Chicago - Decorative Objects

The Nupe people of Nigeria were touted as some of the finest ceramicists in Africa. Everyday objects, like this water vessel, received detailed attention. The vessel's varied texture...

Antique Monumental Japanese Cloisonne Vases on Wood Stand - Pair This exquisite pair of antique monumental Japanese cloisonné vases, elegantly displayed on wooden stands features v...

A marvelous 19th century Indian carved orange marble platter with a short handle, and a beautiful black vein, and a well-worn finish. Perfect on an ottoman, or on your kitchen island!

Milled from a solid piece of brass, the candelabrum is strikingly simple with its pair of passionately mated candles. Available in polished brass or darkened brass, these hand finish...

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

A wonderfully whimsical collection of vintage Italian Capodimonte hand-painted porcelain vegetables including artichokes, eggplants, and a ...

Antique French pressed botanical from 1897. For those of you that may be interested, we will be listings many more antique French botanical's in the c...

Minimal Carrara marble dish or vide poche, by Sergio Asti, Italy, circa 1970. Beautifully veined, with a simple rounded edge. Excellent condition with no chips or restorations or s...

It is easy to imagine someone, long ago, gathering a harvest from their garden or strolling to the market with this beautiful basket tucked under their arm. The round basket has been...

These petite Japanese dishes are patterned with a bright, cobalt blue design of flowers and leaves, arranged to form a large, five-petal plum or cherry blossom. A type of porcelain w...

This intriguing head fragment was once attached to a bust or full effigy figurine crafted in 400 A.D. Mesoamerica. Earthenware figurines were made in great abundance throughout Teotihuacan's history. After 250 A.D. objects made from clay increased dramatically in Teotihuacan, serving a wide variety of purposes and functions from religious rituals to burial offerings. Figurines like this commemorated important people and events within the city of Teotihuacan and other parts of Mesoamerica, portraying individuals of different rank and status such as soldiers, merchants, bureaucrats, and occasionally divinities. This figure is adorned with an elaborate headdress, a thick beaded necklace...

Jacques Blin turquoise blue glazed with iconic sgraffito drawings tall chalice vase. Iconic sgraffito etching at the neck and the bottom with lines and circles within bands. Cream gl...

A charming 19th century German Black Forest wood candlestick hand carved with ivy growing over rocks.

Phillips Starck Custom Stainless Steel Dishes set of Thirty-Eight, from The Clift Hotel, San Francisco, California. Two sizes: Both 1/2" high Smaller 23" in total 9" x 6" Larger 15 i...

A petite bronze canister once used to store a smoker's personal supply of opium paste. A keepsake from a bygone era, the small box dates to the early 20th century and provided an air...

Sourced from Henan province, this sculptural meditation stone looks as if it were sprinkled with a flurry of peony blossoms, the result of flower-like aggregates of lighter-colored f...

Jim Rose Standing found industrial objects 41h x 10w x 10d in 104.14h x 25.40w x 25.40d cm JR0355 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI. 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2017-2018 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds, Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2006 27th Annual Contemporary Crafts, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2006 Containers of All Dimensions, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2005 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2004 Right at Home: American Studio Furniture, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. 2004 American Collections, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2004 More Than Drawers-Wisconsin Cabinets, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2004 Objects of Wonder, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI 2003 Planting, Potting and Pruning, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI 2003 Men at Work, Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2002 Case Pieces: Contemporary Studio Furniture, Elvehjem Museum of Art, Univ of WI-Madison 2002 Sitting Pretty: Contemporary Wisconsin Chairs, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2001 Anything with a Drawer - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2001 23rd Annual Contemporary Crafts - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2000 New Talent in Craft, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 2000 Who Knows Where or When, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 1999 The End is Near! Artists look at the 20th Century, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI Selected collections Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, Arizona The Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Kohler Company, Kohler, Wisconsin Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, Arkansas Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, Indiana The Chipstone Foundation, Fox Point, Wisconsin Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, Wisconsin Publications “Selected Artists of Door County” Stonehill Publishing, 2016 “Galvanized Chest” Door County Living Magazine, Autumn 2012 “100 Artists of the Midwest” Schiffer Books, 2012 “Piecework” American Craft Magazine, February 2012 “Hiding Places, Memory in the Arts” John Michael Kohler Arts Center, June 2011 “Second Lives, Remixing the Ordinary” Museum of Arts and Design, NY, August 2008 “Studio Furniture” Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, DC, May 2008 “Discoveries by Designers” Architectural Digest, December 2005 “Contemporary Metal Furniture” Metalsmith Magazine, Winter 2003 “Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” American Craft Magazine, October 2002 “Contemporary Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” Elvehjem Museum of Art, 2002 “Chicago Style...

