Neoclassical Decorative Objects

In a time of computers and technology, this antique desk set harks back to a more romantic period when people read letters at their desks by candlelig...

Pair of large antique white glass vases by Baccarat French, Late 19th Century Height 120cm, diameter 41cm Of an impressive size, this identical pair of vases are made from sophisti...

Delft blue and white "Dunkerer" tobacco jar, with brass lid topped with an acorn finial knob. Made in the Netherlands circa 1840. Surface of jar decorated with floral cartouche, within which "Dunkerer" is inscribed. Jars marked "Dunkerer" contained a processed tobacco imported to Dunkirk (Dunkerque), France from Saint Domingue (now Haiti). De Drie Klokken...

A pair of mid 18th century Italian marble busts depicting the Roman Emperors Augustus and Nero. Also known as Octavian, Augustus was the first Roman Emperor and founder of the Roman...

Pair early 19th century French Vieux Paris hand-painted porcelain vases feature a lovely Mediterranean seaside scene, painted all around so they work even in front of a mirror, by de...

This handsome pair of French tole cachepots feature hand painted Classical landscapes, and gilt brass loin head and ring handles.

Amphora vase with handles in 800 solid silver in neoclassical style. The body is round, rounded and completely smooth. Only on the neck of the amphora were 3 grooves made to break up...

A large bowl made of Blyberg Porphyry from Älfdalen, Sweden, circa 1800.

A large-scale museum cast statue of the Capitoline Wolf circa 1900 after the antique in bronze thought to date from as early as the 11th century. Originally made by the Moulage Museu...

Beautiful and precious miniature of a bronze jewelry chair. The seat rises and inside we find some vintage burgundy red silk satin. The surface features sophisticated details. Miniat...

Depictions of young angelic boys are also known as putti, or putto for a single one. Since the 17th century on they remained popular and are found in various forms. Perhaps the most known version is Cupid. Looking at their attributes time periods can be narrowed down. In this example we see a rose Guirlande and a medaillon which are typical for the late 18th-early 19th century. The Rosso Verona Marble...

Russian Black Marble and Malachite Clock Stand, 19th century, gilt metal mounted. 14.5" H x 8.25" W x 3.5" D.

Elegant and architectural, this pair of 20th-century English candleholders is crafted in a classic stepped columnar form, standing an impressive 21 inches high on 5.75-inch square ba...

48" tall marble statue of a young girl holding a bouquet of flowers, circa 1920's.

Pair of exceptional neoclassical cassolette form candlesticks in the manner of Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), finely crafted from gilt bronze an...

A lovely pair of vintage German porcelain white and gold urns or vases from the Royal Tettau Manufactory, circa 1930-1950. Maker's mark on rever...

