A Japanese silver and mixed metal Aesthetic Movement bowl. Import marks for Cornelius Brabrook Pare, Birmingham, 1878. Of shaped, circular form, the textured foliate sides applied with mixed metal animals including butterflies and a crab, the interior lightly gilded, some gilding to exterior also, 5.5cm high, 11.9cm wide, gross weight approx. 6.2ozt Footnotes: Christopher Dresser was a leading figure in the Japonisme movement in the West, and his efforts to promote Japanese art and design led him to set sail for Japan in 1876-1877. This was the first visit to Japan by a European Designer, and Dresser was commissioned to form two collections of 'reliable tutorial value': one for the London based importer of Japanese wares, Londos & Co., and the other for Tiffany & Co. of New York. Charles and Louis Tiffany commissioned him to bring back some 8000 objects from Japan, from which their own craftsmen could take inspiration and obtain technical knowledge. These were delivered by Dresser on his return journey from Japan in 1877.Dresser is known to have worked as an advisor to the firm of Londos and Co. (a partnership between Cornelius Brabrook Pare (whose sponsor’s mark is on this bowl), Peter Charles and John Reynolds). The partnership was dissolved in 1879. The hallmarks on this bowl (Birmingham, 1878, Cornelius Brabrook Pare) suggest that it was one of the items brought back by Dresser for Londos & Co. in 1877.Based on the design of an interesting Tiffany & Co. chocolate pot made in New York in 1979, it seems reasonable to conclude that a similar bowl may have included in the collection that Dresser amassed for Tiffany. The chocolate pot features similar applied mixed metal animals including a crab (see pg. Fig. 8.13, pg. 262 In Pursuit of Beauty. Americans and the Aesthetic Movement, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1987, and https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/20121).The book describes this chocolate pot in the following words: The dramatic and difficult combination of copper and silver is seen in a graceful Tiffany & Company chocolate pot made in 1879. The form of this piece is Western, yet it is covered with a reddish patina and decorated with sea-life motifs, suggesting Japanese print sources. Crabs and lobsters cast in silver are affixed to the copper surface, which has been soldered and hammered to the silver body of the pot. (Pg. 262) In providing Tiffany with such a wealth of examples, David Hanks asserts that Dresser ‘acted as a catalyst for the influence of Japanese art on American manufacturers and designers (Gorham and Tiffany, for example, both produced items of silverware applied with mixed metals). Dresser marvelled at the way in which Japanese craftsmen combined beauty and utility in the goods they made for everyday use, and he incorporated a number of Japanese themes into his own creations, including butterflies, frogs, cherry, reeds and insects. His motto ‘In Pursuit of Beauty’ became virtually synonymous with Japonisme.Dresser devoted several pages of his book Japan: Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufactures to descriptions of the virtues of Japanese metalwork, of which a few are included below.Our first acquaintance with Japanese (metal) manufacturers revealed their skill in the casting of metals...The great peculiarity which I noticed in the Japanese method consisted in a fresh model being made for every work produced...It will be seen that this process, although laborious, gives variety and interest to the works produced ; and while all such methods must seem to us to involve an unnecessary expenditure of labour, I yet think that the Japanese gain as much as they lose by their processes. The Japanese method of casting gives a certain amount of variety in the work produced, for no two objects are precisely alike (pp. 417-420)Pg 428 The Japanese have more nearly achieved the production of colour harmony in metals than any other people; and in many of their works we see gold, silver, copper, zinc, black-metal, tea-urn bronze, green bronze, and other metals and alloys brought together; and not only brought together, but so arranged that their colours are brightened by reflected lights, and brought into harmony by skilful juxtaposition.Pg 429: One other point connected with Japanese metalwork is worthy of most careful consideration, namely, the various textures given to metals. We are too fond of bright surfaces, and not unfrequently prefer glitter to repose; but to the Japanese, glitter is vulgar.References: Christopher Dresser and Japan, (Catalogue Committee, 2002); Christopher Dresser and the Arts of Japan, Harry Lyons & Chris Morley (RSA Journal, Vol. 148, No. 5496 (2001), pp. 90-91); Japan: Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufactures, Christopher Dresser, London, 1882; Old Bailey Record “t18841020-998”,1884; In Pursuit of Beauty. Americans and the Aesthetic Movement, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1987; The Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/20121, New York).Condition Report: Some minor surface scratching, pitting and nicking commensurate with age. Some small holes noted around the rim which look as though they may have occurred during the manufacturing process. A very small split noted under 10x magnification where one of these holes meets the rim. A small patch of solder nearby. Some remains of gilding to exterior and faded gilding to interior. In our opinion, it looks as though some of the applied motifs (possibly foliage) may have been removed as there are raised areas visible to the interior where these may have been and dark impressions in these same places visible to the exterior. Some wear to the decoration and applied metal motifs commensurate with age and some small splits/bruising noted to the body of the crab under 10x magnification. Hallmarks to underside clear. Overall an attractive and characterful bowl. Further images available to download via this link: https://we.tl/t-GVzYYzzmNA
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A Chinese bronze incense burner, Gui, late Ming/early Qing Dynasty, 17th/18th century, of conical shape, with slender pierced side handles, basal flange, on three elephant mask feet, cast Xuande six-character mark, but later, with hardwood yin-yang pierced tripod stand12.5 x 9cm633 gramsold patination. some rim dents.One handle with slight dent. one larger one near the handleSome scratches and a stress casting crack from the cast mark.
