European Collectibles and Curiosities

19th Century English Victorian wood cane with etched brass top.

People like to use the term ‘apprentice pieces’ when referring to small pieces of miniature furniture,but more often than not this isn’t the case. But what is an apprentice piece and why are they often confused with miniatures? Here we aim to answer these questions! The majority of miniature furniture are in fact sample pieces used by travelling salesmen. Workshops would send out salesmen on lengthy country-wide tours, with a miniature of each piece on his sales cart. This meant the cabinet maker could use the smaller form to show off his skills, without the salesman having to carry a full size piece of furniture wherever he went. Using exactly the same skills and techniques as used on the full sized pieces, the miniatures offered a way of potential buyers being able to get a feel of the quality of goods the workshop produced, before committing to a purchase. Better than a flat ink drawing in a catalogue. A much smaller number of these miniatures are termed ‘apprentice pieces’. Apprentice pieces, although again a scaled down version of the workshops’ offerings, were made by an often inexperienced apprentice. They were given lesser quality materials to work with and the craftsmanship was often less refined. Antique miniature furniture...

ABOUT This is an original pair of leather wrapped expandable binoculars. "LeMaire Fabt Paris" is embossed on each eyepiece. The lens expand out to sharpen the view. The binoculars a...

English Victorian light wood cane with octagonal brass top.  

Antique English Victorian silver-plate mounted golden oak cigar holder, Circa 1880-1890.

Very large, Victorian, sterling silver-mounted threaded crystal match striker, having a full sterling silver match cup, Birmingham England, year-hallmarked for 1895, Charles Mappin (...

French Victorian black lacquered and bronze trimmed 6 sided cigar holder with music box at base. 52/54 ring gauge, 6.25 length. *One door does no open aut...

Mrs. Delany and Her Flower Collages Hardcover Book by Ruth Hayden 1992. Mary Delany's "paper mosaics" of flowers, made from hundreds of pieces of cut co...

19th Century Venetian Grotto table with Fairy Tale Elf A gorgeous venetian grotto side table with a fairy and illumination. The wood is carved in fl...

We found this beautiful ornament years ago in a London antique shop. We immediately thought ‘Owls!’ But had to wait for four years to collect the right species that matched the measu...

Antique English Victorian dinner Gong with Sheffield silver-plated Bovine horns.

An exceptional, fine and impressive, rare antique Victorian English sterling silver combination chamber candlestick and cigar cutter; an addition ...

Late 19th Century Jewellers Trade Sign We share what we love, and we love this untouched example of a watch makers, jewellers trade sign. Make from cast iron and zinc, double sided, with traces of the painted clock face on both sides. We have mounted this object to a cast iron bespoke stand for ease of display. It can be removed from the stand and hung if you wish. One of the best examples we have been lucky enough to uncover. Size of inches: H 31” x W 18” x D 3.5” (Includes stand) Condition: Aged Origin: European Age: late 19th century Note: This item weighs close of 30kg Completely solid in structure and form, Natural aging across all surfaces, an aged 100-year-old antique item, loss of paint, one side of the clocks zinc face...

The Haarlem taxidermists Jaap Sinke and Ferry van Tongeren have recreated Audubon’s iconic flamingo especially for the ‘Vogelpracht’ exhibition at Teylers Museum. As an artist, John James Audubon is one of the sources of inspiration for their own work. Birds in this work are an American flamingo. A Grey headed swamphen that is mainly a blue-ish green. And an elegant Giant wood rail. Plus the tail of a Ring necked...

The hollow potted castle is mounted on a long oval shaped base molded in relief with swirl patterning with a raised molded banner reading BALMORAL CASTLE...

Early 20th century Raleigh Bicycles shop advertising figure We share what we love, and we love this early 20th century charming Raleigh bicycles shop advertising figure. Made from wood and plaster with hand painted detail, in the form of Sir Walter Raleigh...

Antique Victorian quality mahogany banjo barometer by James H Kelly of Glasgow Having a quality mahogany shaped banjo barometer with scroll shaped carving ci...

This miniature copper kettle was probably a salesman's sample, which would be far easier to carry around than a proper sized one. The body is copper, the knob for the lid is brass, a...

A large 19th Century scientific optical mirror in round blackened hardwood frame on brass articulated tripod stand. The mirror looks concave or convex shaped, but if you look closely...

A Superb Scottish Agate and silver bracelet This beautiful Scottish agate bracelet Is made from alternate figured green and orange agate carved and shaped panels with a silver eng...

19th Century reverse painted glass games board We share what we love, and we love the decorative nature of this stunning English 19th Century reverse painted glass games board. With aged surface across the glass reflection and wooden frame. With a glance of old news paper...

This antique brooch and bracelet set is signed by an unknown maker, and originated from England and dates to approximately 1900 and done in the period Late Victorian style. The set i...

A good quality mid-19th century mahogany Miniature wellington chest of four drawers Having original turned knobs and locking Pillaster ...

