Aesthetic Movement Decorative Objects

Important tray made in gilded bronze and “cloisonné” enamel attributed to Elkington and Willms. Ornamented with a centering polychrome enameled peacock plaque, made of very high standard quality, mounted on a gilt-bronze dish, decorated in relief with Japanese Nô theater masks. The great Birmingham firm of Elkingtons, was largely the creation of George Richards Elkington (1800-1865), who worked from 1824 in Birmingham as a manufacturer of silver-mounted scent bottles. By 1829 the business had expanded sufficiently for a branch to have been established in London. In the late 1830s the Elkingtons began making experiments to apply the principles of electro-metallurgy to gilding and plating with silver and in 1840 the patent was at last taken out. Elkingtons owed their rise to a position amongst the most important silversmiths of the country to their exploitation of this new process and the two of the most famous designers then employed, both of them French, Albert Wilms (1827-1899) and Morel-Ladeuil (1820-1888), who helped to make Elkingtons’ reputation with their elaborate exhibition pieces. Albert Willms was apprenticed as modeler and engraver to Klagman, Dieterle and Constant in Paris before working for Morel & Co. in London in 1848. On his return to Paris he was employed by the great Parisian silversmiths including Christofle and Froment-Meurice, for whom he designed pieces to be presented at the 1855 Universal Exhibition in Paris. It was during this period that he joined the firm of Elkington in London as head decorator. Elkington was soon to become one of the first to produce refined pieces in “champlevé” enamel in the Chinese and Japanese styles, which were presented with great success at the London Universal Exhibition in 1862 (see Masterpieces of Industrial Art & Sculpture at the International Exhibition 1862, J.B. Waring, London, 1863, III, pl. 211). Willms’ “champlevé” enamels could not be compared, however, with the delicate “cloisonné” enamels exhibited by Japan at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867. This explains why Elkington adapted the ancient Japanese technique to produce pieces according to European taste and custom. Followings the 1867 Exhibition all the major European artists rivaled in ingenuity for the 1873 Universal Exhibition in Vienna. In London Albert Willms presented his luxurious vases and cups in “cloisonné” enamel for Elkington (see Illustrations of Art Manufacturers in the Precious Metals exhibited by Elkington & Co., Inventors, Patentees and Manufactures of electroplate, 1873), whilst in Paris, Ferdinand Thesmar (1843-1912) produced in the workshops of Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) a tray decorated with a golden pheasant in “cloisonné” enamel on copper...

Bowl with Dogwood Blossoms, 1882 John Bennett (1840–1907) Earthenware, painted and glazed 4 in. high, 7 5/8 in. diameter Signed, dated, and inscribed (...

John Tuska lidded stoneware vessel in a striking green glaze. John Tuska, full name John Regis Tuska, (1931–1998) was an American artist and educator. H...

A fine and large French 19th century Orientalist style life-size patinated and parcel-gilt bronze sculpture of "La Danse des Oeufs" (The Dance of Golden Eggs) also known as "La Danse...

A late 19th century French majolica glazed earthenware tall vase modeled as a Bearded Iris. Three purple and yellow cascading petals surround the head of the Iris. The footing is mol...

Wonderful antique and handcrafted six-light chandelier. If you are searching for an elegant and unique chandelier to, for example, complete a dining room or a large entrance then th...

A rarely seen wedgwood char dish, an Aesthetic Movement mold showing a pair of fish in a deep dish glazed to resemble tortoise shell. Char is a fresh-water m...

Pair of signed Emile Galle (French, 1846-1904) rampant lion faience candleholders Heraldic lion holding a castle tower in rampart also holding silvered bronze candelabra Signed...

This pair of candelabra made in the form of urns holding floral arrangements are French and were cast in bronze in the 1870s. It’s possible that at one time they were gilded but they...

An excellent quality Minton Majolica ‘Daisy and Trellis’ Jardinière on its stand, England, circa 1875. The jardinière shows a pattern of a climbing trellis against a maroon stippled...

Elegant 19th century French Majolica pair of vases attributed to Fives Lille. The vases are shaped like walls decorated on the front with kingfishers on branches, on the base mushro...

A Majolica glazed spill vase from the Staffordshire pottery region of England, circa 1860. The vase is molded as a woman’s hand holding a vessel formed of cattails or bullrush plants...

