591 results for "mother of pearl"

Victorian Rosewood Dressing table box with Mother of pearl car-touché to the centre of the lid, the lid does have age related shrinkage. To the inside of the lid it has a blue velvet...

An exquisite pair of floral dioramas, crafted with a meticulous composition of seashells, conch shells, and mother-of-pearl, arranged in the form of three-dimensional floral bouquets...

A Vintage Italian Rectangular Picture Frame from the 1980s, made with mother of pearl, exudes elegance and unique craftsmanship. The frame is adorned with the lustrous iridescence of...

Once owned by Leon Boissier Palun (1916-2007), former Senegalese ambassador to London and Paris, this mid nineteenth century French Napoleon III period palisander game box features a...

Absolutely delightful and delicate Daisy Makeig-Jones for Wedgwood, octagonal bone china lustre bowl. The interior is decorated with mother-of-pearl colou...

A 19th Century French Napoleon III marquetry sewing box. Made of mahogany with thuya wood top inlaid with brass and mother of pearl. Brass trim frames the lid and the base. The interior is lined in red silk and is fitted with a collection of 15 sewing tools (two are missing) on a velvet lined tray. The inside of the lid has a mirror surrounded by a tufted border. Working lock and small key. The box contains an old embroidery...

Two good Franz Bergmann Austrian cold painted bronze figures now mounted in highly architectural Moroccan Moorish style carved and inlaid wood brackets, early 20th century, Austria a...

Unique and magnificent jewel encrusted automaton watch by Audemars Piguet Swiss, 2002 Measures: Height 8.5cm, width 6cm, depth 2cm This spectacula...

Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre Melba Cup decorated with the 'Leapfrogging Elves' design, on flame ground to the exterior. 'Elves on a Branch' design, on mother of pearl ground to interior...

A small low table with lacquer and intricate mother-of-pearl inlay design from Ryukyu Islands kingdom circa 17-18th century. Ryukyuan kingdom was used to be an independent island cou...

A fine pair of Amethyst decanters engraved with fruiting vine fitted with silvered mounted mother of pearl, cork stoppers labelled Port & Sherry.

Large white crystal quartz geode with a large naturally forming baroque pearl. 28lbs. Geodes are formed as gas bubbles within volcanic lava. Over time, the lava flow weathers away to leave the quartz geode buried deep in the Moroccan desert. This was dug by hand and includes druzy white crystal formations. This is a large geode specimen...

A lovely vanity box crafted out of Calamander with brass inlay. It is by the prestigious British firm Sampson Mordan & Co of London. The utensils feature mother of pearl handles and ...

Exquisite ruby Ordinary lustre york cup by Daisy Makeig Jones for Wedgwood, England. The interior of this delightful piece has a vibrantly coloured butterfly on a pale green mother of pearl background, with gilded interior patterning. Rich ruby red lustre mottled glaze, animated gilded butterflies...

18th century Italian gilded candlestick mounted with a pearlescent oyster shell and adorned with gold leaf shells. The 18th century Italian candlestick is originally from a histori...

An exceptional large wooden case from the Victorian era, circa 1880s. Made from pine with raised and burled panels. Features a marquetry inlay top showcasing a bird within a flowerin...

This charming musical jewelry and sewing box is a work of sublime artistry. Almost certainly German or Austrian in origin and crafted of deep, ebonized...

An absolutely stunning antique French boulle-work table clock on a domed Stand, circa 1840s. In the manner of André Charles Boulle, it is ebonized and inlaid with mother of pearl, et...

A Pair of rare Chinese republic era wedding baskets. The use of red lacquer and gilding provides a visual contrast against the mainly black baskets. The sides of the basket are elabo...

A Very Attractive Late Regency Period Rosewood Tea Caddy, Of Elegant Sarcophagus Form, Having Domed Lid With Mother Of Pearl Inlaid Decoration, Enclosing Two Lidded Divisions, Raised...

This handsome rosewood English vanity box retains the original glass bottles and jars with silver plated tops, 19th century. The inside reveals multiple compartments and a spring loaded lever opens the secret drawer...

Shaped rectangular table box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with fine hand-etched fire-enameled engraving painted like lapis lazuli stone and...

Rectangular cigarette case with rounded corners in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with fire-enameled and hand-painted miniature by painter Renato Dainelli depicting a pheasant....

Antique Vanity Box / Dressing Box with its original leather carry case. The silver vanity box itself is veneered in exotic coromandel with brass ...

Exquisite rose pink and white art glass vase from the 1984 Minos series by Bertil Vallien for the Kosta Boda Artist Collection. Slim neck and narrow...

