Decorative Antiques & Furnishings - Exceptional London Antiques

Stock: 16996

A rare 17th century Japanese blue and white vase dating to the early Edo Period (1603-1868). This vase is surviving evidence of the collaborative nature of porcelain decoration between Japan and the Netherlands in this period. The Dutch East India Company was known to occasionally export unfinished porcelain to be finished in the Netherlands in the 'oriental style'.
A piece of export ware, this vase was decorated in Japan in blue and white, with the intention of further Imari style decoration in enamels being added once it arrived in the Netherlands. It is extraordinarily rare to find partially decorated pieces such as these. Perhaps the firing cracks present made it impossible to re-fire with the enamels, and so remained undecorated. Examples of this practice can be found in the Metropolitan Museum and the British Museum.

Notes: During the early Edo period, the Dutch and Chinese were the only nations able to trade with Japan, as their shogun had imposed a policy of strict isolation. A small number of Dutch merchants were permitted to reside on an island outside Nagasaki, close to the Arita porcelain kilns and Imari port. The Dutch exposed the Japanese ceramicists to Chinese blue underglaze porcelain, and this technique was absorbed into the Japanese oeuvre and its influence can be seen in this vase.

Japanese, Arita kilns, Genroku period, c.1680.
From a private Dutch collection.

	Width	Height	Depth
	13 3⁄8" 34 cms	16 3⁄16" 41.2 cms	13 3⁄8" 34 cms

Stock: 16807

A large and beautifully modelled Parian Ware group of Ariadne and the Panther, after the marble sculpture by Johann Heinrich Dannecker. Although this example of Parian Ware is unmarked it is the same model produced by Minton & Co in 1847 until the 1860s for Summerly’s Art Manufactures. It is undoubtedly of the finest quality and was most likely produced by this factory.

Notes: Danneker's Ariadne and the Panther was one of the most renowned works of sculpture of the nineteenth-century, drawing huge crowds to view it in Frankfurt, in the "Ariadneum" built solely for its display. It depicts the Cretan princess Ariadne, wife of the god of wine Dionysus (identified by her crown of vine leaves), seated on a panther in a relaxed pose. The panther was a creature associated with the god of wine.

English, c.1860.

View our collection of: Antique sculptures, carvings, bronzes, plaques and tablets

	Width	Height	Depth
	12 5⁄8" 32 cms	15" 38 cms	6 11⁄16" 17 cms

Stock: 16829

A set of three absolutely charming sancai-glazed terracotta figures dating to the Tang Dynasty (608-917). These musicians were likely left as grave goods for the deceased, known as mingqi, to provide entertainment in the after life.
The group would have been part of a larger retinue of entertainers, seeking to replicate the enjoyment the individual might have had as part of their courtly life. Made in a mould, they were hand-finished, giving each figure a unique expression.
Grave goods such as these, replaced the cruel practice of xunzang, which involved burying high status people with members of their court or household, often burying them alive. This practice was criticised by prominent Mohist and Confucian philosophers and seemed to have been entirely replaced by mingqi by the Tang Dynasty. The practice later re-emerged but was finally outlawed by 1673.

Chinese, Tang Dynasty (608-917)

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	Width	Height	Depth
	3 1⁄8" 8 cms	5 11⁄16" 14.5 cms	3 1⁄8" 8 cms

Stock: 16820

A magnificent pair of enormous 17th century limestone capitals. Once, these capitals would have graced the grand doorway of stone building, being raised high above eye level and perhaps supporting a grand pediment. Now, they are raised on the original column bases. The capitals loosely conform to the composite order, with acanthus leaves carved at their base and the torsos of four fauns bearing the weight of the abacus, each side centred by the mask of a putto.

Northern Italy, c.1680.

