Fish Scale Midnight Blue Chinese Cloisonne Tobacco Box 1930's

Bertil's work is often haunting, but this bottle vase is ready for display or perhaps for the most adventurous as a container for your personal witch's brew. A entire layer of end of day type scattered glass has been cameo acid cut back to reveal a frosted midnight blue glass underlayer. But, just look at these birds. Ravens, crows... certainly birds of the night. A taller neck than I have seen before and the slight slumping and bubbled inclusions reinforce the visual message that this is both art and handicraft. The fortuitous bold coloration of the birds makes the pattern boldly assert. Marked Kosta Boda Atelier 92 and B Vallien...

An extraordinary sterling silver fish server. William Bateman produced it in 1830 in London. The engraving of a burning building was unfamiliar and fa...

Thomas Minton is believed to have created the famous Blue Willow Pattern and sold the original design to Thomas Turner in the 18th century. The pattern is clearly inspired by Canton Chinese Export...

Carlton Ware pattern 3074 in red. Candlestick form 8337 is elegant and super rare. And, to find it decorated with one of the most popular composite patterns including the bird of par...

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 delightful antique Chinese cloisonné cylindrical box and cover by Lao Tian Li, late Qing Dynasty, circa 1900, China. The box of cylindrical form and w...

A fine Japanese cloisonne hinged box with pheasant and autumn foliage, by Inaba Nanaho and the Inaba Cloisonne Company, Meiji period, circa 1900, ...

A small brass canister once used to store a smoker's personal supply of opium paste. A keepsake from a bygone era, the small box dates to the 19th century and is decorated with etchi...