Antique French Provincial Brass Clad Coal Bin

A large 19th century rustic Victorian era industrial general store counter tin bin tea / coffee dispenser - mercantile retail display with beautifully aged distressed patina. Pain...

A fine diminutive French Neoclassical ormolu gilded metal jewelry casket. Born around the turn of the 18th/19th century, the exceptionally executed petite masterpiece features a rectangular chest shape with hinged dome lid, opening to the original worn ivory silk-lined interior, when removed revealing mark "XVII" (c.1785-1795) to the bottom of the interior. The top, front, sides and back magnificently decorated in ornate repousse ornamentation, classical masks, fruit filled urns flanked by cherubs...

A charming fine quality antique French demilune decorative box from the late 19th century, finished in stunning rich briar elm burlwood, the half-moon shaped bentwood revolving door table or desk box - jewelry casket - trinket keepsake small cabinet - old fashioned cigarette case, features flower...

A stunning, rare fine quality French gilt bronze mounted Kingwood marquetry bibus (miniature bibliothèque). In the manner of/possibly by celebrated ébéniste Maison Paul Sormani; the ...

A scarce fine quality antique silver-inlaid solid brass betel nut box (Lutuan), dating to the second half of the 19th / early 20th century, hand-crafted in Mindanao, Philippines. Boxes such as this were used to store the areca nut (also known as the betel nut) which would be wrapped in a betel leaf with lime paste and other ingredients, often tobacco, for chewing. Similar to the European tea caddy, these boxes often served as a way to impress while showing off ones wealth. Betel chewing was prevalent in the southern Philippines as in much of the rest of Southeast Asia. Wealthier Maranao families on Mindanao were able to afford elaborate silver-inlaid brass betel boxes such as this example. Such boxes were used to show off to guests and from which they were offered betel and the other component such as leaves and lime to make up the betel quid. Rare large size, most extant examples of such boxes tend to measure around 5 inches in length. At slightly more than 7.75 inches the example here is larger than most. The distinctive decorative box features a very heavy strong-box like rectangular shaped chest form with canted corners, copper handles, and a conforming hinged lid, lifting open to reveal an interior divided into three compartments covered by four hinged lids. Each of these doors is inlaid with silver in stylized orchid flower patterns. Exceptionally executed throughout, the arabesque silver inlaid exterior is decorated to the top with a large orchid motif within scrolling obid-obid (stylized rope) borders. The front, back and sides are inlaid with sets of stylized tail feathers of the sari-manok bird beneath which are unusual, highly stylized whimsical zoomorphic faces that appear like cat or tiger faces. (Such stylisation is accounted for by Southeast Asian Islamic preferences to avoid the overt and this potentially idolatrous representation of animal and human forms. Designs such as these are drawn from a local design repertoire that has its origins in wood carving. Although the spread of Islam in the Philippines began in the 14th century, mostly through the influence of Muslim merchants from the western Malay Archipelago, decorative arts in this design remain exceptionally rare. This lutuan represents a fine example of Islamic metalwork from the most eastern outreach of Islamic art and civilisation: Mindanao island being significantly further east than even China – artwork from Islamic Southeast Asia remains chronically under-represented in the world’s major collections of Islamic art. PROVENANCE / ACQUISITION Acquired from highly reputable auction house, Austin Auction Gallery, established 1983, Austin, Texas. References Brownrigg, H., Betel Cutters...

A fine Regency period pole fire screen, handcrafted in England, circa 1800. This wonderful example having an exceptionally hand carved and turned rich...

3-477 English brass covered wood box with scenes of English country side and tavern scenes on all sides Originally used for wood/coal storage now...

Antique coal bin or scuttle, made of metal/tin with hinged lid, tole roses, brass handles and footed base. 4450.  

Brass coal bin with armorial lid decoration resting on ball and claw feet. Dimensions: Height 16 inches Width 16 inches Depth 12 inches.

A rare and unusual English ebonized painted metal octagonal covered coal bin with chinoiserie decoration; by the Coalbrookdale Foundry, Telford, England; the octagonal hinged lid wit...

Art Nouveau brass coal bin of cylindrical form, the removable lid opening to reveal the original tin liner. Above three strap-work handles, all raised u...

Exceptional Art Nouveau brass with copper coal bucket with ribbon on top.