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Lot 47
A rare Tibetan bronze figure of Milarepa, raised on a lotus throne and holding a bowl in his left hand, 16th/17th century, 12cm. Provenance: Ernest Ohly Collection. Milarepa is one of the most widely known Tibetan Saints. According to a blessing Milarepa uttered towards the end of his life, "anyone who but hears the name Milarepa even once attracts an instant blessing and will not take rebirth in a lower state of existence during seven consecutive lifetimes. This was prophesied by Saints and Buddhas of the past even before his lifetime".
Lot 179
A rare Chinese pottery model of an elaborately saddled horse, standing four square on a rectangular base and decorated with earth pigments, Wei dynasty 5th / 6th century AD, 39cm. Similar horses have been excavated from around the site of the Northern Wei capital Luoyang. Cf: The figure from the tomb of Yuan Shao with a similar knotted saddle cloth in Kaogu, 1973, no. 4, pl. 11:1.
Lot 215
A rare Chinese pottery ovoid vase, cover and stand, decorated in black and white pigments with panels of stylized motifs between boarders of lappets, Tang dynasty 618 - 906 AD, typical old damage, 56cm. (3). Authentication Report from Research Laboratory for Archaeology, Oxford, Sample No: 666s78, 14th December 1993.
Lot 240
A rare Chinese green and aubergine dragon bowl, for a concubine of the fifth rank, the exterior finely incised with two scaly five-clawed dragons above breaking waves in pursuit of flaming pearls of wisdom, the base with a six character Daoguang seal mark in under glazed blue and of the period 1821-1850, a faint hairline crack, 11.2cm. Cf. Jan Stuart, Imperial Porcelain and Court Values, Orientations, August 1993, fig. 3 for a Kangxi dish in the same palette from the Tianminlou Foundation, Hong Kong.
Lot 262
A rare Chinese doucai dragon and phoenix bowl, the exterior delicately enamelled with two writhing dragons and phoenix in flight divided by flaming pearls of wisdom, all on a yellow ground, the base with a six character Kangxi mark within a double circle and of the period 1662-1722, minor faults, 14.5cm. For a similar Kangxi yellow-ground bowl in the Shanghai Museum, see Kangxi Porcelain from the Shanghai Museum Collection, pl.160.
Lot 288
A rare Chinese brown-glazed dragon bowl, the flared sides with a central rib dividing bands of anhua dragons in pursuit of pearls of wisdom, the interior with an anhua roundel of two scaly dragons around a central flaming pearl, unmarked, Kangxi 1662-1722, two restored rim chips, 17cm. Cf. Ming Wilson, Rare Marks on Chinese Ceramics, p.33 for a related bowl..
Lot 289
A rare Chinese doucai butterfly and flowers conical bowl, the flared sides raised on a short straight foot and delicately enamelled on the exterior with four floral medallions enclosing the flowers of the Four Seasons including peony, chrysanthemum, lotus and prunus, the interior painted with a central medallion enclosing two butterflies and a flower sprig, all encircled by a double line border repeated at the rim, the base with a six character Yongzheng mark and of the period 1723-35, 22.3cm. A similar Yongzheng doucai bowl from the Qing Court Collection is illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Colelction, pl.31, and also in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, pl.229. Another bowl of this pattern in the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art, Kansas City, is illustrated in Seki toji zenshu, vol. 12, pl.64; and one in the Gulbenkian Museum of Oriental Art and Archaeology, University of Durham, is included in Ireneus Laszln Legeza, Malcolm MacDonald Collection of Chinese Ceramics, pl. CXXXIX, no. 378.
