19th Century Collectibles and Curiosities

Fine quality cherry wood 19th century rare bone carved dog head handle walking stick from the fabulous collection of Prince Moritz (1926-2013) who was well known for his extensive co...

Leather & Brass French Opera Binoculars Lemaire Fabt Paris 5 w x 2.5 D x 5.88 H Leather Metal Original unrestored vintage used condition Refer to all images listed

Brass sextant signed B. Cooke & Son Hull, from the second half of the 19th century and housed in its original mahogany wood box with brass handle, hinges, and locking hooks, complete...

A Rare and Historic 1859 Elkington Silvered Bronze Victorian Centerpiece with Cut-Glass Bowl. Presenting a magnificent Victorian silvered bronze centerpiece of unmatched rarity and importance, crafted by the renowned Elkington Mason & Co., Birmingham, in 1859. This exceptional work, complete with its original cut-glass bowl, epitomizes 19th-century British craftsmanship and artistry. Hallmarked to the base, this centerpiece showcases intricate sculptural details, embodying a high level of technical prowess and aesthetic refinement characteristic of Elkington's celebrated works. The centerpiece's striking design features three meticulously rendered figures—a young hunter, a friar, and a fishmonger—each embodying elements of Victorian life and industry. At their feet, a loyal spaniel and various game highlight the naturalistic approach to the composition, enhanced by the masterful chasing and dynamic form. This sculptural ensemble rests on an elaborately decorated base, exuding both grandeur and narrative depth. Adding profound historical value are two engraved plaques. The first, dated “January 28, 1859,” reads: “Presented to William Johnson Esq. as a token of respect & esteem by the workpeople in the employ of Messrs Richard Johnson & Brother, Manchester.” The second, an inscription from 1941, states: “Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers, Alias Wire Workers of the City of London, Presented by Arthur Laurence Johnson M.A., Grandson of William Johnson, both Wire Workers, with his Daughter Eleanor Morton Johnson, a Freeman of the Company, to commemorate his Mastership 1941-42.” These inscriptions chart a rich lineage, connecting the Johnson family to pivotal moments in industrial history. William Johnson, alongside his brother Richard, assumed leadership of a wire-drawing firm in 1838, which would later become Richard Johnson & Nephew Ltd. Their contributions included providing galvanized armored wire for the historic 1857 transatlantic telegraph cable...

Ancient Ethnic Brooch Afghan Uzbek Style, realized in 19th Century. Metal, enamel, precious stones. Very good condition.

Madonna and child, Classical 19th century painting. This lovely oil painting was purchased in Spain. The artist is unknown. The painting still maintains its original finish and ha...

Lot of three Indian terracotta processional figures. Krishnanagar, Bengal, 19th Century. Painted terracotta figures, depicting two males and one female musician...

This is a fine set of antique apothecary weighing scales. An English, brass, mahogany and walnut countertop balance for the tobacconist or chemist’s shop, dating to the early Victori...

Set of old books dating from the 19th century. From an old protestant library near Le Havre in France. These books are called for example  « Commentary on the Psalms ». These beaut...

A charming set of three boxed coin shaped medallions celebrating the silver jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. The medallions of rounded shape are each contained in a turned boxwood ...

Jewel walking stick, made of silver, designed and made by Turriet & Bardach. The spherical knob represents a Vanitas – Memento Mori. On the 3 sides of the sphere, there are black and...

Handcrafted and truly impressive Neo-Gothic Church fixture that can also be used for candles. Over the decades we have sold a number of very good antique bronze, Gothic light fixtures for both candles and electrical bulbs. However, we never offered one as high and with as many Gothic details as this hand-crafted chandelier. You will rarely come across a Gothic work of religious art that is more elaborate and with as many Gothic details as this fit-for-a-castle pendant...

Native American beadwork gauntlets with Indian Chiefs in feathered headdresses, probably souix, Ca 1880-90 Native American beadwork gauntlet...

Walking stick: jewel walking stick, round iron knob, with engraved gold parts, depicting 5 cameos. Macassar wood cane. Brass and iron ferrule. Russia circa 1880.

A Dutch meerschaum pipe with silver mounts, 1840-1870 According to common usage in the 19th century, the pipe bowl has a silver valve cover. The lid has a the pattern of a shell t...

This beautiful antique Holy Book was printed in England circa 1870. The impressive Victorian family Bible, titled "The National Comprehensive Family Bible", was edited by Rev. John E...

