Zebregs&Röell Decorative Objects

Galle district, 18th century The box is made of amboyna burr with inlays of ebony, bone and burr wood and has several interior compartments, all made with the utmost attention to de...

Greek, Eastern Mediterranean, mid 2nd to early 1st century BCE The bowl with an uneven, rounded rim, and the straight side, tapering diagonally downward. H. 8.5 x Diam. 15 cm Pro...

Probably Sumatra, Padang, 18th century H. 8.4 x W. 22.5 x D. 15.3 cm Weight 1700 grams Due to the form of this box, together with the date, the most likely place of production of t...

India, probably made in Gujarat for Portuguese Goa, late 17th/early 18th century The tortoiseshell laid over gold foil, and the interior with red lacquer and possibly later added re...

Batavia (Jakarta), 19th century, apparently unmarked H. 5 x W. 18 x D. 13 cm Before settling down to business in the former Dutch East Indies, sirih had to be offered in the most e...

A splendid Dutch-colonial Sinhalese ebony two-door cabinet with silver mounts Sri Lanka, Kandy, 2nd half 17th century, the mounts later The cabinet with a central drawer with hidde...

A large Indian Colonial ‘Vizagapatam’ pen-engraved bone inlaid ebony box Masulipatnam or Vizagapatam, 2nd half 18th century H. 10.8 x W. 47 x D. 34 cm ...

Superb late 16th century signed colonial Japanese Namban export lacquer coffer Momoyama period, late 16th/early 17th century, inscribed 'Arisato' on the bottom H. 30.5 x W. 43...

Piers Secunda (b. 1976) A huge 3d sculpture made of carved out white paint Title: ‘Painting of a Wuhan Mountain’ Sculpted industrial floor paint, H. 144 x W. 68 x D. 44 cm Piers Secunda has been making objects out of commercial floor paint for 25 years, rejecting the limitations of ‘painting’ imposed by the canvas. In the tradition of his studio practice the present Wuhan Mountain is made of commercial floor paint; hence the title ‘Painting of a Wuhan Mountain’. On a journey to China he was inspired by the fine ivory carvings produced in Canton, but also by the Wuhan landscape and its famous mountain temples. Scholars from the earliest Chinese dynasties...

A Japanese Nagasaki export lacquer box with mother-of-pearl depiction of the Amsterdam ‘Trippenhuis’ Edo-period, circa 1830 H. 12.5 x W. 24...

A fine Indo-Portuguese inlaid teak wood figure of Nagini India, Goa, 17th century Measure: H. 55 cm (with stand, and with ring for wall hanging) The sculpture can be perceived as such but probably is one of four legs of an Indo-Portuguese contador...

An exceptional Indo-Portuguese colonial mother-of-pearl veneered casket with silver mounts India, Gujarat, 2nd half of the 16th century, the silver mounts Goa or probably Lisbon Measures: H. 16 x W. 24.6 x D. 16.1 cm An exceptional Gujarati casket with a rectangular box and truncated pyramidal lid (with slopes on each side and a flat top) made from exotic wood, probably teak (Tectona grandis), covered with a mother-of-pearl mosaic. The tesserae, cut from the shell of the green turban sea snail (Turbo marmoratus, a marine gastropod) in the shape of fish scales, are pinned to the wooden structure with silver ball-headed nails. The casket is set on bracket feet on the corners. The masterfully engraved decoration of the silver mounts follows the most refined and erudite Mannerist repertoire of rinceaux and ferroneries dating from the mid-16th century. The high quality and refinement of the silver mounts and, likewise, the silver nails that replaced the original brass pins used to hold the mother-of-pearl tesserae in place indicate the work of a silversmith probably working in Lisbon in the second half of the 16th century. The Indian origin of this production, namely from Cambay (Khambhat) and Surat in the present state of Gujarat in north India, is, as for the last three decades, consensual and fully demonstrated, not only by documentary and literary evidence - such as descriptions, travelogues and contemporary archival documentation - but also by the survival in situ of 16th-century wooden structures covered in mother-of-pearl tesserae. A fine example is a canopy decorating the tomb (dargah) of the Sufi saint, Sheik Salim Chisti (1478-1572) in Fatehpur Sikri in Agra district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, north India. This is an artistic production, geometric in character and Islamic in nature, where usually the mother-of-pearl tesserae form complex designs of fish scales or, similar to the dishes also made using the same technique, with the thin brass sheets and pins, stylized lotus flowers. The truncated pyramidal shape corresponds, like their contemporary tortoiseshell counterparts also made in Gujarat, to a piece of furniture used in the Indian subcontinent within the Islamic world prior to the arrival of the first Portuguese. This shape, in fact, is very old and peculiar to East-Asian caskets, chests or boxes used to contain and protect Buddhist texts, the sutras. A similar chest is the famous and large reliquary chest from Lisbon cathedral that once contained the relics of the city's patron saint, Saint Vincent. Both match in shape, having the same kind of socle or pedestal and bracket feet, and in their engraved silver mountings, featuring the same type of refined, erudite decoration. Their differences lie in the silver borders that frame the entire length of the edges of the chest (both the box and the lid), pinned with silver nails, and on the lock plate, shaped like a coat of arms in the Lisbon example. Given the exceptional dimensions of the reliquary casket...