Lot 386
The Buchanan-Jardine Bitong. A Magnificent Chinese Imperial Spinach-Green Jade Brush Pot (Bitong), Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period 1736-95, 14.8cm high, 14.1cm dia. With thick cylindrical sides finely and deeply carved with scenes of Daoist immortals in a continuous dramatic tree-lined mountain landscape, the ten small figures arranged in four groups, one of a sage with two attendants carrying fruiting branches and a lingzhi sceptre, beneath rocks besides steps leading up the mountain, another of two figures beneath steps leading to a pagoda retreat, the third of a sage holding a staff and a small boy carrying a peach spray, the fourth of two figures on a mountain bridge, looking out over the landscape, the stone of a deep green color with some paler striations and dark speckling throughout, raised on an elaborate hardwood stand reticulated and carved with peaches, bamboo and chrysanthemum amidst rocks. Exhibited: The International Exhibition of Chinese Art, The Royal Academy of Arts, London 1935/6 catalogue number 2855. Provenance: Sir John William Buchanan-Jardine Bt. Purchased from Spink & Son in 1952. Sir John William Buchanan-Jardine (1900-1969), a Baronet, had a distinguished military career and later became the head of Jardine-Matheson. During his time as head of one of the most powerful organisations of the British Empire in the early 20th century, he had access to exceptional Chinese art works through a period of turmoil when many pieces from the Imperial Collection were dispersed. At some time following the 1935 exhibition, the Buchanan-Jardine collection was in turn sold in London. Catalogue Note: Another jade brush pot in the National Palace Museum, dating from the Qianlong period has similar dense carving and is illustrated in The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pp. 172-3, no. 55. See, also, Christie's London 13 May 2008, lot 54 for a larger green jade brush pot dated to the Qianlong period decorated with a rare scene of foreigners and a caparisoned elephant. In a discussion of the large green jade brush pot dated to the 18th century in the collection of Sir Joseph Hotung, Chinese Jade: From the Neolithic to the Qing, British Museum, London, 1995, p.407, no. 29.18, the author, Jessica Rawson, notes that jade workshops sometimes used conventional painting and printing themes as the basis for their designs. The carver treated the surface of the jade almost like a sheet of paper and used his 'techniques to produce the effects of a painting'.
Lot 387
The Bruce Imperial Bi Disc. A Magnificent and Rare Chinese Imperial Spinach-Green Jade Bi Disc, carved with Nine Dragons, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period 1736-95, 20.1cm dia. Deeply carved in high relief with nine sinuous writhing dragons and chilongs encircling the central aperture, the reverse carved with an overall array of small raised circular bosses, the stone of a rich even spinach-green colour. Exhibited: The International Exhibition of Chinese Art, The Royal Academy of Arts, London 1935/6 catalogue number 2784. Provenance: The R.C. Bruce Collection. Purchased from Spink & Son in 1952. Catalogue note: Bi discs or stone rings were being made by the people of eastern China as early as the fifth millennium BC. Jade discs have been found carefully laid on the bodies of the dead in tombs of the Hongshan culture (about 3800-2700 BC), a practice which was continued by later Neolithic cultures, After the Shang period they are usually more ornate, carved with dragons, snakes or fish, and used in ritual ceremonies. While the meanings that the Neolithic jades carried in their own time is not known, it is theorized that they were to assist the spirit in the afterlife. A fine white jade bi disc from the Palace Museum Beijing, Gu103121 with related decoration to the reverse of the present example, dated to the Qianlong Period, is illustrated: China, The Three Emperors 1662-1795, No.200. This rare bi disc was reputedly made to celebrate the Qianlong Emperor's 60th birthday.
Lot 8
A rare Pulham stoneware keystone representing summer circa 1870 the bearded mans head entwined with wheat and summer flowers, stamped Pulham, Terracotta, Broxbourne 68cm.; 27ins high This rare keystone and the following lot do not appear in the Pulham catalogue and as such are almost certainly an individual commission. See footnote to lot 52
Lot 12
A pair of rare George IV Coadestone gatepier pineapples the bases stamped Croggan . late . Coade and dated 1823 87cm.; 34ins high Eleanor Coade (d.1821) opened her Lambeth Manufactory for ceramic artificial stone in 1769, and appointed the sculptor John Bacon as its manager two years later. She was employed by all the leading late 18th Century architects. From about 1777 she began her engraved designs, which were published in 1784 in a catalogue of over 700 items entitled A Descriptive Catalogue of Coade's Artificial Stone Manufactory. Then in 1799, the year she entered into partnership with her cousin John Sealy, she issued a handbook of her Pedlar's Lane exhibition Gallery. The firm became Coade and Sealey from this date and following Sealey's death in 1813, it reverted to Coade and in 1821 with the death of the younger Eleanor Coade, control of the firm passed to William Croggan, who died in 1835, following bankruptcy. Coade's manufactures resembling a fine-grained natural stone, have always been famed for their durablity (see A. Kelly Mrs Coade's Stone, London 1980). Pineapples are traditionally a symbol of hospitality and often appear on gate piers. A similar, but earlier pair dating to 1799-1800 may be seen at Ham house, Surrey. Unusually, this pair differs from the Ham house pair in the treatment of the rhomboid shapes which have been flattened off by hand when the clay was still in a wet state. The regency designer, C.H.Tatham also had a pair for his house, now sadly lost under the marshalling yards behind St Marylebone station. Literature; See Mrs. Coade's Stone by Alison Kelly Published by \sPA 1990, page 198
Lot 20
A rare Coalbrookdale passion flower pattern cast iron seat circa 1870 the back rail stamped Coalbrookdale 188cm.; 74ins wide This design number 149230 was registered and patented by the Coalbrookdale Iron Foundry at the Public Record Office on 8th February 1862 and is seat no. 32 in their 1875 Castings Catalogue, Section III page 263.
