Posts Tagged ‘marble’

CLOCKS, WATCHES AND BAROMETERS Bracket Clocks
Repeater clock by Edwardus East with signed and engraved
backplatc in cboniscd case 600 0
A three-train musical clock by Moore of Ipswich with eight tunes in ebony case with gilt metal mounts in mid-eightccnth-century style, 2 ft 2 in high 440 0
George III fruitwood clock by Recordon, late Emery, London, with painted dial and frets at side and front of case, 1 ft 2 in high 290 0
George III walnut clock, the dial signed Joseph Smith, Chester,
and of pronounced Continental character, 1 ft 6 in high 210 0
George III ebonised clock, the 7-in dial signed William Smith, with calendar and strike/silent dial. The movement is contained in an inverted bell-topped case, 1 ft 4 in high 190 0
Louis XV contra-boullc clock with enamel dial signed Darmezin, Paris, and movement signed Crepaux, Paris, in cartouche-shaped case, 3 ft 1 in high 190 0
Louis XV Boulle clock by Pcrrache, Paris, with an enamelled dial, the case surmounted by a youthful figure of Jove, richly mounted in ormolu, 2 ft 6 in high 170 0
George III mahogany clock by Massey, Bridge Road, Lambeth, the circular white-painted dial with a central calendar hand, 1 ft 4 in high 140 0
George III mahogany clock, the 7-in circular dial signed Lamb and Webb, London, with calendar and engraved backplate in bell-top case, 1 ft 4 in high 120 0
Mid-eighteenth-century veneered ebony clock signed John Small-wood, Lichfield, with pull quarter repeat, 1 ft 4 in high (later dial) 85 0
George III mahogany clock, the 8-in arched silvered dial signed Gravell and Tolkien, London, with engraved backplate and tic-tac escapement in broken arch-topped case, 1 ft 6 in high 60 0
Regency rosewood clock signed on dial John P. Smith, 1 ft 3 in
high 20 0
Carriage Clocks
Clock in gilt case by James McCabe, London 675 0
Repeating French brass clock with white dial signed Gibson
and Co Ltd, Belfast, 6J in high 68 0
French brass clock with white dial signed Rowel, Oxford, 4Ј in high
Repeating brass clock with white dial and glazed brass case, 5 in high
Gilt metal timepiece, the glazed case with pierced floral frets at the sides and front, 5 in high and with travelling case
Miniature silver-cased repeating clock with white dial. The case stamped J. Keller, 3J in high
Lantern Clocks
Brass clock with engraved copper dial and an alarm disk, 1 ft 1 in high
Late seventeenth-century brass clock, the dial engraved with flowers and with pierced dolphin cresting, 1 ft 3 in high
Longcase Clocks
Late seventeenth-century marquetry clock, the 11-in dial signed Robt. Williamson, London, with calendar aperture in a walnut case inlaid with shaped panels of birds and flowers, with a bullseye in the waist door and with spirally turned columns at the corners, 6 ft 7 in high (frieze of a later date)
Tall mahogany cased clock with chimes. The elaborately foliated brass dial with a silvered chaptered ring. The case inlaid with classic urns in coloured woods, the arched hood has brass spires and the waist has a bevelled glass door
A carved mahogany cased clock with a grotesque satyr mask to the hood over a brass floral scrolled dial. Westminster, Whittington and St Michael chimes, 7 ft 7 in
Mahogany clock made by Manley of Chatham
Eighteenth-century walnut clock with domed canopy and brass face, the movement by William Stapleton, London, 7 ft 4 in high
Walnut clock, the early eighteenth-century movement signed
Andr. Dunlop, London, the 12-in dial with chestnut and
flower spandrels, 7 ft 4 in high Georgian lacquer clock with brass face and striking movement.
The case, with ‘bullseye’ door, decorated with gilt chinoiseries
on a simulated tortoiseshell ground Eighteenth-century small clock by John Lee, Gookham; with
brass dial and foliated spandrels, in a black lacquer case
decorated with chinoiseries in red and gill
Mantel Clocks
An ormolu clock, the painted dial signed F. Linke, Paris, the movement in a glazed case in well chiselled ormolu with drapery, acanthus leaves and groups of fruit and ending in double cloven-hoof feet, 2 ft 11 in high
Bronze and ormolu mounted clock, the movement contained in a drum upon which is seated a Chinaman holding a parasol, the whole on the back of an elephant, 1 ft 4 in high
A French clock, inscribed Bonniere a Clermont, in a rococo porcelain case. The blue and gilt ground painted with musicians, lovers and flowers. On a similar stand
Louis XVI marble and ormolu clock, the striking movement with enamel dial signed Hessen. The arched architectural case with drapery festoon, pineapple finials, an urn and fluted columns, 1 ft 5 in high 110 0
Regency rosewood clock, the movement by Dwerrihouse &
Carter, Davies Street, 2 ft high 70 0
Philippe clock with glass panels in gilt metal case with corinthian columns and surmounted by an urn. Decorated with coloured enamels, 18 in 68 0
An Empire marble clock mounted in ormolu, the movement with outside count-wheel, the dial surmounted by a white marble urn and suspended between fluted columns capped by ormolu pineapples, 1 ft 4 in high 55 0
Watches
Gentleman’s 18-carat gold half-hunter watch 20 0
Early nineteenth-century verge watch by D. Nevern, in a tor-
toiseshell case, the dial enamelled with a wharf-side scene 13 0
Gentlemen’s 18-carat gold pocket watch by George Harvey,
Wellington 13 0
George III verge watch by William Fowler, London, in a silver
case, London 1783 9 0
Nineteenth-century verge watch by Nicoll, Great Portland
Street, in a tortoiscshcll case 7 10
Barometers
Early   Victorian   mahogany  stick   barometer  by  E. Davis,
Shrewsbury, 3 ft 3 in high 70 0
Regency rosewood inlaid with mother-o’-pearl banjo barometer
and thermometer 46 0
George III mahogany banjo barometer and thermometer with engraved scales by A. M. Ortelli, Godalming, the case outlined with fruitwood lines, 3 ft 2 in high 38 0
Georgian mahogany stick barometer and thermometer by Rout-ledge, Carlisle 38 0
Mahogany stick barometer and thermometer by Salmon, Bath 38 0
A Regency rosewood banjo barometer and thermometer by
Aprile Sudbury 34 0
Early nineteenth-century mahogany banjo barometer by Lione and Tarone, London, with a thermometer and the case inlaid with Prince of Wales plumes and a whorl pattern, 3 ft 2 in high 30 0
Early nineteenth-century mahogany banjo barometer by A.
Celti, Reading, the case inlaid with shells, 3 ft 2 in high 22 0
SILVER
(Troy weight: 20 pennyweights [dwt] = 1 ounce [oz])
Baskets for Bread, Cakes, Fruit, Sugar or Sweetmeats George II oval-shaped cake basket on four cherub mask and scroll feet. The sides pierced and engraved with flowers and
scrolls and the base engraved with a coat-of-arms, by Paul
Crespin, 1753, 62 oz 3,600 0
George III oval pedestal cake basket by John Ernes, London,
1804, 24 oz 10 dwt 400 0
George III boat-shaped pedestal sugar basket with engraved border, reeded edge and swivel handle by Peter, Ann and William Bateman, London, 1793, 5 oz 10 dwt 320 0
Victorian oval basket, the pierced panels embossed with beading
and garlands, London, 1895, 19 oz 62 0
Candelabra and Candlesticks
Pair of George I dwarf table candlesticks, the baluster shafts upon square terraced bases by William Darkeratt, 4J in high, London, 1726, 20 oz 1,500 0
Victorian tabic candelabra with two tiers of six scrolled branches issuing from a bold Corinthian column supported on a square terraced foot, with neo-classic rams’ mask and husk swags by R.H. over R.H., London, 1877, 30 in high 355 0
Pair of George III table candlesticks, the tapering baluster shafts upon half-fluted circular bases by John Green & Co, Sheffield, 1800 195 0
George III chamber candlestick and snuffer, the gadrooned edge
witli shell motif by William Cafe, London, 1761, 12 oz 130 0
Casters
Garniture of three George II vase-shaped sugar casters of plain
design by John Delmester, London, 1758, 15 oz 10 dwt 930 0
William IV Scottish baluster caster engraved with a crest above floral decoration on a granulated ground, by Elder & Co, Edinburgh, 1832, 4 oz 7 dwt 90 0
George III baluster caster with pierced cover and wrythen
finial, by Thomas Satchwell, 1780, 2 oz 4 dwt 85 0
George III vase-shaped caster the otherwise plain body engraved with contemporary crest. The mark of George Giles struck over another, 1783, 2 oz 8 dwt 65 0
Coasters—Wine
Set of four partly fluted circular coasters with gadrooned rims and engraved with crests by John & Thomas Settle, Sheffield, 1818 410 0
Pair of George III coasters with pierced waved galleries, London, 1794 270 0
Pair of William IV circular-shaped wine coasters with foliate borders and crested silver bosses to the wood base, by Henry Wilkinson & Co, Sheffield, 1831 150 0
Pair of George III coasters with beaded rims, the pierced sides stamped with arcading, urns and laurel festoons, maker’s mark missing, 1794 100 0
Coffee Pots
George I small plain cylindrical coffee pot with octagonal spout and low domed cover with baluster finial, by Paul De Lamcrie, London, 1725, 11 oz 3 dwt 1,900 0
George II baluster coffee pot, plain with foliate decorated spout, wood handle and hinged domed lid, probable maker Fuller White, London, 1759, 21 oz 1,350 0
Late George III tapering cylindrical coffee pot, the plain body engraved with contemporary armorials and a crest, by Peter, Ann and William Bateman, London, 1802, 35 ox 2 dwt 1,200 0
George IV coffee pot, vase-shaped, with moulded bands at the neck and waist, leaf-capped scroll handle and foliate finial on lid, by Pearce & Burrowes, London, 1826, 22 oz 5 dwt 210 0
Victorian vase-shaped coffee pot engraved with key pattern
decoration, London, 1872, 24 oz 135 0
Cruets
George II five-bottle cruet frame on four shell feet with detachable baluster handle. Five cut-glass silver-mounted bottles. By Jabez Daniel, 1750, 28 oz 7 dwt 105 0
George III cruet frame for six bottles with reeded loop end handles, ring holders, on four feet. Five glass bottles all chipped, one broken. By Henry Chawner, London, 1792 16 0
Cups and Goblets
Elizabeth I secular wine goblet, the bowl decorated with tulips and strapwork motifs, on a slender baluster stem and circular fluted foot, London, 1593, 5 oz 10 dwt 2,000 0
Pair of George III goblets of plain design, probably by William
Sumner, London, 1800, 20 oz 520 0
Pair of George III two-handled pedestal challenge cups and covers with reeded decoration and urn knops, by Samuel Hcnnell, London, 1806, 32 oz 5 dwt 400 0
George III tumbler cup engraved with armorials, gilt interior and the base with contemporary initials. Possibly by John Garter, London, 1766, 2 oz 1 dwt 150 0
Victorian wine cup, the beaker-shaped bowl and pedestal base cast and chased in low relief with grape-laden vine tendrils, by Hunt and Roskell, London, 1875, 10 oz 1 dwt 52 0
