Antiques Topic - antiques blog

Some italian families like Cipriani and Pugi produced signed and unsigned decorative pieces around 1900. Busts and figures in classical or contemporary pose show this period of art.

Be careful with restorations, especially on hands and long necks. These pieces are solid, and abrasions are normal signs of age, but always look the areas of different textures it may be air-brushed white paint hiding bad restorations.

->Hans Muller was an Austrian sculptor, he was born on January 10th 1873. He study in the Vienna Academe of Art. He is known for his busts of the famous Viennese people, also he produced a few animal sculptures mostly of hunting dogs.

Sculpture by Hans Muller. This sculpture called Sand Cast Bronze and was produced around 1900. With 5 1/4″ height by 8 1/4″ length is mounted on a 9″ by 4 1/2″ by 1″ thick marble base. Signed H. Muller on the reverse side and stamped Austria .

->The sculptor Alphonse-Alexandre Arson was born in Paris, France on January 11th 1822.

This sculpture called Rabbit Family(3 7/8″ height by 3 1/4″ length) was produced around 1850 by Alphonse-Alexandre Arson. This bronze is a depiction of a mother rabbit and her son. Is finished in a brown patina and mounted on a red marble base.

The first Dying Gladiator (Gaul) was seen in the Ludovici Collection in 1623, today the original is in the Capitoline Museum. It is age, size and casting quality that are needed to see before purchase this sculpture  in over $1500, also a greenish patina will add appeal. If it has a Collas stamp this means that it was part of a long production run by Barbedienne in many sizes.

Developed in 1776 by B. Hotchkiss, and produced by Winchester from 1878. The Chinese government ordered more than 15.000 Hotchkiss carbines in 1881. After many modifications the name of this carbine was shortened to Winchester model 1883. The antique Winchester Hotchkiss was produced until 1899. The first model serial numbers run from 1 to 6419. The second model serial numbers run from 6420 to 22521. The third model serial numbers run from 22552 to 84555. Winchester produced long-barreled sporting rifles of these three models, the barrel lengths varying from 26 to 32″ (66 to 81.3 cm).

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

-Calibre : .45-70 Government

-Catridge capacity: five-shot

-Operation : single-action

-Firing system : centre-fire

-Breach-loading: bolt action with breech-sealing lugs

-Length : 112 cm (44.1″ )

-Barrel length : 61 cm (24″)

-Weight : 3.6 kg (7.9 lb)

-Sight : graduated sight

-Safety :rotating sear on right-hand side, over trigger guard

-Stock : nut

Cornishware is one of the most popular of kitchenware. Jars are wrote with atypical titles such as Brown Sugar or Granulated Sugar. The price for these antique porcelains is around $100 and $300 and more for uncommon samples.

The Cornishware storage jars are an excellent investment, and usable as decorative kitchenware.

Cornishware Flour jar (8 in / 20.5 cm)

Were made around 325.000 of these antique revolvers from 1850 to 1875 in many versions; with round or square trigger guards. The Colt 1848 pocket Dragoon with the 3″ barrel usually has no loading ramrod, and the cylinder has an engraving. One of these versions is the Wells Fargo with a 3″ or 4″ barrel (76 or 102 mm). Henry Wells and William G. Fargo of San Francisco opened an important stage-coach company in 1851.

Uberti produces excellent replicas of the pocket Dragoon and all Dragoon models :

Uberti 1848 Dragoon 1st Model .44 Blackpowder

Uberti 1848 Dragoon 2nd Model .44 Blackpowder

Uberti 1848 Dragoon 3rd Model .44 Blackpowder

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

-Calibre: .31″ (7.9 mm)

-Catridge capacity: five or six-shot

-Operation: single-action

-Firing system: percussion

-Breach-loading: N/A

-Length: 216 mm, 241 mm, 267 mm or 292 mm (8.5″, 9.5″, 10.5″, 11.5″)

-Barrel length: 76 mm, 102 mm, 127 mm, 152 mm (3″, 4″, 5″, 6″)

-Weight: 650 g (22.9 oz.) with a 4″ barrel

-Grip: walnut grip in one piece

-Sight: fixed

-Safety: half-cock hammer

Were built around 15.000 Colt baby Dragoon revolvers from 1847 to 1850, the first 10.000 revolvers had engraved on the cylinder a scene of a battle between Texas Rangers and Indians.This version had also a rectangular trigger guard, in the later version had a round trigger guard.