Lot 27
* The Wrest Park Finials: A pair of extremely rare and fine lead lidded finials attributed to John Van Nost: 274cm.; 108ins high overall The garden at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire begun in the 1680's by Antony Grey, 11th Earl of Kent and continued by his son, Henry, created 1st Duke of Kent was one of the grandest and most admired gardens established in England in the first part of the 18th Century. It's roots lay in the Anglo- Dutch gardens of the 1690's and were intended to convey the Grey family's political support of William and Mary and the Glorious Revolution. Among contemporary documents that demonstrate Wrest's high reputation is the record of a garden tour in 1735, in which the gardens were described as " undoubtedly some of ye finest in England". Wrest had already been singled out for praise in 1781 in the Ichnographica Rustica of Stephen Switzer and John Mackay who included it in the fourth edition of his Journey through England in 1724 repeated what was probably the standard view of Wrest when he called it "A very magnificent, noble Seat, with large Parks, Avenues and fine Gardens". Wrest was one of only four estates that appeared in multiple views in Kip and Knyff's Britannia Illustrata. A generation later in 1735 Wrest was one of the earliest great gardens to be published in a large garden plan by John Rocque in which these finials can be seen flanking the entrance to the Duke's Square garden. John van Nost who died in 1729 was from a family of sculptors of Flemish descent. He had his own yard in the Haymarket, London by about 1687 and soon established himself as the leading maker of 'Marble and Leaden figures, Busto's and noble Vases, Marble chimneypieces and curious Marble tables'. John van Nost is recorded as having supplied the two large lead vases, still in the Wrest Bowling Green House and eight lead heads for the Duke of Kent in 1725 , and it is generally accepted that he supplied the impressive lead statue of William III in1710-20 which still stands in front of the Pavilion at Wrest. Stylistically, however, this impressive pair of lead finials with their strongly modelled amorini or cherub heads date to the very early part of the 18th century and were probably commissioned by the 11th Duke prior to his death in 1702. They were cast using the cire perdu or lost wax process which gives a crispness of detail and modelling seldom achieved in later works. The flame terminals, in particular are a tour de force with each flame tendril separately accentuated. By the late 1720's however, both finials were on pedestals dedicated to the 1st Duke's children; Anthony de Grey, Earl of Harrold who died in 1723 and his favourite daughter Annabell who died in 1727. They were placed in the Duke's square garden and removed by the vendors great grandfather when Wrest Park was sold in the late 1930's. A Portland stone sundial attributed to van Nost and originally at Wrest sold by the same family who bought Wrest Park in 1917 and thus with an identical provenance to these finials, was sold by Sotheby's on 15th June 2004. This carried a bronze sundial by the celebrated clockmaker Thomas Tompion. The pedestal is virtually identical to one at Kew Gardens, documented as being made by van Nost, which originally stood a Kensington Palace and was made for William III between 1688 and 1702. Literature; The Duke of Kent's garden at Wrest Park by Linda Cabe Halpern, published by the Journal of Garden History. Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis Auction catalogue of the sale of Wrest Park, July 1917 Provenance Wrest Park, near Shefford, Bedfordshire, seat of the Grey Family, Earls and later Dukes of Kent. The Park was purchased in1917 by the great grandfather of the current owner.
Lot 37
A rare Falkirk Zodiac pattern cast iron table 2nd half 19th century This design is registered in the Falkirk Foundry catalogue plate 315(see engraving) Workers from the nearby Carron foundry established the Falkirk foundry in 1819. The foundry was close to the Carron Company and Andrew McClaren and company on the Firth of Forth on the east coast of Scotland. They maintained warehouses and retailing premises on Upper Thames Street in London to which the seats and other cast iron products could be transported by sea and then up the river Thames.. Falkirk published a catalogue with Carron in 1900 in which it offered decorative iron ranging from benches and urns to hallstands.
