Patinated and Gilt Bronze Tazza with Dolphin Motif

Charles X Gilt and Patinated Bronze Figural Clock, circa 1830, the circular dial with strike on bell movement, surmounted by Psyche sitting beside a pond, the rectangular base mounte...

A Swedish decorative bowl in wonderfully heavy clear blown glass, with an array of controlled bubbles, a few in tones of amber, produced circa 1960s by Kosta. Markings include [Kosta...

A fine neoclassical Revival gilt and patinated bronze Tazza. The circular dish centred by a gilt-bronze roundel of the Greek God Zeus enthroned, flanked by chimerical handles and ...

This important George III tazza is attributed to famed Scottish-Swedish architect Sir William Chambers. The magnificent piece features a base carved from statuary marble in the shape of a stylized dolphin, which relates to Chambers' extraordinary 18th-century architectural designs. A marvel of beauty and craftsmanship, the tazza is also inset with specimens of Derbyshire Blue John in both the plinth and bowl. Blue John is one of the most in-demand decorative stones in the world, and its inclusion in this piece elevates the tazza to a true Georgian masterpiece. Due to its popularity, the largest veins of Blue John had disappeared by the early 19th century, and only a small amount of the stone remains today. Because of its scarcity, most examples of Blue John furniture feature only small inset veneers. By contrast, this rare tazza features not one, but two substantial specimens of the stone. It represents some of the last ornamental wares created of such grand size and proportion, though other smaller examples still grace the stately British estates of Chatsworth, Hardwick, Kedleston and Haddon, among others. Not only does this tazza boast a highly rare material, but it was also designed by one of the most important architects and designers of the Georgian era. Sir William Chambers was a Scottish-Swedish architect based in London who was active during the reigns of Kings George II and George III. Celebrated for his combination of English Palladianism...