Stone Building and Garden Elements

A good find comes this large 26 inch diameter, 5 inch thick round hand-carved mill stone from the 19th century or earlier period. This was likely a grinding base stone for a large oi...

Diminutive Jacques Adnet, Attributed -Sunburst Fire Screen, with Marble Base, France, c. 1950 France, circa 1950s–1960s A striking French mid-century sunburst fire screen attributed...

Italian Classical Carved Sink Basin This timeless beautiful Italian classical sink is cut from one single block of white marble with added carved relief detail, these designs have no...

Vintage English Cast Stone Statues PAIR GARGOYLE Garden Figures Yard Decor Original aged patina seated on a rectangle base The perfect accent piec...

A charming vintage petite French concrete stone fruit basket arrangement with lovely natural age and patina. Perfect on a table, bookcase, or decorative accent in any room. Dimensi...

A curious and whimsical family of toadstools made in England to populate your garden or patio. Handcrafted from reconstituted stone and metal pipe with hand-painted decoration, inclu...

Beautiful Baroque hand carved limestone holy water font or stoup, Unique and original period piece. Italy, circa 1750. Good but weathered condition just as it should. Measures: H:10c...

Antique Limestone Trough A one-of-a-kind hand-carved limestone trough naturally textured, lightly weathered finish. Rounded corners and substantial weight make it exceptionally dura...

This exquisite piece represents the head of a bearded faun, clearly depicted with his goat horns and elongated ears. The faun was the Roman equivalent of the ancient Greek satyr, a m...

