A Chinese 18th century black lacquer low table Mackinnon Fine Furniture Collection Today we are sharing some of our recent acquisitions that all feature magnificent chinoiserie designs. Each of the tables includes an antique lacquer panel decorated in gilt highlights on a black ground that has been mounted as a table. Shown above is an … Continue reading Chic Chinoiserie: Lacquer Panels Transformed into Tables
19th century
A Sailor’s Souvenir: The Fascinating History of the Shellwork Designs
A 19th Century Sailor's Valentine from BarbadosMackinnon Fine Furniture Collection Today we are looking at a fascinating example of decorative arts that has its origins in Barbados and subsequently travelled worldwide thanks to sailors bringing them far and wide. Sailor's valentines are a specific type of shellwork incorporating geometric mosaics of shells within octagonal wooden boxes. … Continue reading A Sailor’s Souvenir: The Fascinating History of the Shellwork Designs
Cultural Reflections: Chinese Export Art & Decoration
A pair of Chinese export mirror pictures, Mackinnon Fine Furniture Collection Today we are looking at the history of Chinese export art and decoration that arrived in Europe, beginning in the 17th century and increasing significantly in the 18th century. From the late 1700s an increasing number of British, American, Dutch, Portuguese, French, and Scandinavian … Continue reading Cultural Reflections: Chinese Export Art & Decoration
Theodore Deck & His Turquoise Treasures
Joseph-Théodore Deck (1823-91) was a celebrated French potter who ran a successful workshop in Paris for many years in the mid to late 19th century. This workshop, Joseph-Théodore Ceramique Française, produced ceramics in a variety of styles, including in foreign Iznik and Chinese patterns. One of Deck's greatest legacies is the famed bleu de Deck, which … Continue reading Theodore Deck & His Turquoise Treasures
The Kidney Desk: A History
We are delighted to share one of our latest acquisitions: this very fine 19th century walnut kidney desk with ebonised moulding and parquetry inlay. The green vellum lined top with its brass gallery surround stands above three frieze drawers and cupboard doors opening to reveal interior fitted drawers. The reverse of the desk features central open … Continue reading The Kidney Desk: A History
The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Ormolu
Today's journey through the ABCs of decorative arts brings us to a close look at ormolu. Ormolu, from the French or moulu, signifying ground gold, refers to a technique of gilding bronze mounts for furniture, clocks, candelabra and objects that was used throughout the eighteenth and into the nineteenth centuries. The process of gilding a … Continue reading The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Ormolu
French Fantasies Come to Life: The Designs of Charles Percier
Charles Percier was a French neoclassical architect and designer known for his bold and dramatic interiors. He championed the Empire style and worked as the official architect to the Emperor Napoleon along with his contemporary Pierre-François Léonard Fontaine. His Arc du Carrousel can still be seen at the entrance of the Tuileries Garden in Paris. … Continue reading French Fantasies Come to Life: The Designs of Charles Percier
Meiji Masterpieces: Japanese Art & Design of the Meiji Period
The Meiji era began in 1868 with the restoration of imperial rule in Japan and lasted until the death of Emperor Meiji in 1912. The period is associated with a rapid expansion in art forms, mediums, and styles. Both European and Chinese culture influenced the art of the time—the presence of dragons on these vases … Continue reading Meiji Masterpieces: Japanese Art & Design of the Meiji Period
The Source 