Devotional pendant, Northern Italy, circa 1600. Silver-gilt, with a verre eglomisé plaque behind rock Crystal. Height 6,7 cm. Philippe d’Arschot at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Philippe d´Arschot. Fine antique silver from the 16th to the 19th Centuries. Avenue Louise, 192, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Devotional pendant. Unmarked. Northern Italy, circa 1500. Gold, nielle and polychrome enamels. Diameter: 4,9 cm. Philippe d’Arschot at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Philippe d´Arschot. Fine antique silver from the 16th to the 19th Centuries. Avenue Louise, 192, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Sancai Groom, Tang dynasty, late 7th-early 8th century. H: 59, 5 cm. Tl-Tested, Oxford UK. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
The figure embodies one of the many non-Han Chinese of the Tang period (possibly a minority of Altaic Turks) who lived and travelled in China during this period. He is standing with his hands raised, as if holding the reins to lead a camel or a horse. He wears a belted outer jacket of Persian origin, glazed in amber colour, bearing narrow sleeves and green-glazed left lapel.
To create these colourful effects, tri-colour sancai, glazes, were applied to the fired earthenware body of the figure before the entire piece was fired a second time. During this subsequent firing the glazes melted and created a smooth, glass-like surface on the finished piece. The limited occurrence of the sancai glazed figures - including animals, humans, and vessels - in burials belonging to imperial family members and the elite, suggest that these items enjoyed great prestige at that time.
Foreign servants feature prominently in Tang burials, especially in the guise of grooms or camel trainers. They often took residency in China and worked as government emissaries, jewellery makers or shop owners. Due to the great presence of foreigners in China, the government allowed for some offices to be opened specifically to assist foreign visitors with translation and other needs.
Foreign grooms can be found in the Morse Collection (New York) and the Meiyintang Collection.
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Large Sancai-Glazed Earth Spirits, Zhenmoushou, China, Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Height: 132 & 126 cm. TL-tested by Oxford Authentication Ltd. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
A pair of Sancai glazed Terracotta earth spirits or Zhenmushou. These fierce looking beasts, were found in pairs guarding the entrance of Tang Dynasty tombs in China. Their function was to prevent the spirit of the tomb’s occupant from escaping, as well as to ward off evil spirits from entering. Most known examples date from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). Zhenmushou are mythical hybrid creatures, that have bodies which are a combination of dogs, lions, boars and other fierce animals. One has the face of a human, the other that of a beast.
The Tang dynasty is one of the most prosperous and important dynasties in the history of China. Trade flourished, especially over the silk road, and there was economic stability. During this period there is much innovation, due to the exchange of ideas with foreign lands, increased wealth and generous patronage of the arts. There was also great advancement in the techniques used in the production of pottery. There were novel shapes, as well as new firing and glazing procedures. One such techniques introduced in this period is known as Sancai (tri-coloured) glazing; the three glaze-colours used were ochre or brown, green and clear. These were applied roughly, the colours often running freely over each other. Glazed wares where much more costly to produce than un glazed wares, and were therefore only intended for the wealthiest patrons.
Provenance: Private Asian Collection
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Featuring a strap hole and a lid, the form of this vessel - also known as cockscomb pot, jiguanhu鸡冠壶, or horse-stirrup pot, madenghu马镫壶.. The shape originates from the leather satchel-like containers employed by early Qidan people to carry liquids such as water, milk and wine. This form appears to have originated in present-day Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, as early as the fourth century and has been excavated mainly from graves belonging to members of the Qidan aristocracy. The simulated holes for attachment of a carrying strap and the raised stitched-like decoration and rivets, such as can be discerned on this vessel, are typical features occurring on the earliest ceramic versions of this form. With time, a variant form of the bottle, featuring a loop-handles, and thus more appropriate for a settled life, evolved from the primitive form, thus reflecting the increasing adoption of a sedentary life on behalf of the Qidan, following their contacts with their Han Chinese neighbours.
