1880s Decorative Objects

An exceptional, fine and impressive, rare antique Victorian English sterling silver vesta box modelled in the form of a tortoise; an addition to our ornamental silverware collection. This exceptional antique Victorian cast sterling silver vesta box has been realistically modelled in the form of a tortoise. The plain oval body of this Victorian vesta box is embellished with cast and applied components replicating the details of the tortoise's legs and head. The anterior surface of this rare box features an applied oval serrated panel / match striker. The hinged tortoiseshell cover opens to reveal the original gilt interior. The underside of the body bears the contemporary engraved inscription 'July 1883'. Condition This antique Victorian vesta box is an exceptional gauge of silver, exceptional quality and in exceptional condition. There are some blemishes and wear to the original gilding, in keeping with age. Full hallmarks struck to the underside of the body are very clear. Dimensions length 8.4cm/3.3" width 5.5cm/2.2" height 3.2cm/1.3" Weight 2.4 troy ounces/73.9g (including tortoiseshell cover) Maker: Thomas Johnson II Date: 1882 Origin: London, England Video: A video of this fine piece is available upon request. Reflections in photographs may detract from the true representation of this antique vesta box...

A 19th century Majolica jardinière , in Country style painted with rooster ,hens and chick on straw , the back side is decorated with straw and bucket signed Aistis. Impressionist style. Attributed to Montigny sur Loing.

A museum quality blown glass vase with exceptional hand enamel decorations of florals and a darling dragon fly. It is accented with white jeweling around its top and elegant pedestal...

19th-Century Palissy Majolica trunk jardinière with a butterfly. L / 6.3 inches.

Majolica Parakeets Garniture set with 2 vases and a jardinière planter signed Sarreguemines, circa 1880. Model 7122. Measures: Jardinière / Height 6.2", length 11" on 6". Vases / ...

A refined wall sculpture of a Bulldog coming out of a doghouse with a branch in its mouth. Made of brown patinated bronze. With refined casting details such as the wood grain of the ...

Large French Majolica Palissy Fishs Vase signed Saint Honore Circa 1880.

This pair of large oak boiserie elements were carved in Normandy, France, circa 1880. Boiserie is the French term for “woodwork”, but the phrase is genera...

Majolica figure which features 'Jumbo', the elephant. Jumbo was obtained by London Zoo in 1865 as a two year old, where he became a favorite attraction. This model can also be found ...

A life size Black Forest carved lindenwood wood setter in a ‘pointing’ stance with a long plumed tail, his collar inscribed ‘Nägler aus Gera’ and the base ‘St. Zechmeister. Provenan...

Fine French Majolica pink rose vase signed Delphin Massier, circa 1880. The Massier family are known for the quality of their unique enamels and painti...

This striking pair of Minton-style porcelain Continental Majolica jardinieres with stands embodies elegance and rich decorative appeal. Each jardiniere showcases a vibrant turquoise ...

This is a superb decorative antique Italian Grand Tour marble Pietra Dura mounted desk paperweight, circa 1880 in date. This splendid rectangular paperweight is exquisitely inlaid with a sumptuous arrangement of semi-precious stones including malachite, agate, onyx and amethyst. It is beautifully inlaid on a slate base. Not only is this desk paperweight very functional, but it is also an exquisite mineralogical wonder that can be admired by all discerning collectors. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation, Dimensions in cm: Height 2 x Width 17 x Depth 10 Dimensions in inches: Height 1 inch x width 7 inches x depth 4 inches. Pietra dura is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished coloured stones to create images. It is considered a decorative art. Pietre dure is an Italian plural meaning "hard rocks" or hardstones; the singular pietra dura is also encountered in Italian. In Italian, but not in English, the term embraces all gem engraving and hardstone carving, which is the artistic carving of three-dimensional objects in semi-precious stone, normally from a single piece, for example in Chinese jade. The traditional convention in English has been to use the singular pietra dura just to denote multi-colored inlay work. However, in recent years there has been a trend to use pietre dure as a term for the same thing, but not for all of the techniques it covers, in Italian. But the title of a 2008 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe used the full Italian sense of the term, probably because they thought that it had greater brand recognition. The material on the website speaks of objects such as a vase in lapis lazuli as being examples of "hardstone carving (pietre dure)" The Victoria & Albert Museum in London uses both versions on its website, but uses pietra dura. "A method of inlaying coloured marbles or semi-precious stones into a stone base, often in geometric or flower patterns...." Giovanni Montelatici...

Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of the Meiji period with this exceptional pair of antique Imari porcelain lidded jars, crafted circa 1885. Standing at an impressive 18 inch...

A magnificent, fine and impressive, pair of antique Victorian English sterling silver gilt tazzas / centerpieces; an addition to our silverware collection. ...

Antique French mantelpiece / clock, Deniere a Paris, circa 1880 All-round glazed, fire-gilded bronze case with relief decoration, on an alabaster ba...

19th Century Majolica Impressionist Flowers Box.

Rich green blown crystal vases featuring 24 karat gold decoration throughout with the central portion having a Greek key design. This pair dates to the last half of the 19th century ...

A beautiful set of 2 antique porcelain flower pots, also called 'cahepots'. The flower pots are not marked, this is Vieux Bruxelles porcelain and dates from around 1880-1900. The pot...

This superb gorge cased carriage clock is beautifully gilded, with a crisp white enamel dial and a roman chapter ring and outer arabic minutes. The eight day two train movement is regulated by a slivered English lever platform escapement, striking on a blued steel gong, with hour repeat button. The case is numbered 10135 throughout, this coupled with the maker’s mark showing the dates of awards on the front plate, means we can date the clock to between 1878 and 1889. The front and back plates are both marked with Jacot stamps. The front with the medal stamp listing the exposition awards Jacot had won. Bronzes in 1855 and 1862, and silver medals in 1867 and 1878. This stamp did not change until 1889 when Jacot junior won the companies first gold medal. The back plate shows the parrot trademark stamp with the initials HJ which came into use in 1878. The back of the dial is also signed by the enameller and numbered with the serial number. This is a very thoroughly marked and numbered clock in excellent condition. Henri Jacot...

Rare 19thc British Georgian style Amber Cut Glass/ Crystal Candelabra. 2 lights for candle Holding. Olive cut Traditional style. Please look closely at pictures as they explain the p...

19th century Victorian Majolica turquoise box with a bird handle and white flowers attributed to Joseph Holdcroft. Very rare shape box.                    

“Bauernsilber,” also known as “farmer’s silver,” is a unique technique that became popular in the 19th century, particularly in Germany. Despite its name, it is not real silver but r...

This antique Historism centerpiece / pedestal bowl is made of polychrom glazed majolica and features four cartouches decorated with high relief knight helmets and dragons. The manufa...

Model #6674. Auguste Delaherche turned the science of experimentation in ceramic ware into an art form. Coming from a long tradition of potters in the Beauvais region of France datin...

Model #1990. Auguste Delaherche turned the science of experimentation in ceramic ware into an art form. Coming from a long tradition of potters in the Beauvais region of France datin...

19th century Majolica chesnut handled jardinière signed Onnaing. This jardinière is inspired by the Art Nouveau and the Naturalism movement of the end of 19th century.

A Louis XVI style cartel wall clock, made in France circa 1880-1890. The case is made of casted spelter (metal alloy) and fitted with four beveled mirror glass. The dial is covered w...

Rare Louis XV style gilt and patinated bronze "Pendule à l'éléphant" mantel clock , the enamel dial signed: "Mafson" à Paris" This beautiful example was made in the late 19th century...

A charming antique victorian vanity set consisting of three different sized dishes and lidded box. All pices with a thick layer of ruby colored glass cut to clear...

This is only the second time in many years of being in the antiques business that I have come across this wonderful figural equestrian inkwell. B...

A miniature vase in elegant upright form reminiscent of the Chinese imperial Willow Leaf form made by Japanese studio Seikozan circa 1890-1910s (late Meiji Period). One of the many a...