19th century French grand tour iron model of the Arc de Triomphe, in two parts, the fine cast iron model of the Arc de Triomphe with a mirrored top. Raised on a oval ebonized wood and metal chain link fenced base Model of Arc de Triomphe...

A large 19th century pewter and wood decorative birdcage shaped as a French medieval château. This exquisite French château birdcage is a definite must in terms of decorative accents...

This beautiful grand piano was built by Erard in Paris in 1895. With irreplaceable original cabinet art created and signed by an artist named Finel - specifically commissioned by th...

This Erard parallel-strung grand piano, crafted in Paris in 1845 (serial number: 18725), has been extraordinarily well-tended, restored and maintained, enduring today as not only a spectacular example of the pinnacle of 19th Century piano design - characterized by its innovative construction and exceptional sonoral qualities - but also as a premium instrument by the most advanced modern standards, concert-ready for world-class, discriminating performers and their audiences. Erard was a renowned piano manufacturer established by Sébastien Erard, and for much of the 19th Century, the company produced some of the most exquisite and innovative European pianos of the era. The sound produced by this parallel-strung grand piano is characterized by a clarity and transparency that distinguishes it from its contemporaries. The parallel arrangement of strings contributes to a more direct transfer of sound energy, resulting in a balanced and articulate tone across the instrument's registers. This piano's tone is beloved for its sweetness in the treble range and a robust quality in the bass, while also allowing for an especially nuanced and expressive interpretation of the musical repertoire of its era. The ebony and ivory keyboard is a testament to the meticulous attention Erard paid to the tactile experience of playing. Each key is precision-weighted, providing a responsive touch that allows the pianist to articulate a wide range of dynamics and expressiveness. An interior faux tableau latches to the outer case lid in an open position for maximum concert volume, and rests in a lowered position to maintain a softer, more muted experience. The year 1845 places this Erard instrument in the heart of the Romantic era, a period marked by a surge in musical creativity and emotional expression. Composer/performers like Chopin and Liszt were drawn to Erard grand...

A magnificent pair of full size replica 19th Century naval canons. These full size '3-pound' ship' canons are replicas of the 17th and 18th Century guns that would have lined the s...

F.H. Ayres Croquet Set On Original Jaques Stand. A fabulous garden croquet set with boxwood mallets, two with brass banding, two without. The mallets are stamped F.H. Ayres and come ...

Victorian taxidermy ebonised mounted elephant ear. A rare Victorian taxidermy ebonised mounted elephant ear. This item is very rare due to its subject matter, presentation and accompanying Cites Article 10 certificate. The framed artifact...

Antique large size sculpture and an impressive, religious work of art. Looking at Christ suffering like this, the crucifix (in our view) is a symbol of what 'telling people the trut...

A 19th century French velocipede of a white pony, the horse of polychromed wood with horsehair mane and set upon an iron tricycle. Deaccessioned from the MacLean Collection of Asian...

Italian or German anatomical bust. The profile photos are without organs. The measurements refer to the wooden base. The conditions are as per the phot...

AUTHOR: DICKENS, Charles. TITLE: A Christmas Carol In Prose Being A Ghost Story of Christmas. PUBLISHER: London: Chapman and Hall, 1844. DESCRIPTION: NINETH EDITION. 1 vol., 6-5/...

Early 19th Century Hand Carved Madonna & Child Santos Religious Figure A stunning early 19th century religious artifact, in the form of a hand carved Santos Madonna and child statue...

The antique map titled 'Royaumes de Perse Herat & Kaboul' is an attractive map of Persia. Here are the key details and features of the map: 1. **Geographic Coverage**: - The map ...

Mid-late 19th century Anglo-Indian Raj Era Walking Stick. Malacca with sterling handle. Indecipherable Indian hallmarks on the silver. Brass tip - very worn with joint opened 0.5". s...

Quality carved, great design and good condition Gothic wall console / bracket / sculpture stand. This practical size, architectural church bracke...

This is a beautiful antique sterling silver pommel walking stick circa 1880 in date The striking stick features an ornate silver chequered pommel on a gentle tapering ebonized shaft...

Title: Rare 1864 Civil War Era Map of Michigan and Wisconsin with Great Lakes Detail Description: This beautifully crafted antique map, titled "Johnson's Michigan and Wisconsin," wa...

Two extraordinary decorative wall sconces, Venice, Italy, mid-19th century. Finely handcrafted of wrought iron, gilded and masterful attention to detail decorated with floral motifs....

19th-Century English Barometer & Fahrenheit Thermometer in Mahogany Case Barometer in a mahogany case, dated to the 1st half of the 19th century, featuring a Fahrenheit thermometer,...