The Paper series embodies the idea of crumpling paper set in time. The materiality of the brass is utilized by the intricate folds and bends that not on...

Fun Pair of Chrome Orb-shaped Atomic Age Candle Holders from the Mid-20th Century. Super shiny and bright, the chrome finish adds sparkle and a bit of humor to your table setting. Th...

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...

Loosely brushed with cobalt blue pigments, this round blue-and-white storage jar is adorned with a ribbon-tailed bird perched on a cluster of rocks, a symbol for a long and happy lif...

Along with paper, ink, and inkstone, the brush is one of the Four Treasures of the scholar’s studio. Arguably the most important tool, the brush served as a direct link to the artist...

Solid Burled Elm Root Bowl by Tripp Espenet Beautiful Art Bowl with carving and hand-honing skills make this piece unique and special. Dimensions: 27" long 17.50" deep 4" high 8" bow...

Loosely brushed with cobalt blue pigments, this round, blue-and-white storage jar is underglazed with lush garden scenery featuring the flowering plants of the four seasons. Tree peo...

This Late Victorian English Arts & Crafts Royal Doulton Lambeth stoneware amphora by Frank A. Butler was done in Pattern no. 960. This twin-handled vessel is decorated with a mottled...

A pair of whimsical 19th century German black forest carved wood candlesticks depicting moonflowers and cattails, mounted on oval bases with gilt painted details.

In 19th-century Tibet, many men carried a fire striker to help ensure survival in the often-harsh climate of the Tibetan Plateau. Known as mechag, such strikers would hang from one's belt and often doubled as a small pouch for flint and tinder. The finest strikers were finished with precious metals and decorated with repoussé and inlaid stones. This leather flint pouch is decorated with silver and gold plated metalwork and three large beads of turquoise and red coral. The mechag hangs from a simple leather strap and three decorative leather beads hang below. The pouch contains two Tibetan prayer flags...

It is easy to imagine someone, long ago, gathering a harvest from their garden or strolling to the market with this beautiful basket tucked under their arm. Hand-woven of young willo...

Outstanding hinged and lidded Kyoto box by Karl Springer. Fair amount of storage with suede panel lining on bottom and top. Brown and ivory lacquer is hand applied. Sits in a parsons...

A mid-20th century Chinese woven reed gathering basket with a thick bentwood handle attached to a thick heavy band with woven reed lacing.

Leather Hippo by Deru, A Hippo handcrafted from a pinched and riveted piece of leather. Stamped Deru Germany.

Immerse yourself in the rich cultural of the Mbole people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with this exquisite pair of 20th-century Mbole copper currency cuffs. Mounted on cus...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, found steel objects are welded together to ...

Ceramic vase by French ceramic artist Pol Chambost featuring a pale lemon yellow glaze with deep brown incised decoration. Perfect condition. Unsigned.

Curtis Jere Starburst wall sculpture / Signed & dated.

This small bronze sculpture is a maquette for a large scale sculpture at the Olbrich Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin. Made with the ancient lost wax method, a process dating back to th...

A well-chosen stone is the focal point of both a traditional Chinese garden and a scholar's studio - evoking the complexities of nature and inspiring creative thought. With its round...

Early Peter Voulkus ceramic vase early 1960'd [unsigned].

A pair of traditional pewter candlestick holders made by Towle Silversmiths. Sleek flared capitals and graduated round bases. Marked ‘Towle’ underneath. Each measures 3.75" tall x ...

Vintage 1960s stunning heavy "Ice Glass" vase designed by Uno Westerberg for Pukeberg Sweden. It offers a superb organic design and beautiful dimensions, ideal for accommodating medi...

This rustic wooden container dates to the early 20th century and was once used to store dry goods or household items in a provincial home in Yunnan province. Hollowed from a single f...