This is a fantastic, matched pair of children being protected by their mythical or imaginative cats of the jungle. The tiger and lion are each ferociously snarling with their tiny co...

A Highly Important and Very Rare Pair of 19th Century English Mintons Olive Green Ground Pâte-Sur-Pâte Porcelain Covered Moon-Flask Form Vases, Signed by Louis Solon. These Mintons p...

Clock set three pieces in Imari porcelain and bronze . this clock set is rare ,you can use it with the candelabras , you can take off this candelabras and put the lid porcelain on th...

You are viewing a pair of antique Italian bronze statues depicting Mercury and Victory The statues are circa 1880 and signed by the artis...

19th century French monumental Majolica blue vase with large grapes leaves and fruit stand two large trompe l'oeil rings on the two sides. This vase...

Tripod fern Stand of ebonized wood, burl veneer and mahogany in the Napoleon III style, which is the name commonly given to a 19th century style of Renaissance Revival that encompasses a myriad of Revivalist styles including Louis XVI, and Japonism. These are seen in the gilt and bronze putti medallions and gilt bronze Geisha...

A Monumental and Exceptionally High Quality 19th Century French Ormolu Mounted and Rouge Marble Jardiniere, attributed to ROBERT FRÈRES. The urn is of baluster form with ormolu saty...

A nice pair of antique candelabras, made of brass. The candelabras have ornate ornaments and dolphins at the base. They date from about 1890. The bottom is covered with red felt. Bot...

A lovely showpiece of a box with exquisite details down to it's ormolu surround and clasp. Lovely hand painted florals all over including its main painting on the top of the box as w...

Large French Majolica grapes jardinière, circa 1880.

Our important parcel-gilt and patinated silver and glass-mounted vase and matching oil lamp were designed by Paul Legrand (1840-1910) and crafted by the silversmith, Charles Glachant, for Boucheron of Paris, circa 1878-1880. 21 in tall and 16.5 in wide (53.4 by 41.9 cm). 28.56 lbs, 457 oz, 14,210 g. Provenance: presented to or purchased by Jean-Baptiste Pezon (1827-1897); acquired by a European private collector, perhaps on the death of Jean-Baptiste Pezon in 1897, by descent; acquired by YM Antiques, 2017. This double walled vase has an amphora form, with body and foot with silver, gilt and patinated and stylized flowers, anthemions and sprays of cherries against an etched and matted ground pierced to reveal a gilt inner wall. The upper body is detachable via a slip-lock, and mounted on both sides with arched panels formed of hexagonal beveled glass tiles. One glass panel applied with bacchic infants taunting a rearing goat and the other side with infants feeding grapes to a lioness under a looming bust of a satyr. The patinated and gilt upswung loop bifurcated handles are mounted with fully modeled figures of Pan bearing a syrinx and thyrsus and a draped maenad playing two flutes, both above roaring lion heads, the rim inset with a slip-lock detachable gilt bowl etched with masks of various representations of Bacchus spaced by ribbons and trophies and with scrolling fruiting vines. The base of interior with detachable base metal drip pan to accommodate the removable oil lamp designed to illuminate the glass tiles from within. The lamp is raised on four hoof feet, the upturned ends cast underneath with masks and with detachable cover mounted with two infant satyrs and flanked by gilt loop handles. The bacchic themed design featuring cartouches depicting infants taunting a goat and lion, plus prominent lion masks at the handles, certainly appealed to Boucheron's customer, Jean-Baptiste Pezon (1827-1897), who is believed to have commissioned the piece. Pezon was the celebrated lion tamer and headliner of the Grande Menagerie whose profession brought him great fame and fortune in Paris. Born a shepherd boy in Lozere, he is said to have left his home at the age of seventeen in the company of a wolf he had captured and trained years earlier. He headed to Paris and by the age of twenty-one purchased his first lion who he named Brutus. The animal is said to have inspired the Lion of Belfort, the monumental red standstone sculpture by Frederic Bartholdi erected in Belfort in 1880. Toulouse-Lautrec was among his admirers and friends, visiting Pezon's Great Lozerian Menagerie to sketch animals. A large bronze sculpture of Pezon atop a female lion adorns the Pezon family tomb in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, as seen in our image here. The vase and detachable bowl are marked on the underside with the silversmith's mark of Charles Glachant. The underside and upper rim of the lower body is engraved "Fic Boucheron Paris". The lamp is marked on underside and flange of cover for Glachant. Boucheron archives indicate the vase was inspired by the amphora vases created by the Greek potter, Nikosthenes, 550-510 BC. The Nikosthenic amphora vases are a form of Attic vase recognized for their angular amphora form with broad flat handles. Potted of bright orange-red clay, they were decorated with plant and animal motifs within distinct friezes, with the most significant defining feature being the black figure painting, often highlighted with white accents. In this vase Legrand re-imagines the striking contrast of the black figures against a warm ground through the use of patina and gilding. His inventive use of piercing and double-wall construction create additional levels of texture and depth throughout the body. The same combination of ornamentation was employed in a ewer designed by Legrand in 1880 in the Islamic taste. (See lot 77 of Christie's sale in New York on October 22, 2009.) Edmé Bouchardon (1698-1762), royal sculptor to Louis XV, may have provided Legrand with inspiration for the vase's iconography. The panel featuring bacchic infants taunting a rearing goat is very similar to a bas relief representation of Winter designed by Bouchardon for the Fontaine des Quarte-Saisons on rue de Grenelle, Paris. Bouchardon debuted his plaster model for the bas relief in 1741, and the fountain was completed in 1745. The Boucheron firm, founded by the celebrated jeweler, Frédéric Boucheron...

