With over 10,000 items on moorabool.com, it’s always a struggle to find what you’re looking for. For some time now, we’ve been adding ‘tags’ to every item – descriptive words that define the item. We’re now pleased to launch our ‘Tag’ page…. a great way to see the variety we have in stock, and to find your particular areas of interest to browse.
Alphabetical List of Moorabool Stock ‘Tags’
Browse to find a topic of interest; click to see all items ‘tagged’ as that.
Welcome to the latest Fresh Stock release on moorabool.com . This is a terrifically diverse one, bringing together a series of small collections of interesting things for you to browse.
To start with: some Silver Brooches… wouldn’t they make lovely presents?
We’re actually in Asia for this one! Paul & Glenys, your proprietors at Moorabool Antiques, are on a ‘China Expedition’ – visiting the sights & enjoying the unique culture that is China…..
Of course, this is not a ‘buying’ trip: China prohibits the export of anything that could be considered Antique. Rather, it is a fact-finding visit: exploring some of the regions where the Chinese items we are familiar with came from, and spending some time in the numerous Museums & Galleries and their fine collections of Chinese Art & Antiques…..
On our return, we will have a wealth of knowledge to draw on when cataloguing the incredible items from Asia which Australians are well known to have collected over the past few hundred years……
This stock release includes several such local collections of interesting Asian ceramics, including some over 1,000 years old.
These classic bits of Victorian are the ultimate ….. ‘kitsch’!
A fair number of people will not like them at all…. but they’re still going to make you smile, no matter what!
The originals were actually probably Chinese temple figures, designed to look alive. An early European example can be found in the production of the Meissen factory in the mid 18th century – copying Chinese examples. It’s no surprise then that these late 19th century examples – made in Germany for English, American & Australian markets, amongst others – are also Asian in origin. They fit the definition of ‘Chinoiserie’, being entirely the product of European Imaginations of what they thought Chinese or Japanese characters looked like. A little off the mark with this example – the very pretty man with a magnificent moustache, flowing dress, and sun parasol over his shoulder – and a lovely big pink bow in his hair – he’s more of a German than an Asian!
There’s some serious stock as well, don’t worry: although amongst these you’ll find some more ‘funnies’ – cartoon sketches which were probably printed in publications of the period. But also some ‘serious’ ceramics, including Baxter Studio decorated Coalport, Rockingham, and 18th century French Faience.
Welcome to our latest Fresh Stock Release. This coming week brings Valentines Day, and we start things with a fantastic early Victorian example of a fancy ‘Valentines Day Card’.
SPRAGG Victorian Valentines Day Card, c.1860
Victorian Valentines Day cards were sent anonymously and often carried no message to the recipient. They had emerged as a trend in the earliest Victorian period, and grew in popularity as the century advanced. Technology led to elaborate mass production utilising die cut embossed ‘paper lacework’, as seen in this example, and chromolithography printing allowing multiple bright colours. The ‘Penny Post’ introduction in the 1840’s was the crucial component in the rise of the printed cards, allowing an admirer anywhere to send a cord to someone. Records for cards sent for Valentines Day 1841 show 400,000 within the English postal service – and this number increased constantly every year. The poor postmen were given an extra allowance ‘for refreshments, to help them keep up their energy’ while doing cupid’s work!
This remarkable large piece of English Majolica is the ultimate pottery rarity. It’s a Punch punchbowl – the figure balancing it on his belly is the character so familiar to Victorians as the character of the ‘Punch’ satyrical magazine. The bowl itself is like a giant orange, and the moulded holly around the edge reveals the intended usage for the bowl: Yuletide Cheer, sitting in the middle of a lavish Christmas table.
It was created by George Jones, famous for his quirky products. It bears the diamond registration mark for 1873, as well as the ‘GJ’ impressed initials of the proprietor. This is interesting, as 1873 is also the year George Jones included his sons in the business, changing the mark to ‘GJ & Sons’. This bowl must have been made in the initial part of 1873, before the change of the mark was implemented. It’s rare we can date something so precisely…..
Welcome to our first February stock release, full of interesting items.
There’s some furniture, including the superb miniature chest of drawers seen above: it’s an ‘apprentice’ piece, so-called as an apprentice could show their skills by producing a miniature masterpiece. This example is Australian, made from solid cedar, absolutely original and a prime piece of Australiana.
A cedar bed from the 1840’s originates in Tasmania, and has very heavy original ‘gumtree’ side rails and splats.
1905 Thonet Catalogue
There’s a fine quality English linen press, with a mark identifying the maker as C.J. Freeman – Furniture Manufactory – Norwich. The beautiful timber is carefully selected maple.
A couple of bentwood chairs are interesting, appearing in the 1905 Thonet catalogue.
