USA

Medium: etching (etched by Philip Gilbert Hamerton after Adriaen van Ostade). This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert ...

19th-century rustic bench with arms on each side.

Era: Victorian Date: 1860s - 1870s (clasp & modification added circa 1900s - 1910s) Metal Content: 14k Yellow Gold & Gold Filled Stone Information Natural Citrine Treatment: Heati...

Custom framed 19th century botanical engravings from "Sowerby's English Botany, or, Coloured Figures of British Plants". Sowerby was a famous English naturalist, illustrator and mine...

Hand-colour foxhunt scene by Finch Mason (1850-1915) signed (LL) & published by Fores of Piccadilly London in 1866 Art Sz: 13"H x 15"W Frame Sz: 16 1/2"H...

French two handle porcelain tray, the rim is gilt with a scallop design; the handles on each end are shaped for holding easily, gilt and ''ribbed'' and with a scroll and volute moti...

A Antique Victorian Locket made up of 17 carved jet links connected by yellow gold rings. The center shield design drop is set with 15 natural seed pearls and a clasp set with enamel...

Centering a cushion cut emerald weighing 1.87 carats - transparent green in color Natural Colombian in origin with minor clarity enhancement (F1) Bead set with a halo surround of ol...

Medium: original etching. This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert Hamerton's "Etching and Etchers". In addition to bei...

Oil on artist board, 19th century. No signature found, but done by a talented hand with a beautiful luminous quality. Label on reverse The Australian Twin Steamer 'Bunyip', 1860. T...

Medium: etching (etched by Philip Gilbert Hamerton after Adriaen van Ostade). This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert ...

Medium: original etching. This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert Hamerton's "Etching and Etchers". In addition to bei...

An Magnificent English Crystal Chandelier, originally for candles (now electrified). Exceptional Quality. 10 lights. France, circa 1860. Dimensions: Height 48" Diameter 31" Cw4847

This piece is so special and so rare: it dates to the Victorian era, more specifically the 1860s, and was likely made in Britain. It is crafted from vulcanite and features a teardrop shape with a high relief bunch of grapes in intricate detail, surrounded by a border of carved beads, strung on a fine black ribbon, to be worn as choker. (I love it strung on the Victorian Jet Choker pictured, which is also available in my shop.) The vulcanite has this truly stunning, relatively matte finish, with a rich warm glow— it's just so unique and unlike any other material. What is vulcanite? It is made by combining the sap of the Euphorbia or Ficus trees from Malaysia, with sulphur. It was originally invented in 1843 by Thomas Hancock. His timing just happened to be spot-on: black had long been considered essential to mourning jewelry and mourning dress, but thanks to Queen Victoria's extended 40 years of grieving (for her husband, Prince Albert), from about 1860-1890, black was considered a highly fashionable color, and began to be worn outside mourning dress. During this period, vulcanite became a very fashionable material for jewelry, and it loaned objects that gothic, romantic, dramatic black cast that Victorians just loved. Victorian mourning jewelry is rife with grape motifs; for one, grapes were a symbols of Christ (as wine is the blood of Christ). On Victorian grave markers, a cluster of grapes typically means that the deceased was of mature years. Victorians are well known for using flowers and botanicals as a means of communication. Wild grapes, according to The Language of Flowers published in 1913, are symbols of Charity, a favorite Victorian theme. NOTE: The Victorian Hair Mourning...

We rarely use the term rare … here we have a VERY rare covered majolica box in the form of a cluster of grapes on a leaf tray, made by Minton in England, date marked 1861. One of on...

19Thc Original painted game board in sage green & brown painted surface.The construction is cut nails and fine patina.

Oil on artist board, 19th century. No signature found, but done by a talented hand with a beautiful luminous quality. Label on reverse The Australian Twin Steamer 'Bunyip', 1860. ...

Celestial comet design spray earrings circa 1865 set with 28 round brilliant cut diamonds in 14k white gold. 28 round brilliant cut I SI diamonds, Approximate 1.0 total carat weig...

Medium: original etching. This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert Hamerton's "Etching and Etchers". Image size: 3 1/2 ...

19th C Applique quilt from Pennsylvania in good condition with swag floral border.This is quite unusual and unique.

Medium: original etching. This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert Hamerton's "Etching and Etchers". Plate size: 4 7/8 ...

each tall finial with pointed spire above a lobed baluster-form mid-section resting on a graduated square base; the whole on later ebonized wooden plinths

Medium: original etching. This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert Hamerton's "Etching and Etchers". Image size: 3 3/8 ...

