16th Century Furniture

Beautiful cabinet painted in shades of grey and light blue. The cabinet have knobs and lozenges in the shape of a rhombus. Its particular is in t...

16th Century, Late Gothic iron bound oak chest, Flemish, circa 1500-1540. Iron bound and dovetailed oak chest of attractive small proportions, with side carrying handles, on shape...

16th century, Late Gothic, iron bound casket, French, Circa 1500-1540 Rectangular casket with round-arched lid, with a twisted wrought iron handle on the lid, and a hasp and lock....

This is a particularly fine example of these atmospheric, early safes with a rare inner lock plate. The naïve painting on this strongbox has survived in excellent condition, exuding charm and character. The mermaid inner lock plate is a rare design, possibly alluding to the source of the money, valuables or documents that were intended to be stored in the strongbox coming from the sea. Documents and private papers are recorded as being kept in strong boxes, which were also used to safeguard other items of personal value. These iron bound chests were made in Southern Germany, particularly Nuremberg...

This magnificent cassettone exudes the character and quality of the finest, late-Renaissance furniture. Late 16th century, Northern Italian furniture often had the sides, legs or angles, 'a Bambocci', incorporating carved figures which were unique sculptures in their own right. The putti on this cassettone are beautifully carved and of sculptural quality. Each angel has one arm raised to heaven, a poignant touch. Showing customary signs of wear from time, the lion’s paw feet make a great statement. This cassettone was conceived to have visual impact through the quality of the carving, as well as being very practical with the writing compartment fitted in the top part. It has survived in very original condition with a few small repairs and losses, and the color and patina are warm and lustrous. This cassettone was illustrated in one of the seminal works on Lombardy furniture in the 1969 and has been in two renowned collections. The hinged top in two sections faced with a solid moulded edge. The front part has a fall front and opens to reveal a writing compartment. The fall front retains its original lock and is concealed with a false drawer which is above three drawers. All with moulded panels, escutcheons and retaining the original iron handles. The front ends have exceptional, bambocci, carved putti raising their arms to heaven above trailing foliage. Standing on magnificent lion's-head carved feet. The sides are panelled. Exceptional original colour and patina. Provenance: Coll. Private Azzate The Collection of Sandro and Lidia Orsi, Ca’ Mera, Varese. Regarded as one of the most beautiful homes in Lombardy, Ca’ Mera, the country house of Sandro and Lidia Orsi was filled with beautiful objects from many different epochs. A renowned antiquarian from Milan, over his lifetime Sandro and his wife Lidia revived the Renaissance and Baroque character of the house and instilled their own unique vision into the interiors, which culminated with the creation of a Kunst – or Wunderkammer. “I have never seen such an example of poetical taste”, Sir John Pope...

Spanish writing desks from this period are the most distinctive pieces of Spanish furniture conceived as visual displays of incredible virtuosity. They have been highly prized since the 16th century when they were objects of status for Spanish court culture which required portable furniture to travel within Spain’s global Empire. The characteristic decoration of the outer fall front of this vargueno with its metal pierced mounts over red velvet, locks and catches is arresting and the interior displays the finest, decoration of the period. Carved and gilded architectural features, turned bone colums and finials flank, painted geometric decoration within carved and gilded panels; decoration which was the height of grandeur in the Spanish Golden Age. Varguenos with open stands are almost always associated either with a modern Stand or a marriage of different pieces and this vargueno has its original Stand, probably because it reputedly passed by descent in one family ownership and one house for around two hundred years also accounting for its high degree of originality. The quality of the construction, ornamentation and decoration combined with the originality of the escritorio and its Stand together with its provenance translate into this being as good an example of an early vargueno from Salamanca as can be found. In two parts. The outside edge of the vargueno box or escritorio has two decorative pierced metal mounts along the top, three down the sides and two on the top edge with iron catches to secure the fall-front in place when it is not locked. The elaborate double-hasp is attached to the top edge of the frame and fits into a central hexagonal framed, pierced metal escutcheon covering the working lock. This escutcheon is surrounded by five large diamond-shaped panels with pierced metal mounts, the top two have central drop handles for lowering the fall and the remaining three have central cone shaped bosses as decorative features. The four side panels have pierced metal mounts which are really charming featuring lions and an exotic birds and hearts and latches to lock and release the fall. The sides are fitted with a hexagonal panels with pierced mounts and carrying handles. All of these metal panels retain their original red velvet which is typically worn due to age and use. A pair of three iron Santiago shells at the bottom hide the fixings for the hinges which are fixed on the inside. The fall opens to reveal a stunning architecturally inspired, fitted interior with carved and gilded ornament, black and white painted decoration and spiral bone columns. The central cupboard has a broken volute scroll pediment, spiral bone columns and floral painted cartouches and retains its original working lock and hinges. There are two long short drawers on either side above two short deep drawers with secret drawers below repeating the architectural decoration on the central cupboard beside them flanked by two pairs of short drawers all with original working locks and hinges. A deep drawer below the cupboard with a secret drawer below is flanked by two pairs of long drawers. All the cupboards and drawers are moulded and faced with chip carved decoration and the drawers retain their original Santiago shell handles. The fall front retains its original hinges and cleated sides. The H-shaped, pie de puente (bridge foot) or turned base has two pull-out bars with Santiago shell ends to support the fall when the vargueno is open. It has six turned uprights joined with arcading with turned finials attached to three turned uprights on each side standing on sledge feet. Provenance: Deceased estate of private collector. Private collection, reputedly by descent in the same family since the 18th century. Literature: 'Varguenos have the simplicity, rigid regularity, and austere dignity that have always appealed to Spanish taste in furniture. . . When open, the effect is one of flamboyant splendor . . . like Moorish artesonados . . .'; see Grace Hardendorff Burr, former Curator of Furniture of the Hispanic Society of America, This vargueno has all the features associated with those illustrated in the standard textbooks on Fine, Spanish furniture of the period which are largely from museum collections, notably the publication by the Hispanic Society of America entitled 'Spanish Interiors & Furniture' and a modern publication by Maria Alonso entitled 'El Mueble en Espana' and Feducci's ‘El Mueble Espanol’. Hispanic Furniture...

This is a lovely hand-painted and hand glazed single sculpture of a large Ming dynasty banquet table replete with a platter containing an abundance of foods, a boars head, rice bowl...

Important Ancient Chinese pair of three women attendants handmade and hand glazed in vibrant turquoise and cobalt blue colors - a collection two figures, Ming dynasty 1368-1644. Superb quality. The statues each are dressed in long gowns with long sleeves, their hands caressing important attributes needed in the after life: a) round precious cosmetic or jewels box b) comb#1 They are richly glazed in vibrant blue colors- a superior feature not often found on these works of art and representative of an important tomb which deserved highest quality pottery representations. These figures are extremely detailed and are highlighted in red and white cold painted pigments. Most of the original colors remain in tact. The figures were often placed in a north-south direction in coffin Chambers to represent the progress of time. People hoped that such an arrangement would encourage the gods to visit and to guard the tomb. This scarce kind of collection is infrequently found in wealthy tombs of the elite and wealthy ancient Ming Chinese. Dimension: 12.5 inches tall Condition: Handmade and hand glazed. Superb quality, all figures are original and intact with finely preserved glazes and pigments. As with most Ming dynasty sculptures...

Important ancient Imperial China Ming military horse rider brandishing an unusual form of medieval grenade, a Chinese invention, 1368-1644. Crafted in ...

SALE -NOW SAVE 20% OR MORE This is a lovely grouping of three (3) hand painted and hand glazed sculptures that consist of a large Ming dynasty banquet table replete with a platter c...