European Collectibles and Curiosities

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 monumental work is inspired on the famous quote of Darwin. “If everyone were cast in the same mould, there would be no such thing as beauty.” It is because of this quote that we added Darwin to our name Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren. This quote also fits our goal to do all our taxidermy work without the use of factory moulds that are typical for contemporary taxidermy. We sculpt all our bodies by hand and therefor can create the unique poses like how they line up in this mayor work. We combined many different birds with many different features from many different points of the compass. Together they form a 17th Century like composition of colours and poses. This collection varies from the rare African Congo Peafowl and a gracious Stanley Crane to a regular Dutch chicken. Quoting Charles Darwin...

Antique Victorian nautical gilt bronze clock and barometer pair English, 19th Century Measures: height 25 cm, width 22 cm, depth 13.5 cm This elega...

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 is a high quality Games Compendium, complete with over 8 individual games, all in its original hardwood storage box with a hinged lid. All the pieces are well made and complete. The box is made of a jointed hardwood, possibly red walnut and is a high quality piece in its own right. The box has developed a lovely color and patination from use and wear. The box lid has two brass hinges and two brass loop catches to secure it closed. The interior is sectioned into different sub compartments by hardwood dividers. Many different games are included within the compendium, including; Horse racing game...

A fabulous full size 12ft x 6ft mahogany and ebony marquetry billiard table, English circa 1875. The side frame is embellished with decorative marquetry roundels and flowing symmetr...

This a good example of a 19th century Scottish Lignum Vitae carpet or lawn ball. Lignum Vitae is one of the hardest woods and has always been the wood of choice for carpet, lawn and ...

This pair of antique wall plaques are possibly signed by an unknown artist, or identify the respective individuals in both, and are presumed to ori...

Mid-19th century crib figure bust A wonderful example of a mid-19th century Italian hand carved crib figure bust. Glass eyes and original paint still inta...

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning hand carved Victorian circa 1880 Piano stool with height adjustable top A very good looking and well-made piano stool, its quite w...

An unusual and rare English potlid believed to depict Jenny Lind and attributed to Ridgway and dating from around 1850. The lid is printed with a lady seated in a garden landscape in a rather elegant white ball gown...

An essential tool in the creation and finishing of furniture, this 19th-century English ornamental lathe is an object of beauty in and of itself. The extraordinary machine...

An antique handcarved Venetian rocking chair in grotto design. Seat and backrest in the shape of sea shells, backrest supported by a sea horse. The base features fish heads and sea s...

A fine and rare 19th century sterling silver snuff box made specifically for the Great Exhibition of 1851, held at the Crystal Palace in Londo...

A spectacular wall mounted antique billiard snooker life pool burr walnut scoring cabinet circa 1880. This is the best scoring cabinet we have ...

19th century gold gilt carved holy water We are proud to offer an exceptional example of an Italian 19th century gold gilt carved wood holy water. In untouched form this item is cl...

Elegant long shoe horn in patinated brass set with the head/face of a Bassett hound in bronze at the top. It can be wall hung in your entrance. The horn ...

Antique mid-19th Century Victorian very rare cast iron scale model of the original meter used to measure the amount of gas used at the Crystal Palace, in Hyde Park during the Great E...

Wimbledon-Furniture Wimbledon-Furniture is delighted to offer for auction this very rare circa 1898 to 1914 British Patriotic Propaganda Doll of Lord Horatio Kitchener. If the face looks familiar he was the chap on the Your Country Needs YOU posters as pictured, these dolls are exceptionally collectable, they never come up for sale. Description Large scale doll featuring bisque head, hands and feet; with a painted character head in the likeness of Lord Kitchener. Doll is supplied with an officer's cap made from khaki cotton drill, leather, gold braid and red felt on a thick card base. The tunic and knee-length breeches are also made from cotton drill and feature four patch pockets, with nickel-plated paper fasteners for buttons, real leather Sam Browne belt and holster, red felt collar tabs...

Pike and Elliman brass shop scale, dating to the 1880's. Nice original condition. Class b to weigh up to 12oz. Stamped on brass tray pike & E 14 new, 32 Gi ...

We are delighted to offer for sale this original Victorian games compendium with a complete suite of games, the case is stamped to the front...