Comparable examples of cockscomb bottles have been unearthed from high-ranking tombs in Liaoning and Inner Mongolia and can also be found in notable Chinese collections such as the Mengdiexuan, Xiwenguo Zhai and Jiurutang (Hong Kong); and in western collections such as the Meiyintang Collection Rietberg Museum (Zurich) and the Avery Brudage Collection (San Francisco).
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Stone head of Guanyin, China, Song Dynasty (960-1279). H. 37 cm. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Provenance: JMD Collection, The Netherlands 2015
With Vanderven Oriental Art, 1996
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Etel Adnan, Feux d'Artifice, 2014. Tapestry, wool (hand-woven by Pinton). Original tapestry design by the artist 1967-70. 148 x 200 cm, Unique.
NEW YORK, NY.- The FLAG Art Foundation presents Etel Adnan | Gerhard Richter on its 9th floor gallery from January 19 – May 13, 2017. The exhibition initiates a conversation between two masters of contemporary painting, from the vastly different backgrounds of Beirut and Germany. Both artists continue to challenge the concept of working in a single style or media, translating their explosive color abstractions and painting processes to canvas, ceramic, glass, and tapestry.
Etel Adnan (b. 1925 in Beirut, Lebanon, and lives between California and France) is an award-winning author, playwright, poet, and visual artist, who, in the tradition of the Dadaists and Surrealists, moves fluidly between writing and art making. “It’s so rare that you have someone making such important contributions to poetry and art,” says Hans Ulrich Obrist, “Etel is one of the most influential artists of the 21st century.”[1] Adnan’s abstract paintings were largely overlooked until later in her life. These works recall time, nature, shadow and light, and most essentially, her relationship to place. Featured works in the exhibition are two recent hand-woven tapestries created in collaboration with Atelier Pinton Aubusson – Feux d’Artifice, 2014, and L’etang Fleuri, 2016 – both of which translate Adnan’s precise, almost topographical painting technique into the lush, yet systematic medium of tapestry.
An additional work, Le Soleil amoureux de la lune, 2014, consists of 12 intimately-scaled ceramic panels, each depicting a different phase of the solar and lunar cycle. Recognizable, yet abstract, this dreamlike series highlights the artist’s bold, expressionist use of color, line, and gesture. Adnan believes collaborations are not just between people, saying: “We have to give credit to materials. They’re not just objects. They work with us and we work with them. They give us their energy and possibilities.”[2]
Etel Adnan, L’étang Fleuri, 2016. Tapestry, wool (hand-woven by Pinton). Original tapestry design by the artist, 1967-70. 148 x 217 cm.
Gerhard Richter. 905/1-48 Sinbad, 2008. Lacquer behind glass. Plate: 11 13/16 x 19 11/16 inches.
Gerhard Richter (b. 1932, Dresden, Germany, and lives in Cologne, Germany), is often lauded as the greatest artist working today with a prolific career spanning six decades. Richter has mastered multiple styles and genres of painting, with contributions to pop art, minimalism, neo-expressionism, photo-realism, and abstraction through portraiture, landscape, and still-life. In recent years, Richter’s interests in merging media and appropriation have resulted in works that transform his own paintings into a range of forms, exploring the process of painting through digital techniques.
Richter’s Abstract Painting (724-4), 1990, exemplifies the artist’s approach to non-representational painting and serves as the source for the tapestries Musa and Yusuf (both 2009). The composition of each tapestry takes its imagery from one quadrant of the original painting, which is then flipped and multiplied to create a kaleidoscopic, Rorschach-like effect. Though derived from the same painting, the mechanized process of the jacquard loom gives each tapestry a unique color scheme and compresses Richter’s signature scrapes and layered compositions, creating a form in between painting and photography.
Sinbad, 2008, highlights Richter as a master colorist and is his first series to allude to The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights). The 98, small autonomous works, created in reverse on glass and arranged into 49 diptych pairs, explore the effects of chance and abstraction. Richter stated: “It’s not that I’m always thinking about how to make something timeless, it’s more of a desire to maintain a certain artistic quality that moves us, that goes beyond what we are, and that is, in that sense, timeless.”[3].