A taxidermy red patas or hussar monkey (Erythrocebus patas) Mid 20th century, including CITES H. approx. 40 cm Provenance: Private collection, the Netherlands The patas monkey lives in multi-female groups...

A collection of splendid mineral specimens naturally formed resembling snowy mountains All found in Trepca, Kosovo From left to right: Sphalerite, Rock Crystal, Pyrite & Ca...

A highly unusual carved painted, gilt and gem-set tortoise carapace resembling the mythical Cosmic or World-bearing Turtle Probably Germany, late 19...

An Indonesian Peranakan mother-of-pearl inlaid mastic sirih casket with silver mounts Jakarta (Batavia), circa 1720-1730, the silver hinges marked for Batavia, maker’s mark HS or SH...

An extremely rare antique taxidermy Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) 1st half 20th century The marvellous creature in very good condition and o...

A fine Balinese Suarwood (Albizia saman) sculpture depicting a scene from the Ramayana Gianyar, 1970-1980 Measures: H. 48.5 cm The sculpture depicts a scene from the Ramayana....

A Dutch walnut writing box with brass mounts Early 18th century Measures: H. 20 x W. 47 x D. 28 cm The interior is divided in various compa...

Two Palembang Peranakan lacquerware bridal boxes and a tray South Sumatra, Palembang, lacquer work by Chinese Peranakan artisans, mid 20th century Woo...

A strongbox was a type of travelling chest and these types of boxes were more common in England than anywhere else where they were fabricated between 1660 and 1720. The earliest proo...

A fabulous polychrome enameled earthenware parrot Delft or France, 18th or 19th century Suspended from a ring, with modern powder-coated stand. Measure: L parrot 26 cm.  

Philip Reeves, (Nairobi 1952) A Massai/Rendille tribe girl from Kenya Signed P Reeves and numbered 4/8 Foundry mark Luc Harzé, Brussels Bronze, H. 36 cm Philip Reeves, born i...

A fine Japanese export red lacquer box with Masonic symbols Kyoto/Nagasaki, 1800-1820 Red lacquer decorated with scattered flowers and flying birds with long tails in gold, wit...

Japanese Namban lacquer transition-style coffer with two drawers Kyoto/Nagasaki, circa 1650 The cartouches with gilt and red decorations of leaves...

A unique and exceptional Japanese miniature or dollhouse export lacquered chest Kyoto, circa 1620-1640 The chest of rectangular shape with a domed lid, decorated in Transition-style, in gold hiramaki-e on a black background within reserved lobed cartouches decorated with landscapes animated with birds and rabbits, on a shagreen or samegawa background. The borders are decorated with geometric friezes, the box with gilt-copper mounts, the interior decorated in red lacquer. Measures: H 9.2 x W 14.5 x D 7.2 cm This miniature is of exceptional quality and a perfect copy of the famous large size Transition-style coffers. It was most likely ordered by a Dutch lady for her dollhouse (poppenhuis), like the famous Petronella Oortman (1656-1716) doll-house, which is now one of the highlights in the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, or Petronella Oortmans-de la Court’s (1624-1707) dollhouse in the collection of the Centraal Museum Utrecht. Sara Rothé of Amsterdam in 1743 ordered a miniature black lacquered ivory tripod table with gold chinoiserie decoration by Jurriaan Buttner (Monika Kopplin, European Lacquer, 2010, p. 56). Other Japanned dollhouse...

