Object of the day: 19th century Chinese export nodding figures

Chinese Export Nodding Figures (China c. 1800)
External Dimensions: 10.50 inch framed height (26.67 cm)

Description / Expertise: Three painted pottery figures, Chinese export circa 1800, the two larger being examples of nodding figures. The nodding figures measure 11.5 inches high and 10.5 inches high, the third figure stands 9.5 inches high.

Literature
Nodding-head figures were imported into England, Europe and America from Canton in large numbers from the 1780's. The great interest in these figures in England is derived in large part from the personal tastes of the Prince of Wales as Regent culminating in the Oriental interior achieved at The Brighton Pavilion in 1802. For a pair of nodding figures similar to these see Christies sale No. 7899, Régence to Fabergé. An Apartment by Jed Johnson. 20 May 2010. London, King Street, and an acompanying account of these figures in the European interior.

Price: £3950.00

AD antiques, the dealer specialising in British art pottery

AD antiques was formed in 1997 by Alison Davey. Alison's background is not in the fine arts; she graduated from Edinburgh University in 1995 with an MA and thereafter practiced in the field of Criminal Justice. Her last appointment was at Edinburgh prison where she undertook risk assessments and therapeutic intervention programmes with long term prisoners. Throughout her training and employment she developed an interest in the decorative arts, and during this time she began "trading" at car boot sales. This quickly developed into a passion or obsession, and for several years used her annual leave to attend and exhibit at show-ground antiques fairs throughout the UK. In 2000 Alison decided that she had to get the dealing bug out of her system once and for all; she resigned her job, moved to Staffordshire and began trading full time.

During the early years, the business retailed all manner of decorative arts including glass, metals, jewellery from the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau Movements. However Alison developed a particular interest in British Art Pottery. The appeal comes as much from the social and political dimension that inspired the manufacturers, as to the aesthetic quality and originality of the ceramics. The designers and factories of the era were pushing the boundaries of creativity, chemistry and design. Many of these studios were actively rebuking the machine age and supporting the social philosophers of the day who were proposing the return to local crafts, the dignity of the worker and the movement away from elaborate ornamentation to simpler lines and design.

Object of the day: Still Life by Edward Ladell

Still Life With Fruit and Bird's Nest, Edward Ladell (1821-1886)
(United Kingdom c.1821 to c.1886), Signed, Inscribed, Dated
Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 14.00 inch wide (35.56 cm),17.00 inch high (43.18 cm)
External Dimensions: 20.00 inch framed width (50.80 cm), 23.00 inch framed height (58.42 cm)

Description / Expertise Edward Ladell was perhaps the best-known Victorian still-life painter. Little is known of his personal life. Born in Colchester, he spent his early teens working for his father who was a respected coach builder. After many years working in Colchester, he moved to the West Country, eventually settling in Exeter.
Although he was an entirely self-taught artist, he developed a very distinct style of still-life most certainly drawn from the Dutch tradition. Ladell’s paintings have a Victorian richness of colour, which makes them instantly recognisable, and his consistent high quality has ensured their continued popularity. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1856 to 1886.

Coleman gasoline iron

Coleman iron

Antique self-heating fuel irons can incorporate many unique designs and unusual patented features.  Gas irons were cutting-edge technology in their heyday during the late 1800's to early 1900's.  Electrics signaled their end, but Coleman was actually making gas irons in Canada up till the 1960's or so for the folks up there without electricity. Coleman irons are perhaps the best known of the gas or liquid fuel irons, but there are many other less frequently found antique and patented fuel irons to be found and collected.


This antique gasoline fueled clothes iron was an advancement in its day, but still posed risks to the operator as evidenced by the scorched underside of the handle, where too much flame in the fire box below overheated the handle while warming the metal ironing surface below. Because of its history, replacing the Sad iron, and predating the electric, and with its remaining nice blue paint, this great industrial age household tool makes for a wonderful display along side your stitching creations, quilts, and textile art, or as a beautiful home decor.

The difference between the bone, ivory and celluloid

Ivory

Westerners loved figures carved in elephant ivory. The elephant tusk is formed of dentine containing inumerable tubes filled with wax running the whole length. It is this wax that gives objects their polish. Another way to distinguish ivory is by looking closely at the lines within it. Cut along the tusk, these can be seen as light and dark lines. Cut through a cross-section, radiating lines crossing each other and making minuscule diamonds are visible.