This Chinese bowl is in excellent condition. There are four cartouches depicting Mandarin figures, birds, butterflies, fruit, and flowers.

This very rare antique Russian ring was made in Moscow in the 1860s. The ring is crafted in 14K yellow gold and embellished with glossy blac...

Medium: original etching. This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert Hamerton's "Etching and Etchers". Plate size: 5 5/8 ...

Medium: original etching. This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert Hamerton's "Etching and Etchers". In addition to bei...

Medium: original etching. This impression on laid paper was printed in London in 1868 for the rare first volume of Philip Gilbert Hamerton's "Etching and Etchers". Image size: 4 1/8 ...

Custom framed 19th century botanical engravings from "Sowerby's English Botany, or, Coloured Figures of British Plants". Sowerby was a famous English naturalist, illustrator and mine...

Le Gamin (The Kid) Etching on laid paper, 1862 Signed in the plate upper left (see photo) As published in Theodore Duret, L'Histoire d'Edouard Manet et de Son Ouvre, 1902 (The first ...

A Highly Important and Rare Meissen Porcelain Cobalt Blue Ground Vase with Platinum and Gold Hand-Painted Decoration. An exquisite and fine C...

Elm & Pine Preparation Table France Circa 1860 Pegged elm top on pine base with drawers. Measures 119”L x 39.5”d x 30”h

An original victorian period emerald and diamond ring in 18 karat yellow gold. Centered by a 2.06 carat cabochon cut emerald of beautiful rich green color. The mounting set with 26...

Primitive American- Pa Antique blanket chest bench circa 1800's w till Offered is a Primitive American- Pa Antique Blanket Chest Bench. The back o...

Discover an exceptional Victorian Game Table, originating from the 1860s. This rectangular table stands on four beautifully twisted legs, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. The top ...

Set of 6 English Chippendale Style Mahogany Dining Chairs with Ball & Claw Feet, Ca. 1860

Fantastic highly carved Gothic Oak hall bench with full lions and winged dragons on the back panel. Full body mythic lions make up the armrests while the back panel has swirling drag...

Collection of 5 Unmounted Lava Cameos from the 19th Century. Various profiles of well known figures in different tones of hand carved lava. The central cameo has a line across forehe...

Medium: original etching. Printed in 1861 by Auguste Delatre on chine-colle paper and published in Paris by Gazette des Beaux-Arts. Image size: 4 1/2 x 4 5/8 inches (112 x 118 mm). S...

Vibrant green accents on this garden scene plate appearing to show an emperor being shaded. Yellow, pale pink florals throughout. Some gold to rim. 18...

English grain painted chest, this two over three drawer chest has nicely faux wood painting throughout, with original white porcelain knobs, resting on t...

With rectangular drop in new muslin seat surrounded by a molded frame and frieze raised on cabriole legs with shell knees and pad feet.

Circa 1860 pair of Imari vases, Japan. Beaker form; well decorated with trellises behind stylized burnt orange floral cartouches alternating with c...

A pair of antique bohemian ruby red etched glass vases. Beautifully etched with birds, a castle in a rococo style they are in beautiful condition. Lo...

19Thc Early & hand crafted quilt or textile rack.It folds up as its hinged.It has early mortised & pegged construction .It is in very good condition.

Centering a rotating rectangular face that flips on axis Featuring quartz on one side and hair on the other Each measuring 8.0 x 10.0 mm and bezel set Quartz is carved with a centere...

Circa 1860 copper fish broiler, French. Heavy brass handles. Superb quality with armorial crest flanked by dolphins reversing to acanthus & ribbon repousse work. Rope molded border. ...

Hand-knotted in silk, this 12x18 antique Persian Tabriz oversized rug is an extremely rare piece from the works of Hadji Jalili, originating from ...

Pair of Hand Carved Neoclassical Lava Unmounted Cameos from the 19th Century, Italy. Almost identical in carving (different crowns), these would work b...

Hand-knotted in wool circa 1860-1870, this 14x17 antique Axminster rug from England is a rare piece of pre-Arts & Crafts sensibilities. On the design: Inspired by Sultanabad rugs...

