M.S. Rau
to
388
364
154
115
75
60
48
24
22
11
5
4
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
10
8
8
8
7
Period: 19th Century
Yates Gold Cup
By Hannah Northcote
Located in New Orleans, LA
Remarkable in scale and artistry, this George III-style cup and cover was created by the famed London silversmith Hannah Northcote. Set on a circular foot and taking the form of a vase, the cup features two leaf-capped handles and a detachable domed cover crowned with a bud finial. Astounding in craftsmanship given the scarcity of gold at the time of its creation, the sentimental message engraved within the frontal cartouche indicates the prestigious provenance that further distinguishes this cup.
Originally commissioned by Robert Peel, the father of 19th century British Prime Minister Robert Peel, the gold cup...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Gold
Russian and Pillar Cut Glass Plate by Hawkes
By T. G. Hawkes & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Elegant in its shape, this stunning cut glass plate by T.G. Hawkes & Co. exhibits the brilliant Russian and Pillar pattern. Combining two of Hawkes pat...
Category
Antique 19th Century American Glass
Materials
Cut Glass
Bohemian Crystal Goblet
Located in New Orleans, LA
A striking example of Czech artistry, this Bohemian glass goblet exhibits carefully carved scenes of stags within wooded landscapes that evoke th...
Category
Antique 19th Century Czech Bohemian Glass
Materials
Crystal
Rosewood Grandfather Clock
Located in New Orleans, LA
This magnificent English longcase, or grandfather, clock boasts a fine rosewood case inlaid with an intricate, balanced design. The face is crafted of chased silver in a foliate motif with fully hallmarked numerals by London silversmith James Stedstone Gouldsmith. The clock is a three-train movement run by three silver-plated weights and a mercury pendulum. The three weights power the time, the hour chime and the quarter-hour chime, and the clock strikes on nine tubular bells with a choice of either Whittington or Westminster chimes.
Known commonly as “grandfather” clocks, it was not until the late 19th century that longcase clocks garnered this name. According to the origin tale, two brothers named Jenkins owned the George Hotel...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Materials
Silver, Silver Plate
Wedgwood Black Basalt Bust of Mercury
By John Flaxman
Located in New Orleans, LA
In this expertly rendered black basalt bust, Mercury, the fleet-footed Roman god of commerce, communication and transport, is depicted in a winged h...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Neoclassical Busts
Materials
Ceramic
Regency-Style Mahogany Library Table
Located in New Orleans, LA
This timeless mahogany Regency-style library desk features refined design elements prevalent in England during the early 19th century. Lockable drawers with elegant brass hardware pr...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Hardstone and Rosewood Centre Table Attributed to Gillows
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in New Orleans, LA
This remarkable rosewood centre table attributed to legendary firm Gillows showcases masterful craftsmanship and stunningly rare hardstone specimens. The table's base is ornately crafted, complete with lion's paw feet, emphasizing the quality of the wood. The most impressive element of this beautiful piece of furniture, however, is the exquisite inlaid table top. Featuring eighteen semi-precious and hardstone specimens artfully arranged in alternating geometric shapes, rare stones like gem quality Lapis Lazuli, Egyptian porphyry and Siberian amethyst dazzle the eye. Other stones and specimens inlaid in square, circle and hexagon shapes include pyrite lapis lazuli, malachite, green aventurine, agate of amethyst, greek spartan porphyry, labradorite, fossilized wood, occhio di pavone, brèche verte d'égypte, sicilian jaspers, blood stone, spanish brocatelle, siena brocatelle, convent siena and nero antico. The sheer variety and superb quality of these features is an overwhelming visual delight and a triumph of craftsmanship.
Hardstone pieces such as this were popular among the British aristocracy...
