Ernest Johnson Antiques

DECORative arts
~ Partial Inventory ~

Newly Arrived

‘A Large Cold-Painted Vienna Bronze Model of a Pheasant’

Stamped with foundry marks for Franz Xavier Bergman (1861-1936). Circa 1910. Height - 6” Length -18.25

	*Newly Arrived* *‘Napoleon’* An Early 20th Century Full Length Bronze Figure of Napoleon. Shown standing next to a classical column, mounted atop a black marble base. Overall height: 13.5”. Continental, Circa 1920

A Very Good Cloisonne Vase of Lobed Form. The quadruple-lobed, enamel body decorated with motifs of flying cranes, lotus blossoms, dragons and butterflies against a mottled brown field. Height -7.5” Japanese, Meiji Period (1868-1912)

An Early 20^th Century Chalkware Bust of Napoleon. Continental, Circa 1900. Height: 11.75”

A Finely Sculpted Alabaster Bust of a Young Woman. Continental, Circa 1920. Height: 13.25”

A Fine Pair of Classical Inspired Miniature Bronze Busts. Each mounted upon an alabaster column decorated with gilt metal rings, raised atop marble plinth bases with gilt beading. Height - 8” Continental, Circa 1900.

	*An 18th / 19th Century Tibetan Thangka of Buddha Nagaraja (King of Serpents)* The central figure of *Nagaraja* shown seated in the vajra position atop a lotus blossom, hands clasped in ‘The Enlightened Mudra’, his head shaded by a green disc interspersed with seven snakes. Flanking him and above are deities seated atop billowing green & orange-coloured clouds, beneath him are rolling seas inhabited by orange, green & white-coloured water-nagas sided by outcroppings of temples and enlightened scholars. Mineral dyes on linen, bordered by embroidered silk panels. Dimensions: 35” x 23.5”, border dimensions: 54.5” x 32

‘Youth’
A finely cast 20th century bronze of a young man seated atop a rocky mound. Signed, Julien Moniet. Height: 24” (inclusive of a 4” marble base).

An 18th Century Folk Art Figure of a Naval Officer Using an Octant. The profile facing left of a full-length carved & painted figure wearing a bicorn hat, frock coat and ‘half-mast’ trousers. Dated on reverse, May 1781. Height: 11.75”.

A Pair of Mid 20th Century Pal Bell Googie or Populuxe Bronze Ashtrays. The bodies with dimpled interiors and classic verdigris-enameled exteriors, raised on twin pronged supports. Designed by industrial designer Maurice Ascalon (1913-2003). Height: 3”. Israel, Circa 1950.

One of Two Hand Painted Plaster-Cast Profiles of a Native. Harold Pfeiffer (1908-1977) SSC, Canadian. Signed with monogram. Height: 9”, Width: 9” Purchased directly from the artists estate.

A George III Brass Bound Mahogany Writing Box. The hinged top opening to a fitted interior replete with a baize-lined writing surface with various compartments for writing implements including a ‘secret’ compartment. The exterior fitted with original brass bail-handles, one affixed to a pull-out jewellery drawer. Original makers paper label intact. English, Circa 1780. Height: 6” Width: 20” Depth: 10.5”

SOLD

A Very Good Early 19th Century Chinese Export Tea Caddy. The wooden framework covered in black lacquer with gold lacquer detail, opening to reveal three embossed pewter canisters – two for tea (black and green), and a third for mixing. The lid monogrammed WR.

Circa 1800. Dimensions: 6” high, 10” wide, 6” deep.

A very similar example is listed in the Chinese Export, Art and Design section of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

A Very Fine Green Onyx and Champlevé Decorated Pedestal. The revolving top affixed to four columns set within gilt bronze mounts French, Circa 1900. Height: 46”

A Rare Set of Six George II Hand-Coloured Botanical Studies taken from the Gardeners Dictionary, published by Philip Miller. Five of these fine copper engravings were executed by John Miller (1715-1790) after drawings by Richard Lancake and dated 1757, the sixth is both drawn & engraved by John Miller and dated 1758. Each plate measures approximately13" x 8 " and set within an acid-free mat and a giltwood frame. Note: The dating of these plates would indicate they are most likely from the 6th edition of the Gardeners Dictionary as they predate the 7th edition which was published in 1759.

Philip Miller (1691-1771) was the principal horticulturalist in England during the mid 18th century, and as a long time curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden and an active member of the Society of Gardeners, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the most important naturalists of his day as well as some of the most gifted botanical artists of the period.

The Society of Gardeners was a trade union formed in 1724 by prominent horticulturalists of the time to protect the interests of plant sellers. One of the projects undertaken by the group was to create an illustrated guide to plants currently being grown in Britain. Philip Miller was chosen to organize the undertaking of the Gardener's Dictionary which was first published in 1731, and amongst those artists whose illustrations he used for his publications were Georg Ehret, Robert Furber, John Miller and Richard Lancake.

