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Victorian Grand Tour Souvenir Bronze Jewel Box
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Pre 1900 item# 780433
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
SOLD, PLEASE VISIT US AGAIN!
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A wonderful bronze jewel casket, the sides decorated with various relief scenes and the lid decorated with in the manner of medieval German city building. Boxes such as this usually reproduced important European artifacts or buildings and were taken as souvenirs by visitors during their "Grand Tour" of the Continent. This box most certainly represents a German subject, as the "roof" is embossed with armorial eagles in the German style. The side scenes depict a story of some sort, perhaps Biblical. The entire box is raised on cast feet in the form of snails-a most unusual feature. The bottom is signed with the letter "A".Origin: Europe, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 4-7/8" x 2-3/4" x 5-3/8" tall.
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Bronze Grand Tour Napoleon’s Tomb Jewelry Box
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Pre 1900 item# 679813
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
$425
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A marvelous bronze jewelry or trinket box in the form of Napoleon’s Tomb under the great dome of Les Invalides in Paris. Pieces replicating important monuments became popular upscale souvenirs for tourists making the all-important “Grand Tour” of Europe in the 19th century. The box itself is shaped in the form of Napoleon’s sarcophagus, complete with the Emperor’s trademark hat resting on a pillow at the top. The front side bears the initial “N”. The top can be removed, and voila, there’s the Emperor himself lying in full dress uniform and wrapped in the Imperial French flag. Napoleon’s body can be removed to reveal his casket, which can, in turn be removed to display a secret compartment. Napoleon’s remains were returned to France from St. Helena in 1840 and put in their present location under the dome of the Invalides in 1861. Of all the Grand Tour souvenir pieces we’ve had, this is one of the quirkiest!Origin: France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3-1/2” x 2-1/4” x 4-1/4” tall.
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Victorian Medieval Style Lady Unicorn Bronze Jewel Box
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Bronze:
Pre 1900 item# 636521
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
$695
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A large Medieval-style bronze jewelry casket, the sides and top decorated with various mythological scenes. The top features a delightful depiction of a "Lady and the Unicorn" scene. The lady rides the unicorn through the woods, followed by a pack of hunting dogs and several servants bearing various tools of the hunt. The sides are decorated with various mythological vignettes including nude women teasing a bear, a man clubbing a Griffin, etc. The whole is raised on dolphin-form feet. The interior is lined in bright red velvet. The box retains the original key, which is broken. Boxes of this sort were popular souvenirs of the European Grand Tour and usually feature designs taken from ancient artworks or buildings.Origin: Continental Europe, probably France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, except for key. Size: 10-7/16" x 5-11/16" x 5-3/8" tall.
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Austrian Bronze Indian Chief Pen Tray
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Bronze:
Pre 1900 item# 586756
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
$295
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A handsome Victorian bronze pen tray with a native American motif. One end of the tray has a very detailed representation of an Indian wearing a feathered headdress and various jewelry. The tray itself has a wonderful relief scene depicting an encampment. A group of warriors are gathered around a fire smoking a pipe and wearing feathered bonnets and loincloths. Teepees are in the background, along with a number of palm trees. Even as late as the end of the 19th century, European representations of Native American scenes often included such inconsistencies. Most of the artists and craftsmen, having not traveled to America themselves, were blissfully unaware that the Great Plains generally weren’t dotted with palm tree groves. The casting is excellent. The bottom edge is marked “Austria”.Origin: Austria, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, original patina. Size: 9-7/8” x 3-3/4”.
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Art Nouveau Grand Tour Bronze Jewelry Box
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Pre 1900 item# 578473
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
$495
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An elegant coffer-form bronze jewelry box, the top and sides fully decorated with detailed decoration of flowers and sinuously trailing foliage. Fleur-de-lys devices punctuate the design. The domed lid is topped with a cast bronze handle with dolphin head terminals. The individual design elements are clearly Art Nouveau, but the overall appearance seems much in line with Renaissance or even Gothic Revival. These boxes, popular souvenirs of the European Grand Tour, were often based on architectural, archaeological, historic or other great treasures of Continental Europe. The interior retains the original burgundy fabric lining and the original fitted jewelry tray.Origin: Continental Europe, probably France or Belgium, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, all original, the lock is currently non-functioning, but could be re-keyed by a locksmith. Size: 6-1/4” x 3-3/8” x 3-1/2” tall (excluding handle).
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Signed Victorian Gothic Bronze Grand Tour Jewelry Box
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Pre 1900 item# 560281
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
SOLD, PLEASE VISIT US AGAIN!
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A lovely and most unusual bronze jewelry box with ornate cast and chased decoration illustrating various scenes from the Biblical stories of the young King David. The domed lid features two medallions, one showing David slaying Goliath with his slingshot, and the other showing the priest Ahimelech giving Goliath's captured sword to David while Saul's spy Doeg looks on from the background. After David escaped Saul's wrath with the help of Jonathan and Ahimelech, Saul had the priests of the temple slain and these scenes can be seen throughout the domed top of the box. The sides of the box are decorated with Gothic style tracery a along with the Lion of Judah and peacocks symbolizing David's royal lineage. mythological imagery such as griffins and phoenixes. The box retains the original key. The interior is lined with the original Prussian blue silk, the interior of the lid accented with button tufting. The bottom is signed “A B. Paris”. Boxes of this sort were often souvenirs of the Grand Tour through the great cities of Europe. They often directly copy major landmarks or incorporate decorative elements from tombs, cathedrals and other sites. The decorative source for this box is unidentified. The quality of workmanship and unusual decoration makes this a most desirable Grand Tour box.Origin: probably France, ca. 1850. Condition: excellent, all original, fine patina. Size: 4-3/8” x 2-11/16” x 3-7/11” tall.
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Marshall Field Gilt Bronze Arts & Crafts Desk Set
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Pre 1920 item# 423005
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
$695
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A handsome three-piece gilt bronze desk set by Marshall Field comprising a letter rack, pen wipe and pen tray. Each piece is decorated with intertwined stylized dragons against a ribbed background with a beaded border. The workmanship is very fine. Marshall Field was an active producer of very high-quality metalwares during the Arts & Crafts period. The bottom of the letter rack is marked “Made by Marshall Field & Co. 2 29”. The bottom of the pen tray is marked “MF & Co VIKING”. The bottom of the pen wipe is not marked and has two holes that suggest there may have originally been an undertray of some sort.Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent patina, no cracks, some of the bristles in the pen wipe have been trimmed. Size: letter rack, 8-1/2” wide, 4-7/8” tall, 2-5/8” deep; pen wipe, 2-1/2” wide, 1-7/8” tall; pen tray, 8-7/8” x 3”.
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French Louis XVI Bronze Jewel Box
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Pre 1900 item# 397830
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
$575
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Extraordinary French bronze jewel box in the Louis XVI style. The lid has a bas-relief design illustrating a boating party preparing to pass below an aqueduct. A city rises in the distance, while the foreground is populated with very detailed trees and shrubs. The scene is draped in fabric, tied at the corners with ribbon and surmounted with a laurel wreath intertwined with a torch and staff, typical Louis XVI devices. The sides are decorated with beautifully detailed swags of roses. Boxes of this type were often souvenirs of the Grand Tour of Europe. They often depicted ancient carvings or sometimes popular artworks. The specific subject of this box is unknown.Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, the interior lining is a replacement. Size: 4-1/2” x 3” x 2-3/4” high.
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Imperial Russian Enameled Bronze Jewel Casket
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Pre 1900 item# 172123
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Kensington House Antiques
(301)942-0955
$895
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Gorgeous oval bronze jewel box from Russia's Imperial era, the top decorated with opaque champleve enamels. The box is decorated around the bottom edge with a row of cast beads. This decorative element is repeated on the lid. The lid is decorated with typically Russian arabesques worked in five shades of enamel. Exposed areas of bronze around the enameling is further decorated with floral and bright-cut engraving. The interior of the box retains its original royal blue silk velvet lining. The style of enameling, as well as the overal appearance of the box suggests it was more likely made in the Moscow area, rather in the more Westernized area around St. Petersburg.Origin: Russia, circa 1870. Condition: excellent, old patina, no enamel damage; the lining shows appropriate wear. Size: 5" x 4-1/4" x 3-1/4" high.
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