

A finely painted miniature portrait, done in watercolor on organic substrate, by Pierre Henri. Done against a blue background, the sitter, a nice looking young gent with blue eyes and hair en queue, is wearing a brown coat with yellow lining.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no bowing, cracks, paint loss, or restoration. Set in a frame with a glazed blue material reverse. The sight size is 1 3/4" by 1 1/4".

Pierre Henri (c 1760 - 1822) was born in Paris and often went by the...

This fine work, done in watercolor and bodycolor on organic material, was most probably done in Naples. The sitter is an attractive child looking directly at the viewer and holding a jumping jack toy of Pulcinella, a classical character that originated in commedia dell'arte of the 17th century and became a stock character in Neapolitan puppetry. The reverse of the portrait is also quite special, with its plaited hair, ivory plaque, golden hair work initials, metallic threads, and pearls.

The ...

A wonderfully limed work of a young man, done by John Barry. The porcelain-complected sitter, with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes, is finely dressed in a white cravat, a green and cream striped vest and a silk-lined black coat.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no flaws (the white area on the left is light reflection), and is housed in its original gold bracelet slide case. The sight size is 1 1/2" by 1 1/4".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John Barry, who lived in London and was activ...

This beautiful example of an 18th century English cordial features a round funnel bowl engraved with a flowering rose on a leafed stem with thorns. The stem is a double series opaque twist (dsot) composed of a multi-ply spiral band around a pair of heavy spiral threads. The foot is of the uncommon domed helmet form with a rough snapped pontil. Lead glass with good color, striations, and tooling marks.

Condition is flawless, with no chips, cracks, scratches, or restoration. The pinkish tone in ...