Notes: These capitals have at some point been used as the base for a console table, with two flat pieces of newer stone fitted to their tops. We can make a top for these capitals in our workshops if desired.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	18 1⁄2" 47 cms	35" 89 cms	18 1⁄8" 46 cms

Stock: 16837

A pair of large biscuit porcelain plaques after Thorvaldsen's iconic 'Night and Day' reliefs. Thorvaldsen was Denmark's greatest cultural export during the 18th and 19th centuries, despite spending most of his career in Italy. His 'Night and Day' reliefs were first modelled in Rome in 1815 in marble and were very well-received, and high quality copies in porcelain were hugely sought after.
‘Night’ is represented by a winged female, crowned with poppy seed heads and bearing in her arms two children who symbolise Sleep and Death. An owl flies beside them. ‘Day’ is shown scattering flowers and carrying a winged boy with a flaming torch to represent the sun.

These particular copies were made in the 19th century by the Royal Copenhagen factory. The factory was founded in 1775 and produced copies of well regarded sculptures in twice-fired biscuit porcelain.

Danish. c.1885.

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	Diameter		Depth
	10 3⁄8" 26.3 cms		0 13⁄16" 2 cms

Stock: 16766

A rare 19th century wooden armorial cartouche of shield form, beautifully painted with Bristol's Civic Arms, and the motto "Virtute et Industria" or By Virtue and Industry. This motto and the arms were adopted by the city in the 16th century, and represents the city's maritime heritage and industry. This is a wonderfully decorated cartouche, akin to the hatchments found in churches, but likely to have been displayed in an important civic building, such as the city hall.

English, early 19th century.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	27 3⁄16" 69 cms	30 1⁄8" 76.5 cms	3" 7.5 cms

Stock: 16756

A fine and very large pair of grogged terracotta rinceaux panels. Originally installed on the facade of a palazzo in Florence, the panels are Renaissance in style, with a spiralling design of scrolling leaves, cornucopia and mythical beasts. The motif is centred by two tritonesses with entwined tails.
Designs such as these can be seen on many of the great Renaissance buildings, and indeed inside them. One particularly fine example was carved for Ascanio Sforza's tomb at Santa Maria del Popolo, in Rome and a cast of this can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum. This style of low relief carving was popularised after the discovery of the Ara Pacis in Rome in 1568. This great altar was erected in Rome between 14 and 9 B.C.

Italian, early 19th century.
(PLEASE NOTE, WE HAVE TWO PAIRS AVAILABLE SEE STOCK NO. 16791)

Grogged terracotta was the Italian answer to Coade, popularised in England in the 18th century and favoured for its weather resistant finish and ability to be modelled with great detail.

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	Length	Height	Depth
Each Panel	37" 94 cms	23 5⁄8" 60 cms	2 3⁄16" 5.5 cms

Stock: 16758

A pair of fine and large early 18th century blue and white Delft hand-painted baluster vases. The original covers are missing, and have been replaced with rather charming hand-painted toleware lids. These vases would make a beautiful pair of table lamps, so please enquire if you would like to explore this option.

Dutch, c.1710.

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	Diameter	Height
	9 1⁄8" 23 cms	13 7⁄8" 35.3 cms

Stock: 16715

A pair of finely painted Japanese vases with covers. The vases are hand-painted with a high degree of naturalism, with vignettes of landscapes bordered by floral decoration on a blue ground, highlighted in gilt. The covers are mounted with foo dog finials. Japanese, Meiji period (late 19th century).

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	Diameter	Height
	7 1⁄2" 19 cms	13 13⁄16" 35 cms

Stock: 16718

A very large single Imari ribbed baluster porcelain vase decorated in blue underglaze and hand-painted in red and gold with butterflies and flowering scrolls in medallions, fans and peonies, the handle forming a lotus bud.
Japanese, late 19th century.

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	Diameter	Height
	12 5⁄8" 32 cms	24 13⁄16" 63 cms

Stock: 16626

A charming early 18th century Japanese Arita porcelain baluster vase and cover, the cover surmounted with a cockerel, such a charming addition to a beautiful vase. The body of the vase is sparsely decorated with flowers and trellis work in blue and red.