George Trollope and Sons. Exhibited at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1878 winning a Gold Medal for Excellence. The set forms the four sides of a complete panelled room that was exhibited as a boudoir room or petit salon at the Paris Exhibition 1878 . The main feature and centrepiece of this boudoir room is the Rosso Antico marble fireplace surmounted by an open display niche carved in cedar wood. Each side of the room is composed of various panels and are as follows: One side with a grand Rosso Antico marble fireplace flanked by two doorways. One side with French doors originally opening onto a balcony, flanked by two large bookshelves. One side with a window flanked by two mirrors. The opposite side with three large mirrors. The complete room measures: 21 ft / 6.4 m wide, 17 ft / 5.18 m deep, and 12 ft / 3.65 m high. It could also be used in a number of different combinations to suit various room layouts. The mirrors could be replaced with windows or further bookcases. Each side is decorated with various sizes of finely carved panels and holds ornate Corinthian style columns surmounted with cherubim's on the capitals. Three cherubs are formed at the top of each corner with three columns, at the column bases there are circular carved pedestals to display statues. Published & illustrated in the ‘Illustrated Catalogue of the Paris International Exhibition’. The main part of this room, the Rosso Antico marble fireplace is surmounted by a large open display niche carved in cedar wood are illustrated with a line drawing in the Paris Universal Exhibition catalogue on page 209. The whereabouts of the seminaked caryatids and the marble bust of Alexander Pope are unknown. The bust of Alexander Pope was copied from the original one in Westminster Abbey, London. The Corinthian columns now flanking the niche above the fireplace are also in cedar wood having the identical carved fluting to the rest of the room and were made to replace the caryatid figures. Those Corinthian columns are period to the room and can only have been made shortly after it arrived back to London and before it was reassembled and fitted into the house built by George Trollope and Sons in the 1880's, and where we removed it all from. George Trollope made clever use of Alexander Pope's early 18th-century poetical successes in Great Britain and France by using ‘The Rape of Lock’, a mock-heroic narrative poem Pope wrote in 1712 about Petre who cut off a lock of Arabella’s hair without her permission, as the theme of the boudoir room or petit salon at the 1878 Paris Exhibition. In the original exhibition display of the room set, tapestries depicting the Rape of Lock were hung where the mirrors are now positioned. Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock is a humorous indictment of the vanities and idleness of 18th-century high society. Basing his poem on an actual incident among two families of his acquaintance, Pope intended his verses to quench hot tempers and to encourage his friends to laugh at their own foolishness. The poem is an outstanding example in the English language of the genre of mock-epic. The 'epic' was considered one of the most serious of literary forms; it had been applied, in the classical period, to the trivialities of love and war. Pope’s mock-epic is not to mock the form itself, but to mock his society in its very failure to rise to epic standards, exposing its pettiness by casting it against the grandeur of the traditional epic subjects and the bravery and fortitude of epic heroes: Pope’s mock-heroic treatment in The Rape of the Lock underlines the ridiculousness of a society in which values have lost all proportion, and the trivial is handled with the gravity and solemnity that ought to be accorded to truly important issues. The 18th-century society in this poem fails to distinguish between things that are important and things that are not. The poem mocks the men it portrays by representing them as unworthy of a heroic culture. Therefore the mock-epic follows the epic in that its main concerns are serious and moral. The point that the theme must now be satirical rather than earnest is symptomatic of how far the culture has fallen. Retaining the original exhibition label The back of the panelling still retains two original labels printed with the 'Union Jack' and printed adjacent to it, 'The Secretary Royal British Commission for the Universal Exhibition 1878 Champ de Mars Paris'. Adjacent to that and below, printed and written in ink vertically: Exhibitor: (and signed in ink) George Trollope & Sons. Address: (written in ink) Halkin Street West. London. Allotment in Block: (written in ink) a2. In the printed floor plan 'a2 square' is in the very first line to the right of the floor plan and handwritten in ink with a 'diamond shape' also written with '101' within it. This pin points where George Trollope's stand was located. With thousands of items being displayed at the Exhibition, this label would have been the floor plan for the craftsmen, so they knew the correct place to install the boudoir room or petit salon. The firm continued expanding house building and interior decoration side of the business and by 1849 was also trading as an estate agency, letting and controlling property for the Grosvenor Estates. A separate branch of cabinet-makers, bearing the family name, was opened at West Halkin Street, London. becoming known as 'The Museum of Decorative Arts' (looked after by George Robinson). Here Trollope and Sons also sold high-class antique furniture made by other makers. In 1851, the firm became formally known as George Trollope and Sons. West Halkin Street, London. The address was recorded in the listing for the firm in The Furniture Gazette Directory, 1876 & 1877. Period Press Coverage & Art Critic Review. everal newspapers also thoroughly describe George Trollope and Son's stand including the different tapestries that were hung where the mirrors are now, illustrating the poem 'The Rape of Lock', by Alexander Pope. Marius Vachon, a French Art Critic and journalist, who wrote for the journal ‘La France’ published an extensive review of the Trollope and Sons stand in a book called Les Merveilles de l'Exposition de 1878 (The Wonders of the 1878 Exhibition). Note: In the World Fairs translation it states door frame, Marius Vachon had originally written ‘chambranle’ in French, 'chambranle' loosely translates to a frame around something, and should read in its correct context: ‘fireplace in rosso antico’. We have taken the extract below written by Marius Vachon in its translated form from: Les Merveilles de l'Exposition de 1878, (The Wonders of the 1878 Exhibition). This puts into perspective the importance of this fine quality room interior when he viewed it at the exhibition in 1878: Marius Vachon: English furniture is very curious to observe; irreproachable from the point of view of execution, the furniture of our neighbours always reaches the last degree of respectability and comfort. One thing