Category
Antique 19th Century Regency Center Tables
Materials
Agate, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Porphyry
Griotte Rouge Vases Attributed to Charles-henri-Joseph Cordier
By Charles Henri Joseph Cordier 1
Located in New Orleans, LA
Fashioned of rare and precious griotte rouge marble and gilt bronze, these vases embody neoclassical elegance at its finest. Borrowing its forms a...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Vases
Materials
Griotte Marble, Bronze
George III Mahogany Wine Cooler Pair
Located in New Orleans, LA
This rare and important pair of George III mahogany wine coolers epitomizes the graceful Neoclassical aesthetic championed in the Georgian style. Crafted of the finest quality mahoga...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Wine Coolers
Materials
Ormolu, Zinc
19th-Century Italian Giltwood Mirror
Located in New Orleans, LA
The exquisite details of this hand-carved Italian giltwood mirror are matched in grandeur by its notable size. Nearly 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide, this mirror is an extraordinary feas...
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Rococo Wall Mirrors
Materials
Mirror, Giltwood
Moser Vase with Gilt and Enamel Bird
By Moser
Located in New Orleans, LA
An exceptional avian motif graces this large glass vase by the revered Czech firm Moser. The raised enamel bird is matched well by the gilded amber glass. ...
Category
Antique 19th Century Czech Bohemian Vases
Materials
Enamel
Holland Circle by Baumann and Kinzelbach
Located in New Orleans, LA
This intriguing item is almost certainly a Holland Circle by German scientific instrument makers Baumann & Kinzelbach. The Holland Circle, sometimes referred to as a Dutch Circle, was used in land surveying and is a precursor to the theodolite, an optical instrument for measuring angles. Baumann and Kinzelbach were based in Stuttgart, Germany, and in addition to crafting surveying instruments...
Category
Antique 19th Century German Scientific Instruments
Materials
Bronze
Wedgwood Black Basalt Lions
By Wedgwood
Located in New Orleans, LA
These stately and imposing lions each recline on a rectangular base, their splendidly carved faces and paws rendered in fine detail, their tails wrapped around their haunches. Caught in repose, the lions wear wise, almost pensive expressions, but Wedgwood's masterful rendering of their musculature hints at the power and ferocity of these magnificent creatures.
This work is executed in black basalt...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Animal Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain, Stoneware
Fabergé Glass Box
By Peter Carl Fabergé
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautifully rare, this superb silver-mounted cut glass toilette box was crafted by legendary Russian jeweler and artisan Peter Carl Fabergé. The rou...
Category
Antique 19th Century Russian Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver
Wedgwood Black Basalt Figure of Cupid
By Wedgwood
Located in New Orleans, LA
An important homage to love, this large black basalt figure is an impressive example of Wedgwood's artistry and imagination. Cupid, the ancient Roman god of love, is standing amongst billowing clouds with a pair of doves at his feet. Gazing towards earth with one hand shielding his eyes, the other hand holds an arrow. His bow and quiver rest at his side, ready to take aim. "CUPID" is etched into the base.
Considered a crowning achievement of Wedgwood, black basalt was created by blending manganese with an iron-oxide rich slurry procured from coal mines called carr. In addition to the impressive color, this combination also provided additional strength and solidity. While it initially proved challenging to fire because of its weight, that same characteristic was advantageous in creating ornaments, lending stability to library...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic, Stoneware
English Cameo Glass Vase
Located in New Orleans, LA
A lovely English peach cameo glass vase decorated with a leafy vine motif. Excellent condition.
Circa 1880
Measures: 5" diameter x 9" high.
Category
Antique 19th Century English Vases
Materials
Glass
Amber Glass Cornucopia Vase
Located in New Orleans, LA
This large, tulip-form amber glass cornucopia vase is covered in an elegant acid-etched floral motif. Terminating in a bronze hand and resting upon a m...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Vases
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Oak and Walnut Tester Bed
Located in New Orleans, LA
This lavish American oak and walnut tester bed exhibits superior craftsmanship and detail. The design is embellished by elaborate carving throughout ...
