Signed Czechoslovakian PAI Humidor. I've seen some really nice PAI pieces before, but never a humidor. This one is a beauty! The colors are bright and vibrant, no chipping or  More »

Signed Czechoslovakian PAI Humidor. I've seen some really nice PAI pieces before, but never a humidor. This one is a beauty! The colors are bright and vibrant, no chipping or loss of paint at all. No cracks, breaks, chips, or damage of any kind, not even on the delicate lid. The mark on bottom is clear and correct. This one is really special!   « Less

Sea Lion book ends. Metal and marble. Balls are bakelite. Circa 1930. Excellent condition

Sea Lion book ends. Metal and marble. Balls are bakelite. Circa 1930. Excellent condition   « Less

Bookends pair with bronze Ibex on wood basis Art deco pair of bookends with Ibex. Patinated bronze. Excellent condition. 5"1/2 x 5"1/2 x 3"1/4

Bookends pair with bronze Ibex on wood basis Art deco pair of bookends with Ibex. Patinated bronze. Excellent condition. 5"1/2 x 5"1/2 x 3"1/4   « 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

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. - (SP.588)   « Less

Large early 20th century steel cauldron, 19" H x 25" D, from the Dupont estate . Great wood bucket.

Large early 20th century steel cauldron, 19" H x 25" D, from the Dupont estate . Great wood bucket.   « Less

Lavender Jade Brush Pot with Bears - CK.0506Origin: China Circa: 20 th Century ADDimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high x 13" (33.0cm) wide Collection: Decorative Medium: Jade

Lavender Jade Brush Pot with Bears - CK.0506Origin: China Circa: 20 th Century ADDimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high x 13" (33.0cm) wide Collection: Decorative Medium: Jade   « Less

Four pair French fire-gilt bronze dore tie backs in the Art Nouveau style with floral motif decoration on ribbon band design, ending in stylized floral header, double drill  More »

Four pair French fire-gilt bronze dore tie backs in the Art Nouveau style with floral motif decoration on ribbon band design, ending in stylized floral header, double drill hole attachment, c. 1910. 2 in. W x 7 in. L.   « Less

19th c. German Victorian period papier mache candy container in the form of a pug dog; removable head, hollow-core body, and original glass eyes. c. 1880. 5 and one quarter  More »

19th c. German Victorian period papier mache candy container in the form of a pug dog; removable head, hollow-core body, and original glass eyes. c. 1880. 5 and one quarter inches H x 4 and one quarter inches L x 2 and one half inches W.   « Less