Some of these revolvers have a loading ramrod. The Colt Baby Dragoon was built for many companies, for example by Belgium gunsmiths.

Uberti makes excellent replicas of this antique revolver:

Uberti 1848 Baby Dragoon .31 Blackpowder

Uberti 1848 Dragoon 1st Model .44 Blackpowder

Uberti 1848 Dragoon 2nd Model .44 Blackpowder

Uberti 1848 Dragoon 3rd Model .44 Blackpowder




TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

-Calibre: .31″ (7.9 mm)

-Catridge capacity: five or six-shot

-Operation: single-action

-Firing system: percussion

-Breach-loading: N/A

-Length: 216 mm, 241 mm, 267 mm or 292 mm (8.5″, 9.5″, 10.5″, 11.5″)

-Barrel length: 76 mm, 102 mm, 127 mm, 152 mm (3″, 4″, 5″, 6″)

-Weight: 650 g (22.9 oz.) with a 4″ barrel

-Grip: walnut grip in one piece

-Sight: fixed

-Safety: half-cock hammer

The Murray 1862 Carbine was made by J.P. Murray of Columbus, Georgia; and produced from 1862 to 1864. The stock plate, trigger guard and barrel rings are of brass.

This antique firearm was made in three versions:

-Murray Cavalry carbine with a saddle rod and a ring.

-Murray Infantry with a 24″ (61 cm) barrel.

-Murray Rifle with a 32.75″ (83.2 cm) barrel.

American Navy Arms has an excellent replica of the carbine model.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

-Calibre : .58″ Minie (14.7 mm)

-Catridge capacity: single-shot muzzle

-Operation : single-action

-Firing system :percussion

-Breach-loading: n/a

-Length : 99 cm or 101 cm (39.25″ or 39.75″ )

-Barrel length : 59.7 cm or 61 cm (23.5″ or 24″)

-Weight : 3.4 kg (7.5 lb)

-Sight : fixed

-Safety : half-cock hammer

-Stock : walnut

The are a lot of stories about the origins of the antique miniature furniture, some of them have truth elements. Here i go to tell you the two more reliable hypothesis. The first one says that this miniature pieces were produced by apprentices who were looking to be recognized as craftsmen by their own teacher. This explain the quality of the pieces and the finished work.

The second story says that these miniatures were produced as traveling salesman’s samples or for the small 18th century makers shop windows. Today a piece of miniature furniture is a valued item in antiques market.

Walnut veneered miniature Wellington chest: from 1860-80, with six drawers and a locking bar missing. High: 56 cm. Price: $500-700.

This antique rifle was created by Caldwell Hart Colt, the son of Samuel Colt. These weapons were produced in a little number since 1879 to 1885, they are extremely expensive. These rifles are offered for sale, but mostly of times they are converted versions of the Colt 1878 shotgun. Pedersoli built an excellent replica of this antique rifle, marketed by Navy Arms in the United States of America.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

-Calibre : .45-7o Government

-Catridge capacity: double barreled

-Operation : single-action

-Firing system : centre-fire

-Breach-loading: double barrel hooks

-Length : 101 cm (39.75″)

-Barrel length : 61 cm (24″)

-Weight : 4.6 kg (10.2 lb)

-Sight : fixed

-Safety : half-cock hammer

-Stock : nut stock with pistol grip

The antique mirrors also called looking glass, have been used in interior decoration since the 17th century.

Before start i want to give you an advice, if the silvered backing of the mirror is very deteriorated repair shouldn’t be attempted, but generally the restoration devalue the piece.
There are two methods used to clean the glass of the mirrors, and it works well. The first method consists in wipe the glass with a lint-free of cloth, dunked in lukewarm water with a few drops of ammonia. And the second method is, clean the glass with a piece of cloth moistened with methylated spirits.