to be noticed is that for large pieces of furniture, the English upholsterer is transformed into a sort of architect; everything he makes takes on a monumental aspect. The first object that catches the eye when one enters the furniture class is the beautiful boudoir-salon exhibited by Mr. Trollope. The boudoir (or petit salon), of carved cedar wood, is an attempt to reproduce the style which prevailed in England during the first decade of Queen Anne's reign, and all the details have been studied, but not copied, from examples of decorative work of the time. The fireplace is in "rosso antico" movement, and the ceiling is in portable plaster. The panels painted on canvas represent scenes from the heroic-comic poem "The Abduction of the Hairpin," (The Rape of Lock) written by Alexander Pope in 1712, the eighth year of Queen Anne's reign, in which the customs and mores of the time are satirized in a pleasing manner. The apotheosis of the Loop and its sidereal transformations will form the decoration of the ceiling. In these illustrations of Pope's charming poem, the costumes and accessories have been taken from models of the time; and the bust of the poet, copied from his tomb in Westminster Abbey, occupies the niche in the centre of the mantelpiece. M. Marius Vachon, the period writer of the above continues with: Now we shall mention at random the magnificent dining table of Messrs. Johnston and Co., their oak mantelpiece, their boudoir table; Mr. Watt's drawing-room mantelpiece stepped in the old style and imitating the Japanese; Mr. James Shoolbred's great The Decorative Arts Society on Trollope and Sons The boudoir or petit salon is mentioned again in the Decorative Arts Society: Trollope did not exhibit such highly rated objects at the 1878 Paris Exhibition as at previous exhibitions; items included a large mirror frame carved in limewood in Renaissance style and a satinwood cabinet in Adam revival style, with a similar armchair (illus. Meyer (2006), p. 242) and probably two rooms; one was a boudoir in cedar wood in Queen Anne style and the other was a boudoir decorated by the firm in the theme of Pope’s The Rape of Lock. In the above extract, it is quite clear that the two rooms mentioned are in fact the very same room, because the fireplace and niche are illustrated in The Paris Universal Exhibition catalogue on page 209 and Marius Vachon describes the rest of the room set in the above… Trollope and Sons exhibition pieces listed and described by Meyer in an article he wrote for: The Decorative Arts Society 1850 to present, Journal 25 in 2001., where he points out the importance of George Trollope and Sons and mentions a table by Trollope exhibited at the 1867 exhibition that sold for £40,000 in 1996. He also mentions a cabinet exhibited by Trollope at the International Exhibition of 1862 that sold at Sotheby's in 1997 for £150,000. Interest was not as strong in the 1990's as it is today for rare exhibition pieces, high quality items were abundant back then, it was a golden era when the most beautiful works of art just kept coming onto the market. But there are exceptions as in this instance, when a unique, gold medal-winning exhibition work of art comes onto the market for the very first time. Meyer continued researching and writing about the great exhibitions and released his book in 2006, 'The Great Exhibitions, London, New York, Paris and Philadelphia 1851- 1900, where he mentions only in passing, The Boudoir Room or Petite Salon exhibited by Trollope, he even states that an image was not reproduced and that Trollope's exhibits in 1878 were not up to the quality and class of the items Trollope exhibited in London in 1862 and Paris in 1868. This is probably because Meyer didn't know of the line drawing illustrating the Roso Antico Fireplace, Niche and Panelling reproduced in The Illustrated Catalogue of the Paris International Exhibition 1878 shown in the above which Geering recently uncovered. John Meyer continues in the DAS journal: Undoubtedly they (Trollope) are a firm worthy of further research as they were right at the forefront of the furniture business in London from 1860 to 1880. Our research shows that the Petite Boudoir was awarded the gold medal for excellence in 1878 (see Journal La Liberté 23-10-1878 with the list of all medals attributed), something George Trollope and Sons did not achieve at the London 1862 and the Paris 1867 exhibitions. Jonathan Meyer joined Bonham's in 1977. He was Director at Sotheby's in charge of 19th Century Furniture from 1994 to June 2007. He was also chairman of the Fine Arts Faculty for The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. In the original description from the article in Les Merveilles de l’exposition de 1878, M. Marius Vachon states: The first object that catches the eye when one enters the (English) furniture class is the beautiful boudoir-salon exhibited by Mr. Trollope. Suggesting, it was in his opinion the very best on display in the English section, and being awarded the gold medal for excellence can only add weight to this. Adjacent to the original label that was printed by The Secretary - Royal British Commission for the Universal Exhibition 1878 in stencil ‘TO BE KEPT’, i.e. ‘to be returned’. This confirms why it came back to London. We removed the Boudoir Room or Petite Salon from a Trollope house, part of a grand high-class housing estate in London which around the time of the exhibition Trollope and Sons were in the process of building, and where the room set was installed directly after it returned from the exhibition in 1878 until now. Worthy of note is the machines that did the carving for the Boudoir Room or Petite Salon and also did all of the decorative carving (most of which was linenfold carving) for the Houses of Parliament, London. This machine, the engraving and description of which we copy from Engineering, was specially designed by its inventor, Mr. Jordan, for assisting in the production of the vast amount of carved decorations required for the walls and ceilings of the Houses of Parliament, London, and it was so employed during the entire progress of the work. The late Sir Charles Barry was so well satisfied with it, that he frequently declared it would have been impossible to have accomplished the work without it. The Department of Woods and Forests employed five of the machines at the Government Works, Thames Bank, for several years; and the machines have now passed into the hands of Messrs. George Trollope and Son, and are still used in the same building. They also exhibited the new technique of xylatechnography and sgraffito, methods of impressing coloured design into soft wood and engraving veneer to reveal the base wood. The newspaper, La Liberte October, 23rd 1878 listing the medal winners of the Paris 1878 exhibition. Third column, ''GROUPE III MOBILIER ET ACCESSOIRES'', (GROUP III FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES). Medailles d'or. (Gold Medals) where G Trollope et fils (G Trollope and Sons...