One Antique French Rose Cut Diamond 18 Karat Rose Gold Silver Necklace. Featuring two rose cut diamonds with a total weight of approximately 1.75 carat, graded J-K color, I1 clarity. Accented by 200 rose cut and senaille cut diamonds with a total weight of approximately 4.00 carats, graded near-colorless, SI-I1 clarity. Crafted in 18k rose gold with a silver top with French import hallmarks. Original box included. Circa 1860. The necklace is 16 ½ inches in length. About this Item: Drape yourself in diamonds with this antique necklace. Circa 1860, this necklace is nothing short of a work of art, willing to be reserved for the times when only the finest will do. A dazzling dance of diamond flora and fauna waltz around your neck, wrapped up with a sparkling bow to remind your onlookers of the importance of the little things. This necklace features over 200 rose and senaille cut diamonds of over four carats for nothing short of the feeling of a glittering cascade lighting...

"Deer Shooting in the Northern Woods" is an original hand-colored lithograph by Currier & Ives. It depicts a landscape with a hunter aiming his gun at a deer on a winter day. 10" x 14" art 19 1/2" x 23 1/4" frame Nathaniel Currier was a tall introspective man with a melancholy nature. He could captivate people with his piercing stare or charm them with his sparkling blue eyes. Nathaniel was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts on March 27th, 1813, the second of four children. His parents, Nathaniel and Hannah Currier, were distant cousins who lived a humble yet spartan life. When Nathaniel was eight years old, tragedy struck. Nathaniel’s father unexpectedly passed away leaving Nathaniel and his eleven-year-old brother Lorenzo to provide for the family. In addition to their mother, Nathaniel and Lorenzo had to care for six-year-old sister Elizabeth and two-year-old brother Charles. Nathaniel worked a series of odd jobs to support the family, and at fifteen, he started what would become a life-long career when he apprenticed in the Boston lithography shop of William and John Pendleton. A Bavarian gentleman named Alois Senefelder invented lithography just 30 years prior to young Nat Currier’s apprenticeship. While under the employ of the brothers Pendleton, Nat was taught the art of lithography by the firm’s chief printer, a French national named Dubois, who brought the lithography trade to America. Lithography involves grinding a piece of limestone flat and smooth then drawing in mirror image on the stone with a special grease pencil. After the image is completed, the stone is etched with a solution of aqua fortis leaving the greased areas in slight relief. Water is then used to wet the stone and greased-ink is rolled onto the raised areas. Since grease and water do not mix, the greased-ink is repelled by the moisture on the stone and clings to the original grease pencil lines. The stone is then placed in a press and used as a printing block to impart black on white images to paper. In 1833, now twenty-years old and an accomplished lithographer, Nat Currier left Boston and moved to Philadelphia to do contract work for M.E.D. Brown, a noted engraver and printer. With the promise of good money, Currier hired on to help Brown prepare lithographic stones of scientific images for the American Journal of Sciences and Arts. When Nat completed the contract work in 1834, he traveled to New York City to work once again for his mentor John Pendleton, who was now operating his own shop located at 137 Broadway. Soon after the reunion, Pendleton expressed an interest in returning to Boston and offered to sell his print shop to Currier. Young Nat did not have the financial resources to buy the shop, but being the resourceful type he found another local printer by the name of Stodart. Together they bought Pendleton’s business. The firm ‘Currier & Stodart’ specialized in "job" printing. They produced many different types of printed items, most notably music manuscripts for local publishers. By 1835, Stodart was frustrated that the business was not making enough money and he ended the partnership, taking his investment with him. With little more than some lithographic stones, and a talent for his trade, twenty-two year old Nat Currier set up shop in a temporary office at 1 Wall Street in New York City. He named his new enterprise ‘N. Currier, Lithographer’ Nathaniel continued as a job printer and duplicated everything from music sheets to architectural plans. He experimented with portraits, disaster scenes and memorial prints, and any thing that he could sell to the public from tables in front of his shop. During 1835 he produced a disaster print Ruins of the Planter's Hotel, New Orleans, which fell at two O’clock on the Morning of the 15th of May 1835, burying 50 persons, 40 of whom Escaped with their Lives. The public had a thirst for newsworthy events, and newspapers of the day did not include pictures. By producing this print, Nat gave the public a new way to “see” the news. The print sold reasonably well, an important fact that was not lost on Currier. Nat met and married Eliza Farnsworth in 1840. He also produced a print that same year titled Awful Conflagration of the Steamboat Lexington in Long Island Sound on Monday Evening, January 18, 1840, by which melancholy occurrence over One Hundred Persons Perished. This print sold out very quickly, and Currier was approached by an enterprising publication who contracted him to print a single sheet addition of their paper, the New York Sun. This single page paper is presumed to be the first illustrated newspaper ever published. The success of the Lexington print launched his career nationally and put him in a position to finally lift his family up. In 1841, Nat and Eliza had their first child, a son they named Edward West Currier. That same year Nat hired his twenty-one year old brother Charles and taught him the lithography trade, he also hired his artistically inclined brother Lorenzo to travel out west and make sketches of the new frontier as material for future prints. Charles worked for the firm on and off over the years, and invented a new type of lithographic