Announcing our new exhibition by

 Eric Gabb. 

'Mountain Range'

'Algarve Coast'

'Algarve Coast'

'Golden Girl'

Specialising in Silver

Silver is a beautiful metal whose use is literally as old as the hills. Silver metalworkers developed superb levels of craftsmanship over the centuries and this ongoing skill and sophistication amongst silversmiths continues to this day. 






The collector has a wide choice and can specialise by type as well as in terms of age and history. Silver from the early Georgian or even earlier periods is quite rare and therefore rather expensive.   The later Georgian period is more affordable, as are the ornate and profuse Victorian wares.   Always popular is silver from Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco periods.

Silver Tea Caddy

Serving Dish

The collector of British silver has the advantage of the hallmarking system where an independent assay office stamps the maker’s mark, quality, and date on each piece of silver.  People do also like to collect the discontinued assay offices such as Chester and Exeter.   An amateur can appear to have a little knowledge by glancing at the hallmarking guides which really does fit into a pocket when going to the antique fairs.  

When investing in silver another advantage is that it is a precious metal with its own value, without considering any value in the workmanship or rarity. This can turn into a curse - when the 'scrap' price was over £20 per ounce in 2011 many potential collectable items must have been smelted down, a very sad occurrence.

The Beauty of Wood

One of the things I enjoy most about antiques is seeing all the lovely woods used to make the pieces of furniture. Instead of a thin veneer of top of MDF, you get all the warmth and beauty of Oak, Walnut, Flame Mahogany, Satinwood, Coromandel, and many others. These woods have their own unique characteristics, and no two pieces of furniture will be exactly the same, even though made of the same type of wood, as each grain pattern is unique. On top of using different woods, the designer can chose carving or inlay to further enhance the wood.

Here are some of my favourites, either that are in the shop now, or that have passed through recently.

Walnut and Brass Box

Coromandel Box

Flame Mahogany Chest of Drawers

Satinwood Chest of Drawers

And then the wood can be embellished:-

Stunning Inlaid Corner Cupboard

Panelled Oak Chest

This is my absolute favourite, an ebonised and fretwork nursing chair, the photograph does not do it justice.

What a difference a few months make to the weather. Our customers are coming in wearing lovely summery clothes instead of being all wrapped up in coats and scarves. They are still looking for that special piece of furniture that has just the look they want and is of the right dimensions.

Of course, online sales are always useful, but it can be tricky organising delivery. We have just sent a large wardrobe to Norfolk, and a lady in Canada loved our Viennese clock, but it was around £400 to deliver it.

By the way, we are revamping the gallery side of the business, which has always been dear to our hearts, there will be more news of that in the future.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, why not pay us a visit and see if you can find that special gift for that special Mum.

 

We have many appealing paintings by local artists. 

For example, the badger is £45.

Jewelry and scent bottles make nice gifts.  

Here are a modern silver bangle and a blue scent bottle.

And some more ideas -

The temperature has really dropped in the last few days. Our customers don't seem to mind, they are well wrapped up already, and don't need to take off their coats to try a chair for size. Of course we sell many items through the internet, especially www.sellingantiques.co.uk who were mentioned in the Saturday Telegraph Property Section this weekend.

China Cabinet

We recently welcomed a new dealer who has joined us to specialise in china and pottery items. She particularly likes Art Deco and has brought in a double cabinet full of her lovely pieces.

Edwardian Revolving Bookcase

We are always getting interesting new stock, apart from the usual chests of drawers, desks, tables, and wardrobes that are so popular. Have a look at this round double revolving bookcase, or the wonderfully tactile jade amulet.

Jade Dragon Amulet

New Vendor, Specializing in Silver

We have a new vendor in who specializes in silver items. What caught my fancy was a tiny prayer book with silver covers. The front cover has embossed angels on it.






This dealer also has a model of The Beatles Yellow Submarine - no one can accuse us of not having variety!

Some Recent Items - Showing Our Wide Range of Stock

This selection of items that have come in this month show what a variety we have in the Emporium. There is an Anglo Indian console table, a WWII helmet, two silver plate and glass storage containers from Harrods (one is for string),  and finally a vibrant new picture by the artist Tim Brooks.






Do pop in and have a look sometime.

