18th century Grand Tour Continental hand-painted bisque porcelian medallion, featuring two frolicking putti within a gold leaf fillet, custom shadow-box framed with gilt  More »

18th century Grand Tour Continental hand-painted bisque porcelian medallion, featuring two frolicking putti within a gold leaf fillet, custom shadow-box framed with gilt tracery, lined with yellow silk moire. Probably Italian. Dimensions: 8" H x 8" W x 1 1/4" D. c. 1790   « Less

Early Continental low iron andirons c1700. Each andiron measures 14 inches deep, 5 inches high and 9.5 inches wide at the base.

Early Continental low iron andirons c1700. Each andiron measures 14 inches deep, 5 inches high and 9.5 inches wide at the base.   « Less

Victorian cartoon inlaid wood marquetry depicting men playing cards (probably poker) in a dark room under a pendant light, signed lower left and dated c1947. Note the cards  More »

Victorian cartoon inlaid wood marquetry depicting men playing cards (probably poker) in a dark room under a pendant light, signed lower left and dated c1947. Note the cards up the players sleeves and stuck in one players belt. The frame measures 11.75 inches wide by 9.75 inches high. This piece is on display in our gallery at Clock TowerAntiques Center and can be seen in-person by visiting 824 E Main Street Branford,CT06405. For hours of operation visit: http://www.ClockTowerAntiquesCenter.com   « Less

A pair of Gorham silver plate, spring loaded, faux ivory candle holders marked Gorham, including original pierced design silver plate shades (with liners), strung with  More »

A pair of Gorham silver plate, spring loaded, faux ivory candle holders marked Gorham, including original pierced design silver plate shades (with liners), strung with original crystal beading. (Note: crystal display candlesticks are not included). c. 1910 Dimensions: 10 1/2" H x 5 1/2" D (overall).   « Less

Quadrapartite Enameled Brass Traveling Icon - SP.599Origin: Russia Circa: 1750ADto 1900 ADDimensions:6(15.2cm)high Collection:Russian Icons Style:Russian Traveleing Icons  More »

Quadrapartite Enameled Brass Traveling Icon - SP.599Origin: Russia Circa: 1750ADto 1900 ADDimensions:6(15.2cm)high Collection:Russian Icons Style:Russian Traveleing Icons Medium: Enameled Brass   « Less

With imagery reminiscent of a time when medieval knights fought with unparalleled valor, this stunning inlaid bowl sets our imagination spinning on a magical journey back in  More »

With imagery reminiscent of a time when medieval knights fought with unparalleled valor, this stunning inlaid bowl sets our imagination spinning on a magical journey back in time. On the interior of the bowl we see the dramatic rendering of medieval characters doing battle with one another as well as with mythological creatures, whose formidable features blend with intricately detailed scroll work, much like that of an ancient illuminated manuscript. A roundel in the center of the bowl, framed by interlocking arches, further enhances the medieval spirit by suggesting to us the interior dome of a magnificent European cathedral. Inlaid patterning in the form of small arches and slats placed along the interior perimeter of the bowl echoes the effect of stained glass windows that might border a cathedral's ceiling. As we experience the fascinating images and patterns on this beautiful bowl we are transported to a world marked by the magnificence of heraldry, pomp and circumstance, both secular and ecclesiastical in nature...a time when the natural and the supernatural wove the intricate pattern of life, much like the patterns within this magnificent inlaid bowl. - (FZ.304)Inlaid Gilt Bronze Bowl - FZ.304Origin: Europe Circa: 1200 AD to 1400 AD Dimensions: 1.5" (3.8cm) high x 8.75" (22.2cm) wide Collection: Decorative Style: Limoge Medium: Bronze   « Less

The head belonged to a small group, now gathered in the Barakat collection (see LO.882 and LO.881), discovered in a sealed room in the cellar of an Anglican church in the  More »

The head belonged to a small group, now gathered in the Barakat collection (see LO.882 and LO.881), discovered in a sealed room in the cellar of an Anglican church in the city of Colombo in Ceylon, in 1998, when engineers were underpinning the foundations. The church originally belonged to the Catholic Portuguese, and was passed over to the Dutch Reformists in the first quarter of the 18th century.The style of the head would seem to place it just prior to the Dutch conquest. During the 16th and 17th centuries the practice of keeping the beard prevailed among the Roman Catholic clergy, especially amongst the foreign missionaries involved in the establishment of the Far Eastern Missions. This group of heads are stylistically affine to the early Jesuit and Franciscan iconography employed prevalently during the 17th century in India, after the foundation of the Catholic mission in Goa by St Francis Xavier, when not only the Christ but also saints, such as St Xavier and Thomas the Apostle, were often portrayed long-bearded.Furthermore, towards the end of the Catholic presence in Ceylon (ended 1658) wooden heads and large saintly figures were indeed used not only as votive images in churches, but also as didactic vehicles in the Natya Nadagam (Nativity) plays, to introduce the Christian religion to the indigenous public.The head here illustrated, differently from the other two in the group, which clearly depict the passion of Christ, might represent a saint close to the missionary cause, perhaps even St Francis Xavier, who was already canonized in 1622 and would therefore fit the description perfectly within the time frame. - (LO.883)   « Less