Category
Antique 19th Century American Beds and Bed Frames
Materials
Silk, Mahogany, Oak, Walnut
Louis XV Style Writing Desk by François Linke
By François Linke
Located in New Orleans, LA
Superior craftsmanship and elegant bronze work characterize this tambour front roll top writing desk by François Linke, the most important French ébéniste of his time. Linke is celeb...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Desks
Materials
Bronze
Mt. Washington Glass Cologne Bottle
Located in New Orleans, LA
This incredibly rare and extraordinarily beautiful cologne bottle from Mt. Washington Glass Works features a dense yellow foliate motif overlaid above r...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Other Bottles
Materials
Art Glass
19th Century French Secrétaire by Durand
By Gervais Durand
Located in New Orleans, LA
Superior craftsmanship and intricate marquetry characterize this rare secrétaire by Gervais-Maximilien-Eugène Durand, one of the most popular French ébénistes of the 19th century. Th...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Wedgwood Decorated Black Basalt Inkstand
By Wedgwood
Located in New Orleans, LA
This enchanting antique Wedgwood black basalt inkwell is crafted in the form of an ancient oil lamp. With a removable well and holes for storing pens ...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Other Inkwells
Materials
Porcelain
Silver Gilt Inkstand by William Bateman II
By William Bateman II
Located in New Orleans, LA
The unbridled boldness of William IV-period silver design is on full display in this grand silver gilt inkstand by William Bateman II. Hailing from one of the most legendary silversm...
Category
Antique 19th Century English William IV Inkwells
Materials
Silver
19th Century Chilean Huaso Stirrups
Located in New Orleans, LA
This striking and rare pair of Chilean wooden stirrups are true gems. Also known as estribos, these stirrups are carved from a solid block of wood. Tak...
Category
Antique 19th Century Chilean Other Arms, Armor and Weapons
Materials
Silver, Steel
Old Sheffield Silver Plate Venison Dish with Cover
Located in New Orleans, LA
This grand venison meat dish is masterfully crafted of fine Old Sheffield silver plate. A product of Regency ingenuity, this dish is crafted with ...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Regency Sheffield and Silverplate
Materials
Sheffield Plate
Elkington & Co. Garniture Set
By W. Albert Willms, Elkington & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
This extraordinary enameled silverplate and crystal dish set by Elkington & Co. exemplifies one of the company's earliest and most celebrated ventures into champlevé enamel work. Ins...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Other Garniture
Materials
Crystal, Silver Plate
Russian Malachite and Bronze Inkwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Malachite is one of Russia’s most prestigious stones, and its use in the creation of this rare and opulent inkwell indicates commission and ownership by an individual of considerable status. Wonderful doré bronze accents are the perfect complement to the vivid green stone. Two dipping wells and pen tray make this inkwell as functional as it is beautiful,
circa 1890.
Dimensions: 18 1/4” wide x 11” deep x 5 1/2” high.
The 19th century proved to be the golden age of Russian malachite. The stone became a sign of prestige and a token of wealth so much so that Russian papers of the time wrote: “To afford having a big piece wrought in malachite is synonymous to owning diamonds.” Due to malachite's relatively close proximity, Russian tsars could easily obtain the malachite they needed to decorate their lavish palaces, such as the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, paneling walls and commissioning beautiful inlaid works of art. Year after year the Russian (Romanov) treasury paid increasingly unreasonable prices to hoard the best malachite, much of which went into Romanov palaces and extravagant objects d’art. The Hermitage Museum possesses a collection of over 200 examples of this “palatial” malachite...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Inkwells
Materials
Malachite, Bronze
Louis XIV Inspired French Linen Press
Located in New Orleans, LA
Enveloped in sumptuous parquetry and doré bronze, this majestic Louis XIV inspired French linen press displays the characteristics of superior craftsmanship and luxurious design seen in the creations of the iconic Françios Linke. Crafted of sumptuous kingwood, the glorious parquetry door opens to reveal six compartments used to store linens, such as those for the bedroom or even the dining table. The masterful woodwork is flawlessly balanced by intricate doré bronze mounts in the form of Neoclassical floral swags, garlands, plumes and acanthus scrolls. The delicately spiraled doré bronze feet give the cabinet a sense of lightness and balance. Enhanced by a beautiful rouge marble top, this elegant linen press is an excellent example of late 19th century French furniture...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XIV Linen Presses
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Louis XV-Style Chandelier
Located in New Orleans, LA
This refined ten-light chandelier is a grand example of 19th century French opulence. Crafted in the Louis XV style, this fixture emits a soft glow tha...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Rococo Revival Chandeliers and Pendants
Materials
Bronze
John Henry Belter Rosewood Armoire
By John Henry Belter
Located in New Orleans, LA
One of the rarest furniture forms created by John Henry Belter, this armoire is a testament to this legendary cabinet maker's talent. Recognized as a Pioneer in design and craftsmans...