No matter what your opinion regarding the 26th January, those who live in Australia have a lot to celebrate. The Ancient Past was when the first settlers came, over expanses of water, up to 60,000 years ago. Isolated, they developed their own unique culture which is now rightfully called ‘the oldest continual culture on earth’. Their ability to sustain themselves in the often harsh Australian landscapes can only be admired ….
When the next phase of settlers came, the Europeans, they died of thirst and hunger, in places where the Aboriginal ‘First Nation’ peoples were perfectly at home.
The inevitable influx of fortune-seeking Europeans from the initial First Fleet of 1788 spread across the land, and formed another unique culture: Australian. While initially English, there were large numbers of Scots and Irish settlers, seeking to escape the harsh social realities in their homelands. Soon, people from all corners of the globe were arriving, drawn by the potential for success and safety Australia’s fledgling nation offered. After the World Wars of the 20th century, and other humanitarian crisis which resulted in refugee influxes, Australia welcomed more & more diversity to its shores.
Surveyors planning a railway in Queensland, circa 1890
The result of this is Australia as we see it today: Original ancient Aboriginal culture, with British social stability and institutions, enhanced by Greeks, Italians, Germans, Scandinavians, and Asian arrivals, each with their own cultural background to add to the mix. Australians are no longer exclusively any of these cultures – especially after a generation or two of children have grown up in this ‘new’ culture.
Rather, Australia is a splendid mix of ‘people of the world’ – hopefully the best aspects of each culture.
So let’s not get bogged down in invasions, or cultural clashes – Australian culture dictates everyone has a fair chance. Say G’day, and celebrate us for what we are – and dream of what we could be –
This week, we have a splendid selection of ceramics, including 18th & early 19th century pieces from a local gentleman’s collection – all sourced from Moorabool over the past 60 years….. he recalls buying his first piece off John Rosenberg in 1965!
Many of these pieces may be familiar to regular customers, and feature in some of our printed catalogues for the Exhibitions we held in our Geelong premises in the past: now they’re back in stock, and looking for a new ‘custodian’ to enjoy and care for them.
Meissen sweetmeat basket with birds, c. 1755
There’s a number of early pieces of European porcelain.
You can’t beat the quality of these extraordinarily rare Meissen chocolate cups. They literally ‘walked in’ to our shop from a local house where they have been sitting for many years, with the family tradition being they came to Australia in the 19th century. We believe they are from a unique dèjeuner set, the tray which held them being in the Museum collection in Munich. They are Meissen, made in around 1775, and the distinct style of painting belongs to a known artist: Johann Georg Loehnig. Active at Meissen from around 1770, he was regarded as one of their best artists, and given the prestigious commissions. They are extraordinarily rare, and possibly relate to a single service, the main tray which held them being in the Museum at Munich. Who could such magnificent cups have been for?
Rare Meissen beakers in the Sèvres style, by Johann Georg Loehnig, c.1775
Welcome to our first Fresh Stock for 2024. We have a fine selection of interesting items for you to browse, including Sterling, Old Sheffield Plate, Australian Pottery, and a whole range of ‘Green’ ceramics…..
The exceptional piece this time is a plate, which bears an original Exhibition label from 1876. With the place it was exhibited, and the name of the artist, we were able to discover a fascinating ‘back-story’ – with close links to Charles Dickens and an Australian High Court judge from 100 years ago…..
Ellen Ross ‘china painting “HOWELL & JAMES” of Regent Street, exhibition label 1876
… and this is our last ‘Fresh Stock’ for 2023. It’s been quite a year, with an amazing number of items being added to moorabool.com, and many finding new homes in collections all around the world.
Thank-You very much!
Late in 2023, we recieved the amazing collection of a local good customer to sell. He recalls his first purchase from a young John Rosenberg in 1964; since then, he has been a regular customer ‘through the decades’, and having never sold anything, has compiled quite a large collection!
Close-up of the amusing knop on the Rogers ‘Zebra Pattern’ supper dish below: a bemused lion!
Today you will see a selection of his blue & white on offer, and some delightful Creamwares. These were the smaller aspects of his collection; most of it is highly decorative English ceramics from the first half of the 19th century, including Worcester, Derby, Minton, Swansea, Davenport, Spode…. basically an Illustrated Encyclopaedia of British Ceramics!
Fresh to Stock: a Willow Pattern Christmas Tree!
So far we have catalogued 300 pieces: there is on estimation five times that to go, so that is quite probably approaching 2,000 pieces! Naturally to do our comprehensive identification and descriptive cataloguing we are known for takes time per piece…. so it will be a gradual release throughout 2024, in groups of similar items, periods, makers etc. Keep an eye out for our upcoming ‘Curated Collections’.
Moorabool would like to wish all our valued browsers the absolute best for this Christmas, and a Healthy & Happy New Year. 2024 will be the most exciting one in memory for Moorabool!
Paul & Glenys Rosenberg, Moorabool Antiques, Geelong, Australia
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