Napoleonic Prisoner-of-War Guillotine

This exceptional English stick barometer is a classic example of these intriguing meteorological instruments. Crafted by the esteemed Worthington & All...

This engraved glass was crafted to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Sixteen years following the coronation of her father, King George VI, the official coronation of Queen Elizabeth II represented a fascinating mix of tradition and modernity. Held at Westminster Abbey, it was the first official celebration of its kind ever to be televised — approximately 27 million people in the United Kingdom alone tuned in to watch their new Queen don her crown for the first time. Considering the widespread popularity of the event, commemorative objects such as this became highly desirable, as people around the world sought remembrances of the joyous occasion. This glass is an exceptional example of its type that remains in excellent condition. One side reads "The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth 1953," while the other displays the initials "ER II...

Intricate engravings symbolic of the English monarchy decorate this limited edition glass tankard commemorating the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth...

A masterpiece of both cabinetmaking and mechanical engineering, this one-of-a-kind expanding table was crafted by the renowned cabinetmaker Samuel Hawkins of London for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Diminutive in size, the fascinating table was designed as a model to demonstrate Hawkins’ innovative patent screw movement to visitors of the Exhibition – six million people in total over five months. It was exhibited again a century later at the Victoria & Albert Museum during the Festival of Britain, an event intended “to symbolise two main qualities of the national character: realism and strength on the one hand, and, on the other, independence and imagination” (Catalogue of the Exhibition, 1951, p.117). To this day, the miniature masterpiece demonstrates the quest of English furniture makers to combine technical innovation with superb craftsmanship. Displaying exceptional ingenuity, Hawkins’ wind-out screw mechanism allowed one to extend the table’s base to accommodate concentric leaves with the simple crank of a handle. It is based on the inventive expanding table originally designed by Robert Jupe in 1835, which used a swivel mechanism to separate sections of the tabletop and allow for segmented leaves to be inserted. Hawkins’ tabletop, on the other hand, extends outwards directly from the center in order to accommodate additional leaves around its diameter. This unique design allowed the mechanism to also smoothly operate on rectangular tables, which could be wound out from the middle to allow for more table space. Hawkins was not alone in his endeavor to combine the technical merits of engineering and mechanics with the most artful pursuit of cabinetmaking. The first half of the 19th century saw a prolific increase in the popularity of applying new ideas to traditional furniture principles, which allowed furniture to serve many purposes. The resulting “patent” furniture was practical and refined, though few were as innovative as Hawkins’ prodigious design. Carved with the year of the Exhibition on the beautifully designed pedestal base, the table is a testament to the significance of this innovation. The model is mentioned in detail in the catalog of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the first international exhibition of industry, manufacturing, and science. Held at London’s dazzling Crystal Palace, its visitors were treated to exhibits from around the globe, including feats of engineering, innovations in industry, and marvels of design. Queen Victoria herself was a frequent visitor, along with her husband, Prince Albert, and others including Charlotte...

Napoleonic Prisoner of war painted casket dominoes set We share what we love, and we love this early 19th century Napoleonic prisoner of war hand painted ...

19th century Napoleonic Prisoner of War Folk art Corpus A rare and unusual example of a 19th Century hand crafted Napoleonic folk art prisoner of war corpus Christi. Later added ...

A Napoleonic era bone prisoner of war model of the 40-gun frigate ‘Creolian’, the three masted barque with a planked hull, finely detailed with a carved poop deck and a female figurehead, intricate black thread rigging and a black plaque stating in gilt, Creolian. In the original glazed wooden case with a painted background of a sunset over a bay with ships on the horizon. French, circa 1800. Provenance Ivan Roll Amis, d. 1 July 1970 Richard Henry Allen Amis, CBE, thence by descent During the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815), large numbers of French soldiers and marines were taken prisoner. To help pass the time and generate a small income, they would make a variety of objects—including ship models—from simple, easily-sourced materials such as bone and wood for sale at local markets. Typically, the models were not made to scale and tools were limited, making the quality and attention to detail in this work even more remarkable. To realise a good price at market, the models were often named after famous ships of the time. It may well be that this ship was the ‘Créole’, a 40-gun frigate of the French Navy. She served in the Brest squadron, took part in Ganteaume’s expeditions of 1801 to Egypt, and was involved in the French acquisition of Santo Domingo (also known as the Era de Francia) and briefly detained Toussaint Louverture...

An exceptionally good quality Turkish prisoner of war glass beadwork amulet necklace dating from the first world war 1914-1919. These pieces were made by Turkish prisoners of war, ca...