Enamel Container Painted by L. Coblentz - SP.184Origin: France Circa: 19 th Century AD to 20 th Century AD Dimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x 7.75" (19.7cm) depth Collection:  More »

Enamel Container Painted by L. Coblentz - SP.184Origin: France Circa: 19 th Century AD to 20 th Century AD Dimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x 7.75" (19.7cm) depth Collection: Decorative Art Style: L. Coblentz Medium: Enamel   « Less

Of all of the creations of the House of Fabergé none possesses the mystique attached to the Imperial Easter Eggs. Their centrality to Fabergé’s entire oeuvre is  More »

Of all of the creations of the House of Fabergé none possesses the mystique attached to the Imperial Easter Eggs. Their centrality to Fabergé’s entire oeuvre is so dominant that one immediately thinks of these eggs first whenever the name of Fabergé is mentioned. In order to place these eggs in context, it is worth recalling that the egg was anciently imbued with overtones of resurrection, later a suitable symbol for Christian Easter. The practice of distributing eggs as reminder’s of Christ’s resurrection began in the Middle Ages, and developed in Russia where the traditional gift of an egg at Easter was accompanied by the recipient receiving three kisses. In Russia, such Easter eggs may be lavishly decorated, as examples of pysanky, the art of beautifully dyed Ukrainian Easter eggs, reveal. The practice of presenting actual Easter eggs, therefore, was an established tradition in Russia, but Fabergé perfected the concept of creating bejeweled Easter eggs for the Russian Imperial family when he created the very first for Tsar Alexander III to present to his wife, the Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, as a gift on Easter 1885. The House of Fabergé created an entire line of Easter eggs for clients and patrons other than the Russian Imperial family. This particular example is a reflection of those creations, and represents a variation of the theme of the Easter egg in the form of an egg-shaped goblet framed by a foot and neck which are symmetrically designed as mirror-images of one another. In keeping with Fabergé’s love of flowers, predicated on the observation that flowers were a constant reminder of the long White Nights of the summers in St. Petersburg where winters are accompanied by extremely short days and bitter cold nights, floral forms dominate this creation and evoke an enchanted, fairy-tale forest. Dr. Robert Steven Bianchi References: Robert Steven Bianchi, Fabergé. Exhibition Album (St. Petersburg 2000), pages 18-21, passim, for a succinct discussion about and his Imperial Easter eggs. For examples of Fabergé’s use of the egg motif incorporated into the design of other deluxe objects, see Geza Von Habsburg, Alexander von Solodkoff, and Robert Steven Bianchi, Fabergé. Imperial Craftsman and his World (London 2000), page 164, catalogue number 316 (the handle for a walking stick); page 189, catalogue numbers 398 and 403 (scent-flasks); page 181, catalogue number 405 (a bonbonnière); passim. - (PF.5278)   « Less

Of all of the creations of the House of Fabergé none possesses the mystique attached to the Imperial Easter Eggs. Their centrality to Fabergé’s entire oeuvre is  More »

Of all of the creations of the House of Fabergé none possesses the mystique attached to the Imperial Easter Eggs. Their centrality to Fabergé’s entire oeuvre is so dominant that one immediately thinks of these eggs first whenever the name of Fabergé is mentioned. In order to place these eggs in context, it is worth recalling that the egg was anciently imbued with overtones of resurrection, later a suitable symbol for Christian Easter. The practice of distributing eggs as reminder’s of Christ’s resurrection began in the Middle Ages, and developed in Russia where the traditional gift of an egg at Easter was accompanied by the recipient receiving three kisses. In Russia, such Easter eggs may be lavishly decorated, as examples of pysanky, the art of beautifully dyed Ukrainian Easter eggs, reveal. The practice of presenting actual Easter eggs, therefore, was an established tradition in Russia, but Fabergé perfected the concept of creating bejeweled Easter eggs for the Russian Imperial family when he created the very first for Tsar Alexander III to present to his wife, the Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, as a gift on Easter 1885. The House of Fabergé created an entire line of Easter eggs for clients and patrons other than the Russian Imperial family. In keeping with Fabergé’s interpretation of Neo-Classical tenets of design, this egg is divided into eighth precise zones, each dominated by an abundance of lush floral forms intercalated among which are grape vines, a traditional reference of Dionysos/Bacchus, classical gods of the revel and merry-making. Those associations are reinforced by the expressive dolphins which serve as clever feet supporting the egg. Taken together, these motifs—floral forms, the grape vine, and the dolphins--suggest the function of this deluxe bauble functioned as a gift to one’s beloved as a reminder of intimate times shared. Dr. Robert Steven Bianchi References: Robert Steven Bianchi, Fabergé. Exhibition Album (St. Petersburg 2000), pages 18-21, passim, for a succinct discussion about Fabergé and these Imperial Easter eggs, some of which are show-cased elsewhere in this book. For other examples of Fabergé’s non-imperial Easter eggs, see Geza Von Habsburg, Alexander von Solodkoff, and Robert Steven Bianchi, Fabergé. Imperial Craftsman and his World (London 2000), pages 157, catalogue number 309, page 160, catalogue number 311, passim. - (PF.5281)   « Less