This finely executed bust of a Naiad is attributed to the neoclassical sculptor John Gibson (1790 – 1866). A Naiad was a type of mythological water nymph and is depicted here with her head bowed and cocked slightly to the side, displaying her strong neo-Hellenistic profile. In her hair, the nymph wears a headdress that is comprised of long and slender reed leaves, which not only identifies her iconographically as a water spirit, but draws a close comparison with those worn by the female figures in John Gibson’s Hylas Surprised by the Naiades (1827 - 1837) (fig.1). The downwards and off-centre orientation of our Naiad bust mirrors that of the taller figure on the left of the group, who rests her cheek on the head young Hylas (fig.2) Her facial physiognomy follows the neo-Hellenistic archetype established by Gibson and can be closely compared with his Tinted Venus – one of the most important statues of the Victorian era (1851–56, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool) (fig.3). While Gibson’s Tinted Venus is known best for its controversial polychrome ‘tinting’, the essential structure of the face—broad brow, finely drawn nose, wide (and slightly drooping) almond-shaped eyes - provided a template that Gibson returned to repeatedly in his depiction of mythological maidens. Critics of the time noted the consistency of his female types, with some seeing their idealised severity as an antidote to the sentimentality of much mid-Victorian sculpture (fig.4 – 6). The facial physiognomy is also very similar to a drawing by Gibson at the Royal Academy that depicts Hero weeping over the dead body of Leander (fig.7). The socle style of the present work also finds comparisons with Gibsons busts of Cupid and Aurora. This was of course somewhat standardised, but it is interesting to note the extent of their similarity with our bust. John Gibson RA is considered by many to be the greatest British sculptor of the nineteenth century working in the Neoclassical style. It is hard to overestimate the impact Rome had on the life and art of the artist. He first arrived in the city around 1817, when he was just twenty-six, and remained a resident there until his death. Not only did Rome’s ancient sculptural treasures and architectural fragments offer Gibson a lifetime of inspiration, but the Grand Tourists who poured into Rome in the first half of the nineteenth century provided him with many commercial opportunities. These rich or aristocratic travellers sought out mythological sculptures for their grand, palatial residences. However, since the papal decrees of Doria Pamphilj and Pacca of 1803 banned the export of ancient Greek and Roman works of art from Rome, there was a large demand for modern idealised sculpture in the Neoclassical style (Frasca-Rath 2016, p. 10). During his early days in the city he had the great fortune to train under both Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen (Roscoe and Hardy 2009, p. 522). He referred continuously to Canova as his “master”, particularly in his memoirs, which he dictated to Margarete Sandbach at the beginning of the 1850s; these were subsequently published by Lady Eastlake in 1870. Moreover, he claimed to be Canova’s last pupil in a letter to Antonio Gacini, Secretary of the Royal Academy in Milan in 1861, written to thank the Academy for accepting him as an Honorary Member: “The first instruction which I received in my art was from an Italian. It was Canova whose pupil I became in the year 1817 and studied under him for five years when he died. I was his last pupil” (Royal Academy Archive GI/1376). By 1821, Gibson had established his own studio in the via Fontanella, off the via Babuino. From here he aimed to produce sculpture of “the sublime and the purest beauty”, believing that the sculptor’s role was to select and combine the most beautiful parts of nature to create a harmonious whole, which would delight and elevate the viewer. By the mid nineteenth century he was one of the few remaining exponents of the so-called ‘pure’ and ‘neo Hellenistic’ style of sculpture, resolutely upholding the Neoclassical ideals established by Wincklemann, in a period when naturalism and modern subjects preoccupied the majority of artists in Europe (Turner, ed., 1996, p. 598). Gibson was convinced of the importance of disseminating artistic ideas through the younger generations, an ideal no doubt impressed upon him by Canova, and established ‘the British Academy of Arts in Rome’. His students included William Theed (1804–1891), Benjamin Spence (1822–1866), Harriet Hosmer...

Decorate a living room, entryway, or chapel corner with this expressive pair of antique Italian wall-hanging cherub sculptures, carved in Italy circa 1860 and finished in richly burn...

Tole palm tree sculpture with four separate palm trees at assorted stages of development. Original paint now muted and oxidized. All mounted on a handwr...

The purple/white stone in the shape of a sphere

A fine pair of carved fruit wood busts of young boys, or putti, South Germany, late 19th century. The realistically carved faces showing distinct personalities and intense gazes. Mou...

Pair of 19th Century French Neoclassical Gilt & Patinated Bronze Candelabras by Ferdinand Barbedienne This magnificent pair of French Neoclassical-style eight-light candelabras, attr...

A wonderful French neoclassical gilt bronze and diamond cut crystal oval centerpiece  with swan handles in the manner of Baccarat, circa 1940s.

Made in the very late 19th or early 20th century, this pair of carved of pine pedestals are tall and thin and painted a deep rich Verde antique bronze color...

English, mid 18th century. A great neoclassical example of an English community tobacco keeper. These traditional boxes are made of lead and design...

Imbue your space with the romance of antiquity and the serenity of the coast with this magnificent pair of vintage carved stone shell fonts. Sculpte...

This exquisite 19th century trio is comprised of a central clock and a pair of flanking six-light candelabra. The design of the clock case is widely acknowledged to be inspired by one of the most important paintings of French Revolution, ‘The Oath of the Horatii...

This elegant gilt bronze (ormolu) fireplace fender was created in France in the late 19th century. The item will add splendour and beauty to a fireplace, making it the focal point of a room. The fender features a pierced rail which is decorated with a central cartouche, flanked by stylized acanthus leaves. The ends of the fender are topped by full-length, semi-nude figures. These include a beautiful young woman and a bearded male, holding a blacksmith’s hammer. The latter can be identified as Hephaestus (or Vulcan), the classical god...

This is a 29" ceramic sculpture of a hand-colored Rooster. The colors are vibrant and the condition good.

This Neoclassical Style Set of Lapis Lazuli and Gilt Bronze Vase Lamps by Gherardo Degli Albizzi are exceptional pieces of luxury design. Vases, which have an ovoid form, feature bul...

Very Large Ormolu Marble Regulator Calendar Mantle Clock Barbedienne French, Late 19th Century Height 121cm, width 64cm, depth 28cm Expertly produced in France during the final de...

