British Collectibles and Curiosities

The Making of Medieval Rome by Hendrik Dey. 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2021. Integrating the written sources with Rome's surviving re...

AUTHOR: MALORY, Thomas, (Arthur Rackham). TITLE: The Romance Of King Arthur And His Knights Of The Round Table. PUBLISHER: London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1917. DESCRIPTIO...

From the library of John A. Spoor an elegantly bound Rubáiyát by Club Bindery. Omar Khayyám, Translated by Edward Fitzgerald. Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám; The Astronomer-Poet of Persia. Rendered into English Verse. London: Bernard Quaritch, 1872. Third Edition. 8vo, 8 1/4 x 6 inches (210 x 153 mm); xxiv, 36, (xiv) pp. Beautiful dark maroon morocco binding by Club Bindery 1892 (gold stamped on bottom of inside cover), gilt titling and gilt fillets on turn-ins and board edges, marbled endpapers, t.e.g. Pictorial bookplate of John A. Spoor 1921 on inside front cover by Emery Walker. Elegantly printed with text within decorative frames on each page. Spine lightly rubbed, small tear to the inside front endpaper. [Potter, 137] Condition: Near Fine Edward Fitzgerald continually revised and rearranged his version of the Rubáiyát, which was first published privately by the author in 1859, through four distinct editions during his lifetime. This third edition settled on 101 quatrains (as opposed to 75 in the first edition and 110 in the second), which is how it solidified. 500 copies were printed. A RARITY. In this third edition the translator is not credited on the title page, nor is the introductory text. Fitzgerald said of his Persian translations that they were "All very well, but very little affairs..." (from the Bibliographical Note in the 1926 Shakespeare Head Press edition, which we are offering, inventory #416) This copy bears the bookplate of Chicago business mogul John A. Spoor. An avid book collector, he assembled a notable and impressive book collection during the late 19th and early 20th century, which was auctioned in 1939 by Parke-Bernet New York over the course of 6 days. The Morgan Library holds a number of books with the Spoor bookplate in its collections. This bookplate was engraved by Emery Walker (1851 – 1933), an engraver, publisher and photographer active in the Arts and Crafts movement, whose work in type design inspired the evolution of private presses in the UK, among them William Morris' Kelmscott...

A very fine early 19th Century (1819 - 1831) brass telescope by W. T.Gilbert, London. This fabulous well cast polished brass telescope is of exceptional quality with superb op...

This antique 1st Edition book titled Our Mutual Friend was authored by Charles Dickens and published by Chapman and Hall of England in 1865 in the period Victorian style with etchings by Hablot Knight Browne...

A fabulous early 20th Century brass telescope with a plaque marked 'Clarkson, London' This stunning finely cast polished brass telescope is of exceptional quality with superb optics...

A beautiful hand carved coquille nut egg box. Beautiful carving, great patina, unscrews at center to open. The original use was a flea trap, things were d...

PETER PAN makes his first appearance in this 1902 novel by J. M. Barrie. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1902. FIRST EDITION / FIRST ISSUE Small 8vo., 7 3/8 x 5 inches (188 x 127 mm)...

One of the great 19th-century English color plate books illustrating the scenery along the Seine. Sauvan, Jean Baptiste Balthazar. Picturesque Tour of the Seine, from Paris to the Sea; with Particulars Historical and Descriptive. London: R. Ackermann, 1821. First Edition. 4to, 13 1/2 x 11 (343 x 280 mm), pp. x, 177, title vignette and 24 hand colored aquatints, map. Later three-quarter yellow levant morocco with fillets, spine decorated in gilt with 5 raised bands and black title label; marbled boards and endpapers, a.e.g.. Spine and boards in very good condition, binding tight and square, text and plates with very occasional spotting. [Abbey, Travel 90; Tooley 445; Bobins, Exotic and the Beautiful II: 548] Condition: Near fine. This is a first printing of one of the great nineteenth-century English color plate books illustrating the scenery along the Seine from Paris to Le Havre. Luminous impressions of the plates, beautifully hand-colored. Engraved by Thomas Sutherland (1785 – 1825) and Daniel Havell (1785 – 1826) from sketches and drawings by Augustus Pugin (1812 – 1852) and John Gendall (1790 – 1865), the illustrations also include a vignette on the title page representing the Château de Rosny (home of the Duchess of Berry...

FIRST EDITION / FIRST ISSUE An Edinburgh Eleven; Pencil Portraits from College — "British Weekly" Extras, No. III. London: British Weekly Office, 1889. 12mo, 7 x 4 1/2 inches (178...

A Pair of silver mounted, walnut handled cannon barrel flintlock pistols by Freeman, London. with good proof marks and numbered turnoff barrels. The silver grotesque masks on the but...

Stock Reference No: A4126 A Stunning 19th Century Polished Brass Four Draw Telescope with Original Tripod by Gardner of Glasgow A stunning 19th Century (1839 - 1882), polished bras...

Rider, Cardanus Rider's British Merlin 1774 + The Court and City Register London: R. and M. Brown / Company of Stationers & J. Jolliffe, G. Woodfall, an...

