Ernest Johnson Antiques

Objets d'arT
~ Partial Inventory ~

	*A Finely Sculpted Ivory Model of a Fan-Tail Goldfish.* Japanese, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Length: 4.75” SOLD

‘Lady Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire with Daughter Georgiana Dorothy Cavendish’

A Very Fine and Exceedingly Charming 19th Century Painted Miniature on Ivory. After a larger work by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1786 and which now hangs at Chatsworth House, U.K.Dimensions: Height -2.5”, Width -3.25”, spuriously signed ‘Cosway’, set within a finely embossed ormolu frame.

Lady Georgiana Cavendish (1757-1806) formerly Georgiana Spencer, was the daughter of the 1st Earl of Spencer, Great Grandson of the 1st Duke of Marlborough. She is shown here holding her daughter Lady Georgiana Dorothy Cavendish “Little G” (1783-1858). The late Dianna, Princess of Wales (formerly Lady Dianna Spencer) was a direct descendant of her family.

A Finely Carved Ivory Walking Stick Handle Depicting a Group of Toads. Japanese, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Height -1.5”

A Finely Carved Okimono of a Man Holding an Opium Pipe. Japanese, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Height - 5”

‘The Tomb of Akbar’

A Finely Painted Early 20th Century Miniature on Ivory of Akbar’s Tomb, Agra. Set within a silvered fillet mounted within its original carved & standing ebony frame. Dimension of miniature: 1.5” high by 1.75” wide, framed 4.75” x 3.5”. India Company School, Circa 1900. Muhammad Akbar (1542-1605) was the 3rd Emperor of the Mogul Empire.

A Finely Carved and Signed ‘Thousand Faces’ Ivory Walking-Stick Handle. Japanese, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Height: 1.5”

‘Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal’

A Fine Pair of Early 20th Century Painted Indian Portrait Miniatures on Ivory. Both set within silvered fillets mounted within their original carved & standing ebony frame. Dimensions of miniatures: 1.75” high by 1.5” wide, framed 4.5” x 5.25”. India Company School, Circa 1900.

Shah Jahan (1592-1666) was the 5th Emperor of the Mogul Empire and built the Taj Mahal as a memorial to his wife, Mumtaz (1593-1631).

	Three Finely Painted Indian Oval Portrait Miniatures on Ivory. Circa 1900. Unframed. Each measuring 1.25” x 1”.

‘The Last Supper’

An Exceptional 19th Century Hand-Carved ‘Grand Tour’ Ivory Diorama of The Last Supper. The swag-carved cornice surmounting alternating light & dark-stained ivory panels centred by an intricately carved & pierced grille illustrating ‘The Tree of Life’, over a finely detailed relief-carved grouping of Christ seated amongst his Disciples, a wavy aureole radiating from behind His head, one hand raised in a blessing gesture. The foreground replicated in the same manner of alternating light & dark ivory panels as noted in the cornice. All affixed to original hand-woven crimson cloth, adhered to wooden panels. Dimensions - Height: 11.5” Width: 9” . Rome or Florence, Circa 1830.

The ‘Grand Tour’ was primarily an educational trek taken by the British gentry throughout parts of Italy and France during the 18th and 19th centuries and served as a practical means by which their cultural awareness could be enhanced while reviewing Classical and Renaissance art, architecture & literature in their indigenous settings. As ‘momentos’ of their travels they brought back with them an assortment of items ranging from classically inspired bronze busts, marble sculpture and finely detailed models of architecture & statuary, to highly sophisticated ‘objets d’art’ such as pietra-dure, micro-mosaics and carved religious ivories.

A Finely Patinated Art Nouveau Bronze Vase / Inkwell, Signed Barrias, (Louis Ernest Barrias 1841-1905). The amphora shaped body showing a putto in high relief swinging from a garland against a field of fauna and butterflies in low relief, the interior fitted with a gilt-washed well and raised overall upon three naturalistic inspired supports. Height: 4.25”.

Foundry marks for Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paris.

A Very Fine Biedermeier-Period Portrait Miniature on Ivory. The sitter is that of a beautiful young woman dressed in a finely embroidered gown, her head turned towards the viewer, a jewelled diadem in her hair and a string of pearls around her neck. Signed Schierling on the reverse. Austria or Germany, Circa 1825. Measuring 3.25” x 2.5” in the oval, set in a finely embossed & gilded frame measuring 5.25” x 4.25”.