Cutlery—Canteens
George III fiddle thread pattern table silver: 24 tablespoons, 36 table forks, 12 dessert spoons, 12 dessert forks, 12 teaspoons, 6 sauce ladles, 2 soup ladles, 1 marrow scoop, majority by Richard Crossley, 1798/1800/1804, 146 oz 9 dwt 750 0
Victorian fiddle pattern table silver: 12 tablespoons, 12 table forks, 12 dessert spoons, 12 dessert forks, 6 teaspoons, 2 salt spoons, by George Angell, London, 1863, 116 oz 14 dwt 260 0
Cutlery—Forks Dessert
Twelve George I  three-pronged  forks with crest, different
makers, 1718, 14 oz 1 dwt 1,500 0
Twelve George IV fiddle pattern forks by James Scott, Dublin,
1822, 15 oz 75 0
Six George III fiddle pattern forks by G.D., London, 1794,
8 oz 14 dwt 65 0
SOME AUCTION ROOM PRICES ! 1968-69
Cutlery—Forks Table
Twelve Queen Anne three-pronged forks engraved with a crest,
by David King, Dublin, 1708/10, 28 oz Four George II three-pronged forks engraved with two crests,
1755, 7 oz 18 dwt Eleven Victorian fiddle shell pattern forks by George Angell,
1857/61, 36 oz 16 dwt
Cutlery—Forks Toasting
George III fork with knopped shaft and scrolled handle, probably by R. Preston, London, circa 1767, 7 oz 10 dwt. 17f in long
George III fork with knopped shaft and scrolled handle by John Deacon, London, circa 1775, 8 oz. 19i in long
Cutlery—Knives
Forty-eight Victorian table knives and twenty-four dessert knives, kings pattern, steel blades by J.A. or T.S., 1884
Twelve eighteenth-century dessert knives, the multi-faceted bloodstone handles with knopped urn finials and mounts engraved, the scimitar blades of steel. Circa 1700, (Some handles cracked)
Cutlery—Ladles
Four George III sauce ladles, crested Old English pattern by
Hester Bateman, 1783, 5 oz 19 dwt Pair of George III sauce ladles with ribbed and punched beaded
bowls, by Michael Keating, Dublin, circa 1780, 2 oz 16 dwt
Cutlery—Spoons Dessert
Nine engraved spoons, seven by William Soame, 1741, two 1748, 12 oz
Ten Hanoverian spoons engraved with crest, 1760, 11 oz 5 dwt Cutlery—Spoons Serving
Pair of George III Old English pattern spoons by Steven Adams,
London, 1772, 5 oz 15 dwt Pair of Victorian spoons by George Angell, 1854, 10 oz 14 dwt
Cutlery—Spoons Table
Six George I Hanoverian pattern spoons with rat-tail bowls
by Charles Jackson, 1723, 11 oz 2 dwt Six George III Old English pattern spoons with contemporary
initials J.G. by Hester Bateman, 1780, 11 oz 17 dwt
Cutlery—Spoons Tea and Coffee
Six William IV ‘bright-cut’ spoons, 1836, 3 oz 7 dwt Eight George IV fiddle shell pattern spoons by J. McKay, Edinburgh, 1827, 4 oz 8 dwt

Globes
Pair of early nineteenth-century mahogany library globes by Newton, published in 1838 and 1836. The tripod frames with out-scrolled legs ending in brass castors, 3 ft 8 in high        780 0
Large pair of terrestrial and celestial globes by Newton; published 25 March 1875. Supported in mahogany frames on triple curving legs 205 0
Pair of terrestrial and celestial globes in turned stands by James
Wyld, Charing Cross East; published 1847 185 0
Knife Boxes
A pair of mahogany urn-shaped knife boxes, stamped W. Johnston, with domed lids and bodies inlaid with flowers and stripes, 2 ft 5 in high 115 0
Sheraton  inlaid  mahogany serpentine-fronted knife box in
original condition 32 0
Mirrors—Mantel
Empire-style giltwood overmantel with triple mirrored panels
and decorated with classical figures 105 0
Rectangular mantel mirror in a giltwood frame carved with
acanthus and shell motifs, 31 in by 25 in 60 0
Mirrors—Toilet or Dressing
Sheraton serpentine-fronted box-frame toilet mirror fitted with
two drawers, 17 in wide 36 0
Sheraton box-frame shield-shape toilet mirror with two drawers,
18 in wide 30 0
Mahogany box-frame toilet mirror with three drawers, 15 in
wide 15 0
Edwardian   mahogany   box-frame   toilet  mirror   with three
drawers to base, 22 in wide 9 0
Mirrors—Wall
Pair of Chinese-Chippendale giltwood girandoles of rococo outline mounted with phoenix-birds and clusters of flowers from which issue two scrolled candle branches. The base enriched with acorns and oak leaves, 38

in high 650 0
Mid-Georgian wall glass in a giltwood frame carved with scrolls
and foliage and pierced, 44 in high 200 0
Chippendale mahogany mirror with gilt gesso beading
George IV convex mirror in a gilt frame enriched with spherical ornament with two scrolled candle sconces. Crested with a gilt eagle with outspread wings 76 0
Regency giltwood convex mirror with ball encrusted moulded
frame and ebonised slip, 1 ft 11 in diameter 15 0
Settees, Couches and Chaise Longues
Small carved mahogany sofa, the arched back carved with
rococo motifs. Curved arms, carved seat rail and cabriole legs        135 0
some auction room prices ‘. 1968-69
Decorated satinwood cane-panelled settee with loose seat
cushion, 4 ft 4 in George III painted settee with flat rectangular back and arms,
on turned legs. The arms, seat rails and legs are painted
with husks and flowers on a cream ground, 6 ft wide Early George III mahogany settee with stuffed back and arms.
The seat rail and legs are carved with blind fret, 5 ft 8 in
wide, (some restoration) Victorian rosewood frame serpentine-fronted chaise longue on
short cabriole legs
Settles
Eighteenth-century oak settle, 5 ft 5 in wide Seventeenth-century panelled oak settle with box seat, 4 ft 6 in wide
Seventeenth-century carved and panelled tall-back hall settle, 5 ft 7 in wide
Sideboards
Small nineteenth-century sideboard inlaid with ebony lines. Raised back, the centre drawer flanked by a cupboard and deep drawer. Supported on six turned and tapering legs, 4 ft 8 in wide
Hepplewhite-style mahogany serpentine sideboard of rich mellow colour, cross-banded in kingwood and fitted with a napery drawer and cellaret cupboards with octagonal gilt metal handles and supported on chamfered

legs, 7 ft 2 in wide
Georgian mahogany half-moon sideboard with two cupboards to the sides and two drawers with lion ring handles in the centre. Four tapering legs, 4 ft wide
Large mahogany Sheraton-style sideboard fitted with two long drawers and flanked by two deep drawers, supported on tapering legs
Regency Empire mahogany sideboard of architectural form, with a reverse breakfront with two shallow drawers to the centre flanked by deep cupboards. Supported by two curved and four simulated bamboo legs

terminating in brass paw feet. The whole mounted with ormolu and brass griffins, lions’ masks and sphinx and with Adams-style garlands and patera, 7 ft 6 in long
Late Georgian mahogany sideboard with shaped front, the top back rail fitted with three tambour slides. Two cupboards and a centre drawer to the base over a waved apron. Supported on six slender tapering legs, 5 ft

7 in wide
Early nineteenth-century mahogany bow-front sideboard on spiral-turned legs, 6 ft 1 in wide
Tables—Break fast
Regency mahogany breakfast table with brass stringing on the banded top and a turned pillar ending in a reeded quadruped, 5 ft by 3 ft 5 in
Georgian mahogany oval breakfast table with reeded edge and
Tables—Card
Chippendale mahogany card table with shaped folding top on boldly carved cabriole legs ending in claw and ball feet, 2 ft 7 in wide 370 0
Late George II mahogany card table with border of carved flowerheads and legs and frieze carved with blind fret, 3 ft wide 250 0
Regency card table in figured rosewood inlaid with brass flowers and leaves, the D-top on a ringed stem and quadruple brass capped legs, 3 ft wide 190 0
Sheraton mahogany card table inlaid with satinwood lines and
on tapering legs, 3 ft 2 in wide 180 0
George II walnut card table with rectangular top on turned legs
with mantled knees and club feet, 3 ft wide 95 0
Regency mahogany card table with green baize interior on curving quadruple support, ending in brass claw feet. The top is cross-banded 65 0
Victorian mahogany card table with double Sap top supported
on four tapering shafts, terminating in curved legs 44 0
Tables—Centre
Regency painted centre tabic, the circular top simulating green marble, the border with brass mouldings hinged to a carved turned central support on a curved triangular base with lion’s paw feet, 4 ft diameter 120 0
Edwards and Roberts eboniscd centre table with ormolu beading on cluster column and quadruple base, 5 ft 6 in wide 38 0
Red Buhl shaped centre table with heavy ormolu mounts, two
drawers and on cabriole legs. (Poor condition) 11 0
Tables—Dining
Charles I oak dining table with a triple-plank top and the frieze carved with leaves and interlaced arcading, on column legs, 6 ft 5 in long by 2 ft 7 in wide 360 0
Large late George III mahogany dining table, the top richly carved with acanthus, ribbon motifs, satyr masks and a coat of arms. Supported on ten tapering spiral-twist legs with five loose leaves, 12 ft 4 in long 185 0
Georgian mahogany two pillar dining table with triple curving
legs ending in brass-capped feet 122 0
Georgian mahogany oval drop-leaf dining table on turned legs
and pad feet 75 0
Eighteenth-century mahogany oval drop-leaf cottage dining table
on taper legs with pad feet, 3 ft 6 in wide 44 0
Mahogany gadrooned oval dining table with cabriole legs and
claw and ball feet 40 0
Georgian mahogany drum library table with leather top and four real and four dummy drawers. On triple curving legs with brass-capped feet, 3 ft 3 in diameter 680 0
some auction room prices : 1968-69
George III mahogany library table fitted with seven drawers and dummy drawers with gilt metal lion ring handles, the top with gilt tooled green leather and the whole raised on a curved quadruple support with

brass-capped feet
Tables—Games and Sewing
Eighteenth-century mahogany, shaped folding top, games table on nutcracker frame with cabriole legs and claw and ball feet, 34 in wide
William IV games table with sliding and reversible top inlaid as a chess board opening to reveal a backgammon board with two drawers to the side. Central pillar supported on quadruple curving feet
Nineteenth-century mahogany sewing table with rising top and drawers below. The slender tapering legs ending in brass-capped feet
Tables—Gate-leg
George I elmwood gate-leg table, the oval top with flaps on
cabriole legs carved with scrolls and leaves and ending in
pointed pad feet, 3 ft 9 in wide Seventeenth-century oak oval gate-leg dining table with double
flaps supported on bobbin turned legs with plain cross
stretchers, 4 ft 9 in wide Late George II mahogany gate-leg table, the oval top with two
flaps, on unusual legs fluted and ending in paw feet, 3 ft 9 in
wide
Oak oval gate-leg table on turned underframe with drawer, 4 ft wide