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning original Victorian, circa 1890 James Beall Morrison Treadle Dentist drill Please note the delivery fee listed is just a guide, it covers within the M25 only for the UK and local Europe only for international. Dental treadle drill, English manufacture, 1890-1940 The foot pedal is pushed up and down to power this dental drill. It is also known as a ‘treadle drill’. The drill removed areas of tooth decay. These can become infected and painful if untreated. The treadle drill was invented in 1871 by American dentist James Beall Morrison (1829-1917). He also designed dental chairs. His drill was popular with dentists throughout Europe and America. It is an example of the first mechanically powered drill. These sped up dental treatments This one seems to be in fully working order from what I can see, it’s a real survivor but then that’s not surprising, things made in the Victorian era were made to last Dimensions Height:- 144cm Width:- 52.5cm Depth:- 38cm Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point, if you would like any additional or specific measurements please ask Any questions please feel free to ask before you bid This item is available for collection from our Pulborough warehouses RH20 1DF. We can have it delivered nationwide to include Scotland Wales and Ireland. Please contact me via email or my contact information...

19th century English carved wooden polychrome large ship figurehead of Lord Nelson.

3 Volumes. Isaac Disraeli. Curiosities Of Literature. Bound in full polished calf, raised bands, ornate gilt on spines, marbled endpapers and edges, frontispiece. Published: London; ...

The Life and Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson in Twelve Volumes, Limited Edition. London: MacMillian and Co., Limited, 1898. Moroccan leather and paper boun...

Antique Map of Paris and Environs by Gall and Inglis, 1843 This finely detailed map titled "Gall & Inglis’ Plan of Paris and Environs" was published in 1843 and provides a fascinati...

A collection of human gold teeth, with two having their original metal pegs. Most gold teeth are of a particularly high carrot, and these are heavy to hold. Tarnished and untouched,...

Huge Early 20th century English architectural pine model A well modelled early 20th century hand carved oversized pine architectural model. Showing natural age and minor loss as sho...

This is a small antique 6-draw pocket telescope, an English hiking or navigational instrument by Baker of London, dating to the mid Victorian period, circa 1860. Perfect for bird wa...

AUTHOR: MALORY, Thomas, (Arthur Rackham). TITLE: The Romance Of King Arthur And His Knights Of The Round Table. PUBLISHER: London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1917. DESCRIPTION: SIG...

A large and extremely rare 24-inch terrestrial globe by Newton Our most magnificent and rare globes were a pair of 24-inch Newton globes. These too were updated in 1852 (terre...

A lovley late 1980s Mappin and Webb Akoya pearl necklace with 18 carat gold clasp in orignal box. There are 56 pearls and each pearl is 6.5-7mm diameter with a high polished lustre a...

English bronze thunder mug signal cannon with decorative central ring, original side handle, lower fuse port, and resting on circular ringed base. Late 18t...

Author: Robinson, Mary. Title: Hubert de Sevrac, a Romance of the Eighteenth Century. Publisher: London: for the Author by Hookham and Carpenter, 1796. Description: First edition. 3 vols., 6-13/16" x 4-7/16", errata at the end of each vol., advertisement leaf at the end of vol. 3, vol. 2 M6 with early repaired tear at foot, without the half-titles, bound in fine contemporary full speckled calf, floral gilt decorated spines, gilt lettered red and green spine labels, covers ruled in gilt. Condition: Internally clean and bright, armorial bookplate of Sir John Eden to front pastedowns, extremely minor foxing to first and last leaves, inner and outer hinges fine, head and foot of spines fine, a handsom set. Additional information: An exceedingly rare gothic novel by Robinson (known as "the English Sappho") set during the French Revolution. In her lifetime Robinson was better known as an actress and lady of fashion as well as for a string of prominent affairs, including with George IV whilst he was still Prince of Wales whose portrait she wore encrusted with diamonds throughout her life but who she did not hesitate to blackmail for £5000 pounds when he cast her off. Her literary output, though derided at the time, has since been reassessed and Robinson herself now seen as a proto-feminist. Mary Robinson was one of those independent 'viragos' who upset so many conventional men at the end of the eighteenth century. She was admired by Mary Wollstonecraft...

Of Kings' Treasuries London / Edinburgh: George Allen / Ballantyne Press, 1902. 8vo, 8 x 5 3/4 inches (203 x 145 mm), (4), 99, (1) pp. Printed on handmade Arnold paper with a flower...

For your consideration is this superbly stylish and rare 1930s Art Deco pyramid box bag, a beautiful design. I can't sing the praises of this bag enough, it's an absolute delight. Th...

Fleming, Ian. Octopussy and The Living Daylights. London: Jonathan Cape, 1966. First edition, first impression. Octavo. Presented in the publisher's original unclipped dust jacket an...

This is a vintage copy of Sandby Drawings at Windsor Castle by Adolph Paul Oppé, a distinguished art history volume, published circa 1950. A comprehensive and richly illustrated cata...