An Early 20th Century Cold-Painted Bronze of a Lovebird. The lovebird perched atop a ‘bird-bath’ fashioned from a scallop shell raised atop a painted pewter base. The underside of the bird’s tail marked Geschutzt. Austria, Circa 1920. Height: 5.75”

A Finely Cast Viennese Gilt-Bronze Figure of a Belgian Griffon.

The underside stamped Vienna, ST.B (Makers marks for Sefan Buchinger).

Circa 1900. H - 3:” L - 2.75”.

Viennese bronzes decorated entirely in gilt are relatively rare as most were finished in ‘cold-painted’ detail.

Four Early 20th Century Vienna Bronze Miniatures in Original Parcel Gilt & Cold-Painted Detail. Circa 1910.

	A Reclining Arab Smoking a Pipe, marked Austria Geschutzt. 1.8” high x 2.25” long
	A Grouping of a Reclining Arab and Donkey, marked Austria Geschutzt. 1.5” high x 2.25” long
	A Kneeling Arab Smoking a Pipe, marked Geschutzt. 1.75” high x 1.75” long
	A Grouping of a Standing Arab and Donkey, marked Austria. 2” high x 2.25”

‘Gentleman in a Brown Tunic’

An Early 19th Century Portrait Miniature on Ivory. English School, Circa 1800.

Inscription on verso suggests the sitter as being that of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832).

Dimensions: 3.75” x 3”. Set in a fine gilt gesso frame.

SOLD

	A Finely Carved Ivory Okimono of Mice and a Snake. The pair of mice shown ripping open an ear of corn, exposing a re-coiling snake. The bodies of the mice finely scored so as to replicate hair, the eyes with stained pupils. Japanese, Meiji Period (1868-1911). Height: 2.5” Width: 2.25”

	Six Japanese Ivory Netsuke in the Form of Shichifukujin or ‘Lucky Gods’. Each of the carved and stained ivory figures drilled on the reverse with holes for an ojime (a cord used to hold an inro, or small pouch), and engraved with characters on their undersides. Early 20th Century. Height: 2 3/8”

A Fine 18th Century Hand Painted Portrait Miniature on Enamel. Set in a silver filigree mount sided by Griffins inset with garnet eyes. Continental, probably Spanish, Circa 1770.

SOLD

A Rare and Early 18th Century Cape Tortoiseshell & Silver Snuff Box. Both halves set in silver wavy mounts, opening on a hinged silver band. Unmarked, Probably Dutch. Circa 1720. L -3” H - 2.5” W - 2.5”

A Finely Painted Early 20th Century Enamel Plaque. The hand painted oval lozenge depicting Saint Cecile, Patron Saint of Musicians. Dimensions: 6.5” x 5”. Set within a fine giltwood frame. Continental, Circa 1900.

A Fine Early 19th Century Portrait Miniature on Ivory of a Gentleman in a Black Tunic, In the Manner of Nathaniel Freese (flourished, 1794-1814). British. Set within a gilded oval locket, the reverse having a plaited-hair panel fronted by a gilded wire-work monogram within a cobalt glass surround. Signed indistinctly over right shoulder. Circa 1800.

A Rare and Diminutive 18th Century Enamel Writing Box of Rectangular Form. The hinged top illustrating crewmen loading a cache of supplies, the sides decorated with undulating vinery and blossoms. The interior fitted with segmented compartments for two inkwells (missing), a pounce pot (missing) and quill tray. English. Circa 1770. Height - 1.5/8", Width - 3.3/8", Depth - 2". (Previously sold through Hussey's Auction House, U.K.)

A Fine18th Century Enamel and Tortoiseshell Snuff Box of Circular Form. The overall exterior surface finely executed in floral, foliate and geometric enamel motifs, encased within an embossed gilt edge. The domed top lifting to reveal a figured tortoiseshell interior. French. Circa 1770. Diameter — 2.5/8", Height - 1".

Terracotta Bust of Aleandre Brongniart (1770-1847). Height - 14". Signed, Houdon. After Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828).

A Finely Carved and Gilded Wood Figure of a Thai Buddah. Carved from a single block of Padoukwood, the deity is shown wearing a monastic robe and seated in the Bhumisparsamudra position atop a lotus blossom carved base. Height - 25.5", Width - 16", Depth - 11".

An 18th Century Icon of the Greek Saint, St. Kharalampios (Haralampios). This is thought to be a provincial work from the north of Russia, as the two saints on the borders of the icon are St. Nicholas (on the left) and St. Panteleimonas (on the right), both quite popular in the north. The attribution is based on the inscription (in red cinnabar) which clearly indicates STYJ (saint -- abbreviated) and less clearly Sviatomuchenik (holy martyr -- abbreviated) and Haralampios (inscription damaged).