An Extremely Fine Ottoman Silver Inlaid Coffee Table Vortik Potikian

An unusual Mid 20th Century brass mounted root wood coffee table with oval glass top. French circa 1970 A well designed root coffee table with an unusual shaped brass hammered ...

Extremely fine marble group of Bacchus and Ariadne after the antique attributed to Carlo Albacini (1734 – 1813) Italy Rome circa 1800 Provenance A French Private Collection Carved in the round of white marble, the young couple shown walking and apparently exchanging words, his left arm gently wrapped around her shoulder, upholding part of her drapery, a wreath of fruit-bearing vines placed on his head, while hers shows no berries, from her right shoulder suspended a suggestive skin of a goat. In excellent condition having a restoration on Ariadne's left index finger. This finely carved sculptural group is one of a number of known examples of this subject, all inspired by a Greco-Roman classical original 1st and 2nd centuries A.D which is now in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (inv.68.770). Demonstrating the beginning of Bacchus' courtship of Ariadne and illustrates the “Return to Antiquity” which was expressed in numerous archaeological works in Rome at the end of the 18th Century. The subject matter made it perfect for a wide variety of settings and fine copies of the subject which survive in such collections as the Rothschilds at Waddesdon Manor, the Pitti Palace in Florence, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes, the Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique and the National Trust property Erddig in Wales. This marble is exemplary of neoclassical aesthetics, by its ancient origin and by the creativity of the sculptor who perfectly links these two figures in the manner of Antonio Canova's standing groups (see Daedalus and Icarus or Venus and Adonis). This marble represents a moment of tender complicity illustrating the ability of neoclassical sculptors to detach themselves from ancient rigour in order to introduce an ideal of softness into their works. These two figures are not simply next to each other, but marry through the fusion of their drapes, through the play of glances and through the embracing gesture of Bacchus. Of the surviving 18th and early 19th century examples of this group, the finest are signed by or attributed to the Italian master Carlo Albacini (1734-1813). Albacini was a restorer of ancient marbles who worked extensively on such aristocratic assemblages as the Charles Townley collection, later to form the basis of the fine sculpture collections at the British Museum, whilst also creating copies of these antique pieces for his elite clientele. Aside from Townley, one of the most interesting and important English collectors of this period was the Earl of Bristol who had a fine house in Naples, a London townhouse and his Suffolk family seat Ickworth which he intended to fill with exceptional examples of art of all kinds. Bristol was a great patron of Italian artists and a chimneypiece from his collection that was supplied for his Italian home and later fitted at Ickworth was sold at Sotheby's on the 26th of November 2003 lot 87. This exceptionally carved chimneypiece...

An extremely elegant, rare Regency amboyna and brass inlaid gilt bronze mounted pier table. Provenance Part of Sir William Whitfield Collection. English Regency period, Circa 1815. The raised back with open shelf, surmounted by a pierced anthemion three quarter brass gallery above a rectangular mirror plate, flanked by gilt bronze pierced foliate scrolled supports, over a finely coloured amboyna and banded top above cut brass inlaid frieze drawer decorated with anthemion and flower head motif. The dual tapering scroll supports with palmette lappet surmounts and cut brass inlay terminate on gilt bronze claw feet, flanking a later large mirror plate to the rear, raised on a inverted breakfront plinth base edged with gilt bonze beading. Formerly in the collection of Sir William Whitfield. This elegant Regency pier table is a superb example with its fine quality mounts and distinctive amboyna veneers which are rarely found on furniture of this period. The condition is excellent, having the most wonderful colour and patination to the finest cuts of amboyna that would have been available, during the early 19th century this veneer was thought to be worth more in its weight than gold. This table would have almost certainly been especially commissioned, further research maybe undertaken to find a comparative example and insight to a potential maker. As such pieces in amboyna are far rarer, an example of pier table has yet to be found, but an amboyna sofa table with extremely similar brass inlay and form can be seen in Clifford Musgrave’s book Regency Furniture, published by Faber and Faber in 1961, plate 63. It is from the Royal Collection and the caption includes ‘made about 1816 for Clarement,’ (Claremont) ‘ Esher, Surrey, home of the Princess Charlotte...

An extremely rare pair of Regency cast-iron sarcophagus shaped strong boxes. Regency, circa 1820 Painted to simulate palisander wood and with parcel-gilt, the cavetto-moulded hinged lids cast with flower sprays above foliate-cast bands over front panels relieved with river gods within canted corners cast with standing muses, the sides with lion mask and ring handles over leafy aprons on massive lion’s paw feet; the Brahmah type lock stamped “T. Davis from London” and impressed with the Royal Crown. These extraordinary pieces are modelled on Regency wine coolers. The forms are classic Greco-Roman revival with the boat-hook handles, mythic figures and the overall sarcophagus pattern. You would struggle to find one let alone a pair. Good items for any collection. Research on going into these strong boxes but we have found possible information on the lock stamped Davis….(historyoflocks ) The relationship of King George III and George Davis of Windsor, who was locksmith in ordinary to His Majesty. Davis, in 1799, invented and patented a unique style of lock, which was also beautifully engraved with a warning not to make duplicate keys. Sensitive government secrets always demanded, then as today, locks that were state of the art. Davis locks ended up on government dispatch boxes...