Prized Porcelain: James Giles and Worcester Porcelain

A Worcester Teacup and Saucer by the atelier of James Giles from the Saltram Service Mackinnon Fine Furniture Collection James Giles (1718-1780) was an outstanding English porcelain and glass painter who worked for all of the major porcelain manufacturers, including Worcester, Derby, Bow, and Chelsea.  Giles’ father, also James Giles, was a ‘China Painter’ by …

Friday Finds: A Look Back at the Archives

A Pair of George III Marquetry Card Tables attributed to John Cobb from Stowe, Buckinghamshire Mackinnon Fine Furniture Collection We are continuing our series 'Friday Finds' looking at some archival material related to the exceptional pair of Stowe card tables in our collection. This very fine pair of George III kingwood and brass-inlaid card tables …

Friday Finds: A Look Back at the Archives

A few weeks ago we started a new series called Friday Finds where we take a look back at the archives to learn more about the pieces in our collection.  It is a great way to put a piece in context by showing how it has been represented historically in other print sources. Today we …

Final Exhibition Spotlight: The Warwick Castle Chairs

Our exhibition, Great Provenances: Exceptional Antiques from Notable Collections, comes to an end today.  And we've saved one of our best exhibition spotlights for last: the Warwick Castle armchairs.  This highly important pair of George II mahogany armchairs is attributed to John Hodson.  The serpentine backs, seats ,and armrests are upholstered in their original early 18th century ‘Genoese’ …

Exhibition Spotlight: A George II Walnut Side Chair from the Collections of the Earls of Lonsdale

Today's Great Provenances exhibition spotlight is a very fine George III walnut side chair attributed to Paul Saunders, the sinuous exaggerated serpentine-shaped and pierced back finely carved throughout with acanthus leaves and hare-bells, the upholstered seat with silk damask, above four superb similarly carved cabriole legs each terminating in exaggerated scroll toes in the ‘French’ taste. This …

Exhibition Spotlight: A George II Silver Soup Tureen by Paul Crespin from Ham House

Our exhibition, Great Provenances, is predominately focused on English furniture from the 18th century.  But we also have several exceptional objects in the exhibition, including this magnificent George II silver soup tureen designed by Paul Crespin, one of the most celebrated goldsmiths of the 18th century.  This tureen was originally made for Lionel Tollemache, 4th Earl …

Exhibition Spotlight: Judge Irwin Untermyer’s Walnut Curule Armchairs

Our Great Provenances exhibition continues through the end of the week, and so will our daily spotlights on individual pieces in the exhibition.  Today we are taking a closer look at a pair of walnut curule form armchairs that were previously in the collection of the esteemed American collector, Judge Irwin Untermyer.  Untermyer famously left his …

Exhibition Spotlight: The Stowe Card Tables

As we round out the second week of our summer exhibition, Great Provenances: Exceptional Antiques from Notable Collections, we are delighted to share the Stowe card tables.  This very fine pair of George III kingwood and brass-inlaid card tables is attributed to John Cobb.  The table tops are quarter-veneered with a mounted edge, and the tops …

Exhibition Spotlight: A Fourth of July Special

  A very happy Fourth of July to our friends across the pond!  Today's Great Provenances exhibition spotlight has strong ties with America.  This portrait by John Hoppner R.A. depicts Sir John Osborn (1772-1848) wearing a blue coat with a red lined collar and white neck cloth. John Hoppner John Hoppner was a highly regarded portrait artist …

Exhibition Spotlight: A George II Armorial Hall Chair from Anne Bassett of Haldon House

Today's Great Provenances exhibition spotlight is this very fine George II mahogany armorial hall chair attributed to William Hallett.  The scallop-shaped, rippled and paper-scrolled back is centred with the coat of arms of Anne Basset framed in an elaborate cartouche decorated with scrolls, lambrequins, and a carved cherub’s mask. The  outswept scrolled arms on spreading supports …