Category
Antique 19th Century American Rococo Revival Wardrobes and Armoires
Materials
Rosewood
French Marquetry Billiard Table
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautifully constructed, this French billiard table was almost certainly made for an aristocratic country house of the 19th century, an age when ...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Game Tables
Materials
Bronze
Napoleonic Prisoner-of-War Guillotine
Located in New Orleans, LA
An incredible and extremely rare artifact of world history, this mutton bone model of a guillotine was created during the Napoleonic wars by a French prisoner of war. Many of the inmates at the prisoner of war camps were skilled artisans long before they were soldiers, and because of the long duration of the conflict and cost of care, their captors encouraged detainees to use their skills to create objects to be sold at civilian open markets. Because of the intricacy of these fascinating objets d'art, very few of these models have survived the test of time. This masterpiece is impeccably detailed with soldiers and cannons lining the platforms. Adding to the rarity of this piece is that it has moving parts, as only a scant few model carvings were ever created with such mechanical accuracy. The soldiers have movable arms, while the guillotine features a movable "blade" for added authenticity.
By many accounts, Napoleonic prisoners of war...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Models and Miniatures
Materials
Bone
Agate Grand Tour Obelisks
Located in New Orleans, LA
These impressive Egyptian Revival obelisks are crafted of dynamically patterned agate. The rare 19th-century models were almost certainly made in Italy during the height of the Grand Tour when the fervor for all things ancient pervaded the decorative arts. Rich in neoclassical elegance yet possessing an exotic worldliness, pieces such as these were extremely popular as Grand Tour souvenirs among members of the British aristocracy...
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Egyptian Revival Natural Specimens
Materials
Agate
Rococo Style Pair of Twin Beds
By François Linke
Located in New Orleans, LA
Superior craftsmanship and elegant adornment characterize these exceptional, matching pair of mahogany twin beds by François Linke, the most influenti...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Beds and Bed Frames
Materials
Bronze
Sèvres Palace Porcelain Urns
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in New Orleans, LA
These bronze-mounted Sèvres porcelain urns are monumental in both size and quality and feature the renowned manufactory’s signature deep cobalt blue glaz...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Rococo Urns
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
French Fluorspar and Ormolu Clock Garniture
Located in New Orleans, LA
This beautiful French clock garniture, styled in the Louis XV taste, is a charming work of artistry and craftsmanship. Crafted of richly veined and brightly-hued fluorspar mounted wi...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Rococo Mantel Clocks
Materials
Stone, Bronze
Wedgwood Green Dip Tricolor Snake Handled Vase
By Wedgwood
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tricolor jasperware was one of Wedgwood’s most celebrated innovations, and this exquisitely rare vase is an extraordinary example of this wondrous ...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Neoclassical Vases
Materials
Ceramic, Porcelain
19th Century Paul Storr Silver Tea Urn
By Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, Paul Storr
Located in New Orleans, LA
This extraordinarily rare and masterfully crafted tea urn is by the hand of the master Georgian silversmith Paul Storr. Created by Storr while working for Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, Jewelers and Goldsmiths to the King, this magnificent piece truly represents the sophisticated style of the renowned firm and the enormous talents of Paul Storr. Applied and engraved decoration envelop this masterpiece equipped with a carved handle, lion's head spigot and spectacular lion's paw supports. The piece bears the arms of the Neave Baronetcy with those of Digby, for Sir Thomas Neave and his wife Frances Caroline, daughter of the Hon. William Digby, the Dean of Durham.
