Chicago - Decorative Objects

Clyde Burt ceramic decorative bowl in glazed stoneware with incised, abstract details on the outer exterior. Signed to underside: [CB]. American, circa 1965.

Sensual form. Signed and dated vintage work by Joseph Burlini. Signed "Joseph A. Burlini, 1980, AP." Dimensions include the base. It may be desirable to remount the bronze onto a...

Resplendent with lush florals and brilliant color, this pair of porcelain vases combines stencil work with hand-painted foliage in a decorative style popular during the first two decades of the 20th century. The stenciled petals and blooms of the peonies, symbols of love and affection, create a graphic pattern of soft, modulated color, while the painted stems and small flowers punctuate the design with sharp detail. Innovative in decoration, the vases are firmly rooted in China’s time-honored ceramic tradition with their Classic fantail contours and butterfly handles.

Originally used for fermenting rice or sorghum into vinegar, this earthenware vessel from the early 20th century is coated inside and out with a thick, dark glaze. The inky black gla...

Small tray is 4.25 W x 4.75 D x 1.25 H.

Sculpted by artisans in China's Shanxi province, this black clay vessel has a quiet simplicity, shaped with balanced proportions and an undecorated, unglazed surface. Charged with th...

Weight and presence define this 1970s French bronze bowl. Cast in solid bronze, the piece rises on four grounded legs, lifting the bowl slightly from the surface and giving it a sens...

A French ceramic vase from the 1950s by Gustave Asch, where surface and texture take precedent. The glaze, a mottled turquoise, gives depth to the surface, while raised white slip d...

Mario Dal Fabbro sculpture no. 23 Signed: [Mario Dal Fabbro 1983 R.1] Multi-disciplinary artist Mario Dal Fabbro was born in Cappella Maggiore, Italy in 1913. He trained in his family's furniture design shop prior to attending both the R. Superior Institute for Decorative and Industrial Arts in Venice as well as Magistero Artistico, graduating with high honours in 1937. From the years of 1938-1948 Dal Fabbro immersed himself in furniture design and academia. Primarily, he designed furniture for both design houses and private clients. Del Fabbro participated in the Triennale de Milano competition in both 1939 and 1947 and won the Ganzatti Contest for 'Standardization of Furniture". During this period he also contributed to the Italian design publications Domus and Stile and the French magazine L'Architecture D'Aujourd'hui. In 1948 Mario Dal Fabbro immigrated to America and began designing furniture for mass production, working for J.G. Furniture in New York and Quakertown, PA. During his years steady employ, he published Modern Furniture: Its Design And Construction in 1949 and contributed regularly to The New York Times and House and Garden. His subsequent publications spanned a little over the decade and included How to Build Modern Furniture (1951), How to Make Built-In Furniture (1955) and How to Make Children's Furniture and Play Equipment...

This intricate limestone stele of a standing buddha likely depicts Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future. The only Buddhist divinity revered as both a bodhisattva and a Buddha, Maitreya is prophesied to return to Earth some time in the distant future and continue the historic Buddha's teachings of the Dharma. Like the historic Shakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya is a compassionate being devoted to showing the path to enlightenment. Carved in the style of sixth century Chinese statuary...

This small ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to protec...

Mario Dal Fabbro No. 11 Signed Mario Dal Fabbro, 1970, P.5 Multi-disciplinary artist Mario Dal Fabbro was born in Cappella Maggiore, Italy in 1913. He trained in his family's fur...

Large-scale vase is made with solid brass. Vase is made well and is heavy Dimensions: 11" high 12" dia opening 5.50" opening

Mario Dal Fabbro - No. 12 Signed Mario Dal Fabbro, 1981 Multi-disciplinary artist Mario Dal Fabbro was born in Cappella Maggiore, Italy in 1913. He trained in his family's furniture design shop prior to attending both the R. Superior Institute for Decorative and Industrial Arts in Venice as well as Magistero Artistico, graduating with high honors in 1937. From the years of 1938-1948 Dal Fabbro immersed himself in furniture design and academia. Primarily, he designed furniture for both design houses and private clients. Del Fabbro participated in the Triennale de Milano competition in both 1939 and 1947 and won the Ganzatti Contest for 'Standardization of Furniture". During this period he also contributed to the Italian design publications Domus and Stile and the French magazine L'Architecture D'Aujourd'hui. In 1948 Mario Dal Fabbro immigrated to America and began designing furniture for mass production, working for J.G. Furniture in New York and Quakertown, PA. During his years steady employ, he published Modern Furniture: Its Design And Construction in 1949 and contributed regularly to The New York Times and House and Garden. His subsequent publications spanned a little over the decade and included How to Build Modern Furniture (1951), How to Make Built-In Furniture (1955), and How to Make Children's Furniture and Play Equipment...

