Welcome to another release of Fresh Stock. We have quite a backlog of fresh items to attend to – and don’t forget to take advantage of our current ‘FREE SHIPPING’ offer.
Bastille Day Special – Vive la France!
Today, we’re looking at our French stock as France celebrates Bastille Day & all things French. We have un grand choix d’antiquités Françaises. Savourer!
Today, there’s some fine Japanese porcelain & sculpture freshly posted to moorabool.com, including some lovely early 17th & 18th century Edo period pieces.
Three types of Japanese Porcelain, Edo Period (1603-1867) : Arita ‘Sometsuke‘ wares (underglaze blue), Imari ‘kinran-de‘ (gold brocade) wares with iron-red & gold as well as underglaze blue, and a Kakiemon-type enamelled dish, (no underglaze blue) Aritia, early 18th century.
A boat-shaped dish with a ‘boating’ scene…. Imari ware, Edo period , 18th century. SOLD
Japanese Screen from Purrumbete, Western District Victoria, c. 1890
This magnificent large room-screen is Japanese, and typical of the luxury goods imported from Japan for the wealthy Australian land-owners of the late 19th century. It was purchased at the clearing sale of the Purrumbete Homestead, near Camperdown in the Western District of Victoria, and part of the original Manifold family’s furnishings. This magnificent Arts & Crafts house had been created from a smaller 1850’s house for them in the very early 20th century. This screen was no doubt a fitting from that period, part of the ‘Country House’ look popular at that time, with Japanese & Chinese items mixed in with traditional furniture against the stunning Australian-timber panelled walls and decorative woodwork to the ceilings. See the screen here >> The large late 19th century Japanese vases included in today’s ‘Fresh Stock’ were also sourced in the Western District of Victoria, probably originating from another grand home of this period.
A handsome George III ‘bachelor’s chest’, the name given to these small useful pieces that often have a pull-out slide shelf at the top, like this example. C. 1780. $2400 See this piece here >>
Remember, we’re currently offering FREE shipping!* (Australia only, some larger items & furniture excluded. Overseas, we can do a big discount on shipping, or free in some cases, please ask.)
The wonders of the Middle-East have always appealed to the Western world. It has always been ‘exotic’ and associated with luxury due to the nature of the regular contact through trade. Persian rugs were the go-to for any Victorian household, and other textiles were in great demand – and expensive.
We have recently found some metalwork & ceramics that followed this route, all the way to Australia. Mostly from one Western District (Victoria) estate, they have been in Australia for generations – quite possibly since new. Australians have always been great travellers, and collectors. The nature of the passage to Australia through the Suez Canal meant constant contact with the Middle-East, and with the number of troops who pivited through there in both Wars, it is no wonder we find Australia a great place for discovering quality Arabic wares.
Views in Egypt, by Salt, 1809
These large-scale hand-coloured aquatints were an attempt by Henry Salt to express the scale of wonder to be seen in Egypt. Ruled by the Ottoman Empire until the French and then the English invaded, Egypt was not often visited in the 18th and early 19th century. However, once the British had the upper hand on the French, they made certain their influence was felt in the region. Henry Salt was trained as an artist, a student of Farrington and also Hoppner, R.A. – but came to love Egypt during his travels from 1802-1806, as secretary and draughtsman with George Annesley, Viscount Valentia. They embarked on a major tour of ‘The East’, visiting India, Ceylon, Abysinnia and Egypt. Salt’s drawing skills were utilised, being used as the basis for illustrations in his employer’s publication, ‘Voyages and Travels’. They were part of a large folio, “Twenty-four views taken in St Helena, the Cape, India, Ceylon, the Red Sea, Abyssinia & Egypt”, published 1809. These were the only two to depict Egypt. Salt went on to become British Consul-General in Egypt in 1815, where excavated extensively, procuring a large number of antiquities for The British Museum and for his own collection. He sent a large collection of antiquities to The British Museum in 1818. Many other pieces were sold to private collectors, the most notable of these being the sarcophagus of Sety I purchased by Sir John Soane and still to be seen in his house museum in London today.
The engine-turning is particularly interesting and is evidence of European technology in the Egyptian workshops during the 19th century. The concentric lathe needed for engraving these lines was a European invention of the latter 18th century.
The shape is common in Europe from the 18th century, particularly in Eastern Europe, and the flower knop is copied directly from a European piece of the 19th century. The intended market would have been the Eastern Europeans, although luxury European wares were also valued by the Ottoman Court, so it could have been for use in a great Ottoman household somewhere in the eastern Mediterranean.