Japan, c.1700.

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	Diameter	Height
	7 7⁄8" 20 cms	15 3⁄8" 39 cms

Stock: 16719

A pair of fine patinated bronze volute kraters after the antique. The theme of both vases is one of offering to the gods, and this is cast in low relief and bordered by palmette motifs. The handles of the kraters terminate in swan's heads as they join the vase.

Italian, early 19th century.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	11 1⁄2" 29.3 cms	21 1⁄8" 53.5 cms	9 1⁄8" 23 cms

Stock: 16693

A pair of large hand-painted Delft vases in blue and white. Painted very much in the Chinese style, these baluster shaped vases are decorated with Chinese style scenes, reminiscent of the British Willow Pattern that emerged in the 18th century, with bridges, pagodas, willow trees and birds painted within vignettes. These are framed by more typically Delft patterns. The covers are topped with seated panthers.

Delft, late 19th century.

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	Diameter	Height
	10 5⁄8" 27 cms	22 3⁄8" 57 cms

Stock: 16640

A pair of large and fine Japanese Imari vases with an organic decorative pattern and colours of iron red and deep blue.

Japanese, c.1890.

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	Diameter	Height
	9 13⁄16" 25 cms	19 1⁄4" 49 cms

Stock: 16534

A Doulton Lambeth stoneware jardinière and stand of hexagonal form, decorated in the Renaissance revival style with relief panels depicting putti musicians, impressed mark. English, c.1890.

Final image shows a page from the Doulton Lambeth catalogue, featuring this model.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	16 1⁄2" 42 cms	36 3⁄16" 92 cms	16 1⁄2" 42 cms
Base	10 3⁄16" 26 cms

Stock: 16138

A fine and rare set of Grand Tour plaster intaglios, individually mounted on dark green silk within their original mahogany and crossbanded satinwood case, which is fashioned as a false book. When the spine of the book is removed, the interior is revealed. Traces of marbled paper remain around three sides of the case, imitating the marbled finishes often seen on 18th century books. Some of the Intaglios have the impressed stamp for Nathaniel Marchant, who was the most well regarded gem engraver of the 18th century.
Sets such as these are very rare.

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	Width	Lenght
	9 13⁄16" 25 cms	15 3⁄8" 39 cms

Stock: 16366

A fine pair of large 19th century Imari porcelain vases and covers, with a generous baluster form and lightly fluted bodies. The covers are topped with a bowing foo dog, and the body of the vases are beautifully hand painted in red, blue and gold with phoenixes and fans among a floral display.

Japanese, Meiji period, c.1870.

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	Diameter	Height
	8 11⁄16" 22 cms	16 1⁄8" 41 cms

Stock: 15642

A pair of grand Renaissance Revival ewers in alabaster. The magnificent handles are models as phoenixes perching on the rib of the slender ewers, which are beautifully carved with acanthus leaves and ribbon tied posies.

Italian, mid-19th century.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	6 1⁄4" 16 cms	24 3⁄16" 61.5 cms	9 1⁄8" 23 cms

Stock: 16243

A large Continental carved gilt wood panel the central carved aromorial cartouche surrounded by carved acanthus leaves and vines, on a blue painted background.
French, mid-18th century.

This panel would look stunning over a fireplace, or even mounted on the ceiling.

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	Width	Height
	53 1⁄2" 136 cms	67 1⁄4" 171 cms

Stock: 16081

A pair of late 19th century patinated bronze garniture urns cast as models of the Warwick vases. The pedestal bodies with lion pelt and mask-head decoration in high relief and elaborately entwined handles, each raised on a waisted circular fluted socle base, supported on stepped Belgian black marble square plinths, raised on paw feet.

English, c.1880.