Gerhard Richter, Musa, 2009. Jacquard woven tapestry, 108 11/16 x 148 13/16 inches, (276 x 378 cm). Edition 4/8 + 2AP.
Wei TuoPusa, China, Early Ming Dynasty, 14-15th century. Height: 122 cm, 48 inches. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
This carved wooden figure, represents the Buddhist deity Wei Tuo Pusa. He has a compassionate expression, his eyes inlaid with black glass to make them more lively. The wooden surface has traces of pigment, lacquer and gilding.
Wei Tuo, also known as the Hindu bodhisattva Skanda, is one of the eight deities that protects the principles of Buddhism. In most portrayals he appears in full general’s armour, in his role as defender of the Buddhist teachings. According to legend, when the Buddha died, demons stole his Book of Wisdom; Wei Tuo fought the demons to retrieve the book. He is usually placed in the first hall of a Buddhist monastery or temple and often represented together with the goddess Guanyin In Chinese sutras, his image is found at the end of the sutra, a reminder of his vow to protect and preserve the teachings. In the practice of Feng Shui, the image of Wei Tuo is often placed in the home. He ensures peace and harmony for all residents, protection for the patriarch, prosperity and luck for all.
Provenance: with Roger Keverne, United Kingdom (2004
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Recumbent Dog, China, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), ca. 16th century. H: 19 cm; L: 21 cm; W: 14 cm. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Private Collection, USA
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Sage on an Elephant, China, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), ca. 16th century. H: 46 cm; L: 34 cm. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Zhenwu, China, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), ca. 16th-17th century. H: 25 cm. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Wenchang, China, Late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), 17th century. Incised four-character mark Xue Mingyang Zhi (made by Xue Mingyang) on the reverse. Wooden seat: 19th century. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Seated Luohan, China, Ming Dynasty, 16th century. Height: 61cm. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
This figure, made of glazed pottery, represents a Luohan seated on rockwork with one hand resting on a raised knee. He is dressed in loose fitting robes, secured with a ring fastening. The face has a serene, contemplative expression and on the forehead is an urna – symbolizing wisdom.
Large scale ceramic glazed figures, such as this one, were mainly produced for religious purposes and were once part of temple decoration schemes. 16 or 18 Luohans such as these, would be placed in rows flanking either side of the main hall of the temple. Luohan – or Arhat - were the disciples of Buddha who, having attained enlightenment, were free of the cycle of reincarnation. They were seen as sages and revered as minor deities and are generally depicted as elderly monks with shaved heads. Each Luohan has its own characteristics and can often be recognized by their attributes, much like Christian disciples.
Buddhism was first introduced into China from north-eastern India, through Nepal and Tibet, during the Han Dynasty, around the first century AD. By the Ming Period it had divided into two main branches: Mahayana in China, Korea and Japan and Hinayana, which was more prevalent in south-east Asia. The Mahayana concentrates on universal enlightenment, and having many affinities with Daoism, could be easily assimilated into Chinese culture. Daoism is an indigenous Chinese religion and emphasizes personal freedom and harmony with nature.
This figure would have been moulded in sections, finished by hand and fired in specially built small kilns. The production process was similar to that of funerary figures and tiles form the same period. The typical three coloured glazes – aubergine, yellow and green- were already in use as early as the Tang Dynasty and is referred to as sancai (three colour) glaze.