crayon which he patented and named the Crayola. Lorenzo continued selling sketches to Nat for the next few years. In 1843, Nat and Eliza had a daughter, Eliza West Currier, but tragedy struck in early 1847 when their young daughter died from a prolonged illness. Nat and Eliza were grief stricken, and Eliza, driven by despair, gave up on life and passed away just four months after her daughter’s death. The subject of Nat Currier’s artwork changed following the death of his wife and daughter, and he produced many memorial prints and sentimental prints during the late 1840s. The memorial prints generally depicted grief stricken families posed by gravestones (the stones were left blank so the purchasers could fill in the names of the dearly departed). The sentimental prints usually depicted idealized portraits of women and children, titled with popular Christian names of the day. Late in 1847, Nat Currier married Lura Ormsbee, a friend of the family. Lura was a self-sufficient woman, and she immediately set out to help Nat raise six-year-old Edward and get their house in order. In 1849, Lura delivered a son, Walter Black Currier, but fate dealt them a blow when young Walter died one year later. While Nat and Lura were grieving the loss of their new son, word came from San Francisco that Nat’s brother Lorenzo had also passed away from a brief illness. Nat sank deeper into his natural quiet melancholy. Friends stopped by to console the couple, and Lura began to set an extra place at their table for these unexpected guests. She continued this tradition throughout their lives. In 1852, Charles introduced a friend, James Merritt Ives, to Nat and suggested he hire him as a bookkeeper. Jim Ives was a native New Yorker born in 1824 and raised on the grounds of Bellevue Hospital where his father was employed as superintendent. Jim was a self-trained artist and professional bookkeeper. He was also a plump and jovial man, presenting the exact opposite image of his new boss. Jim Ives met Charles Currier through Caroline Clark, the object of Jim’s affection. Caroline’s sister Elizabeth was married to Charles, and Caroline was a close friend of the Currier family. Jim eventually proposed marriage to Caroline and solicited an introduction to Nat Currier, through Charles, in hopes of securing a more stable income to support his future wife. Ives quickly set out to improve and modernize his new employer’s bookkeeping methods. He reorganized the firm’s sizable inventory, and used his artistic skills to streamline the firm’s production methods. By 1857, Nathaniel had become so dependent on Jims’ skills and initiative that he offered him a full partnership in the firm and appointed him general manager. The two men chose the name ‘Currier & Ives’ for the new partnership, and became close friends. Currier & Ives produced their prints in a building at 33 Spruce Street where they occupied the third, fourth and fifth floors. The third floor was devoted to the hand operated printing presses that were built by Nat's cousin, Cyrus Currier, at his shop Cyrus Currier & Sons in Newark, NJ. The fourth floor found the artists, lithographers and the stone grinders at work. The fifth floor housed the coloring department, and was one of the earliest production lines in the country. The colorists were generally immigrant girls, mostly German, who came to America with some formal artistic training. Each colorist was responsible for adding a single color to a print. As a colorist finished applying their color, the print was passed down the line to the next colorist to add their color. The colorists worked from a master print displayed above their table, which showed where the proper colors were to be placed. At the end of the table was a touch up artist who checked the prints for quality, touching-in areas that may have been missed as it passed down the line. During the Civil War, demand for prints became so great that coloring stencils were developed to speed up production. Although most Currier & Ives prints were colored in house, some were sent out to contract artists. The rate Currier & Ives paid these artists for coloring work was one dollar per one hundred small folios (a penny a print) and one dollar per one dozen large folios. Currier & Ives also offered uncolored prints to dealers, with instructions (included on the price list) on how to 'prepare the prints for coloring.' In addition, schools could order uncolored prints from the firm’s catalogue to use in their painting classes. Nathaniel Currier and James Merritt Ives attracted a wide circle of friends during their years in business. Some of their more famous acquaintances included Horace Greeley, Phineas T. Barnum, and the outspoken abolitionists Rev. Henry Ward, and John Greenleaf Whittier (the latter being a cousin of Mr. Currier). Nat Currier and Jim Ives described their business as "Publishers of Cheap and Popular Pictures" and produced many categories of prints. These included Disaster Scenes, Sentimental Images, Sports, Humor, Hunting Scenes, Politics, Religion, City and Rural Scenes, Trains, Ships, Fire Fighters, Famous Race Horses, Historical Portraits, and just about any other topic that satisfied the general public's taste. In all, the firm produced in excess of 7500 different titles, totaling over one million prints produced from 1835 to 1907. Nat Currier retired in 1880, and signed over his share of the firm to his son Edward. Nat died eight years later at his summer home 'Lion’s Gate' in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Jim Ives remained active in the firm until his death in 1895, when his share of the firm passed to his eldest son, Chauncey. In 1902, faced will failing health from the ravages of Tuberculosis, Edward Currier sold his share of the firm to Chauncey Ives. In 1907, faced with competitive pressures from advancements in offset printing and photo engraving, Chauncey closed the venerable lithography business and sold the printing equipment and lithographic stones to his shop foreman, Daniel W. Logan. Nathaniel Currier and James Merritt Ives are laid to rest along with their families at the Greenwood Cemetery...

