Latest Additions…
About: This matched pair of weighty Russian style candlesticks likely date to the mid 19th Century. Each is solid cast with screw style base and being sand cast have somewhat irregular pitted surface and naive lathe lines. The main body of each with a pleasant octagonal tapered form.
Why We Love It: Coming in at approximately 10 lbs each! this pair may have been for ecclesiastical use. They are bold and handsome!
Condition: Well polished and free of chips, cracks or repairs.
Dims: 11.75” Tall x 4.25” Square base
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This matched pair of finely drawn male nude studies are double matted and tastefully framed in wood with beaded detail. While unknown to us, each may be signed by the artist under the matting or framing. Likely dating to second half 20th Century. Priced for the pair.
Why We Love It: Tastefully drawn and small scale, perfect for your salon style picture wall.
Condition: Frames shows some minor wear. Drawings are clean and bright.
Dims: Each framed size measures 11.25” x 13.75”
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This solid brass piece with numerous articulating parts, thumb screws, slide adjustments, two candle holders and a magnifying glass may date to the early 1900s. It could be a fantastical decorative piece or something actually used in day-to-day life. We’ve seen it advertised as a “student desk apparatus”.
Why We Love It: Honestly we’re not exactly sure what this is despite hours of research. We just know that its plain old cool and looks great on a bookshelf. Thus we are calling it “decorative” only. The shelf wear to the pad feet indicate some age.
Condition: Some old wax, dust and shelf wear to the feet but overall excellent original condition. No breaks, repairs or otherwise.
Dims: 8” long x 6” Wide x 11.5” Tall without candles.
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This solid quartersawn “Mission” oak style frame dates to the 1920s - 1940s and has a warm fumed finish. Likely American.
Why We Love It: You can’t go wrong with fumed oak. Would make a perfect frame for a vintage team photo….or any dramatic black & white photo for that matter.
Condition: Sturdy and showing very little wear. No glass nor backing included.
Dims: 22.25” x 15.5”. Rabbet at 17.25” x 10.125”. 0.75 in thick
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This handmade mahogany marquetry frame features inlaid chasing chevron pattern with raised corner blocks. Likely American.
Why We Love It: Such a cutie! Someone spent quite a bit of time on this. And over the years its developed a lovely warm patina.
Condition: Shows well and free of chips cracks, repairs etc. Currently setup for horizontal hanging but could be adjusted for vertical. No glass or backer included.
Dims: 14” x 11”. Rabbet at 11” x 8”. 0.75” Thick
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: Mid to late 19th century pair of oval lemon gold hand gilt wooden frames with original backs as shown. Likely manufactured in Europe of European softwoods. Sold as a pair.
Why We Love It: Its hard to find a pair of these that have always lived together and remain in good condition. This pair has honest patina and presence that is lost on newer gilding.
Condition: Cracks here and there (that’s why we like them) and with an overall handsome warm patina. Structurally sound & sturdy. The gilt is lightly worn through to the red bole beneath in some spots. Original backer boards included but no glass.
Dims: 12.75” x 10.75”. Rabbet at 8.625” x 6.625”. 1.5” Thick.
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This vintage photo dates to 1945 (as noted on the reverse) and features the men’s Freshmen Basketball team from Yale University. The photo is presented in original black wooden frame.
Why We Love It: What a handsome bunch! And Ivy League at that.
Condition: Overall excellent condition showing little wear and no fading. The traditional frame shows some wear. Inspected to verify the photo is authentic, thus missing paper backing to the frame.
Dims: 11.25” Wide x 14.5” Tall. Image measures 9.5 Wide x 12.5 Tall.
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This classic c.1915 inkwell comes in the form of a handsome spaniel or shepherd and is made of spelter, a base metal of zinc heavily used in casting decorative items from the 1900s onward. The dog’s head articulates to reveal space for an inkwell pot, likely glass but now long gone. This entire piece was likely originally affixed to a wooden base.
Why We Love It: This piece has a wonderful hunt country aesthetic and is well cast in detail and form. Makes a nice desk topper to store your roll of stamps.
Condition: Some casting bubbles here and there and a very old stress / casting crack to his muzzle as shown. Lacking glass inkwell.
Dims: 4” Wide x 4.5” Deep x 3.5” Tall
Location: Sperryville, VA
Shipping Note: If our shipping calculator comes out high on something like this we always refund a the overage.
Hi there. Thanks for dropping in.
Mauk Ltd. is an online antiques store powered by the thrill of discovery. We try to keep it interesting and aim to keep our prices reasonable. We hope you’ll feel the same.
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XO,
Rob & Mike
More from the Collection
About: We found this piece in Philly. Likely an ornamentation salvaged from one of many sadly demolished Beaux Arts buildings downtown. This Roman style engaged ionic column base (torus on plinth) is made of Carrara marble and is clear of grey veining. At one time it would have been as bright as driven snow and stunning.
Why We Love It: Don’t get us started on Philly’s lack of historical appreciation for their architectural inventory (oops, too late). Anyway, this lovely saved little guy makes for a nice single sided bookend for your mahogany paneled library or Ikea Billy bookshelf. Just the right amount of wear & tear.
