Small George III Writing Table in mahogany with a rectangular, hinged ratcheting top, two candle slides and a removable book rest on a turned, adjustable height pedestal base with tripod legs and slipper feet ending in brass castors. English, circa 1760

h:29 w:22 d:18.75 in.

George II Tea Caddy with Hidden Drawer; rectangular with stepped hinged top surmounted by a brass carrying handle, brass escutcheon and sliding side panel revealing a hidden drawer (slight warp to lid). Circa 1740.

One of the rarest of this form of tea caddy, the concealed drawer would have held your silver teaspoons.

Exhibited: “A Celebration of the Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party” at Doyles, Boston 2024

Height: 6”
Length: 9”
Depth: 6”

For other examples of this form, type "10145" or "10261" into the search box.

Fine George III Oval Brass Bound Peat Bucket with oak staves and brass banding, liner and loop handle. English, Circa 1780.

10" x 13"

Extremely Rare if not unique, 18th C. Georgian Tea Caddy with cut glass mirrored panels on three sides and the top and with striped inlay on the lid and zebra striped edging. The hinged lid opens to three divided compartments. Circa 1760.

8.5" x 5" x 4.5"tall

Cartouche-shaped black marble plaque inset with oval micromosaic panels depicting Roman archaeological scenes (clockwise from upper left): the Coliseum, the Temple of Hercules, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon. Those four panels surround the Doves of Pliny, an image often used in micromosaics, which comes from a Roman floor mosaic at Hadrian’s villa in Tivoli and is believed to be a copy of a lost ancient Greek mosaic at Pergamon described by Pliny the elder.

Such items were collected by visitors to Italy on the Grand Tour as they were easily portable. Micromosaics began to be made in Italy during the Renaissance and reached the height of their popularity in the mid nineteenth century. This example was made from the smallest pieces of glass (tesserae), a technique developed in the 18th century in the Vatican Mosaic Workshop.

The edge of the plaque is incised and and would have originally been wrapped with a braided gilt-metal rope, tied at the top for hanging.

Circa 1850-1875

5 ¼” x 4”

Source: The Victoria and Albert Museum, the Gilbert Collection

(Minor chips to the edges.)

Adam Emory Albright (American 1862-1957 )

The Valley

Oil-on-canvas, signed lower right and dated 1916

Exhibited: The Art Institute of Chicago, "Pictures of Children Painted in South America and Southern California by Adam Emory Albright, 1920, #29”

Painting: 24” x 30”
Frame: 30 ½” x 36 ½”

Albright, born in Wisconsin, was, according to William Gerdts (Art Across America, Vol. 2), “The finest Paris trained figure painter to emerge immediately before the World’s Columbian Exposition.” He was one of the first students at the newly established Art Institute of Chicago from 1881-1883. From 1883-1886, he studied with Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. After some training in Munich with fellow Wisconsin artist, Carl Marr, Albright studied in Paris with Benjamin Constant.

In 1888, Albright established his studio in Chicago and became president of the Chicago Watercolor Club as well as a member of the Chicago Academy of Design.

Early in his career, he chose to focus on paintings of children for which he became famous. At first specializing in street urchins and rustic children in outdoor settings, his work became more colorful and sun-filled following his greater exposure to impressionism at the Columbian Exposition.

The birth of Albright’s twin sons in 1897 gave him new models and his subsequent work featured the growing boys posed in rural surroundings. From 1908, many of his finest works were painted during summers at the art colony in Brown County, Indiana.

Albright’s popularity is reflected in his numerous exhibitions and in the extensive contemporary literature about him. Again according to Gerdts, “No other Chicago artist’s work was so widely exhibited at the Art Institute . . .”

Tabletop Still Life with Fruit A lithograph by C.H. Crosby & Co., 1874, in a folk art carved frame.

Print size: 5.25” x 7.5”
Frame size (max): 10.5” x 12.5”

An unusual and dramatic firescreen abattant. It reminds me of some of the smaller, New York classical parlor furniture I've seen in Southern house tours with late Federal drawing and music rooms furnished with pieces imported by successful merchants - almost, but not quite, over the top in their design yet direct in their function. So an argument could be made for high, New York city style. And the inlaid oval in the center, with pie crimped edge, is reminiscent of some New England work. The passive function is that of a firescreen and explains the distress to the side with inlay which likely faced the fireplace (rather than the upholstered side.) The "surprise" is the enclosed work area with the hinged top dropping to provide a writing surface (abattant [fr], "put horizontal") below the interior fitted with letter or document slots (only the back one of three dividing slats remaining - evidence of two more, and three segments which would have divided at least one of two lateral slots into three sections.) Perhaps because of the narrow profile, there appears to be no secondary wood under or behind any of the solid mahogany. Condition is quite good considering the likely heat exposure as a firescreen and probable stress to the hinged top which relies upon the case as a counter-stop. We had distress to the inlaid surface evened out, filled and finished - disturbing old finish as less as possible - to make it presentable for the decorator yet acceptable to the collector. We left the old upholstery (possibly original) alone for the next steward to decide. Our restorer (specializing in period furniture) had also never before encountered this design. Our photographs illustrate the character of the old, now serviceable inlaid surface. Ca 1800 - 1810. Height, about 42 3/4 inches. Width, about 21 5/8 inches (about 22 1/4 inches wide at the trestle base).

This firescreen abattant may be inspected at The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill, Maryland

A Federal sewing table of elegant form. Mahogany legs and mahogany veneered skirt - both with string inlay. Stylized, bentwood stretchers with mahogany veneer bracing the graceful, tapering legs. The top a later replacement and the key escutcheon without a lock mechanism. Early 19th century and later. Refinished. Serviceable condition. Height, 31 1/4 inches. Width 18 5/8 inches. Depth, 14 3/8 inches.

This table may be inspected at The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill, Maryland

Large Antique Anglo-Indian Brass Document Box having a stepped lid surmounted by a carrying handle and heavily incised with scrolling vine and floral decoration. Late 19th/early 20th Century $675. 16" x 11" x 4" tall

Antique Anglo-Indian carved sandlewood box with nail decoration, ivory banding, velvet lining and paw form ivory feet. Circa 1875.

6" x 4.5"x 2.5" tall

Antique Bird's-Eye Maple Tea Caddy of sarcophagus form having a hinged, canted lid with line inlay, lions head brass carrying handles and pressed brass ball form feet. Probably American, circa 1820.

0.5" x 6" x 6.5" tall

Antique Continental Demilune carved and gilt wood wall bracket. Late 19th century.

Height: 11”
Width:12”

Antique Carved Oak Statue of a Monk holding a book and seated on a curved bench. Probably American, circa 1880.

9" x 9" x 14" tall

Antique Carved Wooden Angel, holding a crown and a septer.

Probably English, 18th Century

15.75"tall, Oak

Antique Chinese Painted and Inlaid Wood Tea Shipping Containers, having sliding lids and fronts decorated with figures in gardens and inlaid mother of pearl. (minor losses) Largest: 12" x 12" x 11.75"

Antique Renaissance Revival Desk Cabinet, ebonized with ormolu mounts, having a galleryed superstructure with a hinged door below, opening to a divider interior, and raised on flattened ball feet.

Probably French, circa 1870

Height: 24.75"
Width: 14.75"
Depth : 7.5"

Antique Regency Sarcophagus Form Tea Chest in rosewood having a hinged lid inlaid with a classical scene with griffins flanking an urn and opening to a fitted interior with two removable lidded caddies and a later sugar bowl and spoon, and the whole mounted with brass lion and ring handles and feet.

English,Circa 1800

13" x 6.5" x 7.5" tall