Lot 38
A small rare Eagle Foundry Gothic style cast iron seat late 19th century the back with inset plaque inscribed Eagle Foundry no. 2, Glasgow 99cm.; 39ins wide James Edington established the Eagle Foundry in the 1820's in Glasgow, which later evolved into Mcdowell Steven's Milton Foundry and Ironworks. James's father Thomas Edington was a hugely influential figure in the ironwork industry in Scotland, in ore processing, and cast and wrought iron production. Originally as a traveller with Carron Company, Manager at Cramond Ironworks and involved at Clyde Ironworks.
Lot 48
A pair of rare Matthew Johnson composition stone cranes mid 19th century 110cm.; 43ins high A similar crane appears on the title page of Matthew Johnson's mid 19th century catalogue of ornamental vases, fountains, sundials and tazza's etc. in artificial stone. Matthew W Johnsons works rarely come onto the market. Whether this is because none of his pieces were stamped or because little was made is uncertain. An incomplete catalogue dating from the mid 19th century exists and he advertises the company as Sculptors and Masons as well as producing figures, fountains and vases in artificial stone "warranted to resist frost". The firm operated from New Road, Fitzroy Square, London and claimed "an immense variety of designs for inspection.
Lot 54
A rare and monumental Georgian carved Portland stone neo-classical tazza late 18th/early 19th century 106cm.; 42ins high by 230cm.; 91ins to extremities of handles, bowl diameter 200cm.; 79ins The form of this shallow bowl with outswept handles has it's origins in Greek pottery libation cups of the 6th Century B.C. The simplicity and elegance of form has ensured its popularity ever since. From the onset of the Grand Tour in the 17th Century, the fascination with ancient forms, both Greek and Roman has seen this shape copied extensively in materials as diverse as malachite to pottery. The rise in interest in Neo classicism in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries also manifested itself in garden decoration and sculpture. Many of the great houses of Britain including Chatsworth were laid out with statuary and ornament derived from the antique. Marble and stone urns of campana and tazza shape were particularly popular, however this shallow form with a raised and drilled central boss made it ideal for use as a fountain. Carved in Portland stone with its fine grain, much favoured in the 18th century, it is one of the hardiest of the British limestones but has the added attribute of building up an attractive patina of moss and lichens over the centuries. What makes this example exceptional in terms of rarity is the colossal scale of the bowl with an overall width of nearly 8 feet carved out of one single piece of stone including the handles. Whilst campana shaped urns were much more common, the wider and shallower urns required the best quality faultless stone and considerable skill on the part of the carver, with very few of this scale ever being made.
Lot 113
* Louis Hottot: A rare zinc figure of 'The girl on the moon' late 19th century signed L Hottot 178cm.; 70ins high on square panelled composition stone pedestal 75cm.; 29ins high Louis Hottot (1829-1905) exhibited at the Salon from 1885. Much of his oeuvre concentrated on Eastern subjects such as Fille d'Egppte (1885) and Almee du Caire (1887) as well as the Negro Banjo Player, which was also cast in zinc. This group was reputedly made for the 1900 'Exposition Universelle' in Paris.
Lot 3150
SMYTHE, John. Certen Instructions, observations and orders Militarie, requisit for all Chieftains, Captaines, and higher and lower men of charge, and Officers, to understand, know and observe. Composed by Sir John Smythe: knight, 1591. London: 1594. First edition, 4to (188 x 132mm.) (Slightly shaved.) Late 19th century speckled calf gilt, by Riviere & Son, the spine in six compartments with raised bands, red morocco lettering pieces in the second and third, the others with repeat decoration in gilt, g.e. (slightly rubbed). Provenance: A.J. Partridge (receipt from Maggs Bros dated 25.7.1977). Note: very rare: no copies are listed as having sold at auction in the past thirty-five years. A reprint with a variant title was published in 1595. STC 22884 (recording 2 copies, one at St. John's College, the other the imperfect Huntingdon Library copy); ESTC (RLIN) S111035; OCLC 84758099 (recording only the imperfect Huntingdon Library copy).
Lot 384
A rare George III brass monocular chest microscope, Nairne & Blunt, London, late 18th century, based on the Cuff pattern with two-part body tube mounted onto screw-thread focus adjusting square upright with cruciform stage signed NAIRNE & BLUNT, LONDON, above adjustable plano concave mirror, fixed via a substantial tight friction hinge to one end of the fitted mahogany box with accessories including objective lenses and prepared ebony encased slides, (some restoration and repair to box), 29cm wide. . Visit www.dnfa.com for condition reports.