Tables—Occasional
Late George II mahogany piecrust table with bird-cage support on fluted stem with carved legs and claw and ball feet, 2 ft 2 in diameter
Large mahogany piecrust tripod table with baluster stem and
pointed pad feet, 3 ft 5 in diameter Mahogany tripod table, the circular top with raised rim, on
cabriole feet, 1 ft 10 in diameter
Tables—Pembroke
Late Georgian mahogany oval Pembroke table with drawer, on
square tapering legs, 2 ft 7 in wide by 3 ft 6 in long Late Georgian mahogany Pembroke table painted with a floral
border and on turned and fluted legs Georgian mahogany Pembroke table with folding flaps and
single drawer, inlaid with satinwood lines and fan motifs, on
tapering legs, 3 ft 2 in wide
Tables—Refectory
Seventeenth-century oak refectory table of slender plain form, the base having square ends united by a single stretcher, 7 ft 3 in long
Oak refectory table on bulbous end supports with central
stretcher, 7 ft 7 in by 3 ft wide 130 0
An exceptionally long oak refectory table with triple curving
supports, 18 ft 6 in long, 3 ft 3 in wide 90 0
Tables—Side
Queen Anne banded walnut side table with two deep and two
shallow drawers on square legs, 3 ft 3 in wide 170 0
Chinese-Chippendale mahogany side table, the frieze carved with
blind fret. Moulded legs, 3 ft wide 88 0
Oak side table with drawer, on turned legs, 3 ft wide 64 0
Walnutwood side table with cabriole legs carved with acanthus
leaves 31 0
Tables—Sofa
George III satinwood sofa table cross-banded with acacia, fitted with two drawers and false drawers opposite on trestle supports with splayed curved feet and brass castors, 2 ft 10 in wide        750 0
Regency banded mahogany sofa table with tulipwood stringing with two drawers on end supports and central stretcher with brass claw feet, 5 ft 10 in extended 380 0
Late George III mahogany sofa table with two drawers in frieze and raised on flat trestle supports with out-curved legs, 3 ft 2 in wide 270 0
George III mahogany sofa table banded in rosewood and with two drawers. It has trestle supports with tripod splayed legs and brass feet, 3 ft wide 250 0
Tables—Sutherland
Mahogany Sutherland table on turned underframe, 2 ft 9 in
wide 42 0
Victorian walnut-veneered Sutherland table on turned supports,
2 ft 6 in wide 36 0
Tables—Tea
Regency mahogany tea table with folding top on a turned pillar and four curved legs, the whole inlaid with brass stringing, 3 ft wide 120 0
Late George II mahogany tea table, the top with a border of flowerheads and ribbon and the frieze and chamfered legs carved with Chinese blind fret, 3 ft wide 60 0
George III mahogany tea table with folding top, a drawer in
the frieze and square tapering legs, 3 ft 8 in wide 38 0
Tables—Wine
Hepplewhite mahogany wine table, the inlaid octagonal top
supported on triple concave curving legs 105 0
Victorian mahogany wine table on pillar and tripod base, 21 in
diameter 10 0
Tables—Writing
George III mahogany pedestal writing table, the gilt tooled leather top with three drawers at each side of the frieze and
the pedestals with cupboards and drawers at either end, 4 ft wide
Early eighteenth-century banded fruitwood writing table, fitted
with three drawers, a shaped apron and on cabriole legs with
pad feet, 2 ft 4 in wide Victorian lady’s mahogany writing table with two short drawers
on lyre end supports, 3 ft wide Carved mahogany writing table with fitted drawer, the top lined
with leather, on cabriole legs, 2 ft 5 in wide
Tallboys and Lowboys
George II walnut tallboy, the top with reeded and canted corners and three small and three long drawers. The base having three long drawers and bracket feet
Queen Anne small walnut tallboy of mellow colour, the upper chest fitted with two small and three long drawers over a brushing slide, and three long graduated drawers
William and Mary lowboy inlaid with scrolls and motifs. The top fitted with two small and two long drawers and two long drawers to the base, 4 ft 3 in high
Georgian mahogany tallboy with dentil cornice and two small and three long drawers to the top and tliree long drawers to the base which is supported on bracket feet
Georgian mahogany tallboy with dentil cornice, the top fitted with two small and three long drawers, the base with three long drawers and supported on bracket feet, 6 ft 1 in high
Waiters
Mid-Georgian mahogany dumb waiter with turned and carved columns supporting three trays. The whole on cabriole tripod feet, 4 ft high
George III mahogany dumb waiter with two revolving tiers and baluster centre on three curved and moulded legs and castor feet applied with roundels, 3 ft 2 in high
George II mahogany dumb waiter with three graduated revolving tiers and spiral fluting on turned central support. Plain cabriole legs, 3 ft 6 in high
Wardrobes
Mahogany breakfront wardrobe fitted with sliding trays, four
drawers and panelled cupboards Small Georgian mahogany wardrobe enclosed by two panelled
doors with three drawers in the base, 3 ft 9 in wide George III mahogany gents wardrobe with pierced swan-neck
cresting, a pair of doors banded in satinwood and two short
and two long drawers below, 7 ft high by 4 ft 4 in wide Regency mahogany wardrobe the upper part with sliding trays
with four drawers under on splay feet, 3 ft 11 in wide
Washstands
Late George III mahogany washstand, the top hinged and opening to form a back, the front with a pair of cupboard doors above one small drawer, on square splayed legs, 2 ft wide
Edwardian three-tier corner washstand with basin 18 0 George III mahogany corner washstand, the slender legs joined
by a stretcher with a drawer, 2 ft wide                                      14 0
Wine Coolers
Georgian inlaid mahogany sarcophagus wine cooler with lion
mask and ring handle on paw feet 65 0
Georgian mahogany octagonal wine cooler with lifting top and
short square moulded legs, 18 in wide 55 0

BOWL IN DARK RED GLASS, ENAMELLED AND GILT
Byzantine, i ith-t2th century A.D.Ht. 79 mm (3*13 in.)
Theophilus, describing ‘how the Greeks
embellish with Gold and Silver’, said ‘they
take the white, red and green glass, whicb
are used for enamels, and carefully grind
each one separately with water on a
porphyry stone. With them they paint
small flowers and scrolls . . .’. He went on
to describe the furnace in which they fired
window glass, including painted glass, and
specified that the glass be bedded down on
quick-lime. Vasari, who wrote an account
of the stained glass technique of Gugliel-
imo de Marcillat (d.1529) stressed that
‘this burning in of the colours requires the
greatest caution, for if the heat be too great
it will cause the glass to crack, and if
insufficient it will not fix the colours’. To
test the enamel, Theophilus suggested
that you should ’see if you can scratch off
the colour with your nail’. Glasses of the
type described by Theophilus are known,
dating from the 1 ith to the 12th centuries;
one of them is illustrated.
VASE WITH ENAMELLING AND GILDING
Syria, Ј.1320-30 A.D. Ht. 302 mm (11 88 in.)
(See also colour photograph 11)
Not until the 13th and 14th centuries was
the next high point in the history of
enamelling reached, with the great Islamic
mosque lamps and other vessels produced
in the near East, particularly in Syria.
Besides the weli-known lamps which
adorned Moslem holy places, the Syrian
enamellers decorated such objects as
footed bowls, sprinklers, globes, beakers
and long-necked bottles. The vase illus-
trated is decorated with golden arabesques
and fish motifs finely outlined in red. The
inscription round the widest point of the
vessel repeats the words ‘The Wise’
(referring to the God of Mohammed). The
medallions around the neck of the vase
probably contain the armorial symbol of
the nobleman who commissioned the
object. The glass itself is not clear and
colourless, for most of the Islamic glass of
that time is of a brownish or greenish tint,
often clouded with bubbles.
Adding: The Skill of the Decorator
In Islam the art of enamelling came to
maturity from the 13th century, the finest
work being done in Syria. The lamps in
Egyptian mosques exported from Syria
are the most famous examples of all the
Islamic enamelled glass. Strictly speaking,
these objects are lamp-holders or lanterns
rather than lamps, for they enclosed an
oil-vessel which provided the illumination.
They were suspended from the roof of the
mosque by chains which, when the roof
was high, passed through a glass globe or
ball, from where the chains radiated to the
handles of the lamp. Enamelled glass was
used for these lamps, not only for its
obvious decorative effect, but because the
Koran said, ‘God is the light of the
Heavens and the Earth: His light is as a
niche in which is a lamp, the lamp in a
glass, the glass as it were a glittering star’.
Many reproductions of mosque lamps
were made at the end of the 19th century.
Unfortunately, like the Romans, the Is-
lamic glass-making artists left no written
record of the craft which they practised
with such very great skill. It is not until
the 15th century that a contemporary
record of enamelling techniques is found,
but from that time, especially with the
advent of printing, there is no lack of
written evidence. Enamelling on glass was
a speciality of the Venetian glass-makers,
a technique which they developed during
the 15th century, probably reaching tech-
nical maturity by the middle of the
century. In all essentials their enamelling
technique was similar to that of the
Islamic artists, yet it would appear that the
Venetians independently re-invented en-
amelling on glass—possibly borrowing the
idea from the Italian worker in metal. By-
tradition the invention has been ascribed
to the glass-maker Angelo Baroviero.
Throughout the 15th century the coloured
glass the Venetians had invented—blue,
green, white, purple and turquoise—was
richly enamelled and gilded.
GOBLET IN  COLOURED GLASS
ENAMELLED DECORATION
Venice. Italy, late 15th 10 early 16th century
By the beginning of the 16th century the
fashion in Venice for coloured glass had
given way to a desire for clear colourless
glass. Enamelling, along with other forms
of decoration, was usually found on clear
glass specimens from this time, although
the clear metal was far less suited to the
technique. The pictorial work which had
been used so much on coloured glass soon
disappeared, and enamelling was restricted
to a few simple motifs. A favourite of these
was a form of scale pattern in bead-like
dots of enamelling and light gilding,
through which lines were scratched, al-
though simple bands of coloured dots were
sometimes the sole decoration of the piece.