Outstanding quality Victorian Genre scene of some fishermen helping some high-class ladies on to their small boat. The style is a type of the High-end Victorian Genre scene. Painters like Tissot, Millais, the Pre-Raphaelites, and other genre painters all painted in this high-quality style. The painting is signed and dated lower left and is an oil on canvas, but alas the signature is not obvious enough to know the painter. The history of the painting is that it came from an English private collection of paintings...

Fantastic pair of Mid 19th century iron with cast brass mushroom top finials. Great patina and age related wear. Tall, 29 h and deep 20.5 they have a commanding presence with a great...

Rare James Imray chart from 1865 titled "Chart of the Islands of Madeira, Porto Santo and Dezerea" drawn from the survey made by Captain Ate Vidal Royal Navy, London. Published by Ja...

Unusual form with arched back with handhold opening and carved detail. Carved cabriole legs. Newly upholstered in muslin.

What at first looked to be your ordinary French Crystal Chandelier that no one bothered to wire for lightbulbs, turned out to be something quite special. Our first hint was the hand-...

Rare very collectible antique Antique French silver tone with Bresse Enamel Butterfly chatelaine Mesh coin purse featuring applied filigree panela and e...

Exquisite Pair of Century Chinese Famille Rose Decorated Porcelain Vases with Striking Foo Dog Handles, 1800s. Presenting an awe-inspiring and opulent duo of antique Famille Rose Chinese Porcelain vases, adorned with elaborate motifs and breathtaking craftsmanship. Standing almost waist-high, these vases command attention with their majestic presence and captivating artistry. The prominent aqua background, gracefully envelops each vase, setting the stage for an enchanting display of visual splendor. Delicate white rectangular panels on the neck of each vase feature whimsical scenes portraying highly detailed pheasants, resplendent flowers, intricate foliage, and gracefully entwined tree limbs. The necks culminate in a tulip-edged gold dipped design, lavishly adorned with turquoise enamel that gracefully flows from the lips of the vases into the very heart of their being. The body of each vase showcases larger white rectangular panels, showcasing meticulously hand-painted graceful tree limbs, vibrant pheasants, sprightly sparrows, and charming lyre birds. Amidst this lively scene, an array of multi-colored flowers and leaves effortlessly breathe life into the composition, while charming aqua blue funghi add a touch of whimsy to the spectacle. The aqua background of the remaining surfaces of the vases, is skillfully adorned with enamels in relief, showcasing a plethora of resplendent hand-painted multi-toned colorful blossoms and foliate, meticulously hand painted in mild relief and scattered to create an elegantly harmonious and evenly spread-out design. Gracing the upper belly of each vase, magnificent tiny dragons take center stage in intricate high relief, lavishly painted with 24K gold enamel. Their sinuous forms and exquisite detailing bring a sense of majestic energy to the vases, adding a touch of awe-inspiring grandeur. However, it is the handles of these vases that truly steal the limelight. Crafted with unparalleled artistry, they feature larger Foo Dogs...

Six carved figures playing instruments in peasant dress.