Attributed to Théodore Joseph Napoléon Jacques (1804-1876), Allegory of a River, a bronze model of a river God seated on a rock above a lion holding a shield entitled 'Lugdunum', signed 'N. Jacques' to the base49cm highProvenance:Collection of the late Sir Georg and Lady SoltiIn good overall condition, some rubbing to patina in places.
A Chinese bronze tripod censer in archaic style, Qing Dynasty, 19th century, half round and twin handled, cast with a girdle band of dissolved dragons and leiwen, dragon headed legs, with associated wood pierced cover10.8 x 13.5cmThe finial is loose to the wooden cover and there is a crack in the wood. Small finger nail size indentation near one of the handles.
§ Liza Todd-Tivey (British b. 1957), Northern Dancer, patinated bronze model of the racehorse, signed to underside and marked '81, mounted on an oval walnut base inset with metal plaque to the front approximately 42 x 44cmIn good overall condition, the bronze with no apparent defects, some slight scratching to the wooden base and the plaque rather scrubbed. Provenance: Heydon Grange, Norfolk.
A polished bronze and pietra dura stationery box and blotter, 19th century, the box with engraved Greek key border, applied rope-twist decoration and a pietra dura panel of a bird amongst flowers, stamped for Hall & Co., Manchester, 13.5 x 17.5 x 9cm; the blotter similarly decorated with a central pietra dura bouquet, 24.5 x 18.5cm
A Suffragette bronze of a female campaigner, first half 20th century, modelled wearing an overcoat with a padlock on chain protruding from her coat pocket, inscribed to plinth base 'Votes for Women'32cm highThe model is cast in bronze and has both the weight and patina to support this. There is a crack and small hole to the back of her head, possibly a casting defect. It is difficult to date, but it is not contemporary to the Suffragette movement, neither is it new - most likely cast in the first half of the 20th century.
After the Antique: The Dying Gaul, patinated bronze, raised on a marble base, 31 x 17 x 17cms high.Notes: The Dying Gaul, also called The Dying Galatian or The Dying Gladiator, is an ancient Roman marble semi-recumbent statue now in the Capitoline Museums in Rome. It is a copy of a now lost sculpture from the Hellenistic period (323-31 BC) thought to have been made in bronze. The original may have been commissioned at some time between 230 and 220 BC by Attalus I of Pergamon to celebrate his victory over the Galatians, the Celtic or Gaulish people of parts of Anatolia. The original sculptor is believed to have been Epigonus, a court sculptor of the Attalid dynasty of Pergamon.Until the 20th Century the marble statue was usually known as The Dying Gladiator, on the assumption that it depicted a wounded gladiator in a Roman amphitheatre. However, in the mid-19th Century it was re-identified as a Gaul or Galatian and the present name "Dying Gaul" gradually achieved popular acceptance. The identification as a "barbarian" was evidenced for the figure's torc, thick hair and mustache, weapons and shield carved on the floor, and a type of Gallic carnyx between his legs
![A patinated bronze figure group of a hound and her pups, modelled seated, signed Barrie [?] indistinctly to reverse, over a s](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/3966fe0a-7827-457d-8c2f-b09900cc2e76/13d2fd4c-fa7e-46d2-ac16-b12c010de002/468x382.jpg)
A large George III mid 18th century bronze bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry, marked 'Lester & Pack of London Fecit 1766', height 52cm.Condition:- General wear through age and use, the ring sounds clear & true, Clanger is present but probably not original, no sign of any major damage or repair.
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