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Literature: • Anthony du Boulay, Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, Oxford, 1984, p. 181, pl 6
• Jessica Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, p. 537-543
• Sheila Riddel, Dated Chinese Antiquities, London, 1979, p.124
• Patricia Welch, Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery, North Clarendon, 2008, p. 197
• C.A.S. Williams, Outlines of Chinese Symbolism & Art Motives, New York, 1976, p.157-168
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Jade Pendant of an Apsara, China, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), 16th-17th century. Apsara: H: 4 cm; L: 9 cm. With wooden stand. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Chrysanthemum Bowl, China, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), ca. early to mid-14th century. Ø: 42 cm; H: 16 cm. Vanderven Oriental Art at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Provenance: Private Collection, Belgium (2014)
Vanderven Oriental Art. Chinese early ceramics from the Han & Tang Periods, Ming & Qing porcelains & works of art including Jades, Bronzes, hardstones and wood. Japanese porcelains, 20th century lacquer & bronzes. Nachtegaalslaantje 1, 5211 LE s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Nicolas De Staël (Saint Petersbourg, Russia 5/01/1914 - Paris, France 16/03/1955), Les martigues, 1954. Oil on canvas, 19 x 24 cm; 35 x 40 cm (with frame). Bailly Gallery at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Nicolas de Staël, Catalogue Raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Neuchâtel, 1997, p.530, no.821, illustrated.
Nicolas de Staël is one of the most influential european painters during the post-war years. Today his paintings are worth several millions euros and can be found in the collections of public institutions all over the world.
During his career, Nicolas de Staël always oscillated between abstraction and figuration. After a first realistic period, an encounter with Georges Braque drove him on a path progressively leading to abstraction, where he discovered the simple rhythms of the nature and where he aimed to penetrate reality to its quintessence. From the beginning of the 1940’s, de Staël abandoned figurative representation for a more liberated expression of chromatic values used without any mimetic consideration. He reached the height of abstract painting in the early 1950’s and returned to a figurative representation of the world surrounding him.
Our oil on canvas, titled Les Martigues, is perfectly representative of this period of figurative revival in the artist’s work. De Staël depicts a totally identifiable scenery while keeping from his abstract phase a taste for simple shapes and a very colorful palette.
Martigues is a French town situated in the Bouches-du-Rhône region. The artist was very fond of the South of France. In 1954, after a darker period in his work, Nicolas de Staël settled in Antibes where he rediscovered the sunny Mediterranean landscapes with their barks and boats. Our painting is a significant example of this new freedom experienced by the artist who flawlessly shows us here his dazzling colorist skills.
Provenance: Private Collection, France
Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Paris
Private Collection, Paris
Exhibition: Paris, Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Revoir Nicolas de Staël, 21 May -12 Jully 1981.
Literature: Jacques Dubourg et Françoise de Staël, Nicolas de Staël, Catalogue Raisonné des peintures, Paris, 1968, p.311, no.749, illustrated.
Françoise de Staël, Nicolas de Staël, Catalogue Raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Neuchâtel, 1997, p.530, no.821, illustrated. Paris, Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Revoir Nicolas de Staël, 21 May -12 Jully 1981; catalogue, no.55, illustrated.
Bailly Gallery. Old Master & Other Important Paintings, Drawings & Sculpture. 10 rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Francisco de Zurbarán (Fuente de Cantos 1598 - 1664 Madrid), The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, ca. 1658 ‐1662. Oil on canvas, 121 x 102.7 cm. Bailly Gallery at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Bailly Gallery. Old Master & Other Important Paintings, Drawings & Sculpture. 10 rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Jacques Stella (Lyon 1596-1657 Paris), The Finding of Moses. Oil on copper, 27 x 37 cm (10 ½ by 14 ½ in.). Bailly Gallery at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.
Bailly Gallery. Old Master & Other Important Paintings, Drawings & Sculpture. 10 rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland
A superlative 1930’s Burmese ruby and diamond cluster panel necklace by Cartier, New York. An exceptional example of the outstanding craftsmanship for which Cartier, in the first half of the 20th century, was so renowned it has an asking price of £4,200,000. Courtesy S.J. Phillips Ltd.
The internationally renowned, London based, antiques dealer S.J. Phillips is once again exhibiting at TEFAF, the prestigious art and antiques fair in Maastricht, from March 10 to 19, 2017 (stand 118).
S.J. Phillips’ presence at TEFAF Maastricht takes place shortly after the company’s move from its landmark premises at 139 New Bond Street.
