I’m very pleased to present our lastest collection of Porcupine Quill Boxes.
Visit the collection at www.IDHOME.co.uk you will not be disappointed.
Please contact us for further information
Thanks in advance
Nick
Very fine Collection of Porcupine Quill Boxes Sunday, Jul 12 2009
FOR SALE antique boxes from sri lanka, antiques sri lanka, ceylon box, galle box, porcupine quill boxes, quill boxes 10:26 pm
All change in the London Art & Antique Market Tuesday, Jun 30 2009
FOR SALE 11:34 am
A great London event that has been the focus of the art market for the past 75 years has come to an abrupt end. 2009 was the last year and this news will come as a shock to the trade and clients alike.
For 75 years the hotel and the art and antiques trade have enjoyed a happy and productive relationship, but it has been decided in consultation with the British Antique Dealers’ Association and The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair Executive Committee that the Fair is no longer financially viable. The closure of this much-loved fair, however, presents an opportunity for the trade to mount a new event commensurate with maintaining London as the centre of the art market.
We look forward to seeing how the art market developes and where the new London fairs will take place.
Starting a specialist art and antiques library Tuesday, May 19 2009
FOR SALE antique books, antique reference books, specialist library 9:29 pm
When it comes to buying antiques, knowing what you are looking at is crucial. One could think that all the knowledge that anyone needs is published on the internet, but as in many areas of specialization there are huge areas where there is very little to refer to.
If you want to find out about a specialist area, then you need to buy the book. The problem is that these specialist books were often only printed in short runs and are often out of print. This knocks onto to prohibitively high prices. There are several examples that come to mind where the scarcity of the book has pushed prices sky high.
The truth is that within these books lies a mountain of knowledge that will ultimately save you time and sharpen your focus on the pursuit of that great object. My recommendation is – buy the book. Its a win win situation where your book gives you much of the information you need and it is even appreciating in value while you hold onto it.
Knowledge is king, and having the book makes it a lot easier. For the purpose of buying books, that has all become an awful lot easier over the Internet. Every book dealers on the Internet and you can find books within seconds. I buy books from everywhere, the last I bought came from Texas. The best site I believe is www.abe.com, eBay is also a great source and Amazon throws up some stunning books for literally pennies under the new and used section.
If you were considering buying books speculatively then I would advise concentrating on highly focused documents that cover specialised niche markets. Auction catalogues are also worth collecting, particularly when it is a single designers oeuvre. These will become documents for the future that are bibles for the enthusiast. Indeed, for these single designer sales I would advise buying at least 10 copies, and just sitting on them until the market has forgotten all about the sale, that is when you can offer them. Recent sales catalogues could include the Damien Hurst Sale Sotheby’s 2008 (controversial!), specialist collections such as William Morris or Christopher Dresser, a specialist walking stick sale, or scientific instruments from a particular maker.
Ironically with all the information in this age, the desirability of these specialist books has never been greater. They are working documents that will enhance your collection and your appreciation of it. I would advise you if you have not already, to buy that expensive book, I truly believe that you will not regret it.
Take a look at our latest collection on eBay Monday, May 18 2009
FOR SALE 9:55 pm
Currently we have a superb collection of items running one ebay. Please take a look, all the items are very well chosen and all prices are negotiable!
Buying Antiques From Dealers – Online! Friday, May 8 2009
SOLD 8:24 pm
The internet has completely transformed the way people buy and sell, for the first time everyone has the most powerful research tool at their fingertips. But selling on line can by no means replace the face to face interaction of a dealers shop.
The tragedy is that although a website may get a lot of traffic only a tiny percentage of the traffic will stop with any intention of buying. A lot of this is the reluctance to contact the dealer.
Buying online should be an effective way of dealing in objects without putting the buyer under any pressure; the buyer has plenty of time and opportunity to research and make a educated decision. But perhaps that is it, there is no pressure or interaction.