Revered for centuries for its elegant designs and rich cobalt blue and pure white colors, traditional Chinese blue-and-white porcelain lives on in this hand-painted bottleneck vase. Delicately rendered with fish and flora beneath fanciful waves, the vase's whimsical motif draws from these traditional Chinese symbols...

The intricate retablos of contemporary artist Patrick Fitzgerald are his means of paying homage to the musicians that inspired him throughout his life. Derived from Mexican votive...

A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire. This colorful example of African beadwork is a fertility doll...

Enameled Metal, copper and brass tones.

Prestini sculpture, this is one of the biggest I-beam examples. Can be shown with or without artist designed pedestal base, shown, image 7. Signed [PRESTINI 191].

This elegant flower basin is hand-carved from white marble to a rectangular form commonly seen with incense burners or bulb bowls. Shaped from a solid block of stone, the footed basi...

A thick, glossy brown glaze coats the tapered form of this early 20th-century terra cotta kitchen jar, lingering on imperfections and glistening with an iridescent sheen. As evidence...

A 1970s French ceramic tray by Georges Pelletier. The square form is richly worked in deep crimson glaze, its surface accented with concentric gilt motifs that radiate outward like a...

Although this whimsical sculpture by Allan Winkler has the look of outsider art, this ceramic work stems from the art school-trained artist’s interest in...

This impressive limestone urn came from Shanxi Province, dates to the late 19th century and used to hold water. Given its relatively limited capacity, it was probably mostly decorat...

This petite glazed jar from China's Shanxi province exemplifies the timeless appeal of handcrafted pottery. Once used in an apothecary to hold ground herbs and oils for traditional m...

Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald uses his works as a means of resurrecting the idyllic worlds he once found in the Industrial surroundings of his youth. Raised in Grand Rapids, MI, he looks to the raw beauty and inherent potential of his manufacturing hometown as an endless source of creative inspiration. Working from found materials, Fitzgerald constructs miniature versions of soap box cars...

This colorful porcelain bowl dates to the mid-19th century and was originally used as a serving dish for ritual offerings, placed before a home altar and piled high with fruit, baked goods, and other foods. The dish has a shallow cartouche-shaped body and a short footed base decorated with crashing waves. Decorated in the famille rose style, the dish is painted with overglaze enamels with a scene of three mythical figures surrounded by cloud-like ribbons. The scene is bordered by butterflies and flowers symbolizing the four seasons - peonies for spring, lotus for summer, chrysanthemums for autumn, and plum blossoms for winter. The exterior is painted with ripe peaches, symbols of longevity, and bats carrying interlocking golden coins...

Unearthed in Jiangsu province, this gorgeous stone has been polished to reveal the full array of its soft colors and intriguing patterns. Prized by collectors for centuries, such sto...

Puddingstone is named for its unique composite nature, a suspension of multicolored pebbles that resemble raisins in a pudding. Historically, the unusual stone was favored by scholar...

Scholarly pursuits such as painting, calligraphy, and poetry were a highly respected and revered subculture in ancient China, and demanded their own set of tools that were not only f...

Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terra cotta object was part of the Bura tribe's burial ritual. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...

Basket making is an ancient and humble craft, but in the hands of a skilled weaver a simple willow basket becomes a truly beautiful statement. The artisan’s mastery is evident in thi...

Hand carved of stone, this object would have been used in a shoemaker’s shop to press down large pieces of leather. Doubling as a handle, the central figure depicts the curious figure of a man with pig-like facial features holding a rake. The figure is Zhu Bajie, a character from the Ming-dynasty novel “Journey to the West...

Bruce Niemi Bronze Sculpture Signed, 2003. Base is made out of brushed steel.

This regal pair of bronze and slate candelabras originated in 19th-century France and are beautifully detailed with molded and gilt embellishments. Crafted in the style of Empire furniture, each candlestick rests on a tiered, triform bronze base of gilt foliate scrollwork surrounding a central baluster post. From each base, a sleek stone stem of polished black slate rises to support the cast bronze top of three curved arms and four candle dishes, embellished with further gilt elements and bobèches, or drip pans. A gorgeous example of French opulence...