Coins and Militaria added to our range at The Emporium

Pylle Emporium and Gallery has a new dealer who specialises in coins and Military items. He has a good selection for sale and is intending to bring more in to The Emporium in the coming months if there is sufficient interest. 

Please phone or email us if you would like more information.

Coins

Militaria

Vintage Bakelite Telephones

We have just got in three more Bakelite telephones, a different model from the ones we have already. All our  phones have been converted to run on the current telephone network.

I keep seeing similar ones on the television, for example the more modern shape were in Endeavour on ITV, which is set in the 1960's.

Deed from the reign of George III

I like this item. It is the deed for a property in the next village, Evercreech, and is from the reign of George III.

Evercreech is quite a large village, with a lovely church, a Village Hall, a Junior School, a Co-Op, and a post office among other facilities. The previous owners acquired the deed when they bought the house, 1, High Street, Evercreech. Their solicitor gave them a big box full of documents relating to local properties. Apparently  by default they had all been filed with the documents for house number 1!


This document is actually an Indenture, so called because it was written in duplicate and the parts were separated by cutting an indented (as opposed to straight) line between them so that they can later be refitted to prove authenticity. It is handwritten in English on vellum and was ‘ made the Eleventh Day of December in the forty first year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third’. It has the two wax seals and the revenue and tax stamp on it. The bottom of the document is a double layer tied up at the corners with tiny strips of vellum, very sweet.

The Emporium has recently acquired many interesting glass items to sell. This started off with a couple, who were downsizing, bringing in their collection of cut glass crystal decanters. This inspired me to collect our other decanters together for a photograph. The decanters range from an onion shaped etched glass decanter for £15 to a cut glass one with a silver collar by Garrad and Co for £195.

St Louis Glasses

Then Tony found a large number of Saint Louis crystal glasses, forty five altogether, ranging from champagne glasses down to liquor glasses. Saint Louis make wonderful glassware and is the oldest glass manufacturer in France, it is now owned by Hermes International.  The pattern is called STL16 and is very pretty.





A local lady brought in a collection of Swarovski crystal figurines. Those of you who collect these will already be familiar with the wonderful details in the design of the figurines. I think my favourite is the pair of Kingfishers.

Finally, a selection of blue glassware came in at the weekend. The dealer selling these is our friend with all the Chinese items, he must have extended his interests.

New Artist: Tim Brooks, Wood Sculptor

Tim Brooks an artist steadily growing in reputation displaying and selling work in galleries across the west country.  He specialises in creating beautiful works that stem from a deep reverence of the materials used. His primary medium is wood, and he effortlessly takes it in its natural form and transforms it in his own unique way. Tim lifts out both the innate beauty of the wood and what would otherwise be flaws, and creates unique and stunning works of art which, are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional additions to a home. See more of his work at: Tim Brooks Wood Turned Originals

Spalted Beech Goblet

" I have been a wood turner for over 20 years and it's my passion.  I have been working in mid- Devon and, more recently, Somerset.

Sometimes it's the wood that drives the design and sometimes the beauty I see within the wood.  For a piece to work just right, it has to inspire and nourish the artist first.  To feel that rush of anticipation of what is possible in the piece and then to see the beauty which lies beneath.

A log is just a piece of wood until it has been sculpted, designed and fashioned into an art form.  Then it becomes something else.  It's that something that makes us want to take it home.  Every time we look at it, it gives something back."

- Tim Brooks.

Jarrha vase with ebonised rim

Hawthorn vase with Jarrha base

Country stools

Pretty Victorian Country Stool

Fabulous Elm milking stool 19th Century

The charm of the countryside!

It may seem dismal weather around here and we are quite in the mists today as well as in the 'midst' as the surrounding country side is covered by low cloud, making everything feel quite heavy and humid. Still, spring... summer infact must be on the way and we have some lovely items in ready to make the most of the long awaited better weather, and, to enjoy right now all winds and muddy weathers!

Edwardian Boot Scraper, perfect for cleaning off muddy wet foot apparel! This quaint article is a genuine bespoke make. Crafted from mahogany with scraper and boot brushes.

Gorgeous enamel jugs for decorating the country home

Large Rustic pine dresser

Picnic Baskets and blankets galore