Antique Furnishings
From
The Drawing Room Antiques
Located in Newport Rhode Island
Our first real introduction to "The Greek Revival Style" was in 1977 when we purchased Carr-Osborn House in Fall River Mass. The architect was Russell Warren. The home came furnished with the original circa 1843 furniture. Much of the furniture was from the firm of Meeks.
A six panel Zuber & Cie 'screen'. Each panel is 72" tall and 19" wide. A pastoral view in the foreground, a river with classical buildings on the other embankment . Condition: stains, tears consistent with use and age. Late 19th century. Mounted on six individual wood panels. Inquiries. . .
# 5056. Pictured is one of a pair (2) of an American Empire Arm Chairs (c. 1815-1835) From Trinity Episcopal Church in Newport Rhode Island. These chairs are Altarboy Chairs. Neither a child's chair (too large) nor an adult chair, but in between in size. This size, especially a pair, is seldom seen on the market. From an old guide read to visitors of Trinity before WWII: "Guide: Express welcome and have tourists follow you into aisle on south side-part way down asile, step into pew and face tourists (plan to have foot warmer in pew.) . . . (continuing down the script to be told to tourist) The small armchairs were gifts of Gilbert Stuart. Gilbert Stuart was a famous Rhode Island painter whose best known work is a portait of George Washington found on your dollar bill. The chairs are British Honduras mahogany." We believe that the chairs may have been given by Gilbert Stuarts's daughter Jane Stuart, in his memory. Mahogany and Oak and Mahogany veneer, painted and gilt surfaces. Size: 18" wide x 18" deep x 34.5" tall to the top of the back. The seat is 19.5" tall. $4,950.00 the pair.
# 4472. A dated 1830 Portrait Bust of Charles Lucien Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. He became the 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano ( upon the death of his father Lucien Bonaparte) and a French naturalist and ornithologist. Born in Paris (May 23, 1803), he was raised in Italy and on June 29,1822 he married his cousin, Zénaïde in Brussels. Soon after marriage the couple moved to Philadelphia, Pa. to live with Zénaïde's father, Joseph Bonaparte. In 1824 Bonaparte tried to get the then unknown John James Audubon accepted by the Academy of Natural Sciences but was opposed by the ornithologist George Ord who disliked Audubon's dramatic bird poses and considered him to be a "back-country upstart who romanticized his subject matter." At the end of 1826, Bonaparte and his family returned to Europe and finally settled in Rome in 1828. While in Rome, he had Raimondo Trentanove complete two portrait busts for him: one in 1827 and one in 1830. We have the 1830 portrait bust. Signed on the bust in large script: "R. Trentanove Fece Roma 1830". Size: 26 1/2" tall and 16" wide. Material: Carrara Marble. Condition: minor edge flakes to the toga; multiple tiny paint splatters to the surface; the sockel was neatly broken into and reglued. Please see detailed images below. This handsome classical portrait bust in typical of the era (1830's). In storage in a Newport warehouse since about 1925. Raimondo Trentanove, Italian 1792-1832; Initially a pupil of De Maria and Bartolini, Trentanove worked in Rome in close partnership with Canova. There he was involved in the execution of numerous works in his master's style, including direct copies after Canova, antique sculpture and portrait busts. Amongst the latter there exists a fine marble of Canova himself, now in the Galleria d'arte Moderna, Milan. Another version of the present impressive memorial bust of Napoleon may be found in the Museo del Risorgimento, Faenza. This portrait bust was completed two years before Trentanove's death in 1832. In the exhibition catalogue: " Art and the Empire New York 1825, 1861 " Edited by Catherine Hoover Voorsanger and John K. Howat ( ISBN 0-87099-957-5 ) on page 137 is mentioned: "Also in 1824 the (American) Academy elected as honorary member the Italian Raimondo Trentanove, a favored pupil of Canova . . . an act calculated to emphasize the institution's connections to Europe and to counter criticism of American cultural provincialism." This bust weighs 103 lbs. {It is possible that this may be a portrait bust of Charles Lucien (Carlo) Jules Laurent Bonaparte, 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano (May 24, 1803 – July 29, 1857) was a French naturalist and ornithologist. He was the son of Lucien Bonaparte and nephew of Emperor Napoleon.} Price $30,000.00.
# 2149. A Rare Charles X Column Lamp. Fitted for Electricity. 25.5" tall to the base of the electrical fitting. Retains its burner collar and shade ring. Good original patina with dark bronze and fire gilt surfaces. Probably French. Unmarked. The Column Lamp is a very elegant form of lighting, usually fitted with a mellon or ball glass shade. Price: $1,250.00.
# 3081. A Single Carcel Lamp. Paris Porcelain with fire-gilt bronze metalwork. Fitted for electricity (mechanical innerworkings removed and burner/shade holder removed). Style: Neo-Grec. Manufactured between 1869-1880. Condition: the lower porcelain section has an apparent crack from the upper edge to the intermediate gold band. Minor surface wear consistent with use and age. We believe that the art work is part stenciled but for the most part hand painted. This is a rare lamp depicting Greek figures, four in all. The predominant ground colors are turquoise, terra-cotta with black and gold tracery. There are three separate porcelain section joined with fire gilt bronze elements. Unmarked. The main image depicts a soldier / warrior atop a winged horse / Pegasus / killing a mythological monster. This high quality lamp would have been used in a room of furnishings consistent with cabinet makers such as Pottier and Stymus, Leon Marcotte, Herter Brothers and Alexander Roux. Size: 20" tall to the bottom of the modern electrical socket and the base has a 6" footprint. Price: $3,000.00.
We have had the privilege of owning three Duncan Phyfe items, inlcuding the above pictured Rosewood sideboard. Metal inlay and brass gallery. A similar form is pictured on page 173 (Dover), plate 155 in Nancy McClelland's Duncan Phyfe and the English Regency 1795-1830. In the 1920's through the 1940's this era furniture in Newport was considered just good used furniture and often time ended up in rooming houses where rooms were rented by the week. We sold this sideboard over 35 years ago.
ZSOLNAY //
FURNITURE
// GLASS
// PORCELAIN // POTTERY //
METAL
LIGHTING // PAINTINGS
// EPHEMERA // TEXTILES
// GOTHIC
// MISCELLANEOUS//CLOCKS
THE DRAWING ROOM ANTIQUES HOME PAGE
The Drawing Room is located at 152-154 Spring Street, Newport, Rhode Island 02840.We are open daily from 11 am to 5 pm and by appointment. If you have an interest in an item listed in this document or wish to purchase an item, please call us at 1-401-841-5060 (cell: 401-261-3980). We have been located in Newport since 1985.
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