Catalog (971)

A nice example of a miniature portrait, painted by Nathaniel Hancock on organic material. The sitter is a woman in a blue gown with a lace edged bodice. The gold case has chamfered glass on the front, and the reverse identifies the sitter as "Ridgely 1791."

The condition of this little gem is very fine, with no flaws to speak of. There was some minimal clean-up of a few painting drips in the background. Overall size is 1 3/4" by 1 1/2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Information about Hancock is rel...

A beautifully painted watercolor on natural wafer, with a very strong attribution to John Barry as the artist. The sitter is an attractive woman with brown eyes and gray-brown hair cascading down her shoulder. She is wearing a dark blue velvet bow in her hair, a gauzy white fichu, and a blue dress with fine white lines and small white dots.

The painting is in superb condition, with no chips, cracks, bowing, or restoration. The sight size is 2" by 1 1/2" and the gold case is 2 3/16" by 1 3/4"....

Confidently attributed to Edward Savage, this miniature portrait is painted on organic material. The sitter, who has a strong countenance and blue eyes, is wearing a deep blue coat with gold buttons, a white vest and shirt, and a white cravat.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no flaws, and is housed in a gilt copper case, the reverse of which has a glazed aperture containing woven plaits of hair.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Edward Savage (1761 in Princeton, Massachusetts – 1817 in Pri...

A fine miniature portrait by Augustus Fuller, done on natural material. The sitter is an attractive hazel-eyed woman sporting sausage curls and wearing a white lace bonnet, a white lace fichu with a centered brooch, and a black dress. Fuller took pains in this painting to the extent of showing details of the dress design with faint white highlights, shown in the second photo.

The condition of the painting is excellent, and viewed in person the miniature is far better than the photo shows. The...

A lovely Chaffers Liverpool bowl, decorated with peonies issuing from hollow rockwork, a red bird on a branch. and an insect to the reverse. Chaffers, even more so than the more common Liverpool factories, has seen a substantial and lightning growth in interest and value, especially for items in good condition. This piece is in overall excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, or restoration, although the interior has a rubbed flower, as is often the case. 6" in diameter, and 2 3/4" tal...

A fine painting of a youth, signed and dated "P. Jean 1789" on the right side. The sitter is dressed in a red jacket with a white ruff. The reverse of the gold case has interwoven plaits of hair under glass.

There are no condition issues with the painting or the case. The discoloration along the top of the painting is light reflection. The size is 2" by 1 1/2".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Philippe Jean (1755-1802)was born in Saint Ouen, Jersey, the son of Nicholas Jean and Marie Grandin. He was at fi...

A charming scene showing classical ruins; great detail and contrast in the sky; great period frame; sight size 20 1/4" by 14 7/8", framed size 26 1/2" by 21"

An exceptional American gameboard with a red wash and black painted decoration; compartments at each end for the game pieces; construction is pine with breadboarded ends and wrought nails; condition is excellent with all original surface; one small portion of a breadboarded end has been replaced at some point long ago; 30" by 17 3/4"

Boards of this type (non 8 x 8 squares) are often commonly and mistakenly called checkerboards. In reality, they are boards for the game of "draughts", which evol...

A wonderful English watercolor miniature on natural wafer, painted by Ozias Humphry. The gentleman depicted is clearly of the upper class, dressed in a dusty rose colored jacket with a lace collar, a style worn in England specifically in the 1765 to 1770 period. The case, which is probably original and of gold, comes with a 28" long gold chain attached through the bale, and is also most likely to be original.

The condition of the painting is excellent, with no flaws to speak of, and no restora...

A beautiful antique wine glass with a bell bowl above a double series opaque twist stem (DSOT) with collar, medial, and basal knops. Knops on opaque twists are much less common than straight stem opaque twists, and the more knops, the rarer. The opaque twist has a pair of 3-ply spiral bands outside of a central gauze.