Another familiar motif of the late 15th-
and early 16th-century glasses resembled
a lily-of-the-vallcy or a small fruit with a
calyx attached, as on the goblet illustrated.
This goblet also helps to show how the
Venetians combined their coloured and
clear glass in one vessel.
Although representational painting was no
longer the fashion by the beginning of the
16th century, a transitional phase is
represented by a series of glasses enamelled
with grotesque ornamentation built up
from patterns of flowers, leaves, animal
and human-like forms. Armorial glasses
were probably among the latest Venetian
work in the technique of enamelling. A
shield of arms or an emblem would be
added to the few simple decorative motifs
that were now in use on clear colourless
glass, and at their best, these were very
well drawn, as in the dish illustrated.
However, in some cases there is reason to
suspect that the shields were later addi-
tions. Venetian taste, now inclining to-
wards the new, clear colourless metal,
began to appreciate glass for its own sake
and to be interested more in its quality and
beauty of shape than in its added decora-
tion. By the middle of the 16th century the
technique of enamelling, apart from wares
made for export, had virtually passed out
of fashion in Italy.
beaker with enamelled decoration
Made in Venice for the German market, 1603
Ht. 267 mm (105 in.)
Reuhsadlerhumpen, pale green glass with
enamelled decoration
Bohemia, 1654. Ht. 200 mm (11-4 in.)
Although enamelling became unfashion-
able in Italy, it remained a favourite form
of decoration in Germany until the second
half of the 18th century. The earliest
enamelled glasses thai might have a claim
to being German are some cylindrical
beakers commonly bearing German arms,
but it is now thought that these were
ordered from Venice by German buyers.
The beaker illustrated, inscribed ‘Roccho
Grasl’, is a typical late example of the type.
The most productive enamelling work-
shops in the late 16th and early 17th
centuries were situated in Bohemia,
whence the craft was carried to Germany
by emigrant workmen. German enamel-
ling, with its bold colours, has the attrac-
tiveness of a peasant art, but the enamels
used were not of fine quality nor were the
drawings of any distinction. The glass
itself was relatively poor, and only a few
shapes were attempted: the tall Stangen-
glas, the cylindrical Humpen, jugs, beakers,
and screw-topped spirit flasks.
The subjects used by the German enam-
ellers for the most part belong to peasant
art. Gonventional portraits, simplified
landscapes, scenes of artisans at work,
guild processions, satirical subjects, alle-
gories and inscriptions, usually illiterate
and sometimes obscene, are common.
Biblical subjects, the Emperor and the
Seven Electors and the Reichsadler are also
depicted on these glasses. The Reichsadler
is the Imperial double-eagle, bearing on
its wings the arms with names of a fanciful
hierarchy of the Holy Roman Empire; the
arms are arranged in groups of four in the
so-called Quaternion system derived from
Schedel’s Wellkronik of 1483. They begin
with those of Rome and the three spiritual
Electors (Treves, Cologne, Mayence),
balanced by the four temporal ones
(Bavaria, Brandenburg, Saxony, Palatin-
ate), ending with four ‘Dorffer’ and four
‘Birg’. The Reichsadlerhumpen may have
had some contemporary significance, since
they originated during the strife of the
Thirty Years’ War. The Retchsadler and
the ‘Elector’ glasses remained popular for
a long period.
Adding: The Skill of the Decorator
In the guild regulations of the glass-
makers of Krcibitz in Bohemia (1669) one
of the tasks set the aspiring craftsman was
to ‘prepare with colours an Imperial
Eagle, with all its members, in one and a
half days’. This referred to the Reich-
sadlerhumpen, which most likely had to be
fired more than once, those enamels which
required a higher temperature being fired
before the ones which fluxed at a lower
heat In all essentials the contemporary
descriptions of enamelling agree with each
other, the cakes or beads of enamel being
pounded on marble or porphyry, [he
powder thus resulting being washed and
applied to the already annealed glass vessel
and the glass being carefully reheated so
that the enamels fused to it successfully. It
would seem that enamelled vessel-glass
began to be fired in special ‘muffle kilns’
rather than in the glass furnace itself by
the end of the 17th century. As in ordinary
coloured glass, metal oxides were used to
give the enamels their various colours.
‘SchwarzloT, or black enamelling on glass
was a Dutch invention originally used lor
the decoration of windows; it spread into
Northern Germany, and was developed b\
Johann Schaper in the third quarter ol the
17th century. Schaper was born at Ham-
burg in 1621, was at Nuremberg from
1655, at Ratisbon in 1664 and died in 1670.
Originally a painter of stained window-
glass, he was the first of the South German
llausmaler or independent artists, obtain-
ing undecorated glass and pottery and
decorating it to Ins own invention. I le used
copper oxide mixed with black enamel
pigment, painting this on to the glass ahd
then scratching his design through it with
a needle in the manner of the stained-glass
painter. He painted mainly in black, with
slight touches of red and gold. In the
beaker illustrated he used for inspiration
an engraving of a gypsy procession by
Jacques Callot (1592-1635; Callot’s work,
depicting scenes of Italian life with fan-
tastic caricature, was very popular in the
17th and 18th centuries).
Adding: The Skill of the Decorator
Johann Schaper gained some followers,
one of whom, like himself, was a window-
glass painter. This was Johann Ludwig
Paber, who also painted faience. Herman
Benckcrtt of Frankfort-on-Main was an-
other of Schapers known followers. The
Humpen illustrated is a remarkably fine
example of the Schwarzlot technique,
probably the work of one of Schaper’s
imitators. The scene shows a man being
pushed into a pigsty by a laughing and
gesticulating crowd—presumably for
drunkenness, for the Latin inscription on
the reverse is a diatribe against drinking.
After 1700 the Schwarzlot technique was
carried on in Bohemia and Silesia by
independent decorators. Though they
were using the same medium, in style and
subject their work was very different.
They concentrated on landscapes, hunting
scenes, warriors and scenes from peasant
life, then replaced these by scroll-and-
strap-work, Chinese figures, putti and
fantastic animals.
In Spain a distinct style of enamelling
glass emerged in the late 15th, 16th and
early 17th centuries. It originated in
Barcelona, where glass-makers were in
considerable rivalry with Venice towards
the end of the 15th century. The most
important product of the Barcelona crafts-
men was their enamelled ware, which
surprisingly showed a complete inde-
pendence of Venetian models. The colours
they used for their enamels were notably a
light yellowish-green, in combination with
yellow, white and lavender blue, and
occasionally they used touches of black,
red and brown. Their style of enamelling
has been described as primitive, but also
as powerful in design. The motifs they
used were Near-Eastern in feeling, such as
stylised trees, arabesque foliage, running
animals and pairs of birds. Occasionally,
figures in 16th-century European costume
were used. The vase illustrated was a
favourite shape, showing a typical motif
resembling a small fruit with calyx attached
which was also found on Venetian glass.
Enamelled decoration on glass, though
familiar on the Continent from the 15th
century onwards, was apparently never
attempted in England until the middle of
the 18th century. Two types of enamelling
emerged in the third quarter of the 18th
century, one practised by the Beilby
family of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and the
other practised on the opaque white glass
of the period (see Opaque White Glass).
William Beilby (1740-1819) and his sister
Mary (1749-97) were recorded by Thomas
Bewick, the wood-engraver, to have ‘had
constant employment of enamel-painting
of glass’. William had learned the art of
enamelling in Birmingham, and proceeded
to enamel glasses from about 1762. At
what point Mary joined him in his work is
not known, for their glasses are signed
simply ‘Beilby’. Their brother Ralph
Beilby (1743—1817), to whom Thomas
Bewick was apprenticed, may have had
some influence on their work through his
knowledge of heraldic engraving.
The first Beilby enamelled work was of an
heraldic nature, in both white and coloured
enamel on glasses or goblets with ogee or
bucket-shaped bowls. The Beilbys’ style
changed about 1774, and subjects such as
scenes of hunting, fishing and shooting,
pastoral scenes including ruins, and Chin-
ese subjects appeared, the shapes of the
glasses becoming more diverse. Colours
were not always used on these glasses, and
the subjects were often rendered in white
monochrome, sometimes with a faint tint
of blue or pink. Occasionally they followed
the motifs found on engraved glasses of the
period, such as hops, barley and the flower-
ing vine. Beilby glasses more often than
not have an opaque white enamel-twist
stem. Thomas Bewick became attached to
Mary Beilby, who unfortunately in her
early twenties suffered a paralytic stroke.
The brother and sister left Newcastle-on-
Tyne after the death of their mother in
1778, and went to Fife in Scotland, where
apparently they did not continue their
work.
Hi. 105 mm (4-15 in.)
BEAKER WITH CUTTING, GILDING AND
ENAMEL PAINTING
By Anton kothgasser, Vienna, Austria, r.1825
Hi. 115 mm (4-5 in.)
Many drinking and souvenir glasses with
translucent enamelling still exist which
were decorated by Samuel Mohn (horn
1762 in Weissenfels, died 1815 in Dresden)
and his son, Gottlob Samuel Mohn (born
1789 in Weissenfels and died 1825 in
Vienna). Their chief technical innovation
was the preparation of transparent enam-
els, in contrast with the heavy opaque
enamels used particularly in the 16th and
17th centuries. Samuel Mohn had pre-
viously been a painter of silhouettes on
porcelain. His son, who secured the
patronage of the Emperor, painted sil-
houettes on glass tumblers, as well as views
and allegorical figure-subjects. The Mohns
were among the first to cater for the market
for mementoes caused by the revival of
travel for its own sake, after the finish of
the Napoleonic wars. They worked on a
large scale, helped by apprentices, and
using transfer printing for outlines to
speed up the process, but the delicacy of
their paintings, usually on glasses in the
Ranfthecher form, makes these a worthy
item for collectors.
The Mohns’ discovery of transparent
enamels was further improved by a Vien-
nese porcelain and glass decorator, Anton
Kothgasser (1769-1851). He was a painter
from the Imperial Porcelain Factory, who
started working on stained glass with
Gottlob Mohn. He managed to make his
colours more brilliant than the Mohns’,
and made full use of yellow stain, or the
stain made from a compound of silver, as
used on stained glass windows. His glasses
are usually waistcd, with a heavy cut base
and sometimes lavishly gilt, as in the one
illustrated. Views of towns, portraits,
genre scenes and flowers, sometimes
copied, are featured in his work. His
glasses have been described as the finest
examples of the Viennese Biedermewr
style. Kothgasser and the Mohns had
many pupils and many imitators. In the-
same movement was Franz Anton Siebel
(1777-1842) of Lichtenfels in Upper
Franconia.
