18th Century Models and Miniatures

A late 18th century mahogany miniature chest retaining good colour throughout, with rectangular top over four well figured long drawers having...

An 18th / early 19th century miniature painting An 18th / early 19th century miniature painting painted on glass and framed. The copper framed miniature painting in another copp...

A rare and finely executed altar model, South Germany, circa 1790, conceived as a miniature architectural study for a church high altar, complete with its ...

Extraordinary 18th Century Spanish Wooden Mannequin. Rare large size made of carved poplar with articulated joints retaining the original painted decoration possibly depicting a Sain...

A Charming and Relatively rare mid 18th century, Georgian, oak miniature kneehole desk, having seven drawers with original turned brass knobs flanking central cupboard door with geometric inlaid decoration. Often there is debate over miniature furnitures original purpose. Was it was made as an apprentice piece, which is where somebody who is looking for a job in a workshop would create something to showcase their talents, or was it made as a travelling salesman...

An elegant antique Italian carved walnut crest dating from the 18th century, designed as an architectural or decorative element for furniture; it may have originally been part of a s...

A miniature naval cannon from the 18th century. This is a beautiful and very handsome model of a 18th century naval cannon. The cannon represents a...

An Extremely Rare Mid 18th Century, George II Period Elm Table Top, Miniature, Bureau Retaining Exceptional Colour And Patina To Figured Timber Throughout, Having Fall Front Enclosin...

18th Century miniature bronze gilt cabinet with underglass paintings 18th Century gilt Bronze Miniature, Gold Sewing tools Cabinet A 18th Century bronze gilded miniature cabinet, se...

With serpentine crestrail over a pierced ribbon back, drop in seat and straight square legs.

Pocket Globe Nicholas Lane London, post 1779 The globe is contained in its original case, which is covered in leather. The sphere measures 2.75 in (6.9 cm) whereas the case measure...

A pair of 18th century carved wooden figurines Likely Central European originating somewhere in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, or Northern Italy. Both figurines depict a gallant gentleman in period dress holding a basket replete with fruit or flowers. Each is mounted on an integral wooden base with a rocaille base. These figures are rare and are a fine addition to any period room...

Rare early 18th century walnut Palladian diminutive cabinet of architectural form having a pedimented top over pair of pilasters flanking a single a...

French 18th century gold mounted walking stick French, 1769 Height 116cm, diameter 3cm Dating back to 1789, this walking stick exemplifies the remarkable craftsmanship of 18th cent...

These fine wood lacquered wood boxes in Baroque style, are painted both on the sides: there's an elegant lady portrait on one side and on the other side, a natural landscape, so fine...

A rare knife sharpener from the late 18th century. English, iron and wood, by "Warren's Rotary." Minor defects. Dimensions: 44 x 54 x 25 cm Good condition

This is a rare embroidered Grand Tour souvenir of an italian landscape with archutectural motifs. This beautiful miniature embroidery is in good...

With fine needlepoint upholstery and a nicely carved frame.

Rare micromosaic plaque depicting an idyllic Roman landscape. The main subject of this micromosaic is the representation of buildings surrounded by cypresses and trees. Two figures i...

Italian carved wood and metal cabinet with semi precious stones. Two doors open into drawers with semi precious stones mounted on each drawer. Circa 1780-1820.

18th century rare French carpenter's sample made of chestnut wood. It has three drawers with each a kings wood inlay central design. Lovely pegged construction, supported on a lovely...

Large micro-mosaic plate representing a parrot on a branch. From a model by Giacomo Raffaelli. The quality and shape of the shards of this micromosai...

An Exceptionally Rare And Extremely Attractive Early 18th Century George I Period Walnut And Burr Walnut Miniature Table Top Chest, Having Very Well Figured Top With Inlaid Decoratio...

A Very Good Quality 18th Century, George II Period, Mahogany Miniature Tripod Table, Having Well Figured Circular Tilting Top With Original Brass Catch, Raised On Elegant Vase Turned...

An extremely attractive and very good quality late 18th century, Georgian, oak miniature chest, having well figured rectangular top, over two short and three long drawers retaining original turned wooden knobs, flanked by elegant half turned columns, raised on elegant original shaped bracket feet. A beautifully charming little piece of 18th century miniature furniture, constructed from rich, warm oak timbers which retain an exceptional colour and patina, it boasts original handles and feet. Almost certainly it was made as a sample piece of furniture originally. There is regular debate over whether miniature furniture was made as an apprentice piece, which is when a craftsmen who was looking for a job at a workshop would create something to showcase their talents. Or whether it was made as a travelling salesman...

