Quintessential Things

On offer is an antique American folk art horse silhouette weathervane, likely dating from the late 19th century to the early 20th century (circa 1890s–1920s). The horse’s flat profi...

On offer is an antique French porcelain opaline glass vase, manufactured around the late 19th to early 20th century in the classic Sèvres or Limoges romantic style. The vase’s hand-p...

On offer is a stunning example of vintage hand-blown studio art glass, most notably featuring a distinctive "threaded" or "trailed" technique. The vase has a heavy, squat, globe-like...

The faded handwritten sticky note on the sculpture’s base (photo #6) reads "jan cerny / (autor = / socrec).” This suggests this is a mid-20th-century Czech studio art glass sculpture...

On offer is a beautiful vintage Mid-Century Modern, Murano Sommerso "Geode" Art Glass Bowl. It was crafted in Murano, Italy, and is heavily attributed to the iconic designer Flavio P...

On offer is a vintage Mid-Century Modern, hand-blown art glass, barware decanter with a matching spherical stopper. This piece closely matches the iconic styles produced by Murano gl...

On offer is a highly sought-after pre-Prohibition era lithographed tin serving tray from around 1900, advertising the historic Ruhstaller Brewing Company based in Sacramento, Califor...

On offer is a vintage Chinese hand-carved camphor wood box with detailed courtyard, pavilion, willow, and pine scenes. Likely mid-20th century, with a simplified front shield that ma...

On offer is a classic piece of Chinese folk art depicting a traditional, auspicious motif, namely a young boy wrestling a giant carp, or Koi fish. In Chinese culture, the word for fi...

On offer is an authentic historic Native American Pueblo water jar, or “olla,” with dual-loop handles and bold polychrome floral decoration dating roughly from the 1880s to the 1920s...

This is an exceptionally beautiful, heavily detailed Japanese bronze incense burner, known as a koro (香炉), dating to the Meiji Period (1868–1912). While it bears a Japanese maker's mark on the base, the visual identity of this pot is intentionally styled to look like an ancient Chinese ritual vessel...

For the connoisseur who demands the absolute pinnacle of counterculture history, this artifact is the ultimate "Holy Grail." Presented here is an exceptionally rare, museum-quality 1...

On offer is an early 20th-century "After Bergman" cold-painted spelter lamp, one that explicitly bears a stamp, likely for the manufacturer Müller (often associated with Müller Co. or other specialized French/Austrian metal foundries operating in the 1920s–1930s). The lamp depicts a Middle Eastern carpet seller sitting cross-legged inside his market stall, which is shaded by broad green banana leaves. Richly patterned Oriental rugs, complete with fringe, are draped over the structure. The rug seller is shown playing a rebab, an ancient Middle Eastern stringed instrument. He holds the instrument vertically resting on his lap or the floor. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Middle Eastern and North African marketplaces, known as “souks,” were incredibly competitive, noisy, and bustling environments. To stand out, merchants did not just sit quietly waiting for foot traffic. They utilized street performance—called busking—as a highly effective marketing tactic. A rug merchant playing a piercing, hypnotic melody on a rebab would successfully create an inviting ambiance, draw a curious crowd to his market stall, and provide a pleasant environment to keep potential buyers lingering around his expensive textiles longer. During the height of the Art Deco and Orientalist craze, the original cold-painted bronze designs by Franz Bergman were incredibly popular and expensive. To meet the demand for more affordable home lighting, alternative foundries bought or replicated the original molds. Rather than using costly heavy bronze, these foundries cast the lamps using spelter (a zinc-based alloy popular in France and Austria). Spelter was lighter, easier to cast, and took enamel "cold paint" exceptionally well. The kneeling merchant and the structural pillar show the classic, slightly softer detailing indicative of a high-quality spelter casting rather than crisp chiseled bronze. The striking orange, yellow, and green pigments applied directly onto the metal capture the exact moody, bazaar-like atmosphere intended by the original theme. A light bulb socket is hidden underneath the canopy of the roof structure. When turned on, the bulb illuminates the entire interior marketplace scene from above, shining down through the leaves and casting a dramatic, warm, atmospheric glow. Because these "After Bergman" pieces are genuine early 20th-century antiques in their own right, they carry significant historical value and are highly sought after by collectors of Art Deco and Orientalist lighting...

On offer is an original 1920s Watkins "Egyptian Bouquet" Talcum Powder tin manufactured by The J.R. Watkins Company based in Winona, Minnesota. This specific tin was introduced aroun...