Online dealers need to have a respectable online presence that carries the correct message, that the dealer can be trusted and his products can be relied upon for being interesting, rare, and of a desirable quality. I believe that the items I have presented here are well chosen; they are not items that you will see again and are certainly not pieces that you can just walk to the local shop and buy. Unique special objects demand respect and admiration. I challenge you to not feel so reluctant about spending money, a beautiful object will ultimately give you a lot more long term pleasure than a few weeks grocery shopping, or a weekend break.
What do you think?
A early 19th Century Indian Hardstone Sculpture of a Nandi bull Sunday, Apr 26 2009
SOLD antique indian nandi, indian antque, indian bull sculpture, indian hardstone, indian hardstone sculpture, indian nandi, indian sculpture, indian sculpture of nandi 8:46 am
Indian Hardstone Sculpture of a Nandi Bull
A rare early 19th century hardstone sculpture of a devotional bull. Superbly sculpted with its head at a slight angle, the body and skin highly finished with subtle details, the whole supported by a rectangular stepped base. The eyes inset with glass.
The figure is carved from a single piece of hardstone, the stone itself has a wonderful translucency with subtle colouration.
India, circa 1800
Height 4 1/2in – 11.5cm
Width 5 1/2in – 14cm
Depth 2in – 5cm
Weight 900g
SOLD
A Japanese Imari Porcelain ‘Black Ships’ Bowl Wednesday, Apr 22 2009
FOR SALE black ship bowls, black ships bowl, black ships imari, imari black ship bowl, imari porcelain, japanese procelain 6:27 am
Imari Black Ship Bowl
A fine early nineteenth century ‘Black Ships’ bowl, decorated throughout with Portuguese traders around rim, a Black ship in the center with polychromed enamel colours, the reverse with further scenes in the Imari pallet and scrolling floral motifs.
Japanese, circa 1820
Diameter: 12 inches (30 cm)
£1200 – offers invited decordealer at yahoo.co.uk
Imari Black Ship Bowl
A fine 19th Century Dutch Bucket Sunday, Apr 19 2009
FOR SALE 19th Century dutch bucket, antique bucket, antique fire bucket, antique jardiniere, coopered bucket, dutch antiques, dutch bucket 10:31 pm
Dutch Coopered Wooden Bucket - mid 19th Century
I recently found this beautiful Dutch bucket, which came direct from a house in Holland. I love the form of these perculiar buckets, they have a informal elegance that fits well with my ideals. The bucket is coopered with small sections which have been turned and stained, the whole piece stands on an extraordinary turned base and is raised on ebonised ball feet. I understand that these buckets were used to carry hot coals from the fire for use else where. There are some minor burn marks on the base but I struggle to see that this was ever used for such an extreme purpose.The bucket retains its original hand beaten brass liner.
Height 15 in
Diameter 12 in
£500 – Offers invited
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- Antique Dutch Coopered Wooden Bucket – mid 19th Century
Matthew Boulton Silver Lyon Face Candlestick Chester 1769 Wednesday, Apr 15 2009
FOR SALE 1769 silver candlestick, 18th century silver, 18th century silver candlestick, chester, chester silver, chester silver candlestick, gout grec, lion face candlestick, lyon face candlestick, matthew, matthew boulton, matthew boulton silver, rare silver, silver, silver candlestick 10:09 pm
Matthew Boulton - Lion Face Silver Candlestick, Chester 1769
I am delighted to present this masterpiece of mid eighteenth century design, by one of the most important metal workers of the latter half of the 18th century. This is without question one of the finest and most exceptional pieces of silver ever produced.
I am actively looking for a identical candlestick. If you have one to sell, then please get in touch.
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- Matthew Boulton – Lion Face Candlestick, Chester 1769
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- Matthew Boulton – Lion Face Candlestick, Chester 1769
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- Matthew Boulton – Lion Face Candlestick, Chester 1769
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- Matthew Boulton – Lion Face Candlestick, Chester 1769
Description.