19th Century Indo-Persian Dhal Separ Steel Shield . Intricate decorative design with Brass inlay. Convex steel and iron shield with gold inlay and applied...

An Exceptionally Fine Museum Quality Example of a Well Cast Parian (unglazed porcelain) Figure depicting Jesus Christ nailed to a plain black marble standing Cross of impressive prop...

Rare and completely ridable. Bike: 57.5" H x 27" W x 66" D Base: 70" W x 15" D

These petite bronze tools date to the late 19th century and were originally among the many accessories that comprised an opium smoking kit. Both tools are ...

Antique maritime navy compass in very nice original condition.

This handheld tool is a 19th-century opium scraper, fitted with a curved, spoon-like blade designed to remove debris from the inner walls of a pipe bowl. The metal end is secured to ...

Of American manufacture, circa 1875, this authentic children's platform rocking horse "glider" is hand carved of hard wood, and has a hand craft...

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club by Charles Dickens. Chapman and Hall, London, 1837 Original red leather binding in original condition.

Antique 19th century 18K gold sweetheart locket pendant with purple glass paste and natural certified diamonds and pearls In the center of the purple glass amethyst the letter G or a...

A Very Fine German 19th Century Louis XVI Style Burr Walnut Bechstein Concert Grand Piano, Serial No. 5655. The beautifully crafted Grand piano, raised on three tapered barrel shaped legs, with an intricately carved ornate music desk and original keys. Circa: 1872. Length: 80 inches (203.2 cm) Width: 59 inches: (149.9 cm) Height (top closed): 38 5/8 inches (98.1 cm) C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik AG (also known as Bechstein) is a German manufacturer of pianos, established in 1853 by Carl Bechstein. Before Bechstein Young Carl Bechstein studied and worked in France and England as a piano craftsman, before he became an independent piano maker. His first pianos were made for other companies. C. Bechstein C. Bechstein piano factory was founded on 1 October 1853 by Carl Bechstein in Berlin, Germany. Carl Bechstein set out to manufacture a piano able to withstand the great demands imposed on the instrument by the virtuosi of the time, such as Franz Liszt. In 1857, Hans von Bülow (Liszt's son-in-law) gave the first public performance on a Bechstein grand piano by performing Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor in Berlin By 1870, with endorsements from Franz Liszt and Hans von Bülow, Bechstein pianos had become a staple in many concert halls and private mansions. By that time three piano makers, all of which were founded in 1853, became established as the industry leaders across the world: Bechstein, Blüthner and Steinway & Sons. In 1881 Bechstein began supplying pianos to Queen Victoria. A gilded art-case piano was delivered to Buckingham Palace, followed by several more Bechstein pianos to Windsor Castle and other royal residences. By January 1886 they were among the piano manufacturers holding a Royal Warrant as a supplier to the Queen. Several British embassies across the world acquired Bechstein pianos. In 1885, Bechstein opened a branch in London, that eventually grew to become the largest showroom and dealership in Europe. By 1890 showrooms had been opened in Paris, Vienna, and Saint Petersburg. On 31 May 1901, Bechstein Hall, built at a cost of £100,000, was opened next to the company's London showroom at 36-40 Wigmore Street. Between 1901 and 1914, C. Bechstein was the largest piano dealership in London. At that time, Bechstein was patronized by the tsars of Russia, the royal families of Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Austria and Denmark, and other royalty and aristocracy. The list of royal clients of Bechstein may be found on the soundboard of vintage Bechstein pianos made before the Second World War. The list is part of the original Bechstein trademark logo; it can be seen under the strings in the center of a piano's soundboard. The signature of Carl Bechstein The years from the 1870s through 1914 brought Bechstein their most dramatic increase in sales. In 1880 a second Bechstein factory was opened in Berlin, and the third factory was opened in 1897 in Berlin-Kreuzberg. Production reached 3,700 pianos annually in 1900, and 4,600 in 1910, making Bechstein the largest German manufacturer of high-end pianos. At that time, about three quarters of production went to international markets, especially Britain and the Commonwealth, and Russia. Carl Bechstein died in 1900, and the Bechstein company continued to operate under the management of his sons. Between 1900 and 1914 C. Bechstein was one of the leading piano makers in the world, employing 1,200 craftsmen and workers by 1913 and making five thousand pianos per year. First World War C. Bechstein suffered huge property losses in London, Paris, and St. Petersburg during World War I. The largest loss was in London. Although the company's position in the United Kingdom was initially unaffected, with the company still listed as holding a Royal Warrant in January 1915, Warrants to both King George V, and his wife Queen Mary were cancelled on 13 April 1915. Bechstein was not the only musical concern to be affected by growing anti-German sentiment: there were earlier attempts, led by William Boosey, to boycott German music altogether. In 1915, despite being a Baronet and Privy Counsellor, Sir Edgar Speyer, who was then funding the Proms, was forced to leave the country. Following the passing of the Trading with the Enemy Amendment Act 1916 the British arm of the company was wound-up on 5 June 1916, all Bechstein property, including the concert hall and showrooms full of pianos, were seized as "enemy property" and closed. In 1916 the hall was sold as alien property at auction to Debenhams for £56,500. It was renamed Wigmore Hall, and then re-opened under the new name in 1917. All 137 Bechstein pianos at the Bechstein showrooms were confiscated too, and became property of the new owner of the Hall. After a dispute with his brother, Edwin Bechstein left the company and was paid off. Eventually the Bechstein factory resumed full-scale production during the 1920s. At that time, technical innovations and inventions of new materials and tools, as well as improvements in piano design and construction, had allowed Bechstein to become one of the leading piano makers again. The most successful models were the updated "A"-185 and "B"-208 grand pianos. The upright pianos became more popular after the war, and C. Bechstein were successful with its upright pianos Model-8 and Model-9, both of which have been considered the finest upright pianos. As the company was changed into a joint-stock company 1923, Edwin Bechstein and his wife Helene, bought themselves back into the company as shareholders. In 1930 the company collaborated with German electrical goods manufacturer Siemens under Nobel laureate Walther Nernst to produce one of the first electric pianos...