Solomon Joel Phillips opened his first shop on Regent Street in 1869, before moving to New Bond Street four years later. From the outset S.J. Phillips has enjoyed the reputation of dealing exclusively in objects of superlative quality and beauty, many often with royal or distinguished provenance.
The company, which has remained within the same family is managed today by S.J. Phillips’ great-grandsons, brothers Nicolas and Jonathan Norton, together with their cousin Francis Norton. The present building at 139 New Bond Street was leased in 1966 and S.J. Phillips has been based there up until now. The head lease was purchased in October 1987 and the freehold was acquired on December 17, 2009.
Nicolas Norton, explains: “Our building on one of London’s most prestigious streets was becoming ever more valuable, and therefore, as a family we decided that now was an appropriate moment to move premises. In the new location we will focus more on jewellery and precious objects and less on silver. This will be reflected on our stand at TEFAF Maastricht this year where there will be slightly more emphasis on jewellery than silver.”
Among the dazzling array of exceptional jewels, which range in date from the 17th century through to the 20th century, is a superlative 1930’s Burmese ruby and diamond cluster panel necklace by Cartier, New York. The necklace features five dominant, graduated and articulated oblong panels, set with a luscious profusion of rubies and diamonds, all lavishly interspersed with connecting links of yet more rubies and diamonds. The design curves perfectly with the lie of the necklace, whilst the great variety of different cuts of stone used from brilliant, round, square, baguette, kite and trapezium, as well as sugar-loaf and cabochon, combine to catch the light and sparkle with such intensity when worn. This is an exceptional example of the outstanding craftsmanship for which Cartier, in the first half of the 20th century, was so renowned (asking price: £4,200,000).
Also made in New York, in around 1927, is a bracelet made by American jeweller Raymond Yard and inspired by Cartier’s iconic tutti-frutti bracelet, the first of which was unveiled by Cartier at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris and instantly caused a stir. Not surprisingly other jewellers were quick to offer their own interpretations. Raymond Yard’s bracelet has two principal round cabochon emerald and diamond clusters interspersed with tutti-frutti leaf carved gems and white and yellow coloured diamonds. This classic Art-Deco design, which was hugely popular in the 1920s and into the 30s, is even more desirable today (asking price: £800,000).
A tutti-frutti bracelet by American jeweller Raymond Yard made in around 1927. This classic Art-Deco design, which was hugely popular in the 1920s and into the 30s, is even more desirable today (asking price: £800,000). Courtesy S.J. Phillips Ltd.
Another ethereal jewel is an exquisite early 20th century plique à jour enamel and diamond butterfly brooch by Boucheron. The butterfly has long been a favourite motif of the jeweler and the Paris firm of Boucheron excelled in creating some of the most exotic and imaginative butterfly brooches. The design for this particularly delicate butterfly exists in the archives of Boucheron and dates the piece to 1907. The markings of the butterfly’s wings are picked out in delicate pastel tones in shades of blue and pink and defined by lines of grain-set diamonds. The combination of the striking iridescent enamel and the wings being mounted en tremblant all heighten the effect of shimmering movement. A one-off commission, this butterfly brooch is clearly the work of one of Maison Boucheron’s most highly skilled master enamellers (asking price: £190,000).
An exquisite early 20th century plique à jour enamel and diamond butterfly brooch by Boucheron. A one-off commission, this butterfly brooch is clearly the work of one of Maison Boucheron’s most highly skilled master enamellers (asking price: £190,000). Courtesy S.J. Phillips Ltd.
Among the many highly refined examples of antique jewellery is an impressive, mid-17th century diamond, emerald, pearl and enamel Portuguese order. This distinctive jewel of open work design is set throughout with table and rose cut diamonds and with similarly cut emeralds. The crown panel has a central pear shaped emerald and diamond cross surmount, while the bottom is hung with a baroque drop pearl. As with so many of the jewels of this period the reverse is as beautifully worked as the front and is enamelled with various flowers in foliage in pink and black on white (asking price £250,000).
