Surprising Items!
Selected here are items from our stock with surprising stories. Indeed, the best way to summarise our business is that we sell stories – with an object attached. The objects chosen here are designed to pass the ‘dinner party test’ – bring the item out after dinner and people note it out of politeness but then tell them what it is or how it was used and watch as they become enthralled by the item and how it ignites discussion.
Click on each item and read its story – discover why we think it is interesting and worthy of note.
Each item is available for sale.
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Enquiry about object: 5771
Pair of Mughal Double-Headed Steel Belt Hooks
Northern India 17th century
heights (without stand): 9.8cm, heights with stands: 13.5cm & 15cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5004
Pair of Miniature Brass Paduka Sandals for a Deity
Deccan, India 18th-19th century
length of each: 11.8cm, width: 7.3cm, height: 7cm, combined weights: 677g
Provenance
Collection of (the late) Paul Walter; probably acquired in London.
Enquiry about object: 6228
Pair of Japanese Export Blue & White Wayang Dishes for the Javanese Market
Japan made for the Javanese Market 19th century
diameters: 24.7cm, heights: 4cm
Provenance
private collection, UK.
Enquiry about object: 5483
Malay Princely Quail Trap (Jebak Puyuh)
Malay People, Malaysia, probably Terengganu early to mid-20th century
length: 30.8cm, height: 31cm, depth: 26cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5085
Chinese Long Tortoiseshell & Gilded Silver Fingernail Guard
China 19th century
length: 10cm, weight: 7.3g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 4752
Woman’s Mother-of-Pearl & Bone Inlaid Wooden Stilted Clogs (Qabqab)
Ottoman Turkey 19th century
heights (without upper straps): 15.2cm, overall heights: 19.5cm, length: 23.2cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5992
Burmese Bronze Noodle Maker
Burma 19th century
height: 16.6cm, width: 27cm, weight: 2,907g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5724
Zulu Wooden Ear Plugs with Bakelite Tile Decoration
Zulu People, South Africa circa 1940
diameters: 5.5cm, thickness: 0.8cm
Provenance
private collection, UK
Enquiry about object: 3914
Ifugao Wood, Rattan & Pig Tusk Armband (Baningal or Abkil)
Bontoc or Ifugao People, Northern Luzon, Philippines 19th–early 20th century
height: 12cm, diameter: 10.5cm
Provenance
private European collection.
Enquiry about object: 5192
Indian Gold & Pearl Nose Ring (Nath)
India, probably Rajasthan circa 1900
width: 3.3cm, weight: 5.05g
Provenance
private collection, UK.
Enquiry about object: 3604
Indian Stained Ivory Pehlwani Wrestlers
Northern India, probably Rajasthan circa 1750
height: 8.8cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 2449
Ifugao Carved Wooden Ladle or Dipper
Kalanguya People, Southern Ifugao, Philippines early 20th century
length: 24.5cm
Provenance
Scottish art market
Enquiry about object: 2185
Sepik Crocodile Man Earthenware Roof Ridge Tile with Pigments
Chambri Lakes, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea early 20th century
height: 42cm, width: 25.5cm
Provenance
Francis de Sales McHugh Collection, collected by de Sales McHugh in the early 20th century.
Enquiry about object: 2586
Philippines Lidded Limestone Burial Jar
South Cotabato, Mindanao, Philippines 8th-9th century
height: 69cm, width: 30cm
Provenance
UK art market; UK private collection; acquired from Patricia Withofs, 1984.
Enquiry about object: 4408
Ram Darbar Temple Token (Ramatanka)
India circa 1900
diameter: 2.8cm, weight: 11.65g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 1988
Ceremonial Fijian Wooden Four-Tined ‘Cannibal’ Fork
Fiji early 19th century
length: 24.6cm
Provenance
private collection, Guernsey.
Enquiry about object: 3466
English Tavern or Publican House Willow Nine-Pin Skittles Set
West Country, England 19th century
heights (approx.) 30cm each, and 40cm for the king pin
Provenance
UK private collection
Enquiry about object: 3539
Yoruba Carved Wooden Figure of Queen Victoria
Yoruba, Nigeria late 19th century
height: 32.5cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5840
Mongolian Polychrome Dancing Citipati Group
Mongolia 19th century
height: 60cm, width: 53cm
Provenance
Private collection, England.
Enquiry about object: 5424
Nalanda Cast Bronze Buddha
Nalanda, North-east India 11th-12h century
height: 10.6cm, width: 7.8cm
Provenance
acquired by the previous owner in London in March 1991.
Enquiry about object: 4267
Woman’s Wooden Lip Plate
Kichepo People, Sudan, & Surma People, Sudan/Ethiopia 19th-early 20th century
width: 13.3cm, length: 9.6cm, thickness: 1.6cm
Provenance
private London collection.
Enquiry about object: 2993
Kerala Brass Ring Cast with Santa Claus’ Sleigh & Eight Reindeers
Cochin (Kochi), Kerala, India 20th century
length: 6.5cm, height: 5.3cm, weight: 40g
Provenance
UK private collection; acquired by the owner in Kerala.
Enquiry about object: 4366
Collection of Twenty Indian Hindu Temple Bronze Body Stamps (Chhapa)
Orissa & Bengal, India 18th & 19th centuries
length of the longest: 11.2cm, diameter of largest: 8cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 4676
Rare, Brass Toad-Shaped Flask
Tibet 18th century and perhaps earlier
height (with stopper): 37cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 3932
Man’s Ear Ornament (Sabau) of Carved Hornbill Casque (Beak)
Kenyah/Kayan Dayak People, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia early 20th century
height: 4.6cm, length: 10.2cm, width: 4.1cm, weight: 51g
Provenance
Acquired in the UK, from the estate collection of Dr George Yuille Caldwell (1924-2016). Dr Caldwell, an English-born physician moved to Singapore in the 1950s, from where he built up a collection of mostly Borneo-related textiles and other ethnographica.
Enquiry about object: 3298
Iron Trisula
Java, Indonesia circa 18th century
length: 40cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 1595
Rare Solomon Islands Christian Altar Cross Inlaid with Pearl Shell
Solomon Islands circa 1900
height: 62cm, width: 33cm, depth: 19.5cm
Provenance
Adam Prout, London.