PERFUME BOTTLE IN COLOURLESS GLASS,
ENAMELLED AND GILT
Emile Galle, France, dated 1880
I li 157 mm (613 in.)
‘CROWN MILANO’ EWER WITH ROPE HANDLE
Ml. Washington Glass Company, U.S.A.
Ht. 254 mm (10 in.)
Emile Galle (1846 1904) the great French
glass-maker, is less well-known for his
enamelled work than for his work in the
field of cameo glass. Yet he was an expert
in the art of enamelling, and showed this
gift in his first major exhibition in Paris in
1878. It was there that he established his
reputation as an inventive and original
glass artist, using—among other tech-
niques—enamelled decoration on triple-
cased glass with gold leaf insertions. At the
exhibition in Paris in 1884 he showed
examples of clear colourless glass decorated
with enamelling, cutting and engraving.
At the 1889 Exhibition in Paris he showed
his finest works. His colours had taken on
a new softness, and a fresh note of lyricism
could be sensed in his work. The decisive
factor in his work seems to have been
Japanese art, and after 1889 he developed
to maturity the ‘nature-style’ that was to
epitomise his thoughts and ideas and was
to bring him his greatest fame. The
singular lyricism ol his work can be seen in
the enamelled perfume bottle illustrated.
An elegant painted and enamelled glass-
ware was produced by the Mt. Washington
Glass Company, New Bedford, Mass.,
towards the end of the 19th century. It was
first called ‘Albertine’, though a ware that
was the same in texture, shape and
decoration was advertised more cxotically
as ‘Crown Milano’ in about 1890. Unless
the perishable paper label survives, ‘Al-
bertine’ cannot be differentiated from
unmarked ‘Crown Milano’. Frederick S.
Shirley and Albert Steffin of that firm were
issued with a patent in 1886 for a means of
decorating an opal glassware. The articles,
which had a convex ribbed body, were
treated as follows: a perforated corrugated
stencil was laid against them; pulverised
carbon was dusted against this, which left
a design for the enameller to follow when
the stencil was taken away, so that there
was no distortion in the finished product.
When ‘Crown Milano’ was made, a blank
in white opal glass was shaped by free-
blowing, moulding or press-moulding.

METHODS OF DRAWER CONSTRUCTION
the door-opening. Fit the fillets carefully and glue and pin the front ones in position, making the neat mitre joints at the corners, as in Figs. 9 (d)
and (g). Fit the panel and fix it in place by means of further fillets pinned on the inside of the frame at the back, as also shown in Fig. 9 (g.)
DRAWERS FOR KITCHEN FITMENTS
Success in drawer-making depends primarily upon the accuracy of the drawer-opening in the carcase. If this is at fault, the drawer, however well made, will be difficult to fit and will not run smoothly. Check the opening to see that it is straight and square. If necessary, slight adjustments can be made with it bull-nose plane, or perhaps by moving the runners or kickers.
Dovetailed Drawer. Undoubtedly the best type of drawer is that shown in the first illustration of Fig. 1. It is the standard form used in all well-made furniture. The cut-away portions shown in Fig. 2 (a) give details of construction, but the reader is advised to make a careful
examination of a drawer from an existing piece of furniture. The sides are lap-dovetailed to the front and through-dovetailed to the back. The front is grooved to take the bottom, which is held in place at the sides by means of drawer slips, which also are grooved. The lower edge of the back is made level with the top of the groove, and the bottom can thus be pushed into the groove from the back, and is held in place by screws inserted from underneath into the back. The top edge of the back is
FIG. 1. 1 inished appearance of(above)
a dovetailed drawer► and (top right) a
rehmed th-awer; (bottom right) a
much simpler form of construction
suitable for small drawers.
made about I in. lower than the sides, so that there is no danger of its rubbing on the kickers.
Drawer fronts rarely need be thicker than I in., with sides and back of A in.; for small drawers these dimensions should be reduced.
Plane up the wood, making quite certain that the inside faces are quite flat and out of winding; lay them out in their relative positions as in Fig. 2 (b), and mark the inside bottom corners so that it is known where each piece will be finally fitted.
Commence by making the bottom edge of the drawer front quite true, and fit the bottom corner, X, as in Fig. 2 (c), by planing the end and testing it in the carcase. When this end is correct mark off the exact
length of the drawer front and fit the other bottom corner, Y, in the same way.
Plane the top edge of the drawer so that it will just fit the opening. The drawer front, when fitted, should only just enter the opening for about I in., as shown in Fig. 2 (d), the edges being very slightly tapered to allow this. Next saw and plane the back to length, so that it can be pushed into the opening to make a good, close fit. Plane the sides to ensure a tight fit when the drawer is pushed right back into the opening. Then saw and plane off the ends square to final length, allowing for at least 4-in. clearance at the back of the drawer inside the carcase.
Fig. 2 (e) gives details of the next stage of marking out. Using a gauge (preferably a cutting gauge, but a well-sharpened marking gauge will serve), set it to the distance D, which is the length of the lap of the dovetails. With this setting, gauge thetwo sides and both ends of the drawer front, as in Fig. 2 (e). Re-set the gauge to a shaving less than the thickhess of the drawer sides; gauge a line on the inside of the drawer front from each end, and also two corresponding lines oil the back, shown at S in Fig. 2 (e). Re-set the gauge to the thickness of the back, and gauge a line on the back end of both sides, as at B. Set the gauge to the distance of the top of the groove oil the front from the bottom edge, and gauge a line at the ends of the sides, as at G in Fig. 2 (e); this gives the final position of the lower edge of the back.
Mark out the dovetails on the ends of the side pieces and cut away the waste; the groove in the bottom must be covered by the bottom tail, for otherwise a gap would show at the ends of the drawer front. Cut the tails on the back end. Scribe the pins from the tails, and cut and fit the joints. Plough the groove on the front, allowing at least I in. below the bottom of the groove. Glue the joints and assemble the drawer; make sure that the joints are close, either by cramping or by tapping them together with a hammer, protecting the work from damage by means of a block of waste wood. Test the drawer to see that it is exactly square and out of winding; this is essential if the drawer is to fit the carcase properly. Allow the glue to set, and then clean up the drawer, planing down the sides until the drawer will slide in
FIG. 3. Stages in the preparation and
fitting of slips; (d) shows a stopfitled
to the bottom drawer rail.
smoothly ; finally plane the front to allow it to enter the drawer opening.
Beware of planing the drawer without first being quite certain where it is tight ; tight spots frequently show up as shiny areas where the sides rub on the carcase, and these parts should be lightly planed. When the drawer fits the opening it is ready to receive the drawer slips; these are made, as Fig. 3 (a), by first ploughing the edge of a suitably sized piece of wood, gauging the thickness of the slip and rounding off the top edge, as indicated by the broken line, and then sawing off the required strip. Clean off the sawn surface with the plane. The thickness of the slip should be about equal to the thickness of’ the drawer side, so that the area of the running surface of the sides is approximately doubled when the slips are in place. On the front end of the slip cut a tongue equal to the size of the groove, as in This enables the slip to be located exactly in the groove on the front. At the back end of the slip the top rounded portion is removed, as at B in Fig. 3 (c), so that the top of the groove on the slip will be level with the underside of the back. Glue the slips in place and allow the glue to set.
Fit the bottom into the groove; if solid wood is being used the grain should be parallel with the front of Principal details of construction of a typical rebated drawer.
the drawer, as in Fig. 2 (a). Slots to fit the shank of the screws are cut in the bottom at the back edge to allow for shrinkage, and the bottom is screwed from underneath to the lower edge of the back of the drawer. To allow for possible shrinkage in a solid piece the drawer bottom must project beyond the back of the drawer; if plywood is being used for the bottom no allowance for shrinkage need be made.
A drawer stop should be fitted to the bottom drawer rail to prevent the drawer from running in too far; Fig. 3 (d) shows these details. In order that the front face of the drawer, when closed, may be level with the
framework, the stop must be sit back from the front edge of the rail distance equal to the thickness of t drawer front. Set a gauge to th s thickness and gauge a line on
rail. Two stops should gene ally be used; these are small blocks of wood slightly thinner than t e space below the drawer bottom Glue and pin these stops in position exactly level with the gauge mark on the rail.
Rebated Drawer. A simpler type of drawer, which can be used for small articles, is shown in Fig. 1. It is not 4s strong as the dovetailed drawer, but is easier to make, the sides beings t into a rebate on the front, and glucd and nailed in place, and the back housed into grooves in the sides. The bottom is fixed as for the dovetailed drawer by means of drawer slips; if preferred, a slip could be used oil the front as well, instead of the groove shown.
Fit the front and sides to the c r-case as described for the dovetail d drawer ; the essentials for obtairim a well-flitting drawer are the same in each case. Set the gauge to a distance which is just a shaving less than tlile thickness of the sides, and gauge tie inside of the drawer front as at S in Fig. 4.
Next gauge the amount of lap for the side, as at L in Fig. 4. Saw down the shoulder-line of the rebate, and saw or chisel out the waste down to the gauge line. Place the two sides together and square off the position of the groove for the housing of
back, the distance apart of the t~o lines being exactly equal to the thiqkncss of the back, as at A in Fig. Square these lines across on to I inside of the sides, and saw a chisel the grooves, the depth of which is fixed by a gauge line.
Saw the back of the drawer to its exact length, remembering that it is shorter than the front by twice the distance X in Fig. 4. The depth of the back must be less than that of the sides, and its bottom edge should be level with the top of the groove on the front of the drawer. Glue and nail the sides to the front and back, and be certain to punch the heads of the nails just below the surface, so avoiding damage to the plane when cleaning up the drawer. Test the drawer for squareness and allow the glue to set. Plane Lip the sides so that the drawer fits the carcase, and fit the slips and bottom, as described for the dovetailed drawer.
For a sticking drawer, candle-grease, soap or talcum powder is an excellent lubricant ; waxes such as beeswax have a tendency to be rather too tacky.
Simple Drawer. A simple construction, which could be used for very small drawers is the third example illustrated in Fig. 1. The bottom is rebated into the front and sides
FIG. 5. Drawer of simple glued-andnailed construction. Parts are cut away in the drawing to show details.
Fi(;. 6. Drawer with a groove formed in the side (a); how a drawer may he .fitted under a flat top (b and c).
(Fig. 5), and is nailed or screwed in place. The sides are fitted as for the rebated drawer, the back being the same length as the distance between the shoulders of the rebate on the front. Rebate the front and sides, and k1lue and nail the drawer; test for squareness, and clean up when glue is set. Fit and fix the bottom.