An impressive, mid-17th century diamond, emerald, pearl and enamel Portuguese order. As many of the jewels of this period the reverse is as beautifully worked as the front and is enamelled with various flowers in foliage in pink and black on white (asking price £250,000). Courtesy S.J. Phillips Ltd.
Objets de vertu always play an important role on S.J. Phillips’ stand and taking pride of place is a breathtaking gold, hardstone, enamel and diamond set clock modelled as a Bonsai tree and vase by Verger Frères. The miniature bonsai tree is fantastically executed in 18 carat gold. It has nephrite leaves and lapis lazuli berries and perched on its main branch is a beautiful bird carved in orange and white hardstone. Dating from the late 1920s the movement of the clock is by Vacheron & Constantin, considered one of the finest horologists of the time. It has 15 Jewels and 5 adjustments, an 8 day power reserve and is numbered 404148. Protected by a glass case surmounted with four gold corners set with fine cabochon sapphires in each of the three angles, this splendid clock has an asking price of £600,000.
A breathtaking gold, hardstone, enamel and diamond set clock modelled as a Bonsai tree and vase by Verger Frères. Dating from the late 1920s the movement of the clock is by Vacheron & Constantin, considered one of the finest horologists of the time (asking price of £600,000). Courtesy S.J. Phillips Ltd.
Although jewellery and precious objects take centre stage there are also significant examples of historic silver masterpieces, notably two pairs of incredibly rare Spanish silver candlesticks, dating from circa 1660. Of striking shape with circular knopped stems, the principal knop has four pomegranate motifs, these candlesticks, are remarkable survivors of Spanish 17th century silver (asking price: £70,000 per pair).
Two pairs of incredibly rare Spanish silver candlesticks, dating from circa 1660 (asking price: £70,000 per pair). Courtesy S.J. Phillips Ltd.
Similar in date but made in England is an historic Charles II silver gilt ewer, the body engraved with the arms of Sir James Mercer of Aldie (d.1671) who was appointed Gentleman Usher to Charles II in January 1661. Sir James’s only son Charles was christened in June 1667 in the presence of his Godfather, the King. The ewer has remained in the same family since this date (asking price: £130,000).
An historic Charles II silver gilt ewer, the body engraved with the arms of Sir James Mercer of Aldie (d.1671) who was appointed Gentleman Usher to Charles II in January 1661 (asking price: £130,000). Courtesy S.J. Phillips Ltd.
Nicolas Norton said: “Tefaf Maastricht continues to be an important Fair for us as it provides us with a means of meeting new customers, who perhaps have never considered buying antique jewellery before. On this occasion it will also be a useful way of informing our customers of our move.
“S.J. Phillips prides itself on not only offering the very best of the best but we also provide a very special, discreet personal service. We like to think our new premises, on the second floor of 26 Bruton Street, will afford our clients increased exclusivity, together with additional privacy and confidentiality, which many will appreciate.
“In addition, S.J. Phillips will continue to be ‘the’ place to go for those wishing to purchase unique jewels and precious objects. We are looking forward very much to celebrating our 150th anniversary in 2019”.
S.J. Phillips Ltd. 2nd Floor, 26 Bruton Street (above antique furniture dealer Ronald Phillips – no relation.), London WIJ 6QL - Tel: T +44 20 76 29 6261 - F +44 20 74 95 6180 - E enquiries@sjphillips.comwww.sjphillips.com - Instagram @s_j_phillips. Monday to Friday – 9.30am to 5.00pm
TEFAF Maastricht, March 10-19, 2017 www.tefaf.com
Sakyamuni Emerging from the Mountains, Yuan dynasty, late 13th-early 14th Century. Wood with lacquer, gilding, and traces of color, 11 3/4 x 8 1/8 x 6 1/2 in. ( 29.8 x 20.6 x 16.5 cm). City of Detroit Purchase, 29.172. Photo ©2017, Detroit Institute of Arts
