Beautiful pieces of art within my showroom. Over 150 framed and many dozens of unframed 16th - 19th century European and Japanese botanicals.

Beautiful pieces of art within my showroom. Over 150 framed and many dozens of unframed 16th – 19th century European and Japanese botanicals.

17th century fish 1680. 1930 oil of Anne Bonney, an 18th century Irish pirate, painted by Raymond Lindsay (son)
One of collection of framed watercolours of birds 1827. Various nudes. Portrait of English gentleman, resembling Captain Cook.
Italian school portrait of a Roman dignitary. One of a collection of Picasso’s, Le Chat. One of many 17th century English maps. Victorian landscape by G Pillig 1940s.
Scottish highlands. A bright Margaret Tarrant. Napoleon hand coloured lithograph. 19th century NZ landscape.
Soldier 1607 – de Gheyn & Soldier 19th century.
Charcoal of a kitten by Mali Moir,
Exceptional Australian artist and close friend.

See more of her works on my website under Contemporary Art also many in Archives.

Several new pieces in showroom.

Several new pieces in showroom.

One from a rare collection of unusual late 19th century lithographs dedicated to the palm family.
Finished by hand in watercolour.
“Calamus”
50cm x 34cm unframed.
Framed 75 x 68cm

First time I’ve framed two together,
usually singular or three. Nice for a change.

“Agrimony & Jasmine”
Elizabeth Blackwell.
A Curious Herbal.

 

Dressing customers walls, first peices.

Dressing customers walls, first peices.

Last night after closing shop I visited my customers home, they recently purchased some beautiful art from me, as Julian Stafford, Picture Rail Systems hung them yesterday.

They look perfect for the spaces intended and Julian did a fantastic job!

 

Fifteen early 20th century Japanese water coloured woodblock prints.

Fifteen early 20th century Japanese water coloured woodblock prints.

Tanigami Konan
The work celebrates the seasons so there is a wide variety of both native Japanese plants and many from the Western World.
Seiyo Soda Tofu (Pictorial Book of Western Flowers) 1917
A fine example of traditional woodblock printing in watercolour finished by hand.
37x27cm
Stunning mid century Italian Murano green and red Sommerso vase.

Stunning mid century Italian Murano green and red Sommerso vase.

Couldn’t help taking them all home.

Mid century Italian Murano green and red Sommerso glass vase.
1955  30cm x 12cm

Unusual Italian retro style brass and glass ball cluster table lamp on marble base.

57cm x 44cm

 

Unusual late 19th century hand coloured lithographs of palms

Unusual late 19th century hand coloured lithographs of palms

After nearly two years of retirement sale and selling 2/3 of my entire stock at heavily reduced prices.

I was nearly at the end of trading, until my Son Charlie and daughter Allie informed me they would like to take over the family business.

This is very touching to me, I love their devotion to my business of 34 years. So SALE signs about to be removed pricing back to normal.

 

Arriving from Europe soon. Eight Beslers

Arriving from Europe soon. Eight Beslers

Several of these I’ve never stocked before.
Type ‘Besler’ into search to see many examples I’ve sold over the years…
Prints from the first edition of Hortus Estettensis by Basil Besler.
First edition 1613 second 1641, third 1713.
Visiting Customers over Easter

Visiting Customers over Easter

I visited nearby customers today, to see the framing Vicki Hutchins

did for the three 18th century Elizabeth Blackwells I sold them.

While there I enjoyed some of their other pieces, including the decorative

18th century French walnut panetiere and petrin/dough bin/jardinier.

Three beautiful Botanicals, newly framed.

Elizabeth Blackwell (nee Blachrie) was among the first women to achieve fame as a botanical illustrator.

She was born in Aberdeen in about 1700, but moved to London after she married. She undertook an ambitious project to raise money to pay her husband’s debts and release him from debtors’ prison.

Her project was a book called ‘A Curious Herbal’.

She learned that physicians required a reference book which documented the medicinal qualities of plants and herbs. In order to develop the publication she examined and drew specimens of plants available in the Chelsea Physic Garden. Sir Hans Sloane provided financial support to publish ‘A Curious Herbal’.

Elizabeth Blackwell is notable for being one of the first botanical artists to personally etch and engrave her own designs. This saved the expense of hiring a professional engraver. In total, the enterprise took Blackwell six full years to complete and in the end she was able to release her husband from prison. ‘A Curious Herbal’ was published between 1737 and 1739.

The book contained the first illustrations of many odd-looking, unknown plants from the New World.