Notes: The Warwick Vase was excavated from Hadrian's Villa at Tivoli in 1771 by Gavin Hamilton, and dates to the second century AD. Hamilton sold the vase to his nephew, the 2nd Earl of Warwick, who built a specially commissioned conservatory in the grounds of Warwick Castle to house it.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	6 1⁄8" 15.5 cms	8 1⁄4" 21 cms	6 1⁄8" 15.5 cms

Stock: 16100

A pair of nineteenth-century terracotta twin-handled urns painted in black to simulate Josiah Wedgwood's renowned black basalt. Later converted to table lamps with gilt stands and covers and a base fitted with the lamp fitting, leaving the urns unaltered, so they could be displayed in their original format.
German, mid-19th century.

View our collection of: Antique candelabras, candlesticks and lamps

		Height
		15 7⁄8" 40.5 cms

Stock: 16002

A pair of fine Arita ware jars and covers, finely hand-painted with organic floral decoration.
Japanese, c.1880.

Notes: It is said that a Korean ceramist travelled to Japan and discovered a seam of porcelain stone in the province of Arita the early 17th century. Following this discovery, the manufacture of ceramics proliferated in Arita, and much was exported by the Dutch East India company to Europe, where was revered for its quality.

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	Diameter	Height
	8 11⁄16" 22 cms	12 13⁄16" 32.5 cms

Stock: 15999

A set of forty-two Victorian Gothic revival glazed encaustic hearth tiles with stylised Gothic foliate decoration, with impressed marks on the reverse for Godwin Lugwardine, Hereford.
English, circa 1870.

	width	thickness
	4 1⁄8" 10.5 cms	0 13⁄16" 2 cms

Stock: 15961

A 19th century relief copper electrotype plaque depicting a Coronation, with a Latin inscription from Luke 6:27-36 that translates as "Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you" in original moulded oak frame.
English, mid-19th century.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	29 1⁄2" 75 cms	15" 38 cms	1 5⁄8" 4 cms

Stock: 15825

A rare 19th century Coalbrookdale umbrella or stick stand in the form of a chihuahua - or perhaps small terrier - standing on its hind legs with a whip in its mouth. The drip pan to catch the rain from a folded umbrella is modelled as a lily pad. The most lovely feature is the original patinated bronze finish, a rare survival. The stand is impressed with a diamond registration mark and stamped 85297.

English, c.1870

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	Width	Height	Depth
	24 5⁄8" 62.5 cms	25 3⁄16" 64 cms	14" 35.5 cms

Stock: 15831

A pair of Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) sancai-glazed ridge tiles modelled as horse and rider. Both tiles are glazed in rich green and amber, the horses in a rich amber and the riders wearing green robes.

Tiles of this kind were often used on public and private buildings to ward off evil spirits. The work of glazed tiles is known in China as Liuli Wa, literally `roof-tile of glass`, a term dating back to the Tang Dynasty. According to traditional Chinese beliefs, roofs are a platform of communication between the world of the living and the realm of the spirits.
Chinese, late 15th - early 16th century.

Sancai means three glazes, the basic colours of this glaze are green, cream and amber, but more colours were sometimes used. It was a lead glaze and the addition of metal oxides created the limited palate of green and amber and sometimes blue. In the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 AD), grave goods were often glazed in this manner and there was a resurgence in popularity for this glaze in the Ming period.

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		Height
		14 3⁄8" 36.5 cms

Stock: 15759

A set of seven Victorian leaded and painted glass window panels, two depicting grapevines, three depicting cherries and two depicting cobnuts. They can be set into a window, or displayed as an ornament, in which case we can fit hooks.
English, c.1880.

View of collection of: Antique Doors and Windows.

	Width	Height	Depth
	7 7⁄8" 20 cms	9 1⁄8" 23 cms

Stock: 15641

A large and finely carved alabaster figure of a water carrier in classical drapery. The figure is very much after the antique, but more naturalistic than the earlier, grand tour alabaster figures.
English, c.1860.