On offer is a classic Grand Tour-style Italian carved alabaster miniature “tazza,” a compote bowl, traditionally crafted in workshops around Florence or Volterra, Italy. During the 1...

On offer is an Italian hand-carved alabaster tazza, also known as a compote or pedestal centerpiece bowl, dating to the late 19th or early 20th century. Carved from translucent white...

Modeled after late 18th-century Chinese export porcelain made for Western markets during the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods, this armorial beaker vase combines historic form with decor...

This trumpet-form or spill vase is an antique French porcelain reproduction of an 18th-century Chinese Export armorial piece, made in China or possibly manufactured by the famous Sam...

On offer is a Chinese-export style, cylindrical flared trumpet vase. While handsomely styled after 18th-century Qing Dynasty period armorial export wares--in this example bearing a E...

On offer is a Chinese export-style, porcelain armorial vase, decorated in the manner of an 18th-century service commissioned for the Russian Imperial Market. Original 18th-century Ch...

These three hand-carved figures depict the globally recognized Three Wise Monkeys, an ancient cultural motif that symbolizes the principle of shielding oneself from bad thoughts, act...

On offer is a Japanese bronze patinated vase, crafted during the Meiji period (1868–1912) or early Taisho period. It features highly detailed, high-relief decoration showcasing a tra...

On offer is an antique Mexican folk art pottery pitcher, most likely originating from the historic ceramics hub of Atzompa (Santa María Atzompa) in Oaxaca, Mexico. Known historically...

On offer is a highly detailed, authentic late 20th-century Inuit (Eskimo) stone carving depicting a mythological shape-shifter in a shamanic transformation scene, a common theme in I...

This iconic item is a Victorian-era antique cast iron "Mr. Punch and Toby" doorstop. It depicts the famous character Mr. Punch from the historic British puppet show “Punch and Judy,”...

On offer is a vintage right-foot wooden riding boot tree. It was originally crafted to keep tall leather boots, usually for horseback riding, upright...

On offer is a beautifully proportioned antique Japanese bronze Ikebana flower vase. Dating from the late Meiji to Taisho period (late 19th to early 20th century). The elongated, ultr...

On offer is a pair of Art Nouveau "beetle" vases that represent a prime example of late 19th to early 20th-century Bohemian ceramic artistry. Capturing Art Nouveau’s fascination with...

On offer is a stunning pair of European antique porcelain portrait vases, likely dating to the late Victorian or Art Nouveau era (circa 1890–1910). Each of the matching vases display...

In an era when we get our beverages out of pull-top cans right from the fridge, on offer is an opportunity for experiencing a little grandeur. This classic 19th-century French Cave à Liqueur (liquor cellar) dates from the Napoleon III period (circa 1850–1870). Designed to elegantly present after-dinner cordials or liqueurs, such portable miniature bars were highly prestigious items produced for wealthy households during France's Second Empire. The piece features a distinct serpentine front, a hallmark of fine French cabinetry from this era. The main body showcases an ebonized (blackened) finish bordered by richly figured contrasting wood veneers, likely rosewood or kingwood. The top and front are centered by highly intricate, symmetrical Boulle-style marquetry medallions. These medallions seamlessly combine engraved brass scrollwork with iridescent mother-of-pearl and natural shell inserts. Imagine the mother of pearl inlay in the candlelight. A brass escutcheon on the front guards a physical lock mechanism, historically used to keep valuable spirits safe from household staff. When unlatched, the hinged top swings up to the back while the two side panels fan outward completely for an impressive presentation. At the heart of the cabinet is a removable, tiered serving tray...

On offer is an Art Nouveau figural table lamp dating from the late 19th century to early 20th century (circa 1890–1915), a period famous for blending functional everyday objects with...

Why special? Oh, the pair of boots and their trees, of course. This unique, custom-made lamp was undoubtedly hand-crafted as a loving gift for someone who was retiring from the field. The pair of antique leather riding boots...

On offer is a Kuba Bwoom helmet mask from the Kuba Kingdom (Democratic Republic of the Congo), specifically featuring a heavily stylized ceremonial royal coiffure. In Kuba royal mas...

On offer are a rare pair of antique Chinese export or Chinoiserie silk-embroidered canisters. Their delicate silk exteriors over gilt wood indicate they were meant for clean, luxury ...

On offer is a unique vintage Taj Mahal music and cigarette/jewelry box created by the renowned American maker Fred Zimbalist (1909–2003). Known for his highly collectible, ornate met...

As the United States celebrates its 250th year, an antique silhouette portrait of Martha Washington represents a meaningful memento of this...