Drawer with Grooved Sides. It is sometimes desired to fit a drawer between two flat vertical members which have no horizontal members to support the runners. This can be achieved as indicated in Fig. 6 (a). A groove is made in each side of the drawer only, the front remaining Untouched. A thin fillet which slides comfortably into the groove is screwed to each side of the carcase, to support the drawer. The front of the drawer at the end of the groove acts as a stop for the drawer.
Drawer Under a Flat Top. When a drawer is required under a flat top, such as the top of a workbench, it can be fitted as shown in Fig. 6 (b). A rebated block is screwed to the bench, and a fillet, which fits the
groove thus formed, is screwed to each of the drawer sides. An alterna.. tive to the rebated block can be built up from two pieces, as shown in Fig. 6 (c), and is just as efficient. A block screwed to the bench at the back of the drawer will effectively prevent it from going too far into the opening.
CUPBOARDS
Small Cupboard. A simple cupboard built up of framed panels fastened together is shown in Fig. 1. The dimensions given in Fig. 2 (a) are for a cupboard 2 ft. high by 16 in. wide and 12 in. deep, but these proportions can be modified to suit the purpose of the article.
The front frame is jointed together by haunched mortise-and-tenon joints, while the rest of the frames and also the door have similar joints, with the addition of the groove for
FIG. 1. Small cupboard made up of framed panels and a boarded top.
the panel (which has to be allowed for in cutting the joints). Details of the grooved joint are shown in Fig. 2 (b); the variations in the dimensions of the different parts to suit the differing widths of the bottom rails of the carcase and door are indicated in Figs. 2 (d) and (c).
After planing the wood to size, all parts that are to be of the same length should be marked out together. Since all eight of the vertical members, or stiles, of the carcase have to be identical, they should be cramped together and the position of the Joints and the final lengths squared across all eight pieces together. Similarly the two front rails and the two back rails can be marked together, and then all four side rails.
Set the mortise gauge to the .’-in. mortise chisel, and gauge all the mortises and tenons at the same time, after first squaring around all the necessary shoulder-lines. Cut all the mortises, and then saw down the cheeks of all the tenons. Next set the plough so that the width of the groove made is equal to the thickness of the material for the panel ; plywood is very suitable, but solid wood may be used if preferred.
Set the stop of the plough to make the groove about J in. deep, and uggested dimensions for the cupboard (a) and details of the grooved
.joints (b). At (c) is shown a plate used for securing the top, and at (d) and (e)
dimensions for the bottom rails ol’the side frame and of the door.
plough the groove on all pieces of the framework, making certain that the work is done from the face side of the wood in every case. Saw off the shoulders of the tenons, and cut the haunches to fit, easing off the plough groove at the ends of the stiles so that the haunch on the tenon will fit the groove at the end. Cramp up each frame to see that the joints fit properly, and carefully measure the size of the frame on the inside to obtain the dimensions of the panel, remembering to add the depth of the groove at both sides, since the panel is to fit into them.
Cut the panel to size, test it in place in the frame, and cramp up. If the joints are forced apart when the pressure of the cramps is slightly eased, then the panel is probably a little too large; this must be adjusted, otherwise the panel will force the joint apart after it is glued up. If the
panel is of solid wood, the width must be ~ in. less to allow for normal expansion in damp weather. Without this allowance expansion would tend to push the joint open, or to cause buckling of the panel.
When satisfied that the frame and panel are correct, glue the joints and assemble, placing a spot of glue on the centre of the edge of the panel as shown at A and B in Fig. 3. This fixes the position of the panel and stops it moving in the frame. Cramp up the frame, test for squareness, see that it is not in winding, and allow the glue to set before cleaning up the frame. It must be remembered that the front frame differs from the others in that it is not grooved on the inside.
When all four frames are prepared, screw or nail the front and back frames on to the two end frames, as shown in Fig. 2 (a), and the main carcase will be complete. Measure Sectional riew showing how the shelf and bottom are fitted.
the size of the door-opening in the front frame, and make the door in exactly the same manner as the other sections. The door is made a fraction
-full” in size as a provision for slight planing down when completed, in order to obtain an exact fit. Hinge the door in place with a pair of 2-in. brass butt hinges. The ends of the hinges are usually placed level with the inside edges of the top and bottom rails, as in Fig. 2 (a).
Fig. 3 gives a sectional view of the cupboard, showing the method of fitting the shelf and bottom. The shelf is held in position by means of fillets screwed to the stiles at each side, and the bottom is secured by fillets screwed all round on the inside of the
base. The front edge of the bottoii acts as a stop for the door.
The top is of solid wood, overlapping the carcase by I in., and he~d in place by small metal plates which allow for the expansion or contra
Q-
of the wood. Details of thefe- plates are given in Fig. 2 (c). If a pliwood top is preferred, it should tie made slightly smaller than the top 6f the carcase, and secured with pan~l pins. A wooden handle is shown in the assembly illustration, and is screwed oil from the inside, but any oth r formof suitable fastening may e used.
Store Cupboard. A good-sized cup board is needed in most homes,
one illustrated in Fig. 4 could be used in the kitchen, as a store cud_ board or as a toy cupboard. The legs are out of I ‘-in. stall’ and the rails are all tenoned into them.
A convenient height is betwee 2 ft. 6 in. and 3 ft. The other dimersions are shown in Fig. 5, where the details on the right illustrate one cf the back legs as seen from the inside. The top rails have haunched tenon $, and all side rails are grooved to take the plywood panels for the sides, the mortises being cut to allow for the reduction of the tenons by the groov
FIG. 4. For a larg,
cupboard than th,t
illustrated in Fig. 1, th,
two-door design show
here is suitable. Le.,
raise the carcase cle,
of the floor.
CONSTRUCTION OF
A STORE CUPBOARD
Note that the back rails are set in from the back face a distance equal to the thickness of the plywood
panel, probably 2. or 3 in., and the
back legs are rebated to the same depth and i in. wide, so that the back can be screwed to the legs as well as to the top and bottom rails.
on them. Cut the mortises and saw down the cheeks of all tenons.
Next plough the required grooves; then saw off the shoulders of the tenons and fit all the joints carefully. Cramp up the ends dry, to make sure that the frame goes together correctly, and then fit the panels. Cramp
I ~6 In. SQUARE
FIG. 5. Principal dimensions of the cupboard illustrated in Fig. 4, together
with details of the jointing of the rails into the left-hand back leg.
‘File legs are grooved to take the side panels only, as seen in Fig. 5.
The front rails are fitted flush with the front surface of the legs, as in the detail drawings Figs. 6 (a) and (b), the ends of the tenons being mitred where they meet inside the leg.
Commence the construction by cramping all four legs together; mark out across them the final lengths and the positions of all mortises. Repeat the procedure with all rails that have to be the same length, and square across the shoulder-lines
up the front and back dry, in the same way. When satisfied that all joints are correct, rebate the back legs for the back panel. Glue up and cramp the two sides first, test for squareness and flatness, and allow the glue to set.
Clean up the ends, taking particular care to remove any excess glue that may be in the mortises. Again cramp up dry to test the final fitting; if satisfactory, dismantle for gluing and then cramp up the whole structure. Clean up when the glue is set, and fit and screw on the back panel to the rebates on the back leg, and to the top and bottom rails.
The bottom is fitted in exactly the same manner as described for the small cupboard on page 226, by screwing fillets to the bottom rails so that the bottom is supported all round. One or more shelves may be
fitted as for .the previous cupboar and supported by light batters screwed to the legs on the inside.
The doors are as described for t e door of the cupboard on page 22 ; a slight fullness in size is allowed f r a little planing down to an exact M. If the meeting stiles of the door a e left butted together as in Fig. 6 (f ?I no complications arise, but if te doors are to overlap with a rebate, is shown in Fig. 6 (c), the inside stile of the left-hand door must be made I in. wider, as indicated, to allow for the overlap, so that the two stiles appear to be the same width from the front.
A lock may be fitted to the cupboard if desired, together with x ready-made knob or wooden handle, as for the previous cupboard.
The top overlaps as shown in Fig,, 5 and 6 (e); it is held in positio by means of metal plates as suggested for the preceding cupboard.
If a larger cupboard is required th~ panels will need one or more cross rails, according to height, as indcated by the broken line in the end view of Fig. 5 (a). The doors also will need a similar rail. These rails are mortised into the vertical me
bers and have grooves on their to) and bottom edges to take the pane~ The mortise is therefore equal to th width of the rail, minus twice tht depth of the groove (Fig. 6d).
Jointing of rails and legs (a and b), and a cross rail necessary in large frames (d); the other sketches give details of the doors, (c) and (f) being allernaHres,for the meeting stiles.

Dressing Tables, Mirrors and Washstands
Restoration appearance of the dressing table—lowboys and kneehole dressing tables—tables with fitted interiors—Vauxhall glass and Restoration wall mirrors—development of table mirrors with desk bases-18th-century wall mirrors—the mirror with candle sockets and arms—lightly made washstands of the 18th century.
Small side tables were used as dressing tables prior to the Restoration but were not constructed specifically for this purpose. Even during the latter half of the 17th century small occasional tables with a shallow drawer under the top were used in bedrooms and dressing rooms for holding toilet preparations and hand mirrors. Standing table mirrors had not yet been introduced and rectangular wall mirrors with wide convex frames were hung upon the wall above the tables used for dressing.
It was not until the reign of William and Mary that
dressing tables, which were designed for the purpose,
appeared on the scene. This type of table is sometimes
referred to as a writing table and in America is known as a
lowboy. It was constructed with two small drawers above a
single, long drawer and usually stood on four cabriole
legs. Like most of the furniture of the period it was made
in veneered, burr walnut. Some versions had a single,
shallow drawer situated under the table top with deeper
and narrower drawers at either side. Another class of
dressing table which was made about the same time was
the knee-hole pattern. This consisted of two nests of small
drawers on either side of a recessed cupboard. Any doubt
as to whether this piece of furniture might have been designed as a knee-hole desk may be dispelled wherever a pull-out brushing or dressing slide is found immediately under the top.
During the first quarter of the 18th century a further development occurred when the dressing table top was made to open like a chest lid. On the underside a framed rectangular mirror was fitted and the space immediately beneath was divided by partitions into numerous receptacles and boxes for holding cosmetics, pins and all the paraphernalia of the toilet set. The dressing table with the lift-up top and fitted interior continued to be made during the greater part of the long Georgian period, often without any drawers at all. On the other hand, there was a vogue for small chests of drawers, where the top drawer contained a mirror and fitted interior, which would also serve as dressing tables.
In an earlier chapter, mention was made of certain ingenious designs for small articles of furniture which were intended for some particular purpose and among these may be included the poudreuse. This was a small dressing table in which a central section of the top opened back to reveal a toilet mirror. On either side of this were two circular lids, let into the table top, which gave access to the powder containers beneath. This was for use in a time when both men and women wore elaborately dressed wigs which were always kept profusely powdered.