Take your pick, carboy, demijohn or jimmyjohn, they all refer to the same glass vessel. Carboy's originate from the Persian word; qarabah, while demijohn comes courtesy of the French...

This petite pair of bud vases dates to the early 20th century and are elegantly shaped of white opaline glass with yellow accents. Shimmering with subtle crazing and iridescence, the...

A strong but silent 20th century Chinese white glazed porcelain ginger jar with a lid and straight sides. Perfect as is, or filled with flowers, branches, or any other myriad vices y...

This lovely silver box exemplifies Japanese refinement in all crafts. The petite bonbonnière is formed of high quality silver with a rectangular cartouche form and a removable lid. T...

This lovely silver box exemplifies Japanese refinement in all crafts. Precious in the hand, the petite bonbonnière is formed of high quality silver in the shape of a paper folding fa...

Hand-turned from sustainably harvested Mango wood, the Wave Candlestick draws its form from sinusoidal waves. Burned and oiled finish. Available in sh...

Another large Crinoid fossil from our collection. Crinoids are more commonly known as sea lilies and are members of the Echinodermata phylum with the st...

Set alongside the four treasures of the study - the calligraphy brush, ink, paper, and inkstone - a brush pot, or bitong, was an essential fixture of the scholars' desk. This porcela...

This Chinese spectacle case is carved from wood with a striking shagreen covering. The case dates from the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), still in wonderful condition with a rich deep col...

With curly manes and playful expressions, these petite stone fu dogs are adorable companions and benevolent guardians of the home. Also known as shizi, the pair represents yin and ya...

From the 1700s through the early 1800s, European aristocrats developed a fascination with ancient Egyptian culture and design that culminated in a full Egyptian Revival. Prominent figures such as Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned rooms decorated with Egyptian motifs. This cultural moment reflects a fascination with a sophisticated civilization of great artists and pharaohs. The Regency era possessed very little knowledge of the Great Pyramids or hieroglyphics, a quality that lent Egyptian art interpretation a compelling air of mystique. This English Regency period gilt carving depicts a popular figure of borrowed Egyptian motif: the Sphinx. Recognized among educated circles as a symbol of brilliance in the ancient past, the Sphinx was well-known as a mythological creature who destroys those who failed to answer her riddle. Such a piece as this, excellent in detail and craftsmanship, may have once graced the mantle of a gentleman’s study or been exchanged as a gift between British scholars. The beautiful gold surface has been achieved by an artful combination of gilt and gesso; the art enthusiast will appreciate the intricate texture realized in the carving’s hair and tail as well as the delicate detailing of the saddle. Borrowing from the Egyptians, the Greeks had their own interpretation of the Sphinx. Greek mythology chronicled the Sphinx as being the daughter of Orthous and Chimera or Laius and attributed the riddles, which she proposed, as having been taught to her by the Muses. Crowned with a Grecian diadem and having a refined expression, she evokes an ancient yet reserved intellect. For the modern-day enthusiast of classical Greek art...

A decorative technique first adopted in China in the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644), cloisonné is achieved by outlining intricate patterns with thin strips of metal, which are then f...

Roger Capron French ceramic artist black and white ceramic vase with decoration termed scarification. Similar ceramic pieces pictured on p 69 of Roger Capron Ceramist by Pierre Sta...

Harry Bertoia Steel Wire Sculpture 1975 unique Table Top piece Steel wires intricately welded with stainless steel rod and base. The work has been added to the Harry Bertoia Catalogu...

Paper darkened brass bowl II by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 17.7 x W 22.8 x H 14 cm Materials: darkened brass Available in tarnished brass and darkened brass. The Paper Series...

A squat pewter vessel for pouring oil fuel into a small opium lamp.

Simple lines, a modest form, and a layer of hand-brushed lacquer give this petite Qing-dynasty tray a provincial charm that recalls the warmth of home. Rich with character, the squar...

This round stone disc originated in Shanxi province as an early 20th-century threshing wheel. Secured to a wooden axel that ran through the center, the stone was rolled across stalks...

Spiral sculpture constructed of acrylic (lucite), brushed brass and metal by noted artist Shlomi Haziza. Ribbons of violet and gold acrylic along with brass spiral up from an acryli...