Circa 1890s, signed "WEBB", England. This massive naturalist aesthetic rock crystal vase by the renowned glass house Thomas Webb & Sons features a superb sunflower design. Made as a...

An American Aesthetic Movement Basket, naturalistically modeled as a bird perched on a a leafy twig, above a shallow dish simulating cloth, decorated with gilt and silvered leaves an...

Monumental 19th Century Majolica ewer with crawfish handle, dragonfly snail, grasshopper, frog and aquatics plants, signed Wilhelm Schiller...

A rare and wonderful Aesthetic Movement black marble brass gong-striking mantel clock with brass finials and brass gallery to the top, just below with hand-painted porcelain panels o...

A large, foot-high, French Barbotine Majolica glazed vase showing a colorful parrot sitting on a Bamboo perch. The perch rests in a grass cropping and features two bamboo shoot flower holders, circa 1875. Gorgeous color, a scarce piece. Signed Delphin Massier et Cie, Vallauris A.M. Delphin, born in 1836, was one of three brothers from the Massier family, a dynasty of potters dating back to before the French Revolution. The family played a key role in the revival of pottery in Vallauris, Southern France...

A beautifully potted vase with raised delicate floral decoration with a burnt orange flower in a subtle Japanese aesthetic typical of aesthetic movement po...

Artistic Double Gourd form Raku pottery vase, unglazed diagonal ribbon exposing black clay body thickly applied grey crackled glaze pooling at the bo...

This is a rare handblown crystal vase made by Stevens and Williams, England, circa 1910. The 12.25" tall and elegant proportion makes this a stand alone piece of art as well as a fun...

Stunning monumental Majolica pink clamshell jardiniere, circa 1880. This yellow and brown footed shell is decorated with coral,seaweeds and yellow...

Of French origin, this mid to late 19th century bronze figure was made by the prolific French bronze making artist family "Moreau". The sculpture depicts a young female student or sc...

The box with scenes of lilliputian figures

French Victorian (19/20th Cent) faience Majolica small double bud vase with circular shape and decorated with vine, leaves, and fruit (impressed: Sarreguemi...

This is a well matched pair of Bohemian or French handblown vases shading from a subtle pale rose to a slightly darker shade as it reaches the top rim. They are decorated with an Aes...

An important antique French orientalist style Jeweled gilt bronze clock made for the Ottoman market. This enameled clock sits within the decorated column's supporting a tulip shaped ...

This is an extraordinary example of "Aesthetic Movement" decoration, finely rendered on black glazed porcelain. The well detailed and beautifully painted subject, depicts a hunter wi...

A pair of Minton diminutive Pate sur Pate "Moon" vases with central medallions of urns and leaves. The green ground body has intertwined trellises of leaves and flowers and the salmon sides contrast beautifully with the earth tones.The feet and rims are gilded and the thick white pate sur pate stands out against the salmon ground. The width of the body is 2" across, the height is 6" and the diameter at the widest point is 5.5". Signed " A.B" for Albion Birks...

A large and very impressive Doulton Lambeth Aesthetic Movement Art Pottery vase decorated with large flowering buds by renowned designer and decorator Louisa J Davis...

A large, colorful and beautifully made garden theme item with an Aesthetic Movement presentation. Roseville Pottery Pinecone pattern footed floor vase, introduced in 1931, with grace...

A large alloyed bronze patinated dish bowl stamped Just Andersen Denmark and numbered 1736 X. Some wear to the patination which should be visible in the photos but otherwise a larger...

1920s Lalique France opalescent coquilles vase. Etched Lalique France signature on the underside.

Carved oak barley twist candlestick. Columned base with heavily detailed carvings. Nice addition to any arts and crafts home. This item...

A matched pair of late 19th century Bohemian / German majolica porcelain urns. With a contrasting mix of Christian, mythological, grotesque and neoclassical elements, they exemplify the highly decorative, "art for art's sake" ideology of the Aesthetic Movement (1860-1900). Colorful and engaging, the style was a direct and confrontational answer to the rise of mass-produced and industrial culture. With impressed marks "R.H. 35" on their bases, the urns were most probably manufactured by Reinhold...