Though he held no formal title, Storr enjoyed patronage from the most important and powerful figures of the period including King George III and the Prince of Wales, the future King George IV. His first major work was a gold font commissioned by the Duke of Portland in 1797, and in 1799 he created the “Battle of the Nile...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Sterling Silver
Materials
Silver
Swiss Station Cylinder Music Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tiny dancers twirl to the melodious tunes produced by this Swiss station cylinder music box. The cylinder is joined by a drum and bells that give richness and depth to the wonderful music the box creates. Music boxes were at the height of fashion in the late 19th century and served as a status symbol for the European gentry. Switzerland was the birthplace of cylinder music boxes and home to the great majority of the most renowned manufacturers. This example, in its finely crafted English walnut case, boasts two combs, allowing the box to play in harmony for a richer, more complex song.
This particular style, commonly referred to as a “station” or “showcase” box, was used to entertain guests in hotel lobbies, train stations and other similar public places, and as such would have been coin-operated. This example, however, does not accept coins. This, combined with its overall quality, complexity and beauty, indicates it was made for a private household of significant means. Today, these ingenious musical masterpieces are highly sought-after by collectors of musical automata...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Other Musical Instruments
Materials
Brass
Chinese Coconut Cup
Located in New Orleans, LA
Carved from the shell of a coconut, this enchanting Chinese cup exhibits exceptional artistry. An elegant floral design encircles the entire cup, while the interior is fully lined with silver. In addition to the poison detecting powers attributed to coconuts, the Chinese believed that silver would tarnish when in contact with poison. In fact, many wealthy Chinese used silver lined cups and chopsticks tipped with silver fittings as an assurance against poisoning. To find a silver-lined coconut cup...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Other Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Coconut
Russian Cut-Glass Chandelier
Located in New Orleans, LA
This Russian chandelier is distinguished by its exceptional rarity. The entirety of this important Neoclassical fixture is covered with a myriad of intricately cut glass lusters, all...
Category
Antique 19th Century Russian Chandeliers and Pendants
Materials
Bronze
Napoleon III Porcelain Basket
Located in New Orleans, LA
A delightful French basket mounted in doré bronze which provides the framework for the six panels veneered in mother-of-pearl and set with French porcelain plaques...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Decorative Baskets
Materials
Bronze
Silver Plate Meat Platter
Located in New Orleans, LA
This fine silver plate meat platter exhibits the finest Georgian-inspired design, with a gracefully scalloped border edged by precise gadroo...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Sheffield and Silverplate
Materials
Silver Plate
Cameo Glass Vases by Webb
By Thomas Webb & Sons
Located in New Orleans, LA
Exquisitely handcrafted to mimic the subtle luxury of ivory, these cameo glass vases by Thomas Webb & Sons are a remarkable rarity. Webb first developed its celebrated ivory glass in the early 1880s, an era of remarkable inventiveness for the famed glass company. Designed to emulate the Japanese and Chinese ivory carvings...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Other Vases
Materials
Glass
French Louis XVI-Style Bronze Chenets
Located in New Orleans, LA
This wonderful pair of Louis XVI-style bronze chenets features patinated, cloaked cherub figures seated on ornate gilt bronze plateau and keeping t...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Andirons
Materials
Bronze
Continental Silver Gilt Salt Cellars
Located in New Orleans, LA
This set of six 19th century Continental silver gilt salt cellars take the triangular form of silver salts used by the affluent in Renaissance-era Germany. The salts are masterfully executed in a bold Mannerist style...