A ruyi-shaped Shakudo-style erotic tobacco or snuff box, relief-decorated with silvered applied figures Possibly Jakarta (Batavia), first half 18th century Measures: H. 2.2 x L. 12.1 x W. 8 cm This box is very much in the Dutch taste, for the illustration is after a print with a legend reading “L’oiseau sans cage. Prenez, belle, mon oiseau. C’est le plus doux présent que je puisse vous faire. Pour les autres oiseaux, la cage d’ordinaire est une espèce de tombeau. Mais le mien semble prendre une nouvelle vie, Lorsqu’il sera dans la cage de mon aimable Silvie.” The erotic message is as clear as can be. In Dutch culture the verb ‘vogelen’ (catching a bird) is another word for having sex and a bird escaping from his cage indicates loss of chastity. The lady with the bare breasts, while making the sign of sealed lips to the lady behind her, who is pointing towards heaven, seems to be caressing the bird held in the sleeping man’s groin. 17th century Dutch pictures...

A charming satin and rosewood, ebony and teak collectors’ table-cabinet Sri Lanka, second half of the 18th century Measures: H. 86.5 x W. 62.5 x D. 34.7 cm In the top of the shaped cornice, there is a carving of a butterfly or moth. Under the cornice two panelled doors with scorched chequered motif, and under the doors one long drawer. When the doors are locked, so is the drawer. Behind the two doors, there are eight drawers, suitable to store small collectors’ items, such as a coin collection, or mineral specimens, small shells, collections of animal teeth, etc. The 17th and 18th centuries saw a wide-spread interest in exotic cultures and collecting of botanical, zoological and geological specimens...

A fine Coromandel wood miniature cupboard Sri Lanka, 18th century Measures: H 89.5 x W 60.5 x D 28.8 cm This entire four-door miniature cupboa...

A Surinam-themed Amsterdam long-case clock The Netherlands, 1746-1756, dial signed Nicolaas Weylandt/Amsterdam The case of the clock is made of Rio palisander veneer and snakewood, with the arch showing a painted scene of the harbour of Paramaribo, Fort Zeelandia and Dutch ships in anchorage, the spandrels decorated with figural representations of the four continents, the centre of the dial painted with Mercury, the god of trade, seated on a bale signed VCS (Vereenigde Compagnie Suriname), and one of the barrels bearing the initials “RBS,” on the left the river god of the Surinam river, with a Dutch three-master in the background. Measures: H 259 x W 60 x D 35 cm (case) Diameter 32 cm (clock dial) This exceptionally rare long-case clock probably was ordered by one of the many wealthy families living along the Amsterdam canals that owned or had shares in plantations in Surinam. It’s a successful marriage of the work of an accomplished 18th century Amsterdam clockmaker, a Dutch cabinetmaker working with exotic tropical timbers, a woodcarver familiar with both Dutch Rococo design and Surinamese iconography, and a painter with knowledge, whether first- hand or through other visualisations, of the Paramaribo waterfront. In the production of this Gesamtkunstwerk, only the name of the clockmaker is known: Nicloaas Weylandt (circa 1700-1754), who had a business situated on the Nieuwendijk near the Haarlemmersluis in Amsterdam from 1742 until his death. The case is made of imported timbers from Surinam; Rio-palisander and snakewood. A very similar clock-case, veneered in walnut, is illustrated in J. Zeeman, De Nederlandse staande klok...

A Vizagapatam pen-engraved veneered sandalwood portable writing desk with silver mounts India, Coromandel coast, Visakhapatnam, circa 1875 ...

AN INDIAN ROSEWOOD AND EBONY BRASS MOUNTED BOX FOR THE ISLAMIC MARKET Malabar Coast, 18th century With a large drawer with several compartm...

A dutch tortoiseshell box with two engraved silver plaques Amsterdam, 1691, with maker's mark of Steven des Rousseaux (1654-1733) H. 5 cm Diam. 12.5 cm Note: Steven des ...