Antique silver cup or Decorative Chinese cup, pressed, cast and chased. Circular, curved feet with hinged. Decorated with peacock motifs in relief, side-mounted nine mythical animal...

A fine pair of champlevé enamel candlesticks in a chinoiserie style by Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810 - 1892), made in Paris ca.1880. Signed "F. Barbedienne" They are an example of the ...

French Majolica pair of vases with painted flowers signed Pointu, circa 1880.

For those who enjoy the fine quality of blue and white German porcelain from the middle of the last century, this is a particularly fin...

American Copper full bodied pig directional weathervane resting on squared iron stand, late 19th century.

Victorian Majolica bamboo vase Joseph Holdcroft, circa 1872 (marked july 20th 1872) Rare model.  

Unveil the epitome of elegance with This English sheffield silver plate two handled trophy cup decorative vase / urn. This remarkable piece, crafted with meticulous attention to deta...

Iron Urn, after the Medici Urn in the Uffizi Gallery Iron Urn after the Medici Urn in the Uffizi Gallery collection. Having a gadrooned lip, with a m...

A Victorian oval desk box. Beautiful and very attractive desk box, created in London England during the Victorian era (1837-1901), back in the 1...

Patinated bronze sculpture of young boy trimming the wings of a dove by Gregoire. This bronze known as "Captivity" represents the clipping of wings and forceful fidelity. Beautifully...

Antique (19th century) French bronze basin and ewer in the 16th century Louis XIII style with beautiful Roman neoclassical repousse designs depicting Venus and the triumph of Neptune...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian Scottish sterling silver presentation bowl; an addition to our ornamental silverware collection. This exceptional antique Scott...

Decor of double lucky signs and lotus ribbons in underglaze blue, height including lid approx. 24 cm.  

Bulldog biting into the flank, cast and patinated bronze figure on a rectangular plinth. Signed and dated "Bezeredi 1887" on the plinth. Gyula Bezerédi was born in Mogyorósi in 1858...

Jewelry box Napoleon III Materials gilt bronze and ceramics Origin France Circa 1880 No Restorations Excellent condition Materials gilt bronze and ceramics ALL CERAMIC PLATES ARE PER...

Antique Hand-Carved Tyrolean Farmer Sculpture, ca. 1880 This finely carved wooden figure depicts a traditional Tyrolean farmer sitting relaxed on a rock. Wearing his typical attire,...

Antique Victorian quality bronze figure of a Cossack on horseback kissing his wife farewell with his sword and rifle at his side and mounted on quality bronze horse A splendid ex...