		Height
		20 11⁄16" 52.5 cms

Stock: 15603

A charming set of ten glazed transfer printed tiles decorated with an Unusual leaf and flower transfer pattern, on a muted blue ground. Likely to have been inspired by the art of Japan.
English, 19th century.

	Width	Height	Depth
	6" 15.3 cms	6" 15.3 cms	0 1⁄4" 0.8 cms

Stock: 15588

A pair of small antique giltwood wall brackets in the Rococo taste, with a serpentine shelf resting on scrolling acanthus leaves. Perfect as a candle bracket or for small ornaments. Italian, c.1890.

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	Width	Height	Depth
External	5 11⁄16" 14.5 cms	6 1⁄8" 15.5 cms	3 1⁄4" 8.5 cms

Stock: 15600

A set of eleven transfer printed Aesthetic Movement tiles, with a foliate design in sepia and ochre. Embossed factory marks verso.
English, late 19th century.

	Width	Height	Depth
	6" 15.3 cms	6" 15.3 cms	0 5⁄8" 1.5 cms

Stock: 15587

A pair of antique giltwood wall brackets in the Rococo taste, with a serpentine shelf resting on scrolling acanthus leaves. Perfect as a candle bracket or for small ornaments. Italian, c.1890.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	8 7⁄8" 22.5 cms	9 3⁄8" 24 cms	5 1⁄8" 13 cms

Stock: 15577

A pair of late 19th century bronze tazzas, profusely decorated and supported by stylised winged griffin like creatures with the faces of women and clawed feet.
They would look wonderful as part of a table display or stands for fruit or confectionary.

Probably French, c.1880.

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	Width	Height
	8 11⁄16" 22 cms	10 5⁄8" 27 cms

Stock: 15544

A magnificent 19th century Oxblood or "Sang de Boeuf" jardiniere on stand, with a lobed planter supported by a base mounted with three griffin monopodia with paw feet.

Attributed to Pierre Clément Massier. French, c.1880.

Notes: Clément Massier was born into a family of ceramicists and took an interest in the business from an early age. His factory-gallery complex in Golfe Juan became a destination for the elite who summered in Monaco, Nice, and Cannes. He was awarded a gold medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1900 and subsequently became an of official supplier to the British crown.

Sang de boeuf glaze first appeared in Chinese porcelain at the beginning of the 18th century. In Europe, many companies tried to replicate the glaze, and it particularly took off in France.

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	Diameter	Height	Inside dia.
	13" 33 cms	33 1⁄8" 84 cms	8 7⁄8" 22.5 cms

Stock: 15511

A rare and perfectly detailed live steam scale model of a rotative vertical reciprocating beam engine with James Watt type parallel motion linkage. This hand-built engine has been made from burnished steel, cast iron and bronze, which has developed a good patina from over a century of enjoyment. It also retains its original paint and comes with its original carrying case. The single Mahogany clad double action, low pressure cylinder has a stroke of 2 5/8 inches and a bore of 1 1/8 of an inch, the piston produces power on both the upward and downward strokes. The fly wheel measures 11 inches in diameter and the beam, pivoting on a single bronze column, measures 8 1/4 inches. This engine was built between 1865 and 1870, most probably as an apprentice piece, or for demonstrating the workings of this type of engine. It is mounted on a Mahogany plinth with a brass plate with the inscription “MADE BY ROBERT GILCHRIST OF BERWICK ON TWEED 1865 1870”

English, circa 1870.

Scottish engineer, James Watt invented His parallel motion mechanical linkage for the double acting Watt steam engine in 1784. In a letter to his son written in 1808 James Watt wrote “I am more proud of the parallel motion than of any other invention I have ever made”. Watts' new double acting engines were powered by steam on both the upward and downward strokes, along with his parallel motion, these engines were much more efficient than previous engines built by Thomas Newcomen and Watt.

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	Width	Height	Depth
	19 11⁄16" 50 cms	14 5⁄8" 37 cms	11" 28 cms