Early 19th Century English Prattware Pipe

You just got to love this guy! A wacky looking bearded Indian pipe head. Probably 19th century France. Beautifully carved by a artisan with a sense of humor.

This 19th century briar wood pipe head takes the form of a horses head. The whole sculpture is finely detailed and it has a great expression.

An early 19th century English carved mahogany sculpture of a griffin, circa 1820; one of two similar we have for sale. This piece is prominently in the style of the late 18th/early ...

A fine antique Georgian English Prattware pottery cradle containing a sleeping child dating from around 1800. The cradle sits raised on two rockers a...

A fine antique Georgian English Prattware pottery cradle containing a sleeping child dating from around 1800. The cradle sits raised on two rockers a...

This 19th-century English string holder, once an essential tool in a bustling retail shop, exudes both charm and practicality. Designed to house a ball of twine, the piece features a...

A 19th-century English brass doorstop shaped like a lion’s paw and ankle sitting on a hefty leaded base for weight and stability. The long handle makes it easy to move.

From the 1700s through the early 1800s, European aristocrats developed a fascination with ancient Egyptian culture and design that culminated in a full Egyptian Revival. Prominent figures such as Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned rooms decorated with Egyptian motifs. This cultural moment reflects a fascination with a sophisticated civilization of great artists and pharaohs. The Regency era possessed very little knowledge of the Great Pyramids or hieroglyphics, a quality that lent Egyptian art interpretation a compelling air of mystique. This English Regency period gilt carving depicts a popular figure of borrowed Egyptian motif: the Sphinx. Recognized among educated circles as a symbol of brilliance in the ancient past, the Sphinx was well-known as a mythological creature who destroys those who failed to answer her riddle. Such a piece as this, excellent in detail and craftsmanship, may have once graced the mantle of a gentleman’s study or been exchanged as a gift between British scholars. The beautiful gold surface has been achieved by an artful combination of gilt and gesso; the art enthusiast will appreciate the intricate texture realized in the carving’s hair and tail as well as the delicate detailing of the saddle. Borrowing from the Egyptians, the Greeks had their own interpretation of the Sphinx. Greek mythology chronicled the Sphinx as being the daughter of Orthous and Chimera or Laius and attributed the riddles, which she proposed, as having been taught to her by the Muses. Crowned with a Grecian diadem and having a refined expression, she evokes an ancient yet reserved intellect. For the modern-day enthusiast of classical Greek art...

A pair of English Staffordshire seated greyhounds, England Circa 1850's 6.25 inches tall.

English Majolica figural bear pitcher with spoon handle circa 1890.