A French traveling writing box made of rosewood during the 1800’s. The top of the box is inlaid with a mother-of-pearl monogrammed “Charlotte” l...

That's an antique dinner bell with abalone , mother -of-pearl bell on a white marble base. I found this object in France during a vacation, and the...

This stunning silver-plated vase designed and manufactured by Los Castillo in the early 1970's. The piece was handcrafted in Taxco, Mexico, and reflects the studio’s iconic blend of...

A delightful French basket mounted in doré bronze which provides the framework for the six panels veneered in mother-of-pearl and set with French porcelain plaques...

Cartel with its base in Boulle marquetry and gilt bronze. The gilded bronze in moving foliage and scrolls of flowers are of rocaille style. The circular frame in finely chiseled bron...

Mellerio Paris, A French Gold, Diamonds, Silver-Gilt, Rock-Crystal, Jade, Mother-Of-Pearl and Smoky Quartz, Carved Horse Sculpture, Jeweled Mounted Object. An extremely rare and unique, one of a kind French gold, diamonds, Silver-gilt, rock-crystal, jade, obsidian, mother-of-pearl, and smoky quartz carved jeweled sculpture "CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE", "A Legendary Horse" by Mellerio, Paris, circa 1991. Sitting on black obsidian base, the solid rock-crystal slab is finely applied with a carved smoky -quartz and jade horse with a harness mounted in 18k gold, brilliant -cut diamonds, rubies, turquoise, and amethyst chains and pendants. The top columns adorned with 18k gold and brilliant cut diamond pendants, the bottom with gold and mother of pearl plaques. The obsidian base with a plaque engraved: CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE" / N° 05 / MELLERIO DITS MELLER / PARIS / 5003 D The piece is in excellent condition and comes with a custom made wood case made for transport. It's very elegant and has French hallmarks throughout. A truly magnificent piece. Measures 10.5" high x 8.5" wide x 4" deep Founded in France in 1613 by the descendants of Italian immigrants from the Vigezzo Valley in the north of Italy, Mellerio is one of the oldest jewellery houses in Europe. The family business soon attracted the attention of the Royal Court and Marie Antoinette herself reportedly purchased a precious bracelet featuring 7 cameos surrounded by rubies in 1780. Later on, in the 19th century, Mellerio became the official supplier of the French Royal family and the Court of Netherland. Mellerio creates many jewellery items, all set with rare gems such as peridots, amethysts, aquamarines, citrines and topaz, applying for a patent, the flexible stem, a very supple and light jewellery mechanism. Mellerio remains also well known for their spectacular series of Art Nouveau jewels, created at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as for the creation of trophies rewarding some of the greatest footfall and tennis players of history. In 1993, the jewellery house launched their first watch collection. Today, Mellerio has stores in Paris, Japan and Hong Kong. July 14, 1789: this date is known throughout the world as the beginning of the French Revolution. According to a ledger belonging to House of Mellerio, this was also the day that the jeweler sold a golden key to the Comte de Coutance for 10 livres. This ledger, as well as inventories dating as far back as 1768, are the jeweler’s oldest archives. These archives have continued to grow over the years, as the House, established on rue de la Paix in Paris, still lives on today, still in the hands of the same family from Craveggia, in the North of Italy. The tumultuous history of the Mellerio family in France probably goes as far back as the Italian wars of the Renaissance, but the first official document proving their commercial activity in Paris dates back to 1613. This document is the famous royal warrant awarded by Marie de Medici to a number of Italian families established along the rue des Lombards, including the Mellerios, allowing them to sell “small jewelery items”, therefore granting them a small exception to the traditional monopoly enjoyed by Parisian jewelers. At that time, powerful corporations regulated the operations and customs of Parisian business, but thanks to this exceptional warrant, the Mellerios managed to escape the confines of this framework. Today, this wax-sealed document is kept at the city hall of Craveggia. From 1613 to the Revolution, the Mellerios lived between France and Italy. The corporations tried many times to put an end to their trade privileges, but all in vain, as a dynasty of sovereigns renewed the warrant. Always marrying and often retiring in Craveggia, the Mellerios continued to maintain their jewelry business in Paris. At first, they did this without a shop. Wearing backpacks (wooden boxes divided into small compartments where jewels were kept), they would tour town fairs around Paris and royal castles. This is how Jean-Baptiste Mellerio (1765-1850) is said to have sold a bracelet set with rubies and Antique cameos to Marie-Antoinette, which still exists today. Many elements seem to prove the veracity of this anecdote. The queen was particularly fond of cameos, which cover the entire background of her famous jewelry cabinet, and ruby was her favorite stone after diamond. The famous bracelet, reacquired a few years ago by the House of Mellerio, is indeed an 18th century jewel, set with antique cameos representing the profiles of Roman emperors. Two branches of the family were operating in Paris during this time, under the reign of Louis XVI: that of Jean-François (1746-1828), the paternal ancestor of the current Mellerios, and that of Jean-Baptiste (1765-1850). The French Revolution forced them to return to Italy. However, both Jean-Baptiste and François Mellerio (1772-1843), who was the son of Jean-François, were eventually able to return to Paris after the founding of the Consulate. Jean-Baptiste opened a shop at the Iron Crown of rue Vivienne, and François opened his at the Palais des Tuileries, rue du Coq Saint-Honoré. His well-organized order books give an idea of his high-ranking clientele during the “Old Regime”, among which were the Comte and Comtesse Octave de Segur, the Marquise (later Duchess) de Tourzel, former governess of the royal children, and her daughter, the Comtesse de Bearn, the Craufurds -who organized the flight to Varennes, the Duc and Duchess de Gramont, the Comtesse de Boigne, and Madame de Souza, Talleyrand’s mistress. We also see the names of the imperial family: Empress Josephine, the Queen of Holland, Princess Elisa, Caroline and Pauline. At that time, the House of Mellerio specialized, among other things, in the trade of antique cameos, a newly fashionable genre of jewel that captured the imagination of all the princesses and noble women of the time. The years of the Restauration and July Monarchy were among the most glorious. The Bourbons were back on the throne, and the clientele of the House of Mellerio had regained its former wealth. Mellerio supplied Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, as well as his mother, wife and sister, with sumptuous jewels, including a set of emeralds made piece by piece, while the Duke of Bourbon, last prince of the House of Condé, offered diamonds to his mistress, the scheming Baronne de Feucheres, and Monsieur de LaFayette also bought cameos for one of his granddaughters. For the first time, Mellerio ventured into the world of arts in 1815, when Carlotta Grisi, a famous dancer who created Giselle, as well as an actress named Rachel, bought jewels at the Mellerio store on rue de la Paix. 1848 marked a new turning point. France once again became a Republic. François Mellerio handed the company over to his son, Jean, and the latter decided to travel to Spain to build a new clientele. He later became one of the jewelers of the royal family, and met Eugénie de Montijo, who remained a faithful client when she became empress of the French people. The Imperial years were lavish. During the Second Empire, Paris was a pageant of crinoline dresses designed by Worth, while jewels by Mellerio, Worth’s neighbour on the rue de la Paix, adorned the noble women of the Tuileries court. The Empress bought pearls. Mathilde Bonaparte...