Carrying spurious marks for Russia 1872, this Antique Silver Yad measures 11.5"(29cm) in length, and weighs 2.4 troy ounces.

A magnificent 1930s taxidermy specimen of a Common buzzard with outstretched wings in a large ebonized museum cabinet. This bird has been cleve...

Ten carpet balls crafted in stoneware, decorated and glazed in several different colors and designs including a white cue ball.

This antique rocking horse is an antique English straw stuffed painted canvas ride on horse. Some of the paint has been touched up over the long...

This is a large antique shipwright's set square. An English, rosewood and brass right-angled tool, dating to the Victorian period, circa 1880. Quality, antique craftsman's tool Displaying a desirable aged patina Rosewood stock with brass capping Square blade shows pleasing weathering commensurate with age Attractive brass shield with pegged bonding to both sides Engraved with the names Woates and A. Clarke This is a fine, large antique set square...

19th century articulated wooden figure We are proud to offer a rare survivor from the 19th century, in the form of a hand carved pine figure of a soldier. With a polychrome painted...

Four sets and two single pieces of English Victorian brass chimney ornaments or "good luck" shoes. What a lovely collection of shiny shoes don't you think? Let me tell you a little bit about them, during the Victorian period in England, it was fashionable to have a pair of "good luck" brass shoes on your mantel (fireplace), they would been given to you as a wedding gift. Two sets were definitely match stick holders...

An antique visual aid of a longitudinal bone cut of the elbow. Genuine bone mounted on cardboard with hand-painted structure of muscles, bursae and tendons. With German explanation. ...

A Victorian brass novelty clock by Elkington & Co., in the form of a double steering-wheel, one wheel enclosing a clock and the other a barometer, with ...

Stunning and all handcrafted, single door corner cabinet for wall mounting. For the collectors of great looking and ready to use antiques we also...

Early 20th century papier mâché Childs milking cow toy We are proud to offer an extremely rare survivor child’s papier mâché milking cow toy. This time would...

Early 20th century Auntie Sally English parlour game A rare early 20th Century example of an English hand-crafted Aunt Sally parlour game. Made from pine wood this item has 22 wooden throwing sticks, 1 aunt sally figure, several clay pipes...

Unusual and rare French Parisian hairdressers advertising framed hair display marked Edmonds and dated 1868. Of hairdresser interest the hand crafted oak frame has a bow glass front and displays three locks of hair tied with a silk ribbon and set against glass back set against white. The glass is marked Edmonds and is dated 1868. The frame has an original French Parisian printed...

Rare Napoleonic POW dominos casket We are proud to offer a rare example of a late 19th century Napoleonic prisoner of war (POW) hand carved set of domi...

Miniature Terrestrial Globe Newton & Son London, post 1833, ante 1858 Paper, papier-mâché, bronze and wood It measures: sphere diameter 2.95 in (7.6 cm); diameter of the wooden base 6.02 in (15.3 cm); height 8.36 in (21.24 cm). Weight: 2,067 lb. State of conservation: the globe still bears its original paint, but has various small gaps, abrasions and stains on the surface. The globe is hinged with two pins at the meridian circle, which is in turn inserted perpendicular to the horizon circle; this is supported by four semi-arches connected at the bottom by a small goblet-shaped foot, resting on a wooden bell-shaped base. Apart from the wooden base, the entire support structure is made of bronze; on the foot there are the scale reproductions of a compass, a telescope and an open book. The sphere is made of papier-mâché and is covered with twelve printed paper gores. In the North Pacific Ocean the globe bears a cartouche with the inscription (about 30% of the writing is illegible, but the missing parts can be easily integrated based on the rest): NEWTON’S New & Improved TERRESTRIAL Globe Published by Newton & Son 66 Chancery Lane LONDON On the globe, much of central Africa is empty and the great lakes Tanganyika and Victoria are not marked (Europeans would begin to explore the area after 1858). Canada is called "British Territory" and Alaska "Russian Territory" (it would become part of the United States in 1867). Australia already bears its modern name (until 1829 it had been called New Holland) and its coasts are completely designed; Tasmania is listed as an island (Matthew Flinders circumnavigated it in 1798). The routes of Cook's various voyages are plotted; both the route followed by Biscoe in 1831 and the "Land of Enderby" which he discovered on the coast of Antarctica, south of Africa, are marked. Bibliography P. Van der Krogt, Old Globes...