Category
Antique 19th Century Unknown Renaissance Tableware
Materials
Silver
Hyalite Glass Flacon
Located in New Orleans, LA
This fascinating Charles X-period “cathedral” flacon has the appearance of agate, but it is actually crafted of rare red hyalite glass. The sculpted vessel rests within a patinated a...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Charles X Glass
Materials
Agate, Bronze
Mahogany Carriage Clock by James McCabe
By James McCabe
Located in New Orleans, LA
This solid mahogany traveling clock with balance wheel escapement was crafted by celebrated London clockmaker James McCabe for London’s Royal Exchange. Known for exquisite workmanshi...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Other Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Brass
Domestic Medicine Chest by Thompson & Capper
By Thompson & Capper
Located in New Orleans, LA
An invaluable addition to the 19th century home, this domestic medicine chest contained nearly everything needed to nurse a member of the house...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Other Apothecary Cabinets
Materials
Brass
Meissen-Style Porcelain Wall Sconce
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in New Orleans, LA
This magnificent Meissen-style porcelain wall sconce features three candle holders and is adorned with hand-painted, floral Rococo decoration.
cir...
Category
Antique 19th Century German Rococo Wall Lights and Sconces
Materials
Porcelain, Meissen
Peacock Candle Holder by Jacob Petit
By Jacob Petit
Located in New Orleans, LA
This candle holder by renowned porcelain manufacturer Jacob Petit is extravagantly designed in the form of a majestic peacock. Petit owned one of the most important and well-known po...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Rococo Candlesticks
Materials
Porcelain
Specimen Games Table Attributed to Gillows
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in New Orleans, LA
This magnificent games table incorporates some of the rarest English marbles, hardstones and fossil specimens, including Derbyshire Blue John. The scarcity of these coveted stones makes an inlaid circular piece of this size a truly exceptional and unique masterpiece. The tabletop, with its fabulous specimens surrounding an Ashford marble chessboard...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Regency Game Tables
Materials
Stone
Regency-Era Card Table
Located in New Orleans, LA
This ingenious late Regency card table was designed with both beauty and entertainment in mind. When not in use, its folded D-shaped top sits against the wall providing an elegant si...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Game Tables
Materials
Wood
Mandolin Singing Bird Automaton Music Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional singing bird cylinder music box is a wonder of Austrian mechanical ingenuity. Not only does it play a selection of classical airs with remarkable tone and clarity, but its lush sound is accompanied by a colorful, singing bird automaton...
Category
Antique 19th Century Austrian Other Musical Instruments
Materials
Satinwood
Baccarat Crystal Twenty-Four-light Chandelier
By Baccarat
Located in New Orleans, LA
This Baccarat crystal and doré bronze chandelier of monumental size and opulent design is truly a splendid sight to behold. Boasting 24 lights, this incredible and captivating design is distinguished by the oversized drops of hand wood-polished Baccarat crystals, which hang among garlands of luminous prisms from the doré bronze branches. This stunning chandelier is of exceptional quality and grand size, boasting some of the finest crystal in the world. In original condition and restored for electricity, this is truly one of the most incredible 19th century chandeliers ever created.
The French House of Baccarat has been internationally recognized for its magnificent glass creations for over 200 years. During the mid-19th century, their chandeliers and tableware were favored greatly by European royalty, including Louis XVIII, Charles X, Louis Phillipe, Emperor Napoleon III, Czar Nicholas II...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Other Chandeliers and Pendants
Materials
Crystal
19th Century Exhibition Model of Expanding Table by Samuel Hawkins
By Samuel Hawkins
Located in New Orleans, LA
A masterpiece of both cabinetmaking and mechanical engineering, this one-of-a-kind expanding table was crafted by the renowned cabinetmaker Samuel Hawkins of London for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Diminutive in size, the fascinating table was designed as a model to demonstrate Hawkins’ innovative patent screw movement to visitors of the Exhibition – six million people in total over five months. It was exhibited again a century later at the Victoria & Albert Museum during the Festival of Britain, an event intended “to symbolise two main qualities of the national character: realism and strength on the one hand, and, on the other, independence and imagination” (Catalogue of the Exhibition, 1951, p.117). To this day, the miniature masterpiece demonstrates the quest of English furniture makers to combine technical innovation with superb craftsmanship.