6 1/8 inches tall, 2 3/8 inch diameter bowl, 2 5/8 inch diameter foot

An elegant and wonderfully proportioned Dutch glass; soda metal with a bell bowl above a shoulder-knopped double series opaque twist comprised of a central gauze with 4 outer spiral threads.

Excellent condition with some minor nibbling in one section to the underside of the foot, not visible from the top

6 1/4" tall, 2 5/8" diameter bowl, 2 3/4" diameter foot

A rare and beautiful double series opaque twist wine glass. The bowl, of uncommon tulip form, sits atop a stem containing two heavy spiral threads around a central gauze. What makes this glass rare, aside from the bowl shape, is that, opposed to being conical, as is usually the case, the foot is domed, a feature very rarely found on opaque twist glasses.

This fine example is 6 1/8" tall, with a bowl diameter of 2 7/16", and a foot diameter of 2 5/8". Condition is excellent, with no chips, crac...

A beautiful and tall open flame oil lamp of Facon de Venice type, probably from Liege. Showing superb proportions and elegance, the large spouted font sits atop a capstan type knop, above a hollow, squat inverted baluster knop, which in turn leads into an elongated, hollow, rib-molded inverted baluster type stem that has 3 graduated applied ruffled collars or trailings, finally ending in a basal knop above a folded foot.

The lamp is 9 5/16" tall, with a foot diameter of 4 3/8". Except for a sm...

An elegant and rare Newcastle light baluster (NLB) antique English trick wine glass, with a round funnel bowl set on a tall stem with a shoulder annular knop above a knop, above a large, teared medial knop, finishing with a ball basal knop. Conical foot with rough snapped pontil.

The bowl is Dutch engraved with a band of leaves and flowerheads, with a sprig below. The "trick" to this glass is that it is a dribble glass, with holes in the center of three of the flowerheads. An unsuspecting gues...

A superb and tall Newcastle light baluster (NLB) wine glass or goblet with marriage or anniversary significance. The flared bell bowl has a trapped tear in the deep bottom. The stem features a shoulder angular knop above a slim inverted baluster knop, then a plain stem section leading to a basal ball knop above a conical foot with rough, snapped pontil.

What makes this a marriage type glass is the superb Dutch engraving, which depicts a couple toasting each other. On the other side of the bowl...

A large, decorated, Navajo coil basket; 13 1/2" diameter, 4" tall Excellent condition with no flaws.

A charming and beautifully rendered double portrait miniature attributed to Nathaniel Plimer. Executed in watercolors on natural wafer, he depicted, in classical style, an attractive young woman dressed in a low cut white gown with a reddish robe draped around her. The very young and strikingly angelic child, with fulsome red curls, has its arms clasped around the mother's neck.

This appealing gem is in excellent condition, with no flaws. The case is 3 1/4" by 2 3/4".

This miniature was sold...

A watercolor on natural material done by Nathaniel Plimer. The sitter is a somewhat older woman, with a pensive and somewhat sad mien about her. Set against a background with gradations of blue, she is simply dressed in a white gown and bonnet, accented with a pendant medallion on a black ribbon, and a gray belt.

The painting and the original bronze frame are in excellent condition with no flaws or restoration. Sight size of the miniature is 2 3/4" by 2 1/4", with an overall size of 3 3/4" by ...

A fine English drinking glass with a pointed round funnel bowl engraved with grapes and vines above a double merise (rare) and a short plain stem section, all above a multiple-spiral air twist (MSAT) stem with an inverted baluster shoulder knop and an angular medial knop. The plain section, although short, combined with the air twist might allow classifying this glass as a composite stem type. Conical foot with a rough snapped pontil.

6 3/8: tall, 2 1/4" bowl diameter, 2 5/8" foot diameter.

A fantastic Clarissa Peters (Mrs. Mose B. Russell) mourning painting of a baby and toddler. Peters chose a simple palette of white and bluish-gray to emphasize the ethereal and ephemeral nature of the painting, reserving the use of colors to the hair, lips, and eyes of the subjects. Known for painting children, Peters' mourning paintings are scarce, and double mourning portraits are exponentially rarer yet.