A fine antique Doulton & Watts (pre Doulton Lambeth) salt glazed stoneware Nelson jug dating from around 1840. The jug portrays Nelson in military unif...

A very large antique Victorian brass lobster-form box. English, Late 19th Century. Measures: Height 34cm, width 91cm, depth 41cm. This exceptional piece is a remarkably large brass box...

Brass Game Score Counters. A pair of Victorian brass, gun metal, whist game score markers. The top of the circular counter rotates to reveal the scor...

A fantastic piece of horse racing history, this English jockey scale was specially crafted by W. & T. Avery of Birmingham. These handsome scales were used...

People like to use the term ‘apprentice pieces’ when referring to small pieces of miniature furniture,but more often than not this isn’t the case. But...

An exceptionally rare and fine quality Billiards marker by Thurston of London circa 1860 Constructed from an excellent cut of English oak with a shaped pediment. There are four...

Early 20th Century Apprentice Shoes A rare and delightful pair of leather early 20th Century hand crafted apprentice shoes. One of the smallest examples we have seen to date. ...

A 19th century, early Victorian period walnut and inlaid Canterbury whatnot music stand, barley twist supports, with blind frieze drawer to the cavetto base, all standing on 4 elegan...

An exquisite and exceptiionally rare Spanish billiard marker by Mayol Y Poch of Barcelona circa 1880. Probably made from Madera wood. A high end ...

Magnificent Bird of Paradise really is the official name for this species. Have a closer look to see why. Being able to work on a bird of paradise certainly is a privilege. But th...

This framed and printed sheet Rule frame is very unusual because it actually features the rules of three games Billiards, Life Pool and Pyramid pool. Printed by the famous Glasgo...

A scarce and unusual John Wesley commemorative black printed saucer size plate probably sold as a fund raising item for the Wesleyan Methodist Centenary...

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning 1856 hand watercolour map of the Austrian Alps titled Dept Des Hautes Alpes taken from the Atlas National...

ABOUT This is an original pair of leather wrapped and painted brass field binoculars marked on the eyepiece with "LeMair Fabt Paris". The black metal focus wheel works well and th...

The Beauty of Jewellery Book by Joan Frank. Crescent Books, 1979 - 93 pages Hardcover 1st Edition. An appreciation of fine jewelry for the non-expert, with a chapter on the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Title: Beauty of Jewelry Frank, Joan Publisher: Crescent Books Publication Date: 1979 Binding: Hardcover Great table book on high end jewelry.

A stylish antique porcelain pastille burner model of Roberts Burn’s Cottage by renowned English potter William Henry Goss (British, 1833-1906) and dated 1893. William Henry Goss was probably best known for his prolific production of crested china wears which were developed for the souvenir trade however alongside these produced a number of other items which have become highly collectable today. This finely made pastille burner is modelled as a long single storey cottage with three windows...

This antique mechanical toy is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in Europe, possibly England or Austria in approximately 1880 and done in...

A very unusual, possibly unique, historical Certificate of Merit awarded at the drum and pipe band contest held at Crystal Palace between 1880 and 1883 and awarded in 1883. The certificate is hand-painted on a rectangular sheet of milk glass and is painted as a hanging cloth banner...

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning 1856 hand watercolour map of the Austrian Alps titled Dept Des La Course taken from the Atlas National ...

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning 1856 hand watercolour map of the Austrian Alps titled Dept Des Hautes Pyrenees taken from the Atlas Nat...

Queen Victoria’s silver coffee service, by William Bateman & Daniel Ball, comprising a coffee pot and burner, a cream jug and a sugar basin, each...

Scotch Bonnet fully silvered 4". Creel and Gow has been working with the same atelier in Rome, Italy for over 20 years to make our signature silvered she...

A wonderful antique miniature Victorian Wellington chest of drawers in burr walnut. This dates from around the 1860-1880 period & is quite a rare item. It is a charming little item,...

This antique butcher shop horse meat advertising sign, or Boucherie Chevaline' has no maker's marks, but presumed to have originated from France a...