A remarkable Egyptian silver coffee pot, after an Eastern European original, Ottoman period of Sultan Abdulaziz (1861-76)
Sultan Abdulaziz 1830-76
Ottoman silver of this quality is rarely seen. It would have been a very expensive luxury good, available for the Ottoman wealthy, or imported as an exotic import into Europe. Sultan Abdulaziz was the 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and the first to travel through Europe. He was entertained by monarchs in the major European countries, with Queen Victoria entertaining him on her royal yacht in 1867 and making him a Knight of the Garter. He loved Europe’s technological progress, and was present at the ‘Exposition Universal’ in Paris in 1867. The Technology and Science from around the globe which he witnessed there led him to seek to bring the Ottoman Empire into the modern world. He was responsible for many rapid advances such as a postal service, the first railroads, and a navy that became the 3rd largest in the world after England & France. The European nature of this pot reflect this interest in the European world just next door.
Egyptian Silver Hallmark signature of Sultan Abdulaziz 1861-76
The marks are found on each component, ie. body, lid & flower knop. The ‘tourgha’ is the Islamic calligraphic signature of the Sultan, with each Sultan having his own. The form of this one places it in Egypt. Next to this is the sah mark, in this case stating ’90’ as the 90% assay of silver content. The mark of the maker is found engraved on the base, within two zig-zag lines. These lines were the result of the assayer taking a sample to test the silver content, and act as further proof of the .900 grade of the silver.
Ottoman Turkish Coffee Set, .800 Silver, Circa 1900
Sparkling Silver coffee set, including a long handled ‘cezve‘ coffeepot, covered in inscriptions. Turkish .800 silver, c.1900
A superb quality Turkish silver coffee set including the traditional ‘cezve‘ open-topped dingle-handled coffeepot with incredible Kufic script engraved around each piece.
Seljuk Islamic bronze basin, 13th century with a Moghul brass ewer, 18th century
This large basin was a symbol of status. Paired with a water-ewer, it was part of the ritual of hospitality to offer water to wash hands & feet – no doubt dusty from travel. What is remarkable is the size; it would have been brightly buffed originally, or plated in a shiny tin- and an impressive introduction to a visitor to a household. On the walls are panels of Kufic script, which when translated often wish the best blessings to the guests and household. Interestingly, there are a series of brass rings inlaid around the central flowerhead motif, an early instance of the complex inlaying of metals that developed in the following centuries.
Damascus Wares
These ‘mixed-metal’ items are collectively known as ‘Damascus Ware’ due to the Souq (markets) of Damascus being full of pieces for sale. However, it is a common form of craft from around the Ottoman Empire and beyond, going back to the Seljuk Empire of the 10th century.
The Seljuk were nomadic Turkic tribesmen, who overran the region in the 10th century, taking the great city of Baghdad in 1055, and under whose rule the ‘Golden Age’ of Islamic Art was achieved.
In the 19th century, interest in the earlier Seljuk period led to a renewal of the technique and elaborate designs. In Damascus and Cairo, the Souqs encountered by westerners were full of exquisite ‘Seljuk Revival’ pieces like the vase pictured to the right.
Early Islamic Inlay, Seljuk 13th century
This rare Islamic bronze dish is decorated with inscriptions, with 6 panels of script to the rim and 4 to the interior. Another 6 can be found along the outside wall, all in very stylized ‘kufic’ type script, which can still be translated by scholars today; usually it is a blessing for the food and the consumer, often sourced from the Koran. It is of a distinct angular form, and has been made by a combination of casting the body, then hammering & incising decoration. The body is very thick, and the result is surprisingly heavy.
It has some sections of copper inlaid as decoration, with the flower centers having rounded inserts and the structure of the central star with central copper strip. It also has silver, which has corroded; this was used for a series of crescent moons in the roundels, with a budding plant cupped by the crescent. It is tempting to see this as an early incidence of the Islamic Crescent symbol. However, while the Seljuk were Muslim, it wasn’t until the 15th century and the Ottoman Empire that a ‘crescent’ became the symbol for Islam.The other roundels have full flowers, and in combination with the new moon crescent, they are probably symbolic of ‘the cycle of life’. The quality of the bronze alloy is excellent, and this piece has survived in extremely fine condition.