This period Italian classical sink is cut from one single block of white marble, these designs have not changed since Greek and Roman times, it carries superb artistic merit easily f...

A substantial Neoclassical-style gazebo crafted from marble and wrought iron, dating to the 20th century. This elegant garden structure features a hexagonal plan supported by six flu...

Extraordinary and monumental 19th century Napoleon III Carrara marble fireplace mantel, masterfully sculpted during the height of the Second Empire period (circa 1850–1880). This exc...

Superb Patina On This Sun And Moon Stone Garden Lantern Wouldn't this antique garden stone lantern look perfect for your garden entry or pathway, pool, patio, or deck ? Just acqui...

Charming Vintage Garden Topiary with Flowers. Beautifully aged flower sculpture for indoor or outdoor. Certainly, would make a fantastic centerpiece on a console or dining table as w...

An exceptional French marble-topped bakery or garden table with industrial details in the wrought and cast iron base reflecting the late 19th century time period. The white marble sl...

Monumental alabaster pedestal-mounted large scale neoclassical urn vase lamp. Spain, 1920-1930s. This ginormous urn lamp with handles has an elegant design an amazing aged patina. Standing on classical column pedestal. These opulent alabaster floor lamps provide a charming light and they have a gorgeous appearance when lit. The pedestal and the urn can be placed together or displayed separately as both parts have independent lights. Placed in a main entry hall, besdie a door in any other room or near a console table they will be stunning. Eye-catching used alone or with other alabaster urn table lamps and floor lamps to create a theatrical atmosphere (as shown at the images) On sale as a set ( column pedestal stand...

Concrete olive jar planter by Willy Guhl with great patina and prominent presence. Simple and elegant design perfect for any garden or patio. Incredible blue patina and excellent vin...

A rustic English garden sink or trough of composition stone, featuring a walled rectangular body with two holes in the base - perfect for use as a water feature or for planting. Ove...

A pair of late 19th Century, antique Italian Ionic style columns, meticulously hand carved from solid marble, in good condition. These monumental architectural elements feature class...

Rare Find, Only One Japan a handsome large oval shaped hand carved Tsukubai Water Basin crafted from a rare red kurama granite. Kurama granite is no longer accessible in Japan and...

This weathered composition stone statue depicts a maiden holding flowers or a draped garment. The patina of moss and age adds texture and depth. Its classical pose and softened conto...

This stunning 18th-century period fireplace mantel, sculpted in exclusive Royal Sarrancolin Fantastico marble, showcases intricate carvings and decorations, including a central shell...

A finely worked English garden sink or trough of cut stone from the Georgian period, featuring a walled rectangular body with a hole in the base to one corner - perfect for use as a ...

Wonderful gargoyle, handmade in Italy, a stone carving of pink and white marble, early 20th century. A wonderful gargoyle, handcrafted in Italy, a stone carving of pink and white ma...

A carved Carrara Marble antique 19th century Louis XV style "Tres Coquilles" fireplace. The Cantered console jambs with scrolled panels and surmounted by a carved shell. The serpenti...

Beautiful Baroque marble holy water font or stoup, Unique and original period piece. Italy, circa 1750. Weathered condition. H:11,5cm W:24,5cm D:18-33cm

Great Pair (2) Of Large Round Stone Bowls/Planters From our recent Japanese Acquisition Travels- comes this unusual pair of large round garden stone vessels with inset carved handl...

Designed by Tea Master "Oribe" Please view our video. "Oribe designed this lantern to represent the secular nature of lanterns installed in private tea gardens" Please view our v...

Material: Authentic Travertine Stone Dimensions: 86" W x 45" H x 7" D Style: Fluted Classical / Neo-Classical Customization: Fully customizable dimensions and edge profiles avail...

This timeless beautiful Italian classical sink is cut from one single block of white Carrara marble, the design sprung from Greek and Roman times, it carries superb artistic merit ea...