A good shaped sewing box of tooled leather with finely cast brass fittings. Stands on lion's paw feet. The leather is a deep burgundy colour with some minor chipping to corners. The interior is fitted with compartments in blue paper and blue silk, the lids have mother of pearl knobs...

Jjirasi Vase explores the intertwined narratives of South Korea's urban landscapes and his own experiences, reflecting on how future generations might engage with traditional art and...

CARL HEISS - Antique - finest quality - silver and rose gold hinged snuff box with delicate diamond tooled surface - reverse painted French Bulldog on Rock Crystal Intaglio...

World's earliest known pyrography vessel, Nazca Culture , circa 400 AD This unique work of art is a hand-incised half gourd using an early pyrographic (pyrography) wood burned techn...

Fine quality antique Regency rosewood tea caddy, having a outstanding quality 19th Century rosewood and mother of pearl inlaid sarcophagus shaped tea caddy, with a quality carved mou...

Free Worldwide Shipping Heavily Inlaid with Mother of Pearl, Abalone and Brass From our Writing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this fantastic Coromandel Inlaid Writing Box...

Jjirasi Vase explores the intertwined narratives of South Korea's urban landscapes and his own experiences, reflecting on how future generations might engage with traditional art and...

This antique trinket or jewelry box is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from England and date to approximately 1880 and done in the period Vic...

Heavily Inlaid with Mother of Pearl and Abalone From our Writing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this stunning Antique Inlaid Writing Box by Hausburg. The Writing Box of rec...

his elegant 19th-century wall clock, signed by J. Lozano in Madrid, is a stunning example of Spanish craftsmanship. Made from beautifully ebonized wood and adorned with exquisite mot...