Adding to the importance of this piece is the velvet lined gutta percha case, which h...

A portrait miniature done by Moses B. Russell and I wish I could say more about this painting or the sitter, but the original backing paper, where Russell signed and often threatened people (incorrectly) not to remove the paper, has been removed. However, the painting was clearly done by Russell and closely mirrors one in the Metropolitan Museum. Excellent condition (any apparent problems in the photo are due to reflections) and presented in a 2 3/4" by 2 1/4" gilt metal case with a lock of hair...

An extremely large and beautifully made drinking vessel, or loving cup; gadrooned bowl, applied trailing to rim, applied medial ring; blade-knopped stem over conical foot with rough pontil.

7 1/4" tall, 4 3/4" bowl diameter, 3 3/4" foot diameter, 8" across handles

A finely painted portrait miniature of a young girl, presented in its original gilded case, the reverse with woven plaits of hair under glass. The sitter, who has a slight smile playing on her lips, has blue eyes and brownish-blonde hair, and is simply dressed in a white top.

The painting and the case are both in excellent condition with no issues at all. The case size is 1 5/8" by 1 3/8".

A nicely executed portrait miniature, done in watercolor and gouache on organic wafer. The sitter is a fine looking gentleman with blue eyes and brown hair, attired in a black jacket, vest, and stock.

The painting was descended in the family, and the sitter has been identified as John Amory Lowell (1798 - 1881). He was the grandson of John Lowell (1743 - 1802), an American lawyer, selectman, jurist, delegate to the Congress of the Confederation, and federal judge. Known within his family as â...

A finely done miniature portrait painting by Joseph Wood. Although unsigned, there is no question that this fine rendering of a young woman was done by Wood.

Sight size of this nice example is 2 1/4" by 1 13/16", and the period case is 2 1/2" by 2 1/16". The condition of the painting is excellent, with vibrant coloring, and no chips, cracks, or restoration. The period case (and glass) is in excellent condition, but it is missing the back, a replacement for which which can be made.

Joseph...

A striking portrait, on natural material, of a French colonel, purportedly Charles Ferdement, Baron de St. Clair. The colors are vivid, and the strength of the sitter is well captured by the artist. The condition is excellent, and the diameter is 2 3/4".

A superb enamel on copper portrait miniature by Jean Andre Rouquet. The sitter, dressed in an embroidered red jacket, ia a royal personage, evidenced by the ermine trimmed robe or cloak on his lap.

The condition of the miniature is excellent, with bright colors, no cracks, and no restoration. The duller areas along the edges are due to the way the light reflects off the curved edges. The early 19th century ormolu frame also is in fine condition. Sight size of the painting is 2 1/4" by 1 7/8", ...

A fine miniature portrait painting, strongly attributed to Samuel Broadbent. The sitter is reputedly Michael Butler, founder of the Union News Company. The attribution is based on the heavy coloring used in the sitter's face, the positioning in the painting of the sitter, the background technique, and the similarity to the example in the Manney collection.

The painting is in excellent condition, with no cracks, bowing, or restoration. It is housed in what appears to be the original locket fram...

A wonderfully painted miniature portrait, on natural organic material, of a young gentleman in a brown coat. The miniature is housed in its original gold bezel and brooch, with an elaborate monogram in gold on the reverse. The overall size is 2" by 1 5/8", and the painting and case are in excellent condition, with no problems. The discoloration in the photos is due to light refraction during scanning.

This piece was sold in 1966 by Charles Woollett, a highly respected London art dealer, and wa...

A very well executed miniature portrait painting of a gentleman, watercolor on natural organic material, by Edward Nash. The leather travel case states that the miniature was owned by Mrs. Thos. Higham. The miniature is in wonderful condition, but lacks an inner case to the travel case. The size is 2 13/16" by 2 5/16".