Examples can be traced to Egypt, the Balkans, Turkey, Iran/Iraq, and of course Syria. With the rise of Islam, it became the perfect way to have both something incredibly precious & decorative, while showing correct piety; the calligraphic script is usually a quote from the Koran, often wishing health & prosperity. This script is an art form in itself, and when examining a piece, one can only admire the skill. Each metal – sometimes a bronze base with copper, silver and gold inlaid – is carefully hammered into a ‘trench’ prepared with a chisel, being careful to make the base of this incision broader than the surface cut. This results in the metal being hammered in being firmly fixed without any further work. It is then carefully smoothed & polished, sometimes engraved, leaving it proud of the surface. The entwined foliage knotwork designs are simply mesmerizing.
Most quality pieces we see are from the 19th-early 20th century, and they all look back to the earlier ‘Mamluk’ period – hence the term ‘Mamluk Revival’.
Turkish ‘Damascus Ware’ Coffeepot & 6 glasses with extensive inscriptions, c. 1900
Charger by Master Mahdi Alamdari (1957– ? ), 1970’s
The technique of ‘Qalamzani’ was skillfully developed in Qajar Persia (Iran), and continued into the subsequent Pahlavis period. It involves using a series of sharp chisels to gouge through a surface layer of metal, often revealing a prepared second metal beneath. We have a stunning example of Qalamzani work, a very large charger. This piece has is a masterpiece, and signed by Master Mahdi Alamdari. Born in 1957, he was in his early 20’s when this piece was created. We can date it through one simple fact: it has human images. There is a story being illustrated, probably from one of the multitude of legends Persia is so rich in. As outlined below, such an image would have been prohibited by the Sharia law of the post-1979 Islamic Republic, allowing us to date this piece to the late 1970’s.
A beautiful maiden plays the harp…. … to a party of men, one is almost asleep…… the moon with a mighty moustache looks on… … and is part of the signature of Master Mahdi Alamdari (1957– ? ). Superbly detailed designs reminiscent of the carpets of Iran.
If anyone knows their Persian stories, I’d love to know the tale this scene tells – drop us a message!
It is unfortunate that Iran has become severed from the Western World since then, and interesting to examine the path that led it there. Read more by clicking the ‘Road to Isolation’ below.
A brief history of Iran’s 20th century road to isolation.
During WWII, Britain used the ‘Persian Corridor’ to access their ally Russia, and to deny Germany access to the oil fields of the region. The Russian did not leave despite the Tehran Conference, where along with the USA, they agreed to leave Iran’s borders where they had been before the war. This led to one of the first confrontations between the USA and USSR which we remember as the ‘Cold War’: the USA then covertly performed their first ‘regime change’ by spearheading a coup to overthrow the only democratic government Iran has ever known, and installing an absolute monarch of their own choice. This Shah, Pahlavi, came to depend on the support of the USA to stay in power – which he managed to do for the next 26 years. The USA was of course thinking strategically; Iran had access to vast oil reserves, and was adjacent to the USSR, so a strategic ally in the ‘Cold War’ they were fighting. The 1960’s-70’s were a prosperous time for Iran, with plenty of USA & UK interaction, and a time when Iranian Arts & culture were readily available to the West. This was the date our large charger would have come out of Iran. This all changed in 1979; a festering unrest at the Western nation’s abuses over the past century – in particular, dissatisfaction at the Shah’s dependence on the USA – led to the ‘White Revolution’. The result was a Theocracy, the Islamic Republic of Iran – following the leadership of the Supreme Leader, Khomein. As a part of the strict Sharia (Islamic Law) ideology, images of humans & animals – ie. any living thing – were ‘strongly discouraged’. This stemmed from interpretations of the displeasure of Muhammad on seeing idols in his time. The traditional arts of the Persian world came to a screeching halt, with the vast majority of artists leaving Iran for Western exile in the following decade. The last 40 years have been isolating for Iran, as it has had the constant embargo on almost everything, and the heavy attention of the USA leaning on it. As a result, it is still a place of mystery, and the art & artifacts we come across have that same ancient sparkle of a far-away mysterious & exotic land, filled with wonderful treasures…
These colourful ceramics are from Iran, products of the pottery industry that flourished in the Qajar dynasty.
Otherwise known as the ‘Persian’ Empire, the Qajar dynasty controlled parts the area of present-day countries Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, as well as the southern parts of Georgia.
