Satinwood Collectibles and Curiosities

A very fine Anglo-French 19th century rosewood, palisander, amboyna and satinwood marquetry (inlaid) art-case baby grand piano, the works by "Collard & Collard". The intricately deco...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this absolutely stunning, large weighted, vintage Jaques Staunton Chessmen Crown stamped chess set in the or...

A 1912, Schiedmayer model 15 grand piano with a harpsichord style mahogany cabinet. The square tailed, mahogany cabinet features beveled square panels. The square, high piano cheeks ...

An extraordinary Alexandra Llewellyn design in wood marquetry that offers an exciting new way to play this timeless game, our circular Zodiac board...

PRESENTING an EXTREMELY UNIQUE and RARE 19C British Tunbridgeware Hair Pin/Bobbin or Slide. This slide is unlike any of it’s kind we have seen before, it is a VERY RARE survivor. From circa 1860 – 80 and made in Tunbridge Wells, England. Made of walnut with gorgeous marquetry inlay on the entirety of the front with classic Tunbridgeware micro-mosaic all over the front. The rear is walnut. The marquetry inlay appears to be various different woods, namely, maple, walnut and satinwood. Would have been worn in a Lady’s hair bun with the micro-mosaic facing forward. This would have belonged to a VERY ELEGANT LADY in the mid to late 19th Century. Tunbridge ware is a form of decoratively inlaid woodwork, typically in the form of boxes, that is characteristic of Tonbridge and the spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent in the 18th and 19th centuries. The decoration typically consists of a mosaic of many very small pieces of different coloured woods that form a pictorial vignette. Shaped rods and slivers of wood were first carefully glued together, then cut into many thin slices of identical pictorial veneer with a fine saw. Elaborately striped and feathered bandings for framing were pre-formed in a similar fashion. There is a collection of Tunbridge ware in the Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery in Tunbridge Wells. The famous makers of Tunbridge ware were in the Tunbridge Wells area of Kent; their most notable work was from circa 1830-1900. Early makers of Tunbridge ware, in Tunbridge Wells in the mid-18th century, were the Burrows family, and Fenner and Co. In the 19th century, around 1830, James Burrows invented a technique of creating mosaics from wooden tesserae. Henry Hollamby, apprenticed to the Burrows family, set up on his own in 1842 and became an important manufacturer of Tunbridge ware, employing about 40 people. Edmund Nye (1797–1863) and his father took over the Fenner company when William Fenner retired in 1840, after 30 years in partnership with him. Thomas Barton (1819–1903), previously apprenticed at the Wise factory, joined the Nyes in 1836, and worked as Nye’s designer; he took over the business in 1863 and continued there until his death. In Tonbridge (near to Tunbridge Wells), George Wise (1703–1779) is known to have had a business in 1746. It continued with his son Thomas, and Thomas’s nephew George (1779–1869), who took over in 1806. In its early years the company made articles such as workboxes and tea caddies with prints of popular views; later items had pictures created from mosaics. Their workshop in Tonbridge, Wise’s Tunbridge Ware Manufactory, was next to the Big Bridge over the Medway; the building was demolished in 1886 to widen the approach to the bridge. Tunbridge ware became popular with visitors to the spa town of Tunbridge Wells, who bought them as souvenirs and gifts. Articles included cribbage boards, paperweights, writing slopes, snuffboxes and glove boxes. At the Great Exhibition of 1851, Tunbridge ware by Edmund Nye, Robert Russell and Henry Hollamby was shown; Edmund Nye received a commendation from the judges for his work. He exhibited a table depicting a mosaic of a ship at sea; 110,800 tesserae were used in making the picture. The manufacturers of Tunbridge ware were cottage industries, and they were no more than nine in Tunbridge Wells and one in Tonbridge. The number declined in the 1880s; competent craftsmen were hard to find, and public tastes changed. After the death of Thomas Barton in 1903 the only surviving firm was Boyce, Brown and Kemp, which closed in 1927. Marquetry was an old technique which was continued by Nye and Barton to create images such as birds or butterflies. ‘Green Oak’ as caused by the fungus Chlorociboria aeruginascens. Stickware and half-square mosaic was invented by James Burrows in about 1830: a bunch of wooden sticks of different colours, each having triangular or diamond-shaped cross section, were tightly glued together; in the case of stickware, the resulting block was dried, then turned to form an article such as the base of a pincushion. For half-square mosaic, thin slices were taken from the composite block, and applied to a surface. Tesselated mosaic, was a development by James Burrows of half-square mosaic; it was adopted by George Wise and Edmund Nye. Minute tesserae were used to form a wide variety of geometric and pictorial designs. Many sorts of wood were used for the various colours; about 40 were in regular use. Only natural colors were used; green was provided by “green oak”, produced by the action of fungus on fallen oak. Designs for articles were often taken from designs of Berlin wool work.