An Early 20th Century Tin Glazed Vase by The Amphora Factory, Riessner & Kessel, Turn - Teplitz. The naturalistically modeled and tin-glazed body decorated with grape clusters, vines and leafy tendrils, sided by vine-shaped handles, rising from a pierced stem atop a spreading foot. Impressed AMPHORA mark within an oval lozenge, numbered 3633. Circa 1905-10. Height: 15”

‘Emma & Edwin’

A Large & Rare Pair of George III Period Embroidered Silk Pictures.Both hand embroidered panels set in their original gilt decorated verre églomisé mats. One titled ‘Emma’ depicts that of a beautiful young woman tending flowers in her garden, the other subject ‘Edwin’ depicts a young gentleman in a waistcoat and top-hat fishing from a pond. Both figures hands and faces painted in watercolours, set against embroidered linen backgrounds with watercolour accents. English, Circa 1820. Mat dimensions: 13” x 10.5”.

‘The Royal Palace of Hampton Court’

One of Six, Finely Executed 18th & 19th Century Hand Coloured Copper Engravings of Town Views, Published by Laurie & Whittle of Fleet Street, London, and Bowles & Carver, St. Paul’s Church Yard, London.

‘Socrates’

A Finely Cast 19th Century Bronze Bust of Socrates, after Mathurin Moreau (1822-1912).Signed in script on reverse Mat. Moreau and numbered 1709. Height: 13.5”

A Pair of Early 20th Century Polychrome Decorated Plaster Blackamoor Busts. French, Circa 1900. Height: 17.5”

SOLD

An Early 20^th Century Ceremonial Composite Set of Samurai Armour.

The set includes a (kabuto) helmet, (mempo) face & neck plate, gilt & black lacquered (do) chest-plate, (o-sode) gauntlets, embroidered thigh guards and shin guards. Japanese, Early Showa Period. (1926-1940)

A Very Decorative Early 20^th Century Hand Painted Wooden Tray.

The central field depicting a pair of figures standing amongst ancient ruins near a rivers edge.

Italian, Circa 1920. Length: 20”

A Large 19^th Century Middle Eastern Brass Jardeniere.

The body embossed overall with Cyrillic and figural motifs.

Probably Syrian, Circa 1890. Height: 22” Width: 28”

A Finely Cast 19th Century Full Length Bronze Figure of a Classical Maiden. Continental, Circa 1850. Height: 13” Provenance: From the estate of a prominent New York collector.

SOLD

A Highly Decorative 19th Century Ormolu Double-Welled Inkwell. The original cut glass wells having embossed & hand painted lids, flanking a dolphin ‘grotesque’ raised atop a platform on scrolled supports. French, Circa 1890.

SOLD

A Fine 19th Century Ormolu Mounted Oriental Porcelain Pot-Pourri Vase. The pierced, ormolu cover above an oviform body showing alternating panels of hand decorated motifs of peony blossoms and vinery in ‘famille rose’ palette tones, raised overall atop a stepped circular ormolu base with guilloche embossed motifs. Chinese, Probably Guangxu Period (1875-1908).

A George III Satinwood Banded Tea Caddy Now Converted to a Stationary Box. From the Estate of John Tottenham (1913-2006), 8th Marquis of Ely.

SOLD

A Well Modelled & Patinated 19th Century Full Length Bronze Figure of Shakespeare. English, Circa 1870. Height 13".

A Rare and Finely Carved 17th Century Limewood Bust of Christ. The face and chest area surfaced with gesso and retaining traces of original polychrome detail. Mounted atop an antica-verde marble base. Height 15.5" . Provenance: Purchased in Rome in the 1960's by the then residing Canadian Ambassador and Chief of Protocol to the Holy See. Further research pending.

Barye Bronze 'Tigre qui Marche' An Important 19th Century Barbedienne Edition Bronze by Antoine Louis Barye (1796-1875). The finely cast & textured model mounted atop a naturalistic base, bearing the impressed signature Barye, as well as that of F. Barbedienne, Fondeur (foundry marks for Ferdinand Barbedienne 1810-1898). Fine brown/green patina overall. Circa 1880-90. Height - 8.3" Length - 16.5" . Ref: European Sculpture and Works of Art 900-1900, Sotheby's London, October 2000 Lot #208.

Antoine Louis Barye (1796-1875)

Antoine Louis Barye is perhaps the most celebrated and acclaimed artist of the Animaliers School and received many royal & state commissions, as well enjoyed the patronage of several noble French families. He was appointed Director of Casts and Models at the Louvre in 1848, and in 1858 he was made Professor of Drawings at the Museum of Natural History at the Jardin de Plantes. In 1867 he was awarded the Grand Medal at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, and was named the first President of the Central Union of Beaux Arts, and later became a Member of the Institute of France. After his death in 1875 the majority of BaryeÕs master casts and models were purchased by the famous foundry of Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1898), and these posthumous edition castings were executed with the highest attention to scale, definition and patina, and bear both the signature of Barye and that of F. Barbedienne, Fondeur.

A Fine & Rare Regency Period Chinoiserie-Decorated Green Lacquer Papier Mache Tray. The overall green field decorated with a central hand painted theme depicting a pair of Chinese figures playing instruments and flanking a flowering urn of lily and peony blossoms, the border and gallery showing gilded classical 'Greek-key' motifs. English, Circa 1815-20. 29" x 23".For a comparative example Ref: Sotheby's New York, October 1990, Lot #129 (Green is perhaps the rarest and most highly sought after colour used in the making of Papier Mache Trays during this period).