The Qajars ruled from 1779 to 1924, coming from Astarabad, south-east of the Caspian Sea. Under the Qajars the capital of this Persia Empire was moved to Tehran.
Selection of Qajar ‘fritware’ vases & tiles: the body is not just fired clay, but rather a ‘glassy’ silica granular slurry of sand and a very minor amount of clay, which fuses when heated, the fused surface keeping the piece structurally sound. If broken, a crumbly sand-like interior is exposed. The example at far right is several centuries earlier, being a fine example of Iznik production of the late 15th/early 16th century. It was on this legacy that the Qajar ceramics built their trade, often imitating much earlier designs.
Tiles were a useful wall covering that was both decorative and durable. Depicted here is perhaps the illustration from a legend – the man on his green-spotted horse appears to feed the circling spectacular bird with the extra large tail. This bird we can identify as a ‘Simurgh’.
The Simurgh – also called Huma – was a mythical bird which flew invisibly above the earth. With no legs, it could not land, and it never cast a shadow – except onto a King. The feathers often seen on a King/Shah/Sultan’s turban represent this divine anointing. It is a mighty and auspicious bird, bringer of great fortune, and features central to the early Persian tales.
It also represents the unattainable – always being unreachable high, perhaps the origin of the saying ‘aiming for the sky’.
Persian ‘Kitab-i hasha’ish’ – the Materia Medica of Dioscurides, Botanical Medical manuscript
This Persian manuscript page is a fascinating example of how the Islamic World preserved ancient knowledge during Europe’s so-called ‘Dark Ages’. It is from a ‘Kitab-i hasha’ish‘ – the ‘Materia Medica’ of Dioscurides, a 1st century AD physician of Greek origin, who had compiled the botanical medicinal knowledge of the period into a series of books. Originally in Greek, they were preserved through constant copying complete with illustrations in the Islamic world. They drew on all knowledge of the time, and Dioscurides claimed to have travelled far & wide as a physician with the Roman Army. This example has an illustration of an unknown bulb with groups of red flowers, the text explaining the usage of various components for various ailments, in flowing Persian calligraphy with important words in red. It is set within a frame of gold / black / red / blue carefully ruled lines, a style that appears on items originating in Isfahan, Iran – although they were made right across the Islamic world for many centuries, from the earliest in Baghdad in the 10th century to Morocco and India right into the 19th century.
This page is attributed to one from the 17th – 18th century.
Welcome to our ‘Fresh Stock’ update – these items are fresh to our stock , and fresh to this website.
Today it’s some Wonderful Worcester.
Dr John Wall (1708-1776) Founder of Worcester Porcelain Worcester Porcelain Museum;
Dr Wall, or ‘First Period Worcester’, is the earliest period of this important English porcelain maker. Dr John Wall was a fascinating 18th century Gentleman, a practical doctor who helped found the charitable hospital at Worcester, becoming wealthy and well-known in the process. In 1751, along with William Davies and 13 other businessmen, he established the Worcester works on the banks of the River Severn, Worcester. Davies was an apothecary, not far removed from alchemy in the mid-18th century, and actively experimenting in the quest for a porcelain body. Together with Wall, and the help of the group of investors, the distinct Worcester porcelain body was developed. There were many other attempts at making porcelain in England at this time. Bristol had a porcelain factory, and Chelsea and Bow were active in London, while Derby also had a porcelain works. Liverpool, Lowestoft and Bristol followed soon after in their respective cities. 60 miles from Worcester, Caughley made almost identical wares (before the age of copyright…). The pottery makers of Staffordshire soon began their own porcelain production, and so there are quite a number of makers of porcelain in England in the last half of the 18th century.
Dr Wall Worcester dish, c.1770 – coming soon to Moorabool.com
Confusingly, some of these other makers used the same ‘C’ crescent mark as Worcester. So how do we tell Worcester from the rest? A simple answer may be ‘Quality’. They always had a high standard, at least once they worked out how to consistently produce the same results from their kilns. But many other makers also produced high quality wares, and the decoration is often very similar, following the demands of taste. Without copyright, it was easy to copy a popular design.
The answer to identifying early Worcester is the body. They had developed a soft-paste, or artificial porcelain. Unlike the Chinese – and the Continental porcelains, like Meissen – it lacked a vital ingredient found in ‘true’, or hard-paste porcelain. This ingredient was responsible for the stability, or hardness of the body, and this in turn meant it was more durable. Especially important considering the teawares that came to be a major part of their business; if a teapot cracked when hot liquid was poured in, it was not good for business – and this was what often happened to the likes of early Bow and Derby. Worcester prided itself in the ability to withstand hot water ‘shock’ – but was resistant, not crack proof. We do see an awful lot of Worcester teapots with classic spreading hot-water cracks.