A good quality late Regency Period, 19th century, satinwood miniature chest of attractive small proportions having well figured and crossbanded top, over three drawers with original turned wooden knobs, raised on elegant original splayed feet with shaped apron. A chariming little 19th century miniature chest of drawers, which is shallower than most and therefore attractively proportioned. It also boasts beautifully figured satinwood veneers which have retained an excellent colour and patina. This would probably have been made as a travelling salesmans...

Attributed to Henry Dasson (d. 1896) Origin: French Date: circa 1885-q890 Dimension: (H) 35 1/4 in x (W) 54 in x (W) 78 in. Provenance: Acquired by Dr. J. T Nieto-Gomez from fi...

A wonderful turn of the century gilt bronze mounted Louis XVI style six-leg Grand Erard piano Beautiful satinwood veneer, bronze mounts, standing on six legs centered by a stretcher. The movement stamped with Erard serial number 93712 and patent stamps, the interior of the case further stamped F. TURBEC/A LEMOINE, and M. BECKER. Erard is the oldest and most prestigious French piano manufacturer. The firm was founded by Sebastian Erard...

This exceptional singing bird cylinder music box is a wonder of Austrian mechanical ingenuity. Not only does it play a selection of classical airs with remarkable tone and clarity, but its lush sound is accompanied by a colorful, singing bird automaton...

The thrill of a game of cards as the stakes raise higher and higher is magnificently interpreted in our Signature Wild Card Marquetry backgammon set. The perfect gift for the card shark in your life, the intricacy of the wood inlay is incredible, with the top hands in poker inlaid into the blue Madrona burr and black Tulipwood playing surfac The geometric playing surface is an Alexandra Llewellyn...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this absolutely stunning circa 1880 F.H.Ayres Staunton Crown stamped chess set in the original box A truly...

This piano was made in the Hamburg Steinway & Sons factory and decorated in France. It is a beautiful instrument. As with most pianos, special shipping will be needed.

19th Century large barometer made in London by Thomas Rubergall, who was the Queen Victoria’s optician. The face of the barometer features engraving reading ‘Tho(s) Rubergall, Optici...

Adams style, 1911, Bluthner grand piano with a french polished, quarter cut, satinwood case with boxwood stringing inlay and crossbanding accents. The satinwood veneer of the cabinet...

Circa 1890 French concave mirror card viewer, all constructed of French polished light wood, with ebonised stained elements. Sliding card holder, hinged handle and mirror. In part...

An 1893, Pleyel upright piano with a satinwood cabinet. Entire cabinet features intricate, Neocalssical style inlay. The front panels feature a symmetri...

Eye catching pair of Italian Grand Tour obelisks in satinwood Great look to this pair of neo classical decorative pieces Love the patina to the satinwood which is offset and defined ...

Antique 19th Century Scottish Mahogany with Satinwood Inlay Barometer.

We are delighted to offer this lovely Walnut & Satinwood Faux books pipe rack with internal drawers A very good looking and decorative piece, its designed to hold three pipes in t...

This is a fine antique cased rolling ruler. An English brass cartographer's or architect's instrument, dating to the Edwardian period, circa 1910. A superb example of precision engin...

Secessionist 1902, Bechstein Model VI grand piano with an inlaid, mahogany case and statement copper hinges. Cabinet inspired by Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau periods. The polished...

English mahogany stick Barometer with a broken arch pediment, brass urn finial, Satin wood string inlay, hinged glass door revealing a numeral steel engraved dial with original mounted thermometer and barometric pressure gauge. Signed F. Tarone. Late 18th Century Barometer...

A beautifully made fully functional miniature chest of drawers. This three-drawer chest of mahogany with inlaid panels of satinwood and pencil inlay. Only 11 inches tall, this chest ...

American Chippendale walnut and mahogany graduated five-drawer miniature chest of drawers with satinwood string inlay, inlaid escutcheons, original brass knobs and terminating on bra...

An elegant 18th century satinwood and ebony stick barometer by Edward Nairne, London. Nairne was a famous 18th century scientific instrument and barometer...

A shipyard model of the wooden steam ship ‘S.S. F.W.Harris’, 1877, the hull painted rust-red with black top sides and a black funnel, finely detailed wi...