A Charming 18th Century Miniature Chest, Constructed Extremely Unusually From Yew Wood Timbers, Having Four Long Drawers Retaining Original Turned Brass Knobs, Raised On Elegant Orig...

A finely rendered English Victorian brass ornamental signal cannon on cast iron carriage; with solid brass tilting barrel resting on a heavy weight carriage with working wheels; fine...

2 iron-red and gilt Chinese miniature porcelain Vases, Kangxi Kangxi (1662-1722) The bottles has minuscule chips The measurements are 4 cm high and 2.7 cm diagonal The weight i...

18th century rare Dutch mother of pearl pin booklet with a silver back and lock A mother of pearl pin booklet with a silver back and lock. On ...

American Chippendale walnut and mahogany graduated five-drawer miniature chest of drawers with satinwood string inlay, inlaid escutcheons, original brass knobs and terminating on bra...

European signal cannon from the late 18th-19th century. An antique piece made and used in Europe, circa 1800. This kind of small scale toys were made to be used in the navy of some ...

A Charming Small Late 18th Century, George III Period, Mahogany Minaiture Chest Of Three Long Drawers, With Boxwood Strung Decoration, Brass Handles And Elegant Original Splayed Brac...

This rare and important slant top desk is an exceptional example of a miniature piece of furniture. Bearing all the desirable features of a Chippendale, this desk has a dovetailed tw...

A Very Good Quality Late 18th Century, George III Period, Bowfronted Mahogany Miniature Chest Having Very Well Figured Top, Over Two Short And Three Long Drawers, With Replacement Tu...

A very attractive George III period oak childs chest having well Figured and crossbanded top above two short and three long Drawers flanked by curved corners raised on replaced bracket Feet (This charming little childs chest is the perfect size to use as a coffee table, or to Stand a lamp on and has a large amount of character and  charm. It is a good weight which highlights the solid construction from high grade oak and is certainly robust. It has various minor old marks, scuffs and scratches but these all add to the character of the piece.  Children’s furniture...

France Late 18th century silver carriage shape box in Regency Style This magnificent piece of art of silver jewelery. It is an example of h...

These fine wood lacquered boxes are in Baroque style. There are natural landscape and one of these has the scene of the fire in the town of Edimburg...

These fine wood lacquered wood boxes are in Flemish style; the cover are hand painted with a natural landscape, so fine as Flemish painting can be. The other one has an home interior...

A Rare Miniature Vernacular Kneehole Desk English, c.1740–1760 An unusual miniature kneehole desk in oak, reproducing the form and proportions of a mid-eighteenth-century English ...

The Louis XV Provincial Walnut Parquetry Miniature Armoire. Opening to reveal a shelves and drawers.

These fine wood lacquered wood boxes are in Romantic style and they are painted both on the sides: on one of these there's an elegant lady on one side and on the other side, a natura...

An exceptionally rare, museum quality Maltese, Neoclassical walnut chest of drawers with ebonised & fruitwood inlaid maltese cross on the top and drawer fronts Maltese furniture of this period is exceptional reflecting the status and affluence of the island. Given the size of the island relatively little Maltese furniture was made in comparison to Europe & American mainland. Minature furniture is rare made either as a model or an apprentice's piece so it is extremely rare to find a minature piece from Malta bearing the Maltese cross. This minature commode is highly original with beautiful proportions, ornamentation and patination. The 'H' shaped top with a large centered inlaid Maltese Cross and a border of stringing. The breakfront fitted with three drawers each with stringing and inlaid six point stars centrally positioned behind the wooden knobs. The uprights with two continuous vertical bands of stringing ebonised and fruitwood from the top to the bottom of the drawers in walnut to match the front of the chest and then reverting to ebonising and fruitwood down the feet. Terminating in tapering feet. The panelled sides with a repeat of the double banding on the uprights and rectangular borders within the panels. The oak lined drawers with the original 18th century blue paper lining. Measures: length 27 cm 10 1/2", height 24 cm 9 1/2", depth 20 cm 8". Maltese Cross: The Maltese cross is a symbol that is most commonly associated with the Knights of Malta (also known as the Knights Hospitallers...