A gorgeous Italian Modern bowl designed by Erwin Walter Burger for Fontana Arte in the 1950s. The oval silhouette is composed of thick handblown glass in a striking turquoise hue and...

Pair travertine vessels, 1980. Excellent condition and very heavy and solid. Measures 12" tall, 13" diameter, opening 6" diameter.

The Djerma people of Niger are well-known for their gracefully shaped and delicately painted water containers. The surface paintings are applied after firing with all natural pigment...

To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...

Contrasted by a crisp white field, this oval jar is decorated in the famille rose style with a lively scene of young children playing in a courtyard garden. Under an overarching bamb...

Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terra cotta object was part of the Bura tribe's burial ritual. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...

A large 19th Century terracotta vase sourced in Italy. Its gracefully curved handles and rounded body are textured with a patina that only centuries can bestow, showcasing the natura...

The Mangbetu people focused on highly realistic art forms. This ceremonial jug seamlessly transitions between figurative and abstract forms, from the spout formed to look like hair, ...

Leaving this grandly scaled urn unglazed, the Qing-dynasty craftsman who crafted it chose instead to draw attention to the surface decoration. Skilfully modeled floral motifs stand i...

This 19th-century kitchen vessel is coated inside and out with a dark brown glaze that clings to its ribbed sides with subtle color variation. Designed for serving water or tea, the squat jar features a narrow neck, small strap handles, and a short spout for pouring. The rounded shoulders are brushed with simple linework in a contrasting light brown glaze. Textured with pitted wear and other imperfections, the rustic vessel is wonderful as an unusual vase...

A contemporary iteration of the classic Chinese phoenix-tail vase form, this tall porcelain urn by interior design house Maitland-Smith features a square body with angular shoulders ...

Albany Small, Medium & Large Vases - Set of 3 Glass This set of 3 designer vases looks beautiful together or alone and makes an eye-catching addition to any shelf or table in your h...

Rossi Vases Large & Medium - set of 2 From a single stem to a bouquet, the clear glass highlights the flower stem, celebrating it as an integral part of the arrangement. The lenticu...

This colorful porcelain bowl dates to the mid-19th century and was originally used as a serving dish for ritual offerings, placed before a home altar and piled high with fruit, baked goods, and other foods. The dish has a shallow cartouche-shaped body and a short footed base decorated with crashing waves. The dish is painted with overglaze enamels in the famille rose style, with a scene of three mythical figures on a floating, heavenly island. The central figure depicts the 3rd-century warrior Guan Yu, also known as the God of War...

To keep her elaborate hairstyle intact while sleeping, a well-to-do Qing-dynasty woman would use a rigid headrest or neck pillow to keep her head elevated. Whether functional or purely decorative, such headrests were crafted from a variety of materials and were often decorated with elaborate patterns or symbolic motifs. This porcelain headrest...

With a flaring lip and striking profile, connoisseurs often refer to these exquisite vases as “turnip-shaped”. Each was crafted out of bronze over two centuries ago, and is decorated...

Brushed with a dark, blue-black glaze atop a white field, this Qing-dynasty water vessel is wonderfully painted in a carefree style with stylized figures and loose shading. Designed ...

Buried with their flared mouths facing down, these cylindrical storage vessels protected the deceased's possessions as they transitioned to the afterl...

Post Modern Ceramic Covered Box by David B. Ward Titled: Camel man 1364 B.C. Memphis Style

This round tray dates to the early 20th century and is a simple example of Burmese lacquerware. The tray is formed of thin bamboo strips that have been woven and coiled into shape, h...

Mid Century Modern Crouching Monkey Sculpture This large 1980s crouching monkey sculpture in grey is a striking representation of Pop Art from the era, blending playfulness and arti...

Doted on like an actual child, this carved doll was once owned by a young girl among the Namji people of northwest Cameroon. Carted around by its owner wherever she went and lovingly...

Robert Segal’s abstract sculpture offers a particularly fertile ground for experiments in shape, color, proportion, and technique. He steps away from non-traditional sculpting method...

Vintage Spanish Carved Charging Bull Statue - Pair These beautiful hand carved statues embody the full power and vigor of the Charging Bull. The Charging Bull represents the courage...

The phoenix tail vase dates from the bronze age and has remained a popular shape for its clean lines and graceful curves. Dating from circa 1900, this vase depicts a peacock in a lovely garden setting. Lavishly detailed and masterfully painted, the vase demonstrates the high level of craft obtained by Qing-dynasty ceramic...