One of the 15 initial partners in the Worcester concern was Richard Holdship. He was somehow aware of a struggling porcelain manufactory at Bristol, the works of Benjamin Lund. This had begin in 1749, with the granting of an exclusive licence to mine ‘soaprock’ at the Lizard, Cornwall. When this special ingredient was combined with their clay, Lund’s Bristol porcelain had a different quality to other English porcelains of the period. The soaprock unified the body, allowing it to distribute heat better, for example when boiling water was poured into it. Lund produced a limited line of products for a limited time, and by 1751, was in financial strife. Holdship was able to come in and buy-out the works, including the equipment, workmen, even Lund himself came to Worcester to the new works there. Most importantly, the Worcester firm now had the rights to the soap-rock of Cornwall, and added to their clay, produced the fine body we are used to with 18th century Dr Wall Worcester.
Translucency-Caughley, Chelsea, Worcester- circa 1760’s-70’s
So how do we identify this Worcester body? A very simple process: hold it up to the light! A porcelain body by definition is translucent. This means the light is able to penetrate into the structure of the fired clay, and some finds its way through. When it strikes the minerals inside – such as the soap-stone – part of the light spectrum will be absorbed, with the remainder of the spectrum escaping to the viewer’s eye, resulting in a certain colour tone. In the case of Worcester with the soap-stone, it’s a greenish tone we look for.
The green tone is apparent when light is shone through the porcelain.
Other English porcelain translucency – some mild green, but not as much as Worcester.
This of course isn’t definitive test – there are variations, decoration changes things, and other factories could also produce green-tinged bodies. But combined with visual cues like patterns and shapes, spotting Worcester becomes a much simpler task.
Dr Wall Worcester Translucency c. 1775
This week, our Fresh Stock release has a series of superb Worcester ‘Saucer Dishes’, painted in the various Rococo patterns of the later 18th century. Literally a dish-sized ‘saucer’ shape, there was one, or sometimes two included in a tea service, intended to hold the cake or nice little knibbles the ‘Lady of the House’ was to serve when offering tea in the fashionable sitting room to visitors.
The ‘Marriage’ pattern is beautiful, with hidden symbols of Cupid amongst the flower sprigs. Apparently George III liked this pattern, and had a service made for Kew House. The older tale was it was to celebrate his marriage, although there are no records as such; however, the name ‘Marriage’ for the pattern is totally appropriate considering the hidden symbols of a bow, a quiver, and a lover’s knot.
Dr Wall Worcester ‘Powder Blue’ plate, c. 1770
The ‘Powder Blue’ example is fascinating, in that the flowers are lavish and flamboyant – but the fan-shaped reserves are outlined in a simple straight line of gold, with no scrolls to be seen. This reflects an earlier period, when Chinese porcelains from the Kanxi reign were coming into Europe with similar decoration. The ‘powder-blue’ ground is literally created as it sounds – a powder of blue cobalt pigment is blown onto the piece, which is treated with an oil to make it sticky; where the white panels are to be, a paper stencil cutout is attached. Once fired, this leaves the white panels to be painted by the factory artists. in the case of this plate, the artist was very good – the same hand is at work on a jug in the Zorensky Collection, along with the very stylish flower sprays. This gilding is the thick & rich ‘honey gilding’ , once again created exactly as described – honey is used to suspend the gold and apply it to the porcelain, where it burns off & leaves the gold in place when fired.
Dr Wall Worcester Saucer Dish, French Shape, c.1770
The example with the urn in the centre is Dr Wall Worcester at its best. This fluted shape is known as the ‘French’ shape, and was very popular for tea wares. The combination of the central flower-clad urn and the colourful swags of flowers hanging from suspension amongst the rich gilding around the rim is enhanced by the startling splash of turquoise ‘caillouté‘ work, a French word meaning ‘pebbly’. It’s based on the luxurious Sevres imports of the time, and the whole look & feel of these flamboyant pieces deserve their ‘French’ title.
Enjoy!
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Welcome to a ‘Fresh Stock’ update – these items are fresh to our stock , and fresh to this website.
Today it’s a selection of fine English furniture. The bookcase is the key piece, and yes, the contents below will be a ‘Fresh Stock’ in the very near future!