Lot 5
Pullman Lamp, brass construction measuring 19" tall and clearly stamped TC303 on base. Third Class Kitchen Car No.303 was introduced to service in 1952 with two other cars which were the only cars ever built by the Pullman Car Company at its Preston Park Workshops at Brighton. One of the final straight-sided Pullmans built with, unusually, rectangular toilet and pantry windows. These final three cars joined the seven cars introduced in 1951 for the Festival Of Britain Golden Arrow service. Allocations were: Southern Region 1955 - 1959, Eastern Region 1959 - 1960, Southern Region 1960 - 1966. Within the formation of the inaugural Master Cutler Pullman service from Kings Cross to Sheffield. Withdrawn 1967. Moved to Birds Scrap Yard at Long Marston in October 1968 and broken-up in 1969.The lamp is missing its finial nut but a rare version and a wonderful, historic item nevertheless.
Lot 33
GWR Brass drum clock No 2456, with enamel dial showing the suppliers name J.M.Skarratt & Cie Paris GWR. The number is hand engraved into the case and this indicates one of the very early batches of this type of clock. A very rare drum clock due to the earlier suppliers name, in good working condition.
Lot 95
London Brighton & South Coast Railway brass cased Distant Signal Repeaters, qty 3. Two have brass number plates affixed, no. 1 and no. 16, the third is not numbered. The face of number 16 has just a hint of paint flaking whereas the other two have a degree of flaking. A rare opportunity to obtain a set of 3.
Lot 122
Wagon Plate Registered By The LD & EC Rly 1903 To carry 10 Tons number 10, circular C/I complete with lugs albeit one lug has a small amount of loss. Incredibly rare and just number '10'. Together with a similar Registered By The N.E.Ry 1919 To carry 20 Tons number 8935. This one is missing both lugs.
Lot 125
LNER solid brass, Single Line Staff & Ticket Key BUCKLEY JUNCTION - NORTHOP HALL, triangular shape and 16½" in length. Ex Great Central Railway, Buckley Junction - Connah's Quay route which closed to Passengers in 1895 when the Wrexham, Mold & Connah's Quay Railway line via Hawarden opened. It remained open to Goods until 1965. A very rare piece of signalling indeed.
Lot 176
Tyers mahogany cased, 15 Position Train Describer. Magnificent instrument with top dial showing the following segments clockwise: Team Valley; South Shields Steam; Annfield Plain; Team Valley Excursion; Empty Coaching Stock Electric; Leamside; Sunderl'd Relief; Leamside Excursions; Sunderland; South Shields Electric; Sunderland Excursions; Empty Coaching Stock Steam Or Leeds; Special Excursion South Shields Parcels Or Officers Specials; Light Engine Goods Or Mineral. These segments are repeated in the lower dial. Complete with Peg and when the mechanism is activated, the clockwork ratchet works fine. A rare opportunity to obtain an elusive instrument from Gateshead Signal Box.
Lot 183
G.P.O. Chrome plated Brass cased Drum clock with second hand. Stamped GPO on rear together with CG 24 235 No 1. A heavy clock with a good quality English Astral Movement in full working order. The enamelled dial has no chips, a rare clock believed to be from an early railway travelling post office carriage.
Lot 204
LSWR 1d Platform Ticket Machine, C/I construction standing 41" tall. A most wonderful survivor having a makers enamel plate near the bottom which reads: 'Patent No. 2131 of 1910 - This Machine is made and supplied by the British Automatic Company Limited, 14 Appold Street London EC. The upper face has an original, though later BTC plate showing the tickets to now be 2d. Painted in red, no doubt whilst in railway service, one can see the original green paint beneath. A rare opportunity to acquire what can only be described as wonderful.
Lot 289
Midland & Great Northern Railway hand-coloured Signal Box Diagrams, qty 2. The first is PASTON LEVEL CROSSING measuring 26¾" x 12". A very simple layout showing distant signals 2 from Peterborough and 4 to Dogsthorpe. Also states 'No 1 Controls Gate Wheel & Stops. Dated 13th June 1900, the diagram is a little ragged around the top edge and slightly water-stained. A very rare survivor nevertheless. The second is SUTTON BRIDGE STATION measuring 27" x 12" and mounted on original wooden frame. The left hand side shows from Lynn and the levers are :- 1 Controls Up Home From East Box; 2 Unlocks Bridge Lever; 6 Controls Handgates; 7 Unlocks Gate Wheel & Works Stops. Sadly the right-hand portion is missing but perhaps someone owns it already and would welcome this portion.
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