NOTE: Edward Nash (1778-1821), reportedly a hunchback, exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1800 to 1820. He lived for a while in the Lake District and knew Wordsworth, Coleridge...

A pale vaseline glass miniature or crocus vase on a stemmed base; 4 1/2" tall

An exceedingly fine example of a miniature brass cannon, probably English, with a fine patina and superb condition having only the usual nicks due to age. The cannon is 10 inches long, 3 1/4 inches wide, and 3 1/4 inches high.

An extraordinarily large and rare lead glass wine Newcastle light baluster goblet; pointed round funnel bowl; triple annulated knop above an inverted baluster knop with enclosed tears, above a basal knop. Ex Delosmosne collection. Perfect condition; rough snapped pontil.

10 1/4" tall, 4 1/2" diameter bowl, 4 1/4" diameter foot

A beautiful and finely painted miniature portrait painting, done in watercolor on natural material, by Thomas Seir Cummings. The sitter is a very attractive woman wearing an academic or possibly a cleric gown, and a white lace and blue material cap. The frame, which is later, is a beautiful burl wood.

The sight size is 4" by 3", and the framed size is 6 1/2" by 5 1/2". Condition is excellent, with no cracks, chips, paint loss, bowing, or restoration. The slight disturbance along the botto...

This is an extremely fine example of a Lowestoft tea canister, made in the 1775 - 1780 period. It is of rectangular form with sloped shoulders and a molded ridge following the outline of the sloping portion. The printed design features flowers and insects. An open crescent mark is on the underneath.

The condition of the tea caddy is superb, with no blurriness, chips, nicks, paint loss, cracks, scratches, or restoration. There is a very small firing tear on the bottom, which does not go th...

Painted by Louis Francois Aubry with watercolor and gouache on organic wafer, this portrait miniature combines the superb skills of the artist with the radiant beauty of a young woman. The sitter, with hazel eyes and curly black hair, is wearing a deep navy velvet jacket over a white dress with a fancy lace ruffled collar. Completing her ensemble is a long double looped gold chain. Note the shadow, on the white dress, of the bottom loop of the chain, exemplifying the care and evolved technique t...

A rare miniature portrait by Leopold Unger, painted with watercolors on organic wafer. The sitter, a very attractive blue-eyed young woman with brown hair done in sausage curls, has a wistful or slightly sad expression on her face and in her eyes. She is in a black dress with black lace edging at the bodice, and is sitting in a brownish-red chair, holding a red book, and with a multicolored scarf draped over her arm.

The miniature is signed "P. Unger. px. 1839" along the lower left. The bac...

As mentioned for other similar items on the site, this type ware is often mistakenly referred to as Leeds and featheredge. In reality, many factories other than Leeds made items of this nature, and the type edge here is more properly called a molded edge. This particular plate was made by Riley, and is indicated as such with an impressed mark on the back. Being able to identify the maker does increase the value to some extent. Also, green-edged wares are considerably less common than blue.

Thi...

A rare and striking large porcelain bowl made by the William Reid manufactory. The scene, handpainted in an underglaze soft grayish-blue, depicts oriental buildings and foliage. The interior has a border of alternating flower heads and dots, and the bottom has a workman's mark. Both the large size of the bowl, and the scene itself, contribute to the rarity of this piece.

The bowl is 6 5/8" on diameter, and is 2 5/8" in height. Condition is superb, with no cracks, chips, paint loss, or restorat...

A large (15 1/4" by 12") blue and white Staffordshire platter in the "Lakes of Killarney" pattern, maker unknown; beautifully bright and crisp (what appears to be a darkness on the platter in the photo is due to a lighting problem)

In referring to certain types of pottery, "Leeds" and "featheredge" are both common misnomers. People think of certain types of Staffordshire pottery as being Leeds while in actuality only a small portion was made by that factory.

