Silver Plate More Asian Art, Objects and Furniture

Christie's: West East The Niall Hobhouse Collection, 2008, Anglo Indian Collection. A fascinating selection of exquisite treasures from both the West...

Sotheby's: The T. Y. Chao Private and Family Trust Collections of Important Chinese Ceramics and Jade Carvings: Part 1, Hong Kong October 1986. Rare First Edition hardcover with dust...

This finely crafted antique jewelry box was made in France circa 1880, during the Napoleon III period. Constructed of silver-plated copper, the rectangular casket features elaborate ...

Malle Goyard shoe trunk, early 20th century, done in the chevron logo canvas and trimmed in leather. This shoe trunk measures 25 1/2" long by 14 1/2" wide by 14 1/2" tall. The trun...

Large Asian decorative wooden jewelry box with brass overlay. Large ethnic Indian hand painted decorative jewelry wood box with brass metal hammere...

An Indian vintage bamboo and woven rattan suitcase from the mid 20th century, with brass hardware. Created in India during the midcentury period, this ...

Ichimatsu Ningyo doll is a Japanese shell limestone doll from the Meiji period. The doll body as well as the head, forearms, hands, legs and feet are made...

Dramatic, richly embellished, silver-plated, hinge-top box featuring the ancient Coat of Arms for the Spanish kingdom of Castile and Leon. The whole atop lion-form feet.

Antique carved meerschaum pipe featuring a detailed female figure kissing a bird and sterling silver collar. Includes original leather felt lined case. Circa 1928. Echt Naturmeers...

A vintage white wicker storage trunk with brass hardware accents, a hinged lid, and an interior arm support. The trunk measures 35.5 inches wide by 20 inches deep by 20 inches high. ...

A rare and unusual large pipe depicting a Vanitas-Memento Mori, crafted from genuine carved meerschaum and silver with a genuine amber mouthpiece. The large bowl of the pipe, made of...

A tobacco tasting pipe made of genuine carved meerschaum (hydrated magnesium silicate) with a genuine natural amber mouthpiece. The pipe depicts a nude mythological figure among natu...

This shallow basket of hand-woven bamboo is a lovely example of Japanese basketry. Used for gathering harvests or as a kitchen vessel for food prep, the round tray is woven of thin b...

An automated singing bird with a strong voice and flamboyant plumage amidst foliage in a gilded brass cage. Germany, circa 1920. This beautiful, vintage songbird collectible will ad...

During the 19th century, meerschaum carving reached extraordinary levels of technical sophistication, particularly in Austria and Germany, where workshops specialised in elaborate smoking accessories for the affluent market. Alongside classical, folkloric, and theatrical subjects, erotic novelty pieces emerged as a discreet form of gentlemanly amusement. Often produced in limited numbers and housed in fitted presentation cases, these objects combined humour, virtuoso craftsmanship, and the fascination with hidden mechanisms that characterised Victorian decorative arts. Description This exceptionally rare late 19th-century Austrian meerschaum smoking set is conceived as an intimate bedroom tableau, combining refined craftsmanship with playful erotic ingenuity. Presented within its original leather-covered hinged case, the interior is lined in deep burgundy velvet and satin, trimmed with delicate lace to evoke the appearance of a miniature bed. At the centre reclines a finely modelled female figure carved in meerschaum, her flowing hair and softly draped bodice rendered with remarkable delicacy. The figure forms the principal pipe, fitted with an amber mouthpiece and bowl integrated into the composition. Completing the ensemble are two detachable cheroot holders, each ingeniously fashioned as the lady's stockinged legs terminating in amber boots. When assembled within the case, the components create a theatrical trompe-l'œil effect that transforms a practical smoking accessory into an object of wit and surprise. Beyond its appeal as a rare example of antique tobacciana, the piece possesses a distinctly sculptural quality. Its presentation recalls the anatomical wax...