PRESENTING a LOVELY 19C Anglo Indian Bombay MOP (Mother of Pearl) Sadeli Mosaic Trinket Box from circa 1875-85. Gorgeously detailed and hand-crafted ‘sadeli mosaic’ inlay, from the Bombay Area, with deep greens with silver, pewter, mother of pearl, bone and ebony in geometric patterns. The box case, is made of sandalwood but completely covered in MOP, bone, faux ivory, ebony and mosaic inlay. Edged with faux ivory and banded with a different pattern of sadeli mosaic. Some minor damage to the top (repair is obvious in pics) and ivorine replacements to some edging, but it still a BEAUTIFUL BOX and of real QUALITY! The mosaic work is FABULOUS! Box opens to reveal its original blue velvet lining. It sits on 4 (recently added) silvered button feet. SADELI MOSAIC: “Anglo Indian boxes were made in India for the English residents from the early part of the 18th century. They were brought back or sent back to England usually by the people who had commissioned them. From the beginning of the nineteenth century they were imported more commercially, although not in any significant numbers until the middle decades. They were very highly valued, especially the early ones, to the extent that the designs were copied on late 19th and early 20th century tins. The ancient art of Sadeli Mosaic is said to have been introduced from Shiraz in Persia via Sind to Bombay, a long time before the Anglo Indian boxes were made. It was a technique, which required a high degree of skill and patience. It was executed very lavishly, in that the frequent cuts wasted a great amount of the precious materials used. The workmanship was however more than commensurable to the value of the materials. Ivory, silver, pewter (or other metals), wood and horn were cut into faceted rods which were bound together to form geometric patterns. When the glue has set, the rods were sliced in transverse sections. This gave the maker a number of angled circular pieces in the original pattern. Several variations of patterns could be achieved by combining the materials in different ways. The ivory was sometimes dyed green to give an extra color. The mosaic pieces in a combination of patterns, often separated by ivory, ebony, horn or silver stringing were used to veneer sandalwood boxes. In the early boxes, which date from the turn of the 18th to the 19th century, there are large panels of mosaic covering tops and sides of boxes. It took incredible skill to cover such large areas without any shakes or wavering of the pattern. The corners and joins on these boxes are impeccably matched. The makers (reputed to be Persian) of Sadeli mosaic made in the first two decades of the 19th century displayed a total understanding of the qualities of the different materials they used. They combined substances, which can expand and contract according to atmospheric conditions with others, which are hard and unyielding. The result was a sharp definition of the lines and patterns, which made up the whole design. On the early boxes the designs look deceptively simple. The fact is, they emerged from a culture, which had mastered geometry and understood how to generate a pattern from a set number of points. The patterns are so harmoniously combined that their incredible complexity is not immediately apparent. The earliest Sadeli boxes...

Rectangular table box with rounded corners in sterling silver 925/1000 gold plated with a beautiful hand-engraved and fire-enamelled frame and in the center a beautiful hand painted miniature by the painter Beatrice Mellana reproducing the painting by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres "Odalisque with slave". Dimensions cm. 9.5 x 12.3 x 3.3. Weight gr. 671. Designed by Giorgio Salimbeni in 1979 and manufactured in Florence in numerous specimens with various subjects and different colors, in the headquarters of the Salimbeni Company with completely manual execution by artisan artists with thick slab and large reinforcements suitable for withstanding numerous enamelled firings at about 800° C. Miniature is a very ancient technique which consists of painting works in small proportions. It was born for the decoration of the first letter of the paragraph of the books. Over the years, however, this technique is refined and enriched, then moving on to precious personal items. hand painted miniatures can be done with multiple different techniques. The most important that we use on our articles are of three kinds: 1) Fire enamel. 2) Water tempera on an ivory plate. 3) Painted on mother-of-pearl. Fire enameled miniatures: On a first layer of enamel generally white or very clear or even transparent suitably liquefied at a temperature of about 750 ° C, the chosen subject is painted using miniature...

Square snuff box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with perforated lid, embossed and engraved by hand, with fine round miniature diameter cm. 3.8 hand painted in tempera on veg...

1950s Vintage Licio Zanetti Signed Murano Glass Conch Shell Sculpture Offered for sale is a 1950s original signed hand-blown Murano glass con...

Beautiful quality antique Regency rosewood tea caddy, having a quality antique Regency rosewood and burrwood banded tea caddy with mother of pearl...