Further, to be completely accurate, this platter is really what is known as "shell-edge", as opposed to featheredge. It is pearlware, made around 1810, and is an extremely large 17 3/4" by 13 1/4" in size. Wares of this type were often made in blue, and, much ...

An elaborate large German wine goblet, the round funnel bowl cut and etched with two winged figures clasping hands over an orb. The inscription on the reverse of the glass reads, in Old German: "unser freundschaft sol bestehn bis wir mit der welt vergehn", which translates to "our friendship shall remain until we leave this world". The beautifully cut stem is of the teared inverted baluster type. Folded foot with rough snapped pontil.

The glass is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks,...

An impressive and charming green-tinged very large champagne flute with a conical bowl above a bladed knop, all surmounting a hollow baluster knop. Soda glass with scattered bubbles, as expected.

7 3/4 " tall.

A striking example of a Bohemian Rococo Revival baluster goblet, with a high domed foot. The entire glass is engraved, with foliage, German writing, a crown, and the date "1876" on the bowl, foliage and writing on the foot, and foliage even on the knop. A true tour de force of decorative skill; 8 1/4" tall, 3 1/8" diameter bowl, 3 3/8" diameter foot

An extremely elegant tall English ale glass, with a pointed round funnel bowl engraved with hops and barley; multi-spiral air twist (MSAT) stem with a shoulder knop; conical foot with rough pontil. Glasses of this size and with a knop are quite uncommon.

8 1/8" tall, 2 3/8" diameter bowl, 3 1/4" diameter foot

A beautiful and stately lead metal English Georgian two knop wine goblet with an MSAT (multiple-spiral air twist) stem. The large pointed round funnel bowl sits atop the stem which has an inverted baluster shoulder knop and a medial knop.

This impressive glass is 8 3/8 inches tall, and has a bowl diameter of 3 13/16 inches. The conical foot, which has a rough, snapped pontil, is a large 3 5/8 inches in diameter. Although the rim flares out to be slightly larger than the foot, glasses of this ...

A large and wonderfully proportioned heavy baluster goblet with a solid base conical bowl. The stem has a wide angular knop and a basal knop, each with an air tear which also extends between the two knops. Conical folded foot with a rough, snapped pontil.

Superb condition with great color, striations, and tooling marks. 7 11/16 inches tall, with a bowl diameter of 3 13/16 inches and a foot diameter of 3 5/8 inches.

One of the largest and best tinsel paintings we have seen, depicting a large urn of various flowers, with other blooms scattered about; original frame; 28" by 24"

Most tinsel paintings have suffered a fair amount of paint lifting or loss, whereas this example only has a few spots of very minor age loss in a couple of small areas in the white background, making the overall condition excellent

An extremely generously proportioned wine goblet , the stem with a double series opaque twist (DSOT) and the bucket bowl engraved with a sunflower and leaf spray, the reverse with a bird. The sunflower has been loosely associated as a Jacobite symbol; 7 3/4" tall, 3 3/8" bowl diameter, 3 1/2" foot diameter

This is a superb English MSAT wine glass with a vermicular collar. It is a pair with item g1252 and matches g1251, though that glass is considerably and uncommonly larger. The glass for sale in this listing is shown on the right in the first photo.

The bell bowl is finely engraved with a band of fruiting vines below the rim. The stem is a multiple-spiral air twist (MSAT) with a nicely fashioned central vermicular collar. The conical foot has a rough, snapped pontil.

The glass stands 7 1/4" t...

A wonderful example of this well-known and highly collected historical Staffordshire scene. This plate is 6 3/4" in diameter, with the impressed Clews mark on the reverse. The condition is superb, with deep color, high clarity, sparkling glaze, and no chips, cracks, scratches, or restoration. It is as fine an example as one could hope for.

The full title of the scene is "Landing of Gen. Lafayette at Castle Garden New York 16 August, 1824", and was produced for the American market to commemorat...