George III Mahogany Bookcase
This George III bookcase is particularly pleasing in its simplicity, featuring an understated curved pediment without the usual moulding – and the unusual addition of moulding in the form of ‘Maltese Crosses’ to the fold-down flap of the Secretaire drawer. The interior is in satinwood, and has an extra-wide central ‘pigeon hole’ suitable for a laptop or tablet.
The pair of chairs are also Georgian mahogany, and rare as they have their original green horse-hair seat covers.
There’s a useful small Sutherland Table, with an unusual gallery placed between the legs.
You’ll also find scattering of Georgian porcelain, and some hard to find ‘dumps’ – glassworks doorstops.
Remember, for the furniture, we have delivery options up the East Coast or to Adelaide, ask for a quote.
Today we have some items relating to our fascination with Ancient Egypt. Since Napoleon marched in and took over Egypt 1798 (and then the English kicking him out a few years later) the splendors of Egypt have captured the imagination of Western Cultures, inspiring them to create pieces in the same style – ‘Egyptomania’. There’s a wall hanging depicting Osiris sewn onto Egyptian linen, a typical souvenir for a WWI ANZAC soldier to bring back from his adventures, either stationed in Egypt or passing through on troop ships – it would squash into a backpack easily. There are some interesting watercolours from the 1910’s-20’s, when Egypt became fascinating all over again after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in late 1922. The papers & magazines were full of photos of the Ancient Egyptian treasures emerging from the Valley of the Kings, and ‘Egyptomania’ took hold. From this time is a small brass box, the lid presenting a good facsimile of the incredible scene from the back of King Tut’s tomb. From Egypt comes a pair of bronze ‘temple’ bookends, mounted on Egyptian banded alabaster. From around 1900, there are some English pottery vessels with Egyptian figures as their decoration, made at Doulton, Lambeth. To round it off, we have also attached some of the genuine Ancient Egyptian artifacts we have in stock, at the end of this page. And for those interested, we have something extremely special coming to Moorabool shortly; a small selection of supremely rare Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including a New Kingdom limestone head of a nobleman, nearly life-size, and a Royal ‘shabti’ figure from an important cache of Royal artifacts from the Valley of the Kings…. it would have emerged from the fabled ‘1st cache’ of Deir el Bahri, 1881. More on that soon!
King Tut Box
The small box in today’s Fresh Stock is a detailed product made in the aftermath of the discovery & opening of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt in late 1922; the various elements of decoration have taken inspiration from the many photographs published over the next few years as the incredible contents of the chambers were brought to the surface, revealing to the world the dazzling splendors of New Kingdom Egypt.
King Tut box, 1920’s
This source is evident when we examine the seated figure being attended to by a female on the lid, with sun-disk above literally reaching down to anoint the couple with hands depicted on the ends of the sun-rays. This is very close to the back decoration of the golden throne from the tomb.
King Tut’s throne back, circa 1330 BC
It is an image of matrimonial affection, as it represents his wife Ankhesnamun in a scene of ‘domestic bliss’. A closer examination reveals she has an oil vessel in her left hand, and is therefore rubbing scented oil onto his shoulders. Another sweet detail is evident on the original, but too small to repeat on this box lid; she wears a foot-bangle on her right foot, and the Pharaoh one on his left; these are the symbols of matrimonial bonding, as-in the wedding ring in today’s cultures.
To the right of the queen is a tall stand supporting an elaborate set of ceremonial adornments – a large circular headdress, and two broad collars. This sets the scene – at the end of the day, the royal couple taking a moment, having taken off their heavy headdress & collars, just sitting back and relaxing in their palace room…..
The hieroglyphics on our box, while accurately copied as individuals, have been simplified for aesthetics, and yet can still be deciphered by the trained eye; to the left are the two royal ‘cartouche’ names for the couple, . The elaborate pillars to either side, and the petal-border to the base and complex layered upper border all reflect the overall design seen on the throne.
It’s a well planned piece of ‘Egyptomania’, created to meet the demand for the exotic splendor of Ancient Egyptian stimulated by Howard Carter’s incredible discovery in 1922.