Before giving a more detailed description of the types of mirror used during the 17th and 18th centuries, a note on the development of mirror glass production in the British Isles during this time might prove helpful. The manufacture of clear plate glass for mirrors, except in rather small sizes, was not possible before the Restoration. The Duke of Buckingham sponsored the opening of a glassworks at Vauxhall in London about 1665, and a process for making larger sheets of glass was developed here. Because of the method of silvering then in use the makers were unable to produce mirrors of more than 4 feet in length. The thickness of the glass was appreciably less than that of later mirrors and one of the most important characteristics of these early examples was the very slight bevel which was ground on the edges. The steeper and sharper bevel belongs to those mirrors produced during the 19th century or later. Vauxhall glass continued to be made until nearly the end of the Georgian period and mirrors were also manufactured at certain other glasshouses, such as the one at Southwark.
As already mentioned, Restoration mirrors were surrounded with wide, convex framing which is sometimes referred to as bolection moulding. The frame was usually veneered with burr walnut, oystershell or flower marquetry. It was not until the later William and Mary period that swing-mirrors mounted on a stand were introduced. These were rectangular in shape with slightly incurving upper corners. They were pivoted on two straight uprights which fitted into a base containing a till of small drawers. A number of these early mirror bases were quite deep and sometimes had the appearance of miniature bureaux.
Later in the 18th century, bases became somewhat more shallow and had flat tops with serpentine or bow fronts which matched the dressing tables or chests of drawers upon which they were designed to stand. The uprights from which the mirror was suspended were also shaped and the mirrors were set in an oval framing or in one of shield or similar form. Towards the end of the century many small standing mirrors were made which had feet but no bases with drawers.
As the 18th century progressed new methods of silvering enabled larger mirrors to be made and these were usually framed in the architectural tradition with a frieze, cornice and pediment above. Those which were made to hang between the long sash windows of the Georgian withdrawing rooms were known as pier glasses. A small side table of similar design was often placed below the mirror or a console table with one elaborate supporting leg in the centre.
Convex mirrors were in favour after the introduction of sideboards in the time of Adam and Hepplewhite. It is said that they were designed to be hung above the sideboard so that the butler, without embarrassing the diners by too obviously overlooking, could watch the progress of the meal reflected in the mirror and could more unobtrusively direct his waiting servants in their duties. These convex mirrors with an ebony bezel and deep cavetto frames, decorated with a series of small gilded balls, date from those years around the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The overmantel mirror was another pattern which was becoming more popular during the later Georgian period. It was introduced about 1745 at a time when fireplaces were beginning to be made smaller. This type of mirror was very often designed with three glass panels, one larger central mirror being flanked by two smaller ones. They were frequently produced with architectural embellishments in the Adam style and the frieze above the glass carried a conventional design of husks in swags, ribbons and medallions or a low-relief group of classical figures. As the 19th century progressed the overmantel mirror was made in one large sheet of glass which steadily increased in size until it almost filled the entire wall space over the mantelpiece.
Because it was realised that a good reflecting surface would increase the volume of light, many 18th century wall mirrors were equipped with branches and candle sockets. Small mirrors in plain frames with a single candle branch were known as sconces while those in elaborately carved and gilded settings of rococo design were called girandoles after the French originals. Girandoles were usually of asymmetrical shape but were made in pairs to produce a symmetrical or balanced effect.
Personal cleanliness was not the sort of thing that people of the 17th and 18th centuries worried much about. When the Romans occupied these islands 1500 years earlier, the civilised Britons lived in villas which were well equipped with hot baths and other hygienic amenities. These disappeared after the end of the Roman occupation and were not revived until the reign of Queen Victoria was more than half over.
In Chippendale’s time a superficial rinsing of hands and face was all that was considered necessary in the way of daily ablutions. Consequently, mid-Georgian washstands were very lightly made. There were two main types, the first of which was rectangular in shape with a double lid on the top. The water jug and basin were kept in a small cupboard beneath and when required were lifted out and placed in a circular recess in the top, after the lids had been opened.
The second type was even more lightly made and con-
sisted of a rectangular or triangular stand, on the top of
which the ewer and basin were placed permanently, but a
shelf was provided half-way down on which to stand the
jug while the basin was being used. The triangular wash-
stand was designed to fit into a corner and was probably
intended for the smaller bedrooms where space might
be at a premium. These stands are often employed nowa-
days as bedside tables, to take a reading lamp and a book.
Unfortunately, the original top with the basin hole in it is
sometimes replaced. While it is necessary to carry out
some modification if the stand is to be used as a table, it
is always preferable to leave an antique piece of furniture
in its original state. Here the problem may be solved by overlaying a new top on the original one. A third, but much less common type of small wash-basin stand is dealt with in the following chapter.
The introduction of larger jugs and basins made of the new ironstone china in the early 19th century and the growing demand for better washing facilities produced a larger and more strongly made washstand. This was about 3 feet in length with high sides and back to prevent water being splashed around. The top was plain, without a recess for the basin, and there were two drawers underneath with a shelf nearer the floor. These Regency washstands were usually made in mahogany with turned legs. They make very good writing tables as modern bedrooms with running water or an adjacent bathroom render their original purpose obsolete.

Bracket Clocks
The backplate continued to be engraved, usually with such fashionable motifs as foliate scrolls and flowering urns.
In France curvaceous, asymmetrical forms were Popular from the 1690s, typified by the waisted bracket clock with its inward-curving case and matching wall bracket. Extravagant inlay with exotic materials was typical until c.1750, as were tortoiseshell veneer and gilt mounts; ormolu, lacquer, and porcelain were all popular, with ornate asymmetrical scrolls, shells, and flowers. From c.7750 to c.1800 more restrained lines and rustic, sentimental, and Classical motifs prevailed. Dials on most early 18th-century examples have an enamelled centre, with enamel plaques for numerals this is called a 13-piece dial; from the mid-18th century clockmakers used a one-piece, white, enamelled dial.
Early bracket clocks
The invention of the pendulum in the mid-17th century Trade possible the production of spring-driven clocks with a short pendulum, designed to stand on furniture, shelves, or wall brackets. These clocks, often portable, are usually known in Britain as “bracket” clocks, although few few were actually made with matching brackets; they are also known as “mantel” or “table” clocks. The cases and dials of early 17th
and 18th-century examples largely follow those of contemporary longcases.THE 17TH CENTURY
The earliest bracket clocks, made from the 1660s mostly in England, have cases veneered with ebony, walnut, or olivewood, a pediment-shaped or domed top, a brass carrying handle, bun or block feet, and pierced wooden panels or frets at the sides and/or the front, which were backed with fabric so that the striking mechanism could be heard. Damaged delicate wooden frets were often later replaced by glass panes. Some examples have gilded or silver feet, pierced (known as “basket”) brass tops and frets, and tortoiseshell veneer. The square brass dials often feature an applied, silvered chapter ring, spandrels in the form of winged cherubs, and blued-steel hands. Most 17th-century (and 18th-century) bracket clocks are of eight-day duration, strike the hours, and have a verge escapement; some were converted to the more accurate anchor escapement in the 19th century. Backplates were often engraved with Dutch-inspired tulips and leaves.
French 17th-century bracket clocks are usually more ornate than their English counterparts. One of the earliest forms was the pendule religieuse or Louis XIII clock, with tortoiseshell inlaid with silver and brass, gilt finials, and often gilt acanthus leaf swags or scroll mounts. From the 1690s French examples featured white enamel plaques for each numeral on the dial, on a velvet ground. Dutch clocks also featured velvet-covered dial plates, but their cases — typically in ebony — are plainer.
THE 18TH CENTURY
Bracket cases were usually veneered with walnut or ebonized until c.1730, and veneered with mahogany thereafter. Arched brass dials were introduced c.1715, with calendar work or strike/silent dials in the arch,
and an applied, silvered chapter ring. Some 18th-century examples have quarter-hour as well as hour striking and often a repeat mechanism, operated by a cord.
• CASE designs are similar to contemporary furniture and longcase clocks; British clocks tend to have wooden cases; French cases use a variety of materials
• MOVENIENT early bracket clocks have verge escapements: these were sometimes converted to anchor escapements an d if so the apron over the pendulum rod may be missing or the pendulum bob
will be disc-shaped instead of conical; some clocks were reconverted back to verge, often with a new apron in a style different from the rest of the clock
• ALTERATIONS finials and feet arc often missing or replaced in a different style; delicate wooden frets may have been replaced by glass
• COLLECTING clocks with a matching bracket are fairly rare and so especially collectable; original escapements are desirable; early clocks are highly sought after
Later bracket clocks
Although the longcase clock went into decline in the early 19th century, the bracket clock remained popular. The majority of 19th-century European bracket clocks are typified by elaborate case design in a variety of styles. The clock industry expanded in the USA, and from the 1840s mass-produced, inexpensive American bracket clocks, or “shelf” clocks, were imported into Europe, contributing to increased competition but ultimately to a decline in the European industry, especially in Britain.
REGENCY BRACKET CLOCKS
From the 1790s to the 1820s British bracket clocks were produced in diverse styles, from the satinwood-veneered “balloon” case, similar to the French waisted style, to the chamfer-top case. The chamfer-top style has a flattened pediment top, influenced by the contemporary Greek Revival style in architecture, and is crowned by a cast and gilt finial. Cases were usually veneered in mahogany or rosewood or ebonized, often with brass strip inlay in delicate scrolling designs. From the end of the 18th century bracket clocks were usually kept in one position rather than transported around: for this reason they often no longer had carrying handles at the top, although most chamfer-top clocks have ornamental brass ring handles on the sides, often held by lion masks.
The large, round, convex dials are among the easiest of faces to read: made of silvered brass, painted iron, or white-enamelled copper, they are usually very plain except for the maker’s signature. The simple brass or blued-steel hands are typically pierced or feature ornamental spade or heart tips. The movement is spring-driven with an anchor escapement.
VICTORIAN BRACKET CLOCKS
By the mid-19th century novelty of case design was all-important. The numerous revival styles, especially the Gothic Revival, were particularly influential. Gothic Revival clocks, popular between the 1830s and 1850s, have the same basic form as Regency clocks, but the dial plate is in the shape of a pointed arch, the fretted side panels imitate Gothic tracery, and cluster columns, copied from medieval architecture, ornament the corners. In contrast to the simpler Regency forms Victorian clocks tended to be elaborately decorated with heavy carving and mounts. Some featured complex striking mechanisms, with chimes on bells, and gongs on the quarter hour. Substantial three-train chiming “director’s” or “boardroom” clocks arc typical of the high Victorian period.