A exceptionally rare and immensely important George III silver candlestick,
21.5 oz,
Chester 1769, attributed to Boulton & Fothergill, – The design is documented and is known to have been produced between 1768 and 1769.
Height: 32cm,
Diameter : 15.2cm,
marks slightly rubbed but visible.
Loaded.
Condition excellent.
Price – £8,000 – Offers invited – decordealer at yahoo.co.uk
for relevant books please see http://www.amazon.co.uk/matthew-Boulton
This candlestick is one of the earliest surviving examples of English silver in the new gout grec style, initiated in Paris during the 1760’s. Indeed the design owes much to the work in ormolu fashioned by Pierre Gouthière (1732-1813) which dates from the first half of that decade. During the Seven Year War, developments in French art and design were largely ignored by English craftsman and were in any case associated with Britain’s main enemy. However with the signing of the Peace of Paris in 1763, English connoisseurs were quick to cross the Channel to acquire the latest in Paris fashion. Foremost among these advance patrons was The Earl of Coventry who acquired tapestries, furniture and porcelain for both his London house and for Croome Court. Matthew Boulton, the leading designer of the age, was quick to recognise the change in taste and travelled himself to France in 1765, visiting both Paris and Versaille. By the end of the decade he was importing French metal work as well as manufacturing objects in the French style at his Soho works.
The earliest pair of candlesticks based on the Gouthière design was made by Boulton and Fothergill in 1768. These were exhibited at The Grosvenor Museum, Chester in 1984 (see Literature).
The candlestick is struck with the Chester assay mark as Boulton was obliged to send his objects from the Birmingham Soho manufactory to Chester for hallmarking, prior to the opening of a local assay office. In a letter to Lord Boston, 1 November 1772, Boulton referred to `Chester where our mark is enter’d’. This was a highly inconvenient and costly activity – Chester was over 70 miles from Birmingham. Boulton is recorded as complaining to his patron Lord Shelburne in January 1771 that the delay in delivery of some candlesticks was done to the 12 days it had taken for Chester Assay Office to `touch’. Further problems were created after they were returned to Boulton badly packed and damaged in transit. Pressure from Boulton and other manufacturers eventually led to the creation of the Birmingham assay office on 31 August 1773 when Boulton presented over 840oz of silver for assay.
Literature:
Exhibition catalogue, Sotheby’s and Grosvenor Museum Chester, 1984, p99, no 173, pair of 1768
Exhibition catalogue, Birmingham Gold and Silver 1773-1973, 1973, section A
Maurice Ridgway, Chester Silver 1727-1837, 1985, plate 34, another pair
Kenneth Quickenden, `Lyon-faced candlesticks and candelabra’, Silver Society Journal, Autumn 1999, p196-210
A Rare expanding silver toast rack 1814 Wednesday, Apr 1 2009
FOR SALE antique, antique silver, antique silver toast rack, antique toast rack, expanding silver toast rack, expanding toast rack, georgian silver, regency silver 6:40 pm
Novelty items always have an attractive appeal. This design of toast rack could be described as a novelty piece however its design is doubles as a space saving devise and what better material to do it in than silver. It is as divine today as the day it was made nearly 200 years ago.
The design patent is stamped on the underside of one of the cross stretchers and reads R.C & Co PATENT boldly written in capital letters. It has bold Georgian hallmarks which date it to Sheffield 1814 and was made by George Cadman and Samuel Roberts Jnr.
The rack was absolutely filthy when I found it, the silver was black and it had a thick layer of dirt. The dealer knew it was a gem though so it didn’t come cheap. As these pieces are so hard to find I had to have it, I had it cleaned and had small repair to the end stretcher as it was loose.
Price £650 offers invited – please email decordealer at yahoo.co.uk
See the following dealers for comparative pieces (cut & paste)
1) http://www.bexfield.co.uk/08/j281.htm
2) http://tinyurl.com/cjwntr
3) http://www.justinteeantiques.com/catalogue/archive/01276
4) http://tinyurl.com/c47srw