Welcome to our ‘Fresh Stock’ update – these items are fresh to our stock , and fresh to this website. With Valentines day just around the corner, we hope you love our latest additions…
Today, some fine 18th century enamels, elaborate flower encrusted marvels, and even some Sterling Silver teddybears……. these fun pieces were made right at the start of the ‘Teddy’ era, when Teddy Roosevelt was President of the USA – and a popular cartoon showed him refusing to shoot a bear cub on a shoot, labelling him ‘a big teddy-bear’…. from this, the first of our much-loved toys were made, and these rare silver pieces followed the trend.
SOLD! rare Stirling ‘Teddy Bear’ salt & pepper, 1909
Remember, we post world-wide at the most reasonable rates – ask for a quote.
Some real characters Fresh at Moorabool – Staffordshire Figures of the mid-19th century
Welcome to our ‘Fresh Stock’ update – these items are fresh to our stock , and fresh to this website.
Today it’s time for some Fresh Staffordshire! We enjoy our Staffordshire for the stories they tell. This was their purpose – to represent an individual, a famous character, or an event. The equivalent of Facebook & Instagram in the 19th century!
Jenny Jones & Edward Morgan
This is an interesting theatrical group – based on a pop song of the time: Jenny Jones. That’s her, slicing up a bit of cheese & bread for her sailor, Edward Morgon, who has returned after 20 years sailing the world to his hometown, and his love. The last verse says it all:
I parted a lad from the vale of my fathers,
And left Jenny Jones then a cockit young lass :
But now I'm return'd a storm-beaten old mariner,
JENNY—from JONES, into MORGAN shall pass,
And we'll live on our cheese and our ale in contentment,
And long through our dear native vallies will rove ;
For indeed in our hearts we both love that Llangollen,
And sweet Jenny Morgan, with truth will I love.
Staffordshire group of Jenny Jones & Edward Morgan, c. 1855
The Ballad of Edward Morgan and Jenny Jones
Cover from the music ‘Jenny Jones’ c.1850
Wellington & Napoleon – Staffordshire Figures, mid-19th century
Napoleon’s Eagle
You’ll recognize these two characters: Napoleon, instantly recognizable in his costume, with his arm characteristically tucked into his waistcoat. He was a surprisingly popular figure amongst the English, who would have had recent memories of the turmoil he caused across Europe. The appeal was as a ‘Villain’ figure, alongside the various Highwaymen, Murderers, and Politicians that were made in large quantities. This particular representation of Napoleon is a scarce one, as he is depicted with a friendly Eagle – representing ‘Empire’, as-in the Roman Empire (with its Eagle symbol) has been re-created by Napoleon…. With ambitions like that, the figure of the Duke of Wellington was necessary to keep him in check at the other end of the cottage mantel piece – although this figure shows him in his political capacity, some years after ‘The War’.
Staffordshire ‘Scottish’ Clock Group, mid 19th century
Lastly, this curiously tall figure is ‘one with the lot’ – there’s dancing highlanders, a charming lion lurking beneath the red-brick bridge that forms the base, who has recently been ‘cuddling’ a deer (‘he’s just sleeping, kids!”) – and an eagle perched on top for good measure! The purpose of the whole piece is to give the impression to anyone peering through a cottage window that the house had a clock – and was therefore well off – although looking closer, you’ll notice it’s painted on!
You’ll find these listed in the ‘Fresh Stock’ below. There’s also good number of other Staffordshire figures to browse below, along with a fair few interesting pottery pieces.
Enjoy.
Remember, we post world-wide at the most reasonable rates – ask for a quote.
Welcome to our ‘Fresh Stock’ update – these items are fresh to our stock , and fresh to this website.
It’s nearly Christmas! Moorabool has been bustling with people sourcing special presents – the online aspect is no longer ‘Christmas’ valid, due to the postal time restrictions – but locals who can pop in are keeping us busy.
Celtic – Bronze Age – clasp, circa 800BC
We have also been putting a variety of Fresh items online, including some fascinating Antiquities and some fine porcelains, silver & glass. There’s a lot awaiting a photo opportunity or description to be published – so keep your eye on the ‘Latest Additions’ gallery.
Handsome Old Sheffield Plate ‘Cake Basket’, circa 1820, Fresh to Stock today
Now that Christmas is almost over, we have also started to progress with the new website setup. We didn’t want to risk any down-time while our valued customers were on the site securing special Christmas presents! In the New Year, you’ll see our New Website: an easier way to grasp the quantity & variety that makes up the stock at Moorabool Antiques.
New Years Day is the launch date for a fine selection of early porcelains, including Dr Wall Worcester, Sevres, and a selection of Bow and Derby figures.