A large Russian neoclassical malachite, Campana shaped urn or Vase, the ormolu twin handles modeled with acorns, on a circular spreading foot with square stepped plinth, 19th centu...

Fabulous pair of candle sconces with Neoclassical elements, handcrafted with a gilt and patinated bronze finish. The design features an arrow in the manner of Gio Ponti and Tomaso Bu...

A pair of mounted antique carved composite floral moulds from the Tucker collection. These are some of the many moulds we are selling from this vast collection assembled by British m...

Large marble sculpture of an amorous couple by Antonio Frilli Italian, late 19th century Measures: Height 130cm, width 68cm, depth 46cm Thi...

Vintage Italian Neoclassical Style Faux Marble Cast Resin Composition Winged Cherub Putti Sculpture after Auguste Moreau. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 25" H x 9" W x 10" D.

Victorian Classical coin silver vase. Made by Gorham in Providence, ca 1860. Conical bowl with everted curvilinear rim; tapering bracket side handles mounted with cast female heads a...

This is a charming grouping of three early 20th century dressing table boxes or table decorations. Two of the boxes are hand painted, Fren...

An Ormolu Sèvres Porcelain Gilt Bronze Candlesticks Candelabra with a hand painted scene by François Boucher. ‘P . F . Boucher’ original mark on the side, also marked with a double ...

Stunning pair of white enameled cast iron shell motif sculptures, perfect for a mantel statement. These were refashioned andirons cut down to fit on top of a mantel in Palm Beach.

Pair of Neoclassical tall, baluster shaped brass candlesticks with a square footed base, mid to late 19th century. They have extra height in an elegant, symmetrical form with a turn...

Gorgeous cloisonné enamel on brass magnifying glass.

A set of ten antique carved wooden cartouche moulds from the Tucker collection. This is one of many moulds we are selling from this vast collection assembled by British make-up artis...

Very Large Antique Austrian Painted Porcelain Vases Mythology Royal Vienna Austrian, Late 19th Century Height 180cm, diameter 46cm An exceptional pair of late 19th century porcelai...

A handsome pair of French mid 19th century patinated bronze and ormolu neo-classical st. urns. The urns are raised by square pediments with a patinated base below a Coeur de Rai desi...

Ver large and impressive antique silver plate trophy cup, "Liberty Cartridge Company's Trophy Longest Straight Run, 1913, Western Connecticut T...

A set of ten antique carved wooden cartouche moulds from the Tucker collection. This is one of many moulds we are selling from this vast collection assembled by British make-up artis...

Early 19th Century Italian, Neoclassical, fine hinged box. Containing a selection of various hard stones and specimen marbles. The lid with the inscription: 'Marmi Antichi D'Palazzo ...

Simple elegance defines this beautifully crafted footed bowl. Translucent turquoise color Murano pulegoso glass stands in striking contrast to the shimmering gold inclusions within t...

A George III penwork sarcophagus work box with hinged lid decorated with a chariot, the side with Neo-Classical devices. Age related abrasions and knocks later replacement ebonised ...

Late 1800s antique firewood box with artistic Brass Panels Tavern imagery Rectangular shape six sided with a slope. Preowned vintage original c...

Antique Italian true pair of lions crafted in terra cotta, decorated, glazed and forever in repose.

Exclusive amber-colored crystal vase, engraved with elegant motifs and decorated with a central "Versailles" engraving. Its classic-style gold base with fine details gives this piece...

Carrara marble sculpture "Ariadne on the Panther" signed A. Frilli, Firenze, Italy, circa 1890. Dimensions green marble pedestal: 114 cm.

A large and finely cast gilt and patinated bronze neoclassical style vase. This impressive vase is of oval shape with gilt and patinated bronze decoration of classical figures and...

A refined vintage Wedgwood jasperware small plate or trinket dish in classic Wedgwood blue, decorated with applied white neoclassical relief. Made in England, this piece reflects one...

A 19th century Italian Neoclassical urn carved from solid Carrara marble. The vessel takes on a generous, rounded form with a deeply recessed bowl and a thick, molded rim, flanked by...

A French green opaline glass cachepot with gilt mounting. 20th century.

A finely detailed and very impressive Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. white Carrara marble statue of Ariadne on its original Verde Mare marble pedestal, signed signed F. Vichi...

This plaster sculpture captures the classical male form in a headless, armless torso that echoes the refined beauty of ancient Greco-Roman statuary. Rendered with anatomical precisio...