This exceptional, fine and impressive antique 18th century miniature silver samovar/coffee urn has a circular baluster shaped form. The body of this Dutch silver samovar is plain and unembellished, with an applied border to the upper rim. This antique silver samovar...

The three drawers lined with jacquard silk pattern.

An Extremely Attractive And Particularly Charming Mid 18th Century, Georgian Mahogany Miniature Chest, Retaining Exceptional Untouched Colour And Patina Throughout, Having Two Short And Three Long Drawers, Retaining Original Brass Ring Handles, Raised On Original Shaped Bracket Feet. Although there has always been a large amount of discussion and conjecture as to the original purpose of antique miniature furniture it will be almost impossoble for a definitive answer to be given for by far the majority of surviving pieces. The two well known and accepted purposes were either as an apprentice piece, meaning that the item may well have been made by a hopeful young man looking to secure himself a job at the local cabinet making workshop and using the piece as an audition for entry, or alternatively as a travelling salesmans sample piece where scale models of the full size items which a workshop could produce were created, allowing the salesman to take them away and use them for taking orders. We believe that this wonderful little antique miniature chest...

Clear water diorama showing the Ten Gun Royal Navy Cutter, Entreprenante Circa 1790. The model is built to a scale of one sixteenth inch equals one foot. The vessel appears to be sai...

Rectangular top with diamond inlay over three drawers with similar inlay, slight cabriole legs.

This pair of obelisks is an elegant and fine example of decorative art. The pieces combine the use of fine materials such as jasper, portoro marble, and gilded bronze. This pair of o...

- Collector's specimens - Lignum vitae is sought after for the beauty of its grain, coloring, patina, density and toughness Translated from Latin, vignum vitae means “wood of lif...

A very rare Louis XVI period serinette or bird organ in the form of a transitional style gilt bronze mounted and marquetry inlaid miniature commode in the manner of gilbert, by Robert Richard, Paris. With a label for ' RICHARD - maitre facteur d’orgues et mécanicien / Rue de richelieu à la bibliothèque Du Roy / Paris 1775'. This rare Serinette or Bird Organ has a wooden cylinder barrel mounted by twelve pins and linked to twelve sound pipes. A crank attached to the front panel controls the bellows that activates the mechanism. The exceptional marquetry inlaid case is in the form of a gilt bronze mounted transitional style miniature commode. The top of the commode is inlaid with a landscape scene with buildings, opening to an interior with an allegory of Love Conquering All, represented by two doves perching on a bow and quiver. The front of the commode depicts two obelisks centred by a Fine musical trophy and each side is inlaid with panels depicting the Medici Vase. The back of the commode is decorated with floral marquetry. A closely related Serinette dating from circa 1770, also in the form of a miniature commode, with the marquetry case stamped by the master marqueteur Leonard Boudin, is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. The term serinette is derived from serine, French for finch. The instrument worked like a small barrel organ with a barbed cylinder, wind box and lead pipes and produced a high, thin sound in imitation of birds. Other versions included a merline, which copied blackbirds and a turlutaine, which copied curlews. Used to teach caged birds to sing tunes, different barrels could be inserted to train different birds. It first appeared in France circa 1730 and became a popular drawing-room toy for fashionable women. An interesting painting commissioned in 1751 for Louis XV by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin and now in the collection of the Louvre, depicts a refined lady seated in her salon playing a bird organ to encourage her bird to sing. Robert Richard Robert Richard was a Parisian organ and harpsichord maker and the mécanicien du roi to Louis XV and Louis XVI and was based in the Bibliothèque du Roi in rue de Richelieu. Initially working alongside the Cliquot family who acted as 'facteur d'orgue du Roi', he is recorded as building an organ for the church of Notre-Dame de Quebec, in Montreal in 1753 (destroyed in 1759) and as the inventor of a mechanical concert shown in an engraving by d'Eisen in 1769. Canon Jean Marie De La Corne described Robert Richard as : ''Le plus habile ouvrier de paris, fameux mechanitien et Homme de probité''. French, Dated 1775. Literature: Pierre Kjellberg, The French Furniture of the 17th century, The Editions of the Amateur, 2008 Count Francois de Salverte, Cabinetmakers of the 18th century, Editions of Art and History, 1934 Raymond Russell, Victoria and Albert Museum Catalogue of Musical Instruments, Volume I - Keyboard Instruments,(London, 1968; p. 69.) Elizabeth Miller...

An Italian miniature table top commode chest with exotic inlaid woods. Circa 1780-1800. Very fine French polish.