Japan, a visually attractive antique Classic stone chrysanthemum -kiko- garden planter or water basin hand-carved from solid granite. Beautiful Chrysanthemum leaf design. Whether ...

This timeless beautiful Italian classical sink is cut from one single block of white marble, these designs have not changed since Greek and Roman times, it carries superb artistic me...

This timeless beautiful Italian classical sink is cut from one single block of white marble, these designs have not changed since Greek and Roman times, it carries superb artistic me...

An Italian garden ornamental statuary finials of composition stone - lightly weathered and in the form of a decorative round artichoke head. One available - $995

Please look at pictures for overall condition detail and measurements it has a gas line hook up as seen or can be used as a woodburning stove very ni...

This timeless beautiful Italian classical sink is cut from one single block of white Crema Luna Limestone a very soft tactile stone and ideal option with these style of sinks; these ...

An classic and exquisite marble pedestal or plant stand from the Mid-20th Century, featuring black and gray veining throughout. The base color is creamy white light color. Certainly ...

Mid 20th century classic Roman style Italian made limestone sink. There are soft shades of cream, gray, golds, and more. A hole has already been drilled for convenience.

Classical Italian scalloped sink basin cut from one single block of Carrara marble. Custom sizes available  

A beautifully crafted verdigris bronze and brass armillary sphere, evoking the timeless elegance of classical European gardens. Pieces like this are often found anchoring gravel cour...

Antique Concrete Garden Bench Unsigned C1920 Measures - 16 1/2" x 42 1/8" x 16" A vintage concrete garden bench featuring a rectangular...

Cement Garden Sculpture Of A Fawn. We offer a beautifully detailed life size cement garden sculpture or garden ornament of a fawn. (Possibly French). This lovely piece will be a welc...

A contemporary outdoor dining table made in the traditional way, using authentic materials. Bluestone table top can be cleaned regularly with damp cloth. If you need to remove any st...

3-846 French hand cast garden poodle sculpture with glass eyes.  

This timeless beautiful Italian classical sink is cut from one single block of white marble, these designs have not changed since Greek and Roman times, it carries superb artistic me...

Wonderful 17th/ 18th century baroque hand carved stone head ornament. lovely folk art style. France circa 1650-1750. Weathered and some small losses. H:24cm W:16cm D:20cm

Fabulous pair of large midcentury swan planters or jardinières C1960s France. A lovely duo cast in concrete with contrasting texture and colouring, in great vintage condition with gr...

Inclined diabolo planter designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit editions in the 1960s. Planter with an avant-garde design and conception, it does not lack character and modernity. It ...

Willy Guhl designed for Eternit, Switzerland. These planters are made from fiberated cement that is lightweight, strong and durable in all climates. The typical signs of use an...

Large cast stone / concrete statue of Pandora depicting a female nude covering herself in her newly discovered modesty.. beautifully weathered .. beautifully posed , ready to adorn a...

A 19th Century Scagliola column with Carrara marble base and capital. The column imitating Portor, a very rare marble quarried in Italy and Corsica. The base and capital made in whi...

Squared black Marquina marble box with lid. Each piece is in a way unique (since each marble block is different in veins and shades) and handcrafte...

An ideal garden ornament, sturdy weather proof planter display base or a rock solid all weather stone base for a special sculpture. From China, comes this large 20.5 inch rectangula...

More information coming soon… Comprised of nine pieces of hand-carved Estaillade limestone from Provence, France, this small wall fountain has a high-arching back wall with thick, r...

This French, late 19th century dining table from a bistro has been recently restored with a more contemporary marble top and white, powder-coated base for a clean aesthetic in a rang...

This large antique smelting pot was used for glass blowing and is a great example of industrial art. It is an object that was made to serve a pur...

Monumental concrete circular table with a set of 4 matching stools. Deep gray concrete embedded with years of patina and lichen. Table is extremely heavy and well made with a massive...

Rare and beautiful small medieval treasure. Hand carved Romanesque marble capital, Italy, circa 1250-1400. Weathered, small losses. More photo's available on request. H:15,5cm W:16c...

Calacatta Viola marble sinks are crafted from high-quality, Italy-sourced natural stone. Due to the natural formation process of the marble, each piece features a unique veining patt...