Dials were made in a wide range of materials, including plain or silvered brass and painted iron; the use of Arabic numerals was common from c.1870.
It is unusual to find a Regency bracket clock with its original
matching bracket. Many chamfer-top clocks of this type were made in mahogany or rosewood, but this example has an ebonized wood case. Brass strip inlay, bun feet, pineapple finials, and large, round, white-painted dials are typical of early 19th-century British bracket clocks. (c. 1820, ht excluding bracket 4Bcmll9in; value H)
of the retailer, although the best makers also sold their own clocks. The British clockmaking industry gradually declined from the 1840s owing to growing imports of mass-produced American and German clocks, but fine bracket clocks were made in Britain until World War I.
AMERICAN SHELF CLOCKS
Large-scale production of clocks first began in the early 19th century. Although many were exported to Europe, most surviving examples are found in the USA, where they are popular with collectors. Connecticut-based Eli Terry ( 1772-18-52) was the first to produce inexpensive movements, mostly of wood, using slick production methods and standard parts. In the 1830s Chauncey Jerome (1793-1868) invented 30-hour duration movements from rolled brass, which were both easier to make and more reliable than wood.
Although less expensive materials were used for American cases than European ones, designs were just as varied. Most carcasses were softwood veneered with mahogany, with a maker’s label on the interior, and thin, sheet-metal or wooden dials painted white. Clocks were simply designed to meet functional domestic demands, and used little brass so as to keep costs down. Notable designs were the “pillar and scroll” clock (until c.1830), with elegant side pillars, a scrolled pediment with finials, and simple, scalloped feet and skirt; the “three deck” design, with the case divided into three and decorated with half columns at the sides; the “acorn” style, with a wide, curving trunk; and the “steeple” clock, with a pointed gable and pinnacled side pillars. Most clocks are embellished on the front door with verre eglomise (reverse-painted glass) panels. At the end of the 19th century many American makers copied French marble mantel clocks, using imitation marble of enamelled iron or painted wood; some cases were of papier-mache inset with mother-of-pearl and painted with floral designs.
Regency bracket clocks
• HANDLES many examples have brass side handles, commonly with lion mask or cornucopia mounts
• CASES a variety of styles was produced but most were made of mahogany or rosewood with ball or bracket feet; the best examples have brass strip inlay in scrolling or floral designs
• DIALS most arc round and convex, and of silvered brass, white-painted iron, or enamelled copper; hands, plain or pierced, arc of simple, elegant design
Victorian bracket clocks
• CASES designs are varied, since originality of case was sometimes considered more important than the movement or any mechanical refinements; cases for chiming clocks were elaborate and heavily carved
• DIALS Arabic numerals were popular from c.1870; any name is often that of the retailer rather than the maker
American shelf clocks
• CASES most are softwood, veneered with mahogany; styles are varied but the majority of cases arc decorated on the front with verre eglomise panels
• DIALS these are usually of wood or metal, painted white; dials were not usually signed – instead a label with the maker’s name was usually pasted to the case
• MOVEMENTS early clocks have wooden movements with steel pivots; thin rolled brass was used from 1830s
FRENCH BRACKET AND MANTEL CLOCKS
The late 18th to early 19th century was a great period for French clockmaking, and a tremendous range of clocks was produced, some of them highly sophisticated. The work of the casemaker was as important as – and sometimes more important than – the complexity of the movement: cases are typically made of marble or bronze, embellished with rich gilt-bronze (ormolu) mounts, and generally more ornate than those on British examples. Most such clocks were made in Paris and reflect the influence of the Neo-classical style; ornamental motifs include Classical urns, vases, palmettos, festoons, and swags. One notable design – intended to illustrate the technical sophistication of the clock – is the lyre clock, which features a central gridiron pendulum with metal rods like the strings of a lyre. The multiple rods that form the gridiron pendulum expand and contract at different rates and in varying directions with changes in temperature, ensuring that the length of the pendulum remains constant and the clock highly accurate.
Most late 18th-century French mantel clocks feature round, convex dials, usually enamelled in white with black numerals. A few rare and highly collectable clocks produced in the 1790s have Revolutionary dials: in 1793 the Revolutionary government decreed that clocks and watches should show decimal time, with ten hours in a day and one hundred minutes for each hour. This system was, however, very short-lived.
Classical influences continued into the Empire period, but case designs became ever more ornamental and elaborate. Some were miniature replicas of the furnishings of the period, with figures in Grecian dress stated at tables or with musical instruments.
As industrial production was encouraged by the French government, mechanisms were increasingly standardized – most were fitted with an anchor escapement.
A huge variety of clocks was made in the mid- to late 19th century. A distinctive French design of the second half of the 19th century was the mass-produced, black marble mantel clock, assembled from pre-shaped marble or marble-faced cement. Polished black slate was often used for facings to reduce costs. Only the better-quality pieces, embellished with bronze relief decoration or such mechanical refinements as a perpetual calendar or moon phase dials, are of interest to collectors today. Other designs included the four-glass clock (from c.1850), featuring four panes of glass, and 18th-century revival styles, most of which were produced in gilt metal in the later 19th century. Most 19th-century examples arc of eight-day duration. After c.1870 many cheaper versions of ormolu clocks were made of inferior gilt speller.
• CASES most have ornate cases made of bronze or marble, decorated with rich ormolu mounts; mass-produced marble- or black-slate-faced mantel clocks were common from the late 19th century and are generally inexpensive
• DIALS most arc round and convex, with ormolu surrounds; gilt-metal hands were used c.1800;
later examples have blued-steel hands
• COLLECTING some clocks were produced with matching pairs of candelabra or vases, designed to stand either side of the clock on the mantelpiece; a complete set is desirable and enhances value

19th Century Victorian English Busts and Statues
Parian, or “statuary porcelain”, was possibly the most significant ceramics development in Britain during the Victorian period. Named after the Greek island of Paros for its resemblance to the white marble quarried there, parian was a bone china that contained a high degree of feldspar, which meant that it did not need a separate glaze. Decorative wares could therefore be displayed without becoming dirty, unlike earlier biscuit, or unglazed, white porcelain, which was coarse and difficult to clean. First made in the 1840s, parian was capable of being moulded without losing any detail, with the result that contemporary sculptors could have their works successfully reproduced for the mass market. Parian was also made in the USA at the United States Pottery in Bennington, Vermont.
IMPORTANT MAKERS
There remains Uncertainty as to which factory invented parian. The firms of Minton & Co. (est. 1793) and Copeland (1833-1933), both in Stoke-on-Trent, claimed to have discovered the secret; both were making parianlike porcelain by the mid-1840x, and at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London they displayed an extensive range of parian subjects. Other famous makers included Royal Worcester (est. 1862), Coalport (est. c.1796), and Wedgwood (est. 1759), all of whom made a range of wares, figures, and busts, while Wedgwood also made impressive, large figure groups. Smaller portrait busts were the speciality of Robinson & Leadbeater (est. early 1860s), in Hanley, and others were made by the firm of Goss ( 1858-1940), in Stoke-on-Trent. Parian dominated English porcelain production for display objects for about 40 years, and a great deal survives.
PORCELAIN BUSTS AND STATUES
Models for parian were provided by eminent Victorian sculptors, whose full-sized statues could be reduced in size and reproduced in quantity for commercial sale without losing quality. The work of contemporary sculptors such as John Bell (1812-95), Raphaelle Monti (1818-81), and Sir Thomas Brock (1847-1922), together with famous Classical statues housed in museums, could be reproduced and sold to a wide public. A device known as “Cheverton’s
Reducing Machine”, patented by Benjamin Cheverton in 1844, was developed to allow subjects to be scaled down and cast in moulds for the ceramics factories. Busts were made of various subjects, including royalty, politicians, philanthropists, poets, composers, and
characters from antiquity. Figures ranged from meaningful allegories to barely disguised eroticism; for example, The Greek Slave, a controversial sculpture by the American sculptor Hiram Powers (1805-73), was displayed at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and copied by Minton & Co. Many parian figures were made either for the Art Union of London or for the Ceramic and Crystal Palace Art Union, which were lotteries set up by philanthropic Victorians to raise funds for the arts; parian works were frequently offered as prizes. The manufacture of artistic parian gradually diminished in favour of the large-scale mass production of portrait busts, and little of any consequence was nude after c.1880.
• BODY fine, highly vitrified, generally pure white
• FINISH matt, semi-matt, or with a slight surface sheen
• PRODUCTION usually slip-cast, therefore quite light
• FORMS sentimental figures; figures Of politicians, royalty, and composers; literary, religious, and allegorical subjects; copies of famous Classical statues housed in museums; works by Victorian sculptors
• IMPORTANT MANUFACTURERS Minton & CO.,
Copeland, and Robinson & Leadbeater

Clocks
Mass productions in the clock industry during the early 1800’s made some type of timepiece affordable for even the most modest household. Since Victorian times, clocks have been considered a necessary as well as a decorative object. Clocks are not only useful, they also are intriguing. Their intricate works and variety of encasements have contributed to their popularity throughout the ages. Initially clocks were expensive. By the 1920’s, however, the average home had more than one clock to keep everyone on time! In addition to large grandfather clocks for the hall, mantle sets and kitchen clocks, small table top varieties were made for the bedside, vanity or writing desk.
Examples in this section show how some of the prominent Deco themes were used in clock design. It is apparent that clock manufacturers were aware of the prevailing trends in home furnishings. Angular shapes, concepts of flight and motion and female or animal figures were part of the style or decoration of numerous clocks made to complement modern decor. These clocks were made from many different types of material, ranging from marble, bronze, brass and silver to wood, glass, ceramic, celluloid and plastic.
The French clocks were the most elaborate and those with figural adornments are especially sought by collectors. The figures were not always made of bronze although their finish may appear to be bronze. Metal
alloys were used in the production of most available examples found today. These alloys are often referred to as pot metal, spelter or white metal. In addition to bronze colors, other color finishes were used to coat the exteriors. Such examples, however, can rarely be purchased for less than several hundred dollars. French origin and extreme or “high” Deco design account for expensive prices.
Several of the mantle sets pictured have matching side panels. These were purely decorative and served no particluar function except to flank each side of the clock. Side panels evidently have not survived all of the clocks which had them originally. While their absence does not detract from the clock itself, the panels often accentuate the overall Deco design.
Art Deco clocks can be one of the most costly categories for moderate spending collectors. Plain or less interesting specimens may still be $100 or more. Wooden shelf clocks with a simple rectangular or square shape are currently imported from abroad and may be purchased for less than $100. Beware that quite a few reproductions of Deco style clocks are also on the market. If you are interested in authentic examples from the period, check them out carefully. Most reproductions are inexpensive, have clean faces, no signs of wear on the case, and are in working condition (but many vintage ones are not!).