Welcome to the all-new Moorabool Antiques home on the web. We have been busily preparing since the start of the year, and are pleased to introduce our new site. It’s been designed to make browsing our immense stock a pleasure for you, our online customers. Right from the front page, you’ll find lots of different…
The Boyd ‘Medieval’ chess set
A fascinating and most probably unique creation is also the most modern item in stock at Moorabool – dating to the 1960’s, it is an Australian Pottery ‘Medieval’ chess set, by David & Hermia Boyd, members of the remarkably artistic Boyd family. Medieval Chess set by David & Hermia, 1960’s David & Hermia Boyd Chess…
Sir John Franklin portrait discovery, c.1828
An exciting find at Moorabool is this portrait silhouette of Sir John Franklin. His name is very familiar in Tasmania; as stated on the back of this newly discovered portrait, he was Governor there 1837-43, and his name appears across the state with a town on the Huon River, and a major river which narrowly…
Lest We Forget: Anzac memories
Today is an important one in Australia; the 25th of April 1915 was a ‘coming of age’, the first military action as an independent dominion. While the troops of the young nation didn’t achieve what they set out to do, and 8,709 didn’t return, it resulted in a sense of pride in those who did return…
A Ming Dynasty Dragon roof tile, 16th – 17th century
Ming Dynasty Roof Tile A fresh item to Moorabool is this quirky Ming Dynasty roof tile figure. As the name suggests, these were part of the roof decoration on Chinese buildings. Ming Dynasty Roof Tile Many different ‘characters’ appear as roof tile figures, each with a symbolic purpose. Our Dragon is actually a water…
A scroll with a tale; an Ethiopian Coptic Scroll brought back from the Abyssinia Expedition, 1868
An interesting recent arrival at Moorabool is literally Magic….. The Ethiopian Magic Scroll, 19th century or earlier This curious artefact came from an elderly local lady, who challenged me: ‘I bet you don’t know what this is’ and was amazed at my guess of an Ethiopian magic scroll. I had never held one, but knew…
Samuel Alcock
There’s a certain style that defines the late Regency and early Victorian era, when the designers looked beyond the classically inspired Regency designs and re-visited the curves and flourishes of the Rococo. One manufacturer who excelled at this was Samuel Alcock. He began his own production of pottery in 1828 at Cobridge, and opened another…
The Boyd Chess set; a unique joint production by David & Hermia Boyd
Only on the market once before, this is a remarkable Australian Pottery rarity – probably unique. Speculated to be a special commission or present, it was last sold in the 1980’s at Christies, Melbourne. The board is by David Boyd, and is constructed from four large tiles divided into squares ,the ends inscribed with the…
Vincennes covered jug 1753-4
Every so often, we discover a piece of supreme beauty and rarity. This piece certainly qualifies, belonging to the very earliest years of the French Royal factory of Sevres. What makes this doubly special is that it has come back to us again after many years. It came out of an Australian collection late last century, and…
The Hope Service Plate, Flight Worcester c. 1790-2
Lavish is the word that best describes this Flight Worcester plate. It’s from the ‘Hope’ service, ordered in 1789 by William Henry, the Duke of Clarence, who was the third son of King George III and eventual inheritor of the British throne at the age of 64 after both brothers died without heirs. William IV…