Presenting an absolutely gorgeous and extremely unique and rare 19th century British Tunbridgeware hair pin/bobbin or slide. This slide is unlike any of it’s kind we have seen before…. it is a very rare survivor ! From circa 1860–1880. Made of walnut with gorgeous marquetry inlay on the entirety of the front with classic Tunbridgeware micro-mosaic all over the front. The rear is walnut. The marquetry inlay appears to be various different woods, namely, maple, walnut and satinwood. Would have been worn in a Lady’s hair bun with the micro-mosaic facing forward. This would have belonged to a very elegant lady in the mid to late 19th century. Tunbridge ware is a form of decoratively inlaid woodwork, typically in the form of boxes, that is characteristic of Tonbridge and the spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent in the 18th and 19th centuries. The decoration typically consists of a mosaic of many very small pieces of different coloured woods that form a pictorial vignette. Shaped rods and slivers of wood were first carefully glued together, then cut into many thin slices of identical pictorial veneer with a fine saw. Elaborately striped and feathered bandings for framing were pre-formed in a similar fashion. There is a collection of Tunbridge ware in the Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery in Tunbridge Wells. The famous makers of Tunbridge ware were in the Tunbridge Wells area of Kent; their most notable work was from circa 1830-1900. Early makers of Tunbridge ware, in Tunbridge Wells in the mid-18th century, were the Burrows family, and Fenner and Co. In the 19th century, around 1830, James Burrows invented a technique of creating mosaics from wooden tesserae. Henry Hollamby, apprenticed to the Burrows family, set up on his own in 1842 and became an important manufacturer of Tunbridge ware, employing about 40 people. Edmund Nye (1797–1863) and his father took over the Fenner company when William Fenner retired in 1840, after 30 years in partnership with him. Thomas Barton (1819–1903), previously apprenticed at the Wise factory, joined the Nyes in 1836, and worked as Nye’s designer; he took over the business in 1863 and continued there until his death. In Tonbridge (near to Tunbridge Wells), George Wise (1703–1779) is known to have had a business in 1746. It continued with his son Thomas, and Thomas’s nephew George (1779–1869), who took over in 1806. In its early years the company made articles such as workboxes and tea caddies with prints of popular views; later items had pictures created from mosaics. Their workshop in Tonbridge, Wise’s Tunbridge Ware Manufactory, was next to the Big Bridge over the Medway; the building was demolished in 1886 to widen the approach to the bridge. Tunbridge ware became popular with visitors to the spa town of Tunbridge Wells, who bought them as souvenirs and gifts. Articles included cribbage boards, paperweights, writing slopes, snuffboxes and glove boxes. At the Great Exhibition of 1851, Tunbridge ware by Edmund Nye, Robert Russell and Henry Hollamby was shown; Edmund Nye received a commendation from the judges for his work. He exhibited a table depicting a mosaic of a ship at sea; 110,800 tesserae were used in making the picture. The manufacturers of Tunbridge ware were cottage industries, and they were no more than nine in Tunbridge Wells and one in Tonbridge. The number declined in the 1880s; competent craftsmen were hard to find, and public tastes changed. After the death of Thomas Barton in 1903 the only surviving firm was Boyce, Brown and Kemp, which closed in 1927. Marquetry was an old technique which was continued by Nye and Barton to create images such as birds or butterflies. ‘Green Oak’ as caused by the fungus Chlorociboria aeruginascens. Stickware and half-square mosaic was invented by James Burrows in about 1830: a bunch of wooden sticks of different colours, each having triangular or diamond-shaped cross section, were tightly glued together; in the case of stickware, the resulting block was dried, then turned to form an article such as the base of a pincushion. For half-square mosaic, thin slices were taken from the composite block, and applied to a surface.[1][2][4] Tesselated mosaic, was a development by James Burrows of half-square mosaic; it was adopted by George Wise and Edmund Nye. Minute tesserae were used to form a wide variety of geometric and pictorial designs. Many sorts of wood were used for the various colours; about 40 were in regular use. Only natural colors were used; green was provided by “green oak”, produced by the action of fungus on fallen oak. Designs for articles were often taken from designs of Berlin wool work.

This antique mechanical toy is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in Europe, possibly England or Austria in approximately 1880 and done in...

A fine and impressive antique Victorian English sterling silver and enamel envelope style vesta case; an addition to our silver case collection This fine antique Victorian English s...

A wonderful glass case with a selection of 20 rare exotic birds in a natural environment of tree branches and grass. The case has a rare bowed front glass and is in good condition fo...

Lister's conch fully silvered shell 5". Creel and Gow has been working with the same atelier in Rome, Italy for over 20 years to make our signature silvered shells. Our workshop has ...

English Victorian brass and blue telescope on adjustable mahogany tripod base.

A very rare Scottish Mauchline wooden postal ruler and paper folder decorated with a scene of the beach & cliffs in cromer, norfolk and probably dating from the mid 19th century. While originally made as souvenir items this ruler also provides a real insight to postal history. The ruler is of flat shape with rounded ends and a smooth edge and is decorated with scroll work designs to either end and on both sides and the main side is printed POSTAL RULER AND PAPER FOLDER with a printed section titled THE PARCELS POST providing instructions and costs of sending parcels and on the opposite side titled BILL STAMPS with a list of values and costs. The ruler also has a printed 8” (20cm) measuring edge both top and bottom, one titled English Inches and the other French Centimetres. On the opposite side the ruler has a central transfer scene titled THE BEACH & CLIFFS, CROMER with a four sections the first titled LETTER POST...

19th century reverse painted game board We are proud to offer a delightful untouched example of a 19th century reverse hand painted glass games ...

An unusual and large Victorian, probably Staffordshire, honey glazed pottery boot pin cushion dating from the 19th century. The large boot is well potted c...

This antique mechanical toy is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in Europe, possibly England or Austria in approximately 1880 and done in...

A finely cast model of an early 19th century British 24-pounder smoothbore muzzle-loading artillery cannon, together with its garrison style carriage. Both cast in heavy gauge 'bell...