Remember, we post world-wide at the most reasonable rates – ask for a quote.
Welcome to our ‘Fresh Stock’ update – these items are fresh to our stock , and fresh to this website.
Fresh Delights @ Moorabool
Today we have a wide range of interesting potential Christmas Gifts – something for everyone!
There’s a small group of fine quality French bronzes, some delicate small pieces of ‘virtu’, and that gorgeous ‘doggy box’ with its googly eyes peering at you… how can you say ‘no’?
Chess, anyone?
There’s a handsome chess set – Jaques, London, mid-19th century – and an incredible luxury boxed set of .950 standard Solid Silver teaspoons with very special sugar tongs, dating to circa 1900.
Luxury French Silver by Alphonse Debain
You’ll also find some really in-expensive pieces, the ‘extra presents’ we’re always looking for – such as a selection of Victorian pewter drinking tankards, many under $100. I use one on my desk here to keep the pens in.
Pewter Tankards
Remember, we post world-wide at the most reasonable rates – ask for a quote.
Note: while we can post worldwide at reasonable rates, please aware delivery may be delayed due to covid shipping chaos.
We are expert at packing for a safe delivery of all our precious items…..
Moorabool’s Guarantee: All items offered are as described regarding date, condition, and description.
We offer a money-back guarantee, for any return within reasonable time, excluding postage.
Buy with confidence!
POSTAGE
Getting your goods need not be expensive!
We make sure Postage is as affordable as possible – our experienced in-house team can ship safely anywhere in the world, for the best possible price.
Ask for a quote…
Use the ‘Compare Products’ below to keep track of items of interest.
French joined armchair, paneled sides, flower carved crest & dated 1778Original price was: $5,400.00 AUD.$4,900.00 AUDCurrent price is: $4,900.00 AUD.
Ebony framed profile portrait of Napoleon, copper on silver backing, early 19th c.$1,250.00 AUD
Paris porcelain coffee can & saucer, Anthemion gilt pattern, c. 1810$240.00 AUD
Paris porcelain plate by Stone, Coquerel et Le Gros, Cherubs & goat, Neoclassical ‘Bronze’ griffins, c.1820$780.00 AUD
Pair of French bronze classical figures, Mars & Athena, one signed Blanpain, c. 1780Sold
French Empire bronze boat-form inkwell, serpent handles, c. 1800$3,650.00 AUD
Paris porcelain Empire style coffee cup and saucer, c.1810$590.00 AUD
Paris porcelain plate, painted in the Neoclassical taste, Nast C 1805$980.00 AUD
Paris porcelain plate, painted in the Neoclassical taste, Nast C 1805$980.00 AUD
French pressed horn & composition snuff box, Bastille 1789, 19th century$950.00 AUD
French wooden Spa-counter box, hand-painted landscape ‘LA GERONSTERRE’ c. 1770$365.00 AUD
French porcelain plate by Potter, Paris with empire style gilding and rose bouquets, c.1795$395.00 AUD
Large French bergere, with contemporary upholstery, c.1890Sold
French bronze ‘gumleaf’ dish, by Maurice Bertin, c.1925Original price was: $650.00 AUD.$325.00 AUDCurrent price is: $325.00 AUD.
French boxed silver gilt teaspoon & tongs set, .950 silver, c. 1900Original price was: $1,650.00 AUD.$650.00 AUDCurrent price is: $650.00 AUD.
Large enamel egg box, fruit, birds & mazarine blue, French c.1870$1,350.00 AUD
French bronze sphinx desk set, mounted on green marble, c.1890Sold
French faience plate, Gallic rooster with giant jug, Nevers c. 1780$580.00 AUD
French faience plate, Nevers, fleur-de-lis, c. 1785$1,250.00 AUD
French neoclassical faience plate, Sceaux, cherub & swags, c.1780$295.00 AUD
French neoclassical faience plate, Sceaux, cherub & swags, c.1780$295.00 AUD
French Art Nouveau glass bowl in ormolu stand, c. 1900$2,450.00 AUD
French ormolu candlestick, faun playing pipes, c. 1765$1,950.00 AUD
Sevres oval dish with flower sprig decoration, C. 1785$480.00 AUD
French treen snuff box, Legion of Honour + battle scene, c. 1814-30Sold
French bronze plaque, Venus & Cupid, 19th century.$1,450.00 AUD
French Empire Console Table, mahogany with ormolu mounts, circa 1820Sold