Displaying exceptional ingenuity, Hawkins’ wind-out screw mechanism allowed one to extend the table’s base to accommodate concentric leaves with the simple crank of a handle. It is based on the inventive expanding table originally designed by Robert Jupe in 1835, which used a swivel mechanism to separate sections of the tabletop and allow for segmented leaves to be inserted. Hawkins’ tabletop, on the other hand, extends outwards directly from the center in order to accommodate additional leaves around its diameter. This unique design allowed the mechanism to also smoothly operate on rectangular tables, which could be wound out from the middle to allow for more table space.
Hawkins was not alone in his endeavor to combine the technical merits of engineering and mechanics with the most artful pursuit of cabinetmaking. The first half of the 19th century saw a prolific increase in the popularity of applying new ideas to traditional furniture principles, which allowed furniture to serve many purposes. The resulting “patent” furniture was practical and refined, though few were as innovative as Hawkins’ prodigious design.
Carved with the year of the Exhibition on the beautifully designed pedestal base, the table is a testament to the significance of this innovation. The model is mentioned in detail in the catalog of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the first international exhibition of industry, manufacturing, and science. Held at London’s dazzling Crystal Palace, its visitors were treated to exhibits from around the globe, including feats of engineering, innovations in industry, and marvels of design. Queen Victoria herself was a frequent visitor, along with her husband, Prince Albert, and others including Charlotte...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Other Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Indian Arivalmanai Culinary Cutting Tool
Located in New Orleans, LA
Originating from the Kerala region of Southern India, this 19th century arivalmanai, or culinary cutting instrument, is a traditional tool used in the preparation of vegetables throughout India. Comprising an engraved steel blade mounted upon a carved wood base, the user would place their weight on the wooden base by either sitting or kneeling, and prepare their ingredients accordingly. The craftsmanship and size of this fascinating relic denotes its usage in a Hindu temple setting, as offering food to the deities is believed to direct the mind towards spirituality.
Food plays an important role in Hindu worship, and because of the veneration of the cow and belief in non-violence, most followers follow a vegetarian diet. The vast majority of Hindu religious...
Category
Antique 19th Century Indian Other Butcher Blocks
Materials
Steel
Meissen Porcelain Mirror
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in New Orleans, LA
Lavish Meissen porcelain serves as the extraordinary frame for this mirror. Exquisitely hand-painted in polychrome with gilt accents, the bountiful fr...
Category
Antique 19th Century German Rococo Wall Mirrors
Materials
Porcelain, Mirror
Louis XVI-Style Marquetry Side Table
Located in New Orleans, LA
Fashioned in the Louis XVI style, this elegant kidney-shaped French marquetry side table is decorated with a rich diamond pattern inlay. The natural warm...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Side Tables
Materials
Bronze
Venetian Wood Sculpture
Located in New Orleans, LA
An exceptional and monumental Venetian wood sculpture surmounted by two putti holding a footed tray. The base is decorated with a bas-relief of the view ...
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Other Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Read More
Paul Revere Crafted This Silver Coffee Pot 250 Years Ago
Perhaps best known as a Revolutionary War hero, Revere was also an accomplished silversmith, and this pot is now available on 1stDibs.
Degas Portrayed These Exuberant Ukrainian Dancers with ‘Orgies of Color’
Discovered in Parisian cabarets, the performers reenergized the artist’s practice.
Wear Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Genius on Your Finger with This Vivid Ring
In his jewelry making, the designer rarely used diamonds — this rare example has two.
You Won’t Find a More Handsome Stopwatch Than This 1890s Pocket Chronograph
A Grand Complication from the golden era of pocket watches, the Marius Lecoultre pocket watch does everything but uncork your wine.