Ruler Selenite with an 18th century Italian gold leaf fragment and natural forming baroque pearls on a lucite base. Ruler selenite or "selenite logs" are single, prismatic selenite crystals from Morocco that were formed in extensive beds by the evaporation of ocean brine. This mineral is characterized by a silky, pearly luster called satin spar. The piece is put together by Jean O'Reilly Barlow, the artist and creative director of Interi. The date of manufacture reflects when she created the piece and the period shows that the Italian fragment is originally 18th century. Interi transforms Italian artifacts...

Rectangular desk cigarette case with rounded corners in sterling silver 925/1000 gold plated with fine hand-painted fire-enameled miniature depicting a romantic couple in Art Nouveau...

Domed round 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated pillbox with fire enamels above and below, and hand-painted miniature of a lady with small dog, in Viennese Art Nouveau style second ...

Square box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent fired enamel on guillochè also on the sides. In the center, a beautiful hand painted tempera miniature on a vegetable ivory plate depicting the portrait of a 19th century lady, signed by the painter Anna Maria Manfriani. Dimensions cm. 12 x 12 x 2.5. Weight gr. 618. Designed by Franco Salimbeni in 1976 and manufactured in Florence in some specimens with various subjects and different colors, in the headquarters of the Salimbeni Company with completely manual execution by artisan artists with thick slab and large reinforcements suitable for withstanding numerous enamelled firings at about 800° C. Miniature is a very ancient technique which consists of painting works in small proportions. It was born for the decoration of the first letter of the paragraph of the books. Over the years, however, this technique is refined and enriched, then moving on to precious personal items. Hand painted miniatures can be done with multiple different techniques. The most important that we use on our articles are of three kinds: 1) Fire enamel. 2) Water tempera on an ivory plate. 3) Painted on mother-of-pearl. Fire enameled miniatures: On a first layer of enamel generally white or very clear or even transparent suitably liquefied at a temperature of about 750 ° C, the chosen subject is painted using miniature colors which are as many colored crystals, ground and reduced to a very fine, almost impalpable powder washed and purified in distilled water with the addition of small quantities of deoxidizing acids which, diluted with essential oils (usually essential oil of solder), can be mixed to form a palette of colors. With very fine sable hair brushes you draw the subject starting from the perimeter and then gradually adding various layers of color. It is necessary to carry out various firings very often so that the colors harden and are not absorbed by the underlying glaze as, during the subsequent firings at 750 ° C, during liquefaction, it would spread irremediably. Hence the need to form the painting a little at a time, cooking it numerous times. Therefore it is necessary to proceed with numerous retouching, often overlapping different colors that only the painter's experience knows. A beautiful miniature needs from 20 to over 50 firings and is finished when the painter deems he does not have to further intervene. Some colors must have darker tones than others because then, by superimposing the transparent enamel placed at the end of the miniature, they fade. This transparent layer, called “fondant” in jargon, must be smoothed and polished like all other translucent enamel colors. The miniatures with water tempera colors are painted on real ivory...

A Wedgwood ruby lustre bowl decorated with gilded butterflies, designed by Daisy Makeig-Jones circa 1915. Delicately gilded butterflies decorate this bowl's exterior atop a deep ru...

Elegant Bowl / vide poche in Aluminium and Enamel, Europe, 1960s. This is a wonderful and very elegant decorative bowl in cast aluminium and enamel. Great and unusual combination of...

A very rare 19th Century well figured coromandel desk set of exceptional quality with rich patination and grain, finely hand carved with highly decorat...

French Art Deco rower porcelain bottle by Georges BASTARD (Paris), France, ca.1924. Designed by Margerie. White porcelain made in Limoges. Height : 10.4"(26.5cm), Width : 3.5"(9cm), ...

Dating to 1857 hallmarks for James Vickery and makers plaque Henry Lewis From our Vanity Box collection, we are delighted to offer this exceptional Victorian Coromandel Vanity Box...

Vintage Chinese serpentine sculpture is a traditional decorative object realized in china in the early 20th century. Serpentine m...

Jjirasi Vase explores the intertwined narratives of South Korea's urban landscapes and his own experiences, reflecting on how future generations might engage with traditional art and...

René Lalique (1860-1945), Mint Opalescent Glass « Boite Ronde Grande Muguet » 1921 Mint green tinted molded-pressed opalescent glass box decorated with Lily of the Valley Extremel...

Howell, James & Co Sterling Silver by Thomas Whitehead From our Vanity Box collection, we are delighted to offer this Georgian Rosewood Vanity Box. The Vanity Box of rectangular sha...

Shaped pill box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with hand painted miniature with fire enamelling in Louis XVI style, second half of the 19th century, and fine hand engravings...