Great map of Italy Lithograph engraving by John Dower Original colour Published, 1861 Unframed Good condition / repair to top right corner seen in last image    

AUTHOR: GRIBBLE, Francis. TITLE: Rousseau And The Women He Loved. PUBLISHER: London: Eveleigh Nash, 1908. DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION EXTRA ILLUSTRATED COSWAY BINDING. 1 vol., 8-1...

Great map of South East Asia Copper-plate engraving Drawn and engraved by Thomas Clerk, Edinburgh. Published by Mackenzie And Dent, 1817 Unframed.

Hardy Bros. Split Cane Palakona Fly Rod. An Edwardian three piece split cane fly rod in original condition with Hardy's canvas bag. The 10'6" fly rod with 'Lockfast' joints, cork han...

Herschel actinometer, 1930s, wood and brass, signed Griffin & Tatlock ltd London. It is an instrument invented in 1825 by John Herschel and used for the measurement of the solar heat...

20 Volumes.Robert L. Stevenson. The Works. "Pentland Edition" With Bibliographical notes by Edmund Gosse. Bound in full red morocco, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, raised bands, ...

A very large antique Victorian brass lobster-form box. English, Late 19th Century. Measures: Height 34cm, width 91cm, depth 41cm. This exceptional piece is a remarkably large brass box...

AUTHOR: MACAULAY, Thomas Babington. TITLE: The Works of Thomas Babington Macaulay. The History of England - Critical And Historical Essays - Speeches - Miscellaneous Writings. PUB...

Rescued from Industrial scrap yards and brought back to life in our UK workshop, our expert process allows us to create a high quality clock of luxury standards. At A.C GMT Co. we ...

A very good example of a flintlock light Dragoon pattern pistol with walnut stock and good tower marks on the lock. In wonderful untouched condition Circa 1800 Barrel length 9"

Very fine English early 19th century mahogany architectural model of a church, the multiple steeples flanking a faux carved slate shingled room, wh...

English Edwardian lifesize gilt carved figurehead of Edward VII wearing a crown and holding a globe (early 20th cent.)

Nice map of Australia Drawn and engraved by J.Dower Published by Orr & Smith. C.1835 Unframed. Free shipping

Vintage Two-Part Mesh Golf Ball Mould. An interesting un-named square mesh (lattice) pattern golf ball mould. The steel moulds with locating slots on the si...

Thomas Chippendale's, The Gentleman and cabinet makers Director. Published by The Chippendale Society, Leeds, United Kingdom, 2005. 1st Ed thus hardcover with dust jacket. A beautifu...

A fine example of a double barrel flintlock sporting gun by Probin, London. The browned barrels and the locks are both signed, good colour walnut stock. circa 1795 Barrel length 83c...

This English 1950s heavy sterling silver bracelet has 17 large three-dimensional charms and opens or closes with a heart shaped padlock on a little safety chain. Some of the charms have moving or opening parts. The windmill really turns, the lid of the beer mug opens, the ship opens up, the leaves on the orange are separate from the orange, the bellow bellows, the treasury chest opens, the corn has loose leaves and the scissors 'cut'. Three of them are European solid silver pendants: the acorn (Italy 925) the long pendant (sword Dutch 835, used from 1906-1953) the German beer mug...

AUTHOR: WILDE, Oscar. TITLE: The Sphinx. PUBLISHER: London: Elkin Mathews & John Lane at The Sign of The Bodley Head, 1894. DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION. 1 vol., 8-1/2" x 7",...

Glass Art Nouveau to Art Deco by Victor Arwas. Academy Editions, London, 1980. Second Edition hardcover with dust jacket. 256pp 104 color plates and 212 b&w. The most important and c...

London: Cassell and Co., 1896. First Edition. Small 8vo., 7 3/8 x 5 inches (188 x 127 mm), pp. viii + 452 + 4 of publisher's advertising. Red calf binding by Root & Son (stamp on f...

Great map of Sweden and Norway Original color. Good condition Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

Art Nouveau by Alastair Duncan offers a lush exploration of this transformative art movement, showcasing exquisite examples of glass, furniture, and jewelry that define its organic e...

This original antique map of Jamaica is part of the renowned series created by the Tallis Company, known for their detailed and decorative maps ...

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.

The hollow potted castle is mounted on a long oval shaped base molded in relief with swirl patterning with a raised molded banner reading BALMORAL CASTLE...

This is an antique pestle and mortar set. An English, brass chemist shop instrument, dating to the early Victorian period, circa 1850. Dashing Victori...

A Rare case of antique valuable royal sterling silver Spoon. An elegant Vintage Sterling Silver Spoon case. Celebrating the 1977 Coronation Jubilee of Quee...

Hallmarked in London in 1902 by Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. This adorable Antique, Edwardian, Sterling Silver Hedgehog Pincushion is rare and collectible, with the silver overlayin...

AUTHOR: SHAKESPEARE, William. TITLE: The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare. With A Life Of The Author. PUBLISHER: London: George Bell and Sons, 1888. DESCRIPTION: FOURTH EDIT...

3 ½ inch gauge model of the 4-6-0 steam locomotive the Black Knight. Circa 1955. Mounted on a display track. Length of Locomotive: 31 inches - 79 cm. Length of Tender: 19 inches -...