Original Large French Gunner's Powder Horn, Naval - French, late 18th century. Of large size used to load cannons aboard ship. With fitted wooden plug and brass dispensing spout. T...

Figurehead in carved oak depicting a female figure whose body has the shape of a siren, symbol of fertility and protection, with female features in the upper part and fish tail inste...

Miniature four-drawer Swedish chest with original paint and glass knobs.

A rare antique Italian giltwood framed reliquary. 18th/19th century, hand carved giltwood frame housing an exceptional relief carving, d...

Antique Japanese epic novel book Edo period, circa 1827 Woodblock print book Book dimensions: 228 mm x 159 mm. There are damages because it is antique item as we show on the p...

America’s earliest known dated pyrography portrait panel of a Pennsylvania couple. This unique work of art is hand-incised using a pyrographic (pyrography) wood burned technique and then hand stained/painted. A Pennsylvania Portrait...

This is a first edition copy of this book which has been bound in Red Morocco leather with beautiful gold tooling around the edges and to the spine. A breathtaking and informative bo...

Antique Edwardian Marimba Xylophone with a combination of hardwoods and iron. There are two separate tables that bolt together. Each marimba breaks down for transport into three pi...

This is an antique French domino game in a wooden box Mid to late 1800s All complete with 28 dominoes The dominoes have a bone front, ebony backings and brass tacks The dominoes a...

Impressive handmade large and powerfully cast Japanese tripod bronze censer of the 19th century, made during the Meiji period and with mythical animals...

Victorian Eastlake large upholstered solid oak throne chairs from Masonic Lodge with lots of detailed carving. The pair consists of one with the plumb bob sy...

A hand seal. Clear glass body, gilt silver fittings. Figurative pig finial with gemstone eyes. Unmarked. Collectible Desk Accessories, Writing Instruments, Jewelry. Dimensions: 3 x 1...

Antique Carved Wood Tobacco Pipe with Soldier Head A rare antique handcarved wooden tobacco pipe with a fine carved soldier head as pipe head. The head features a Confederated or a Union soldier. The pipe is executed in Germany ca. 1880. A great addition to every tobacciana collection. Good condition with a small repair on the hat brim. The tradition of wood carving, using manual skills to make everyday objects and fine art sculptures, is found throughout Europe. The incentive to create not only useful but also aesthetically beautiful things, distinguishes the craftsman from the artist. In addition to the well-known Swiss wood...

Fabulous map of Hawaii. With a vignette of Honolulu Original color. Engraved and printed by the George F. Cram Company, Indianapolis. Published, C.1900. Unframed. Free shipping.

Cameras are not my expertise but we could not pass up on this beauty. The camera is signed ANSCO and the large lens reads DARLO OPTICIEN, PARIS 35436. I'm told that this lens is the most valuable...