A superb antique Victorian domed horn pommel gentleman's novelty walking stick, circa 1880 in date. The horn pommel, unscrews to reveal a travelling corkscrew, on a tapered Malacc...

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

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...

Pair of Victorian antique brass scales standing on a mahogany base. A brass centre column having a shaped arm to the left holding a removable brass...

English Victorian rectangular inlaid music box.  

Antique late-19th century Victorian solid silver & horn mounted table "gimble" cigar lighter. The large Blackbuck antelope horn is mounted with a silver orb-shaped burner on gimble w...

An unusual miniature mahogany Billiard Bagatelle board, having green baize surface with inset numbered cups flanked by boxwood & ebony score peg-holder...

Great map of Indonesia Drawn and engraved by Edward Weller Original color Published in The Weekly Dispatch Atlas, 1861 Repairs to minor e...

Brass Surveyors Level by Troughton & Simms, London Sixteen inch extending telescope with original lacquer finish and spirit level. The compass ha...

Antique 19th century Victorian novelty solid silver table lighter, unusually shaped as a "guard tower", realistically modelled with simulated brick-work, door and archers windows, wi...

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 very finely carved marble bust of William Ewart Gladstone dated 1868 and signed W.Theed SC William Theed was born in Staffordshire, his father, William Theed the elder being a sculptor and a craftsman at Wedgwood, known for his major work, Hercules and the Thracian Horses for one frontage of the Buckingham Palace complex. The younger Theed studied at the Royal Academy Schools, then worked for the sculptor E. H. Baily. Five years on, in 1826, he went to Rome, where he was to stay a total of 22 years, during that time working in the studios of Thorwaldson and John Gibson. Returning to London in 1848, Theed enjoyed a good reputation, being a favoured sculptor of Queen Victoria, and was commissioned to produce many portrait statues, busts, and large monuments. He showed work in the 1851 Great Exhibition, and among other high points were a group for the Albert Memorial, and five standing figures on the Inland Revenue side of Somerset House, representing Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin. Theed's statues may be seen in St Paul's (Henry Hallam), Manchester (Monument to Chetham in the Cathedral, Gladstone and Thomas Bright for the Town Hall, and James Watt in Piccadilly Gardens), Huddersfield (Robert Peel), Winchester (David Williams monument in the Cathedral), and Prince Albert statues for Grimsby, and in Australia in Macquairie Street, Sydney. He was also responsible for three of the portrait statues (Bacon, Locke, Adam Smith...

A boxwood 24 x 18 inch tailor's and dressmaker's square, by John T Johnson of Birmingham, circa 1900. Marked: JOHN T. JOHNSON - UNION PASSAGE. BIRMm.

A wonderful antique Victorian banjo barometer in carved solid oak. This was made in London by Maple and Co, it dates from around the 1860-1880 period. It is of amazing quality, beau...

Very rare and highly decorative antique box with working lock and key. This is another one of those rare antiques that makes you realize that no matter how long you have been in thi...

This a good example of a 19th century Scottish Lignum vitae carpet or lawn ball. Lignum Vitae is one of the hardest woods and has always been the wood of choice for carpet, lawn and bocce balls. The ball is detailed with the inlaid engraved bone initials "SA" at one side and a bone circle a the other. The stand can be exchanged for a shorter stand.

The ‘Royal Cabinet of Games’ by Charles Henry, 22 King Street, Manchester, constructed in figured walnut with coromandel edging, enclosing various games including chess, backgammon &...

This large wooden dresser top pocket watch stand and vide poche is unmarked, but believed to have been made in England in approximately 1890 in th...

Antique 19th century Victorian solid silver presentation shovel, exceptionally large, the solid silver blade is engraved "Presented to Mrs Theobald, by the workmen of St Cuthbert's L...

Émile Deyrolle Anatomical poster A wonderfully rare and decorative curio medical French (Paris) original lithograph on board anatomical poster in ...

French (19th Century) red and gold painted and papier mache wall plaque with crown on pillow design and fleur de lis motif.

19th century life-size corpus Christi figure leg We are proud to offer a very unusual religious artifact, dating from early to mid-19th century and either Spanish or Italian in orig...