This fascinating collection displays three distinct elephant miniatures intricately hand-carved of boxwood (Tsuge) in traditional forms of netsuke. ...

When filled, this classic "black glass" piece, must have brought happiness to somebody, as it is an antique case gin bottle. Likely of Dutch origin, it dates from the mid-to-late 19t...

This collection consists of nine miniature Japanese netsuke figures, crafted from Japanese boxwood. The unifying focus is on the rabbit, a deeply symbolic animal in East Asian folklo...

On offer is a mix of the classic seating styled after the iconic 1925 Model No. 811 "Prague" chair. Armless side chairs in the front row and armchairs with fluid, looping bentwood ar...

On offer is an antique Victorian-era needlepoint tapestry dating from the mid-to-late 19th century (circa 1850–1880). The needlework depicts a romanticized, pastoral scene of two fig...

On offer is a trophy shaped in a classic "loving cup" style. Going back centuries, the shape is identifiable by its deep bowl and twin sweeping handles, ready to be passed around at ...

This traditional Peruvian storytelling gourd, or mate burilado, reflects a craft practiced in Peru for over 4,000 years. Measuring 15 inches across and 8.5 inches high, it is an impr...

On offer is a hand-carved, painted wood ancestral spirit figure from the Middle Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea. In Sepik River cultures, these statues do not simply represent...

On offer is a 19th-century decorative round tray or plaque with hanging hooks. It features a repoussé Russian double-headed eagle insignia. Crafted in silverplate, the piece measures...

On offer is a natural giant fossilized clam shell, which at nearly 20 inches long can be used as a natural history specimen or as a sculptural decorative object for interior or garde...

These extremely charming and highly collectable tureens were produced by the renowned Pillivuyt factory in Mehun-sur-Yèvre, France. At the beginning of the 20th century, the company ...

On offer is a 19th-century black transferware sauce or gravy tureen, complete with its original matching lid and underplate. This set was made in Staffordshire, England, the global h...

On offer is an original "Home Bank" with a morning glory/scalloped finial on the roof. Originally patented in 1872 by the prestigious J. & E. Stevens Company of Cromwell, Connect...

This sculpture is an antique Chinese lacquered and polychrome-painted wood figure dating from late in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). Hand-carved from a single piece of wood, set on an...

Fabulous antique grocery sign, which is double-sided and hand painted. This piece came from a barn in Washington state and is in great shape for its age. It measures 18 inches high b...

This newspaper front page, dated Tuesday, April 16, 1912, marks an event that touched the world. It took place late at night on Sunday, April 14 when the most luxurious, technically ...

This artifact is an Indo-Persian Kulah Khud helmet, a traditional style of head armor used across Persia, India, and the Ottoman Empire from the 17th to the 19th centuries. This traditional Indo-Persian Kulah Khud helmet is primarily made of forged steel. The skull bowl was fashioned from a single sheet of wrought iron or low-carbon steel, which was meticulously hammered, visible in photo #6, over a mold to form a uniform, protective dome. Forged either of iron or a matching steel alloy, the sharp spear-point spike mounted at the absolute top of the dome served a psychological and combative purpose to deflect downwards sword blows. Also attached is a vertical metal strip running down the center front, a nasal guard designed to protect the user's face. The two small, angled metal sockets on the front flanks were designed to hold decorative feathers (such as heron or egret plumes) during military parades or court displays. The darkened, brownish finish on this specific piece is a natural patina, indicating oxidized steel that has weathered over time from environmental exposure and age. The outer bowl features extensive hand-engraved scrollwork, typical of the decorative styles popularized during the Safavid and Qajar periods. Such Indo-Persian helmets...

This nearly seven-foot-high work is an original theatrical three-sheet poster for the 1946 screwball comedy “She Wrote the Book.” These large-format advertisements were primarily use...

Classic mid-century rosewood coffee table designed by Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin.

Pair of Satsuma style hand painted porcelain table lamps with scenes depicting birds and peonies

This pair of 19th-century Dutch-style side chairs features highly decorative inlays of flower urns, tulips, foliage, butterflies and birds on all sides. While the upright backs with ...

On offer is a French Louis XIV-style upholstered window or hallway bench. For much of the late 18th-century, this grand style was intentionally designed to project the power, majesty...

On offer is a French Louis XIV-style upholstered window or hallway bench. For much of the late 18th-century, this grand style was intentionally designed to project the power, majesty...

This 1960s Murano glass table lamp, made by Seguso Vetri d'Arte in Venice for Marbro Lamp Company in California, features an amber "honey yellow" color, likely designed by Archimede ...