An extremely fine John Wood Dodge miniature portrait, done in watercolor on natural wafer. The sitter is a very handsome hazel-eyed young gentleman dressed in a white shirt and collar, with a black coat and osbaldeston cravat. The backing paper of the miniature is signed by Dodge as follows: "Painted by John W. Dodge Miniature Painter 42 Franklin St. New York Sept. 30th, 1836 Geo. C. Miller".

The miniature, as would be expected of Dodge's work, is superbly executed, and has no cracks, bo...

A miniature portrait painting by John Wood Dodge of a U.S. naval officer, his position as such identified by the scarf and silver buttons on his jacket. He is posed wearing his glasses, which is rarely seen in portraits. The backing paper of the ivory contains the following information in Dodge's hand:
"Painted by/John W. Dodge/Feb 1850/Natchez Miss".
Based on the detailed records that Dodge kept of his commissions, the sitter is one of three possible men - James Metcalf, David Ker, or Mr...

A fine John Wesley Jarvis portrait miniature of a woman wearing a white mob cap and a modest white dress with lace collar and bow, the sitter presented against a stippled blue background. Housed in a period replacement red leather travel case with a somewhat illegible and later label on the back stating "Miniature of...Caldwell (Rachel Bishop?)...of...Pauses Webb."

The painting, with no bowing, cracks, or fading, is in very good condition. The sight size is 2 3/4" by 2 3/8".

BIOGRAPHI...

A fine miniature painting of a handsome young man attired in a dark blue jacket with black velvet lapels, a white stock and gray vest. Signed lower right "J.T." for John Turmeau. The miniature is in a gilt metal case, the elaborate reverse of which has a lock of hair with a faux pearl circlet and a cobalt glass shield, the whole displayed on a worked foil background, all under glass.

The condition of the miniature is quite good, with some craquelure showing on the jacket. The case has a raised...

A watercolor on organic wafer, painted by John Smart, and initialed lower left, along with the date of 1797. The sitter is a young woman with brown curls and eyes. She is attired in a green and blue feathered cap, a white gown with lace on the collar, and a green sash.

The brushwork is impeccable, the texture and blush of the skin, the details of the eyes, the clarity of each hair, and the overall luminescence of this painting are stunning. Even when compared to the vast majority of Sma...

A mourning portrait miniature attributed to John Henry Brown of an attractive young woman with blue eyes and long curly hair. The painting is in excellent condition with no problems. The velvet lined leather case is also in excellent condition, with normal and expected light wear to the exterior. The white flecks in the photographs are dust motes, and not present in person. Sight size is 3" by 2 1/2", and the case size is 3 5/8" by 3 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John Henry Brown (1818-1891), b...

A fine silhouette done in black and bronze gilt, of an older woman. Although unsigned, the work was unquestionably done by John Field. The reverse of the gilt metal case, which comes with its silk lined red leather travel case, has elaborate and tightly woven hairwork of two colors, indicating that one of them was hers, while the other was of a loved one.

Both the miniature and the case are in excellent condition. Sight size of the piece is 2 3/8" by 1 7/8", with the case size being 2 9/16" b...

A superb double silhouette on natural organbic material, in a cast foliate locket, by John Field. One side is of a woman, the other of a man, wearing spectacles (highly unusual) and both are signed "John Field 111 Strand" along the lower edge of the bust line. These paintings display the finely executed bronzed work that was a hallmark of Field's.

The sight size is 1 1/2" by 1 1/4". The condition of the paintings and case is excellent, with no apologies needed.

NOTE: The following are excerp...

A charming portrait miniature painted by John Carlin on organic material. The blue-eyed, brown-haired baby is dressed, in the custom of the time, in a white gown and cap.

The portrait is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, bowing, or restoration. The gold case is also in fine condition. Sight size of this gem is 1 3/8" by 1 1/8".

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John Carlin (1813 - 1891) was born in Philadelphia. He was a deaf mute, and one of sixteen original students, he graduated in 182...