Robert Adam George III Silver Gilt Vase by Daniel Smith and Robert Sharp London

A fine and rare 3" celestial pocket globe by G & W Cary, Strand, London circa 1791, housed in its original sharkskin case. A companion globe to terrestrial globes of this type we...

A Fine Pair of Twin Handled George III Grand Tour Influenced Silver-Gilt Salts of Bath Form by William Fountain, London 1808. Each lined in gilt and finely tooled with leaf clasp ...

A French silvered-bronze athénienne by Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paris, last quarter 19th century with a revolving liner, the frieze applied with bucrania suspending ribbon-tied berried laurel swags above a border of bellflowers on a stippled ground above three seated female sphinxes issuing stylised foliage and scrolls on lion monopodia cast with the mask of Hercules, scrolling foliage and anthemions joined by stretchers, raised on a concave-sided triform marble base on a further thin silvered-bronze base, inscribed to the tripod base 'F. BARBEDIENNE' Measures: 103.3cm. high, 41.5cm. diameter; 3ft. 4 3/8 in, 1ft. 4 1/4. This impressive athénienne is a key reminder of the longevity of a particular model and design’s success from Antiquity through to the 19th century and up until this day. Typically known as the ‘Trépied du Temple d’Isis’, this athénienne is designed after the Roman antique originally found at Pompeii and now at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (fig.1). From being for example an inspiration for the baptismal font of Napoléon’s son in 1811, this model was the inspiration to many highly skilled makers throughout the 19thcentury such as the Manfredini brothers from Milan and of course the Parisian well-established bronze founder Ferdinand Barbedienne who executed the present example. The Temple of Isis was a Roman temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis and was among one of the first discoveries during the excavation of Pompeii in 1764. Certainly considered as one of the most elegant examples of antique tripods, the existence of this model was then popularized to the rest of Europe via prints, one of the first being by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in 1779. This type of tripod was also popularised by an engraving in C. Percier and P. Fontaine’s, Receuil de Décorations Intérieures of 1801. Interestingly, there is also a watercolour now in the Musée Carnavalet, Paris, showing this type of tripod displayed at the 1801 Exposition des Produits de L’Industrie in the Louvre. The passion for Greek and Roman Art in the 19th century. The discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum around the middle of the 18th century gave rise to a new passion for Antiquity and the excavated masterpieces renewed the repertoire of fine and decorative arts and served as models for Neoclassicism. Members of the aristocracy as well as connoisseurs, particularly in England, completed their education by undertaking a ‘Grand Tour’ of Italy and often fell victim to the recently unearthed Greek and Roman artefacts...

A fine and extremely rare 17th century William and Mary baroque olive oyster chest on stand or 'table box', circa 1675-1690. The exquisite...

An exceptional, fine and impressive pair of antique George III English sterling silver sauce tureens with ladles, in the Adams style; an addition to our Georgian silverware collection. These exceptional antique George III sterling silver sauce tureens have a plain oval shaped form onto a plain oval spreading pedestal foot to a collet rim, in the classic English Adam style. The body of each tureen is plain and embellished with a contemporary bright cut engraved crest of a demi-lion rampant, holding between the paws a lozenge. The rim and foot of each antique tureen is encompassed with applied reed decorated borders. These impressive sterling silver tureens retain the original hallmarked push fit covers surmounted with Adams style urn shaped finials. The surface of each cover is ornamented with the aforementioned engraved crest to the body. Each tureen is fitted with two loop handles embellished with a chased decorated leaf design to the lower portion and an impressive tiered leaf motif to the upper socket. These sauce tureens are presented with fine and impressive associated London made, antique Georgian sterling silver sauce ladles crafted in the Fiddle pattern by Thomas Richards in 1812. These antique sauce tureens...

An exquisite set of four George III silver oval two handled oval sauce tureens and covers. Of Oval bombe form on four rocaille capped scroll feet, with ovolo cast borders and handles...

This magnificent silver-gilt Portland vase was crafted by the pioneering silversmithing firm of Elkington & Co. The iconic classical scenes are chased up...

Gilt sterling silver vase by Norwegian maker J. Tostrup. Designed in trumpet form with flower like spout and stem. The green enamel base is in stepped form. Measuring 8 inches tall and 3 3/4 inches in diameter at base. Bearing hallmarks as shown. Tostrup, a 19th-century Norwegian goldsmith and silversmith, held several positions in the capital. His firm made the original enameled insignia for the Order of St. Olav, when the order was established in 1848. J. Tostrup received the title royal court jeweler, and Jacob Tostrup...