A large Indonesian amboyna and ebony portable writing desk with brass mounts Indonesia, 18th century With several compartments between the ...

A fine Indonesian Ambonya burl, ebony and teak casket with silver mounts Jakarta (Batavia), circa 1706 (year letter W (1705-1710), marked DV, probably Dirck Vooght The outer ri...

An important Japanese lacquer box with a view of The 'Nieuwe Stadsherberg Van Amsterdam Nagasaki, Edo-period, 1830-1840 The black lacquered wood box, decorated in gold and inla...

Artur Kaan (Austrian, 1867-1940) 'Marbruk' Signed and dated A. Kaan '95 and Verwielfältigung vorbehalten (reproduction reserved) Bronze on marble base, H 28.5 cm? Note: ...

A pair of Indonesian lacquered and gilt teak torchères or candle stands Probably Jakarta (Batavia), 18th century Each on three spreading feat with human hand-shaped foot, knobb...

Tortoiseshell and silver H. 5 x W. 22 x D. 12 cm Tortoiseshell and silver H. 4.3 x W. 17 x D. 9.5 cm The function of bible boxes in the Dutch East Indies was just as much a status symbol, to show off one's wealth on the way to church, as it was to hold a small bible or hymnbook. Bible boxes existed in gold, silver, ivory, sometimes inlaid with precious stones, and in Coromandel or ebony wood. In the Dutch East Indies on the way to church, the women tried to display their fortune by the costliness of her bible box. The highest-ranking women had gold bible boxes, inlaid with precious stones, carried by a slave. The lower-ranking women had wooden bible boxes as the present ones. In 1754 Governor-General Jacob Mossel decreed that only the wives and widows of a Governor-General, Director General, Councillor of India or President of the Justice Council, were allowed to carry golden boxes...

A pair of very fine silver filigree rosewater sprinklers Possibly India, Karimnagar, early 18th century Measures: Height 31.6 cm and 31.7 cm,...

A rare complete Indian Sadeli inlaid work and writing box British India, Bombay (present-day Mumbai), early 19th century Micromosaic inlaid wood, with fitted bone interior and tools, and silver fittings. H. 12.6 x W. 43.2 x D. 28.5 cm Note: Workboxes, portable writing desks...

Two fine Japanese Arita Amsterdam decorated or 'clobbered' bottles Edo period late 17th-early 18th century The smaller one is decorated with a lambrequin and under it, one perched, one flying pheasant and a fly among prunus, peony and bamboo, the larger one with on the belly also one flying, one perched pheasant and a fly and in addition a butterfly amongst tree peony and chrysanthemums under a frieze on the shoulder of cartouches with floral decoration. ? H. 21 cm, content: 1.4 liter H. 27.5 cm, content: 2.2 liter Note: These bottles arrived undecorated in the Netherlands where they were decorated in the Chinoiserie and Kakiemon style with red, green, blue, black, yellow and aubergine enamels and sometimes with gold. “Dutch” decorated white Arita bottles are often called “Amsterdam’s bont...

A large Japanese Namban lacquer arqueta coffer for the Portuguese market Kyoto, Momoyama-period, late 16th century In Hinoki cypress lacquered in ...

A carved and painted wood 'TURKOMANIA' sculpture of an ottoman soldier French or Dutch Turkomania, early 19th century Depicted in standing position, with a sword in one hand and a club in the raised other, with a fur hat, long moustache and long coat, on a square base. Measures: H. 58 cm Note: During the Dutch War of Independence from 1568 till 1648, the Dutch and Turks were allies against Roman Catholic Spain and the slogan of the Dutch was “liever Turks dan Paaps” (rather Muslim than Roman Catholic). In 1612 the first Dutch ambassador arrived in Istanbul. Nevertheless, in Holland, there was also the image of the cruel and heretic Turk stemming from the frequent violent clashes between Dutch ships and the pirates from Algiers, usually called the “Turkish pirates”. When the Ottoman armies advanced against Vienna, in the eyes of many Europeans the Islam bent on destroying Christianity. Later in the early 19th century, although the Turkish threat to Europe was long gone, the image of the Turks deteriorated again because of the Greek uprising. The Sultan Mahmud II understood that Turkey had to modernize along West European lines and among other things in 1808 he replaced the “picturesque” oriental clothing...