Condition: Chips here & there as shown. Pretty heavy!
Dims: 6” Wide x 4.75” Wide x 4.75” Deep.
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This handsome and well patina-ed pair of mahogany double columns likely came from a mantlepiece or stair millwork. Each visually appealing column correctly includes entasis and architectural heierarchical order.
Why We Love It: Check the soft orange peeling of the finish and warm patina throughout. This sophisticated pair have been one of our favorite desktop pieces, adding height to soften a corner. They would also make fabulous lamps!
Condition: Solid and well loved. One side remains unfinished alluding to their original purpose.
Dims: 16.75” Tall x 5.5” Wide x 2.25” Deep.
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This handsome sculpture of the Parthenon in Mahogany sits atop a plinth of Roso marble. The columns show mild entasis and somewhat correct entablature with sloped pediment above.
Why We Love It: The naive nature of this piece leads us to believe it may have been a student or woodworker project from the recent past and most likely from the US given the whole number measurements.
Condition: The marble has flea bite chips as shown with two corners having losses as well. The mahogany temple form is well affixed to the marble base. Some Mahogany finish degradation as shown. Overall fun and shows well.
Dims: 12” Wide x 5” Deep x 11.5” Tall
Location: Sperryville, VA
About: This is an intricately carved souvenir piece from Lucerne, Switzerland, likely sold at the Lion Monument to tourists. The lion is incredibly detailed and carved of a single piece of mahogany. He’s inscribed with the latin: Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti (“To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss"). This piece likely late 19th Century.
From Wiki: The Lion Monument, or the Lion of Lucerne, is a rock relief in Lucerne, Switzerland, designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and hewn in 1820–21 by Lukas Ahorn. It commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris
Why We Love It: The carver captured Thorvaldsen’s original intent, detail and mood with great skill and restraint. The lion is full of emotion.
Condition: One chip to the shield as shown. Some shelf wear but otherwise excellent with a warm patina.
Dims: 9.5” Long x 4” High
Location: Philadelphia, PA
About: This is a solid brass bust of Lucius Aurelius Verus, Roman emperor from 161 AD until his death in 169 AD, commonly mentioned alongside his adoptive famous brother, Marcus Aurelius.
Lucius sits upon a solid brass socle (plinth) and is mounted on veined round green marmo verde (green marble, Italy) mounting/ plinth. A nice addition to a Grand Tour collection.
Why We Love It: Such a handsome fella! Strong features, penetrating eyes and detailed casting make this a great piece. The marble is turned with nice detailing.
Condition: Excellent with some polishing over its lifetime. The marble base has a chip to the rear as shown.
Dims: 7” H x 3” diameter at the base.
Location: Philadelphia, PA
About: A very finely detailed bronze bust of the Greco-Roman god of healing, Asclepius. The excellent level of detail is evident in the texture of his hair and twisted wreath about his head. Modeled after the classical Roman sculpture in The Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi of Syracuse, Sicily.
This piece was likely mounted on marble plinth or part of a garniture. Unmarked.
Why We Love It: The detail on this piece really drive this home for us: Classical styling with open eyes, curly hair and strong masculine features.
Condition: Very fine with excellent warm bronze-green patina. Marble base is likely missing as there are mounts and screw holes.
Dims: 6” H 3.5” W x 2.75” D
Location: Philadelphia, PA
About: Executed in Marmo Rosso (red marble) this mid 19th Century Grand Tour souvenir obelisk features scratch carved hieroglyphs from the Luxor Temple on the East bank of the Nile River. Likely manufactured in Italy.
Why We Love It: This piece makes us so happy: all the mystery and romance of ancient Egypt combined with the tradition of the Grand Tour. The hieroglyphs are intricate and over the top.
Condition: Chips and flea bites to base as shown. Obelisk looks to have been repaired long ago (third image) with some wearing of hieroglyphs. Very sturdy and presentable, honest wear & patina.
Dims: 18.25” H x 5.5” W x 5.5” D
Location: Philadelphia, PA
About: After famed Renaissance sculptor Jean de Bologne, known as Giambologna, comes this bronze of Mercury on round slate plinth with lower frieze motifs in bronze. The Mercury figure is blown from the mouth of Boreas, the god of north wind & winter.
This piece hails from France, late 19th century
Why We Love It: Just look at Mercury’s cute little butt! This is a beautifully detailed bronze with a rich warm patina. Perfectly suited for your Grand Tour collection.
Condition: Excellent free of breaks or repairs. Some small flea bites to the lower slate plinth. Mercury’s caduceus is intact (often missing)
Dims: 21” H x 5” Diameter at base.
Location: Philadelphia, PA
About: This handmade pair of formed brass wall sconces are likely from England dating to the later part of the 19th Century / early 20th Century. Each features a ovular sunburst medallion to the face surrounded by punched scroll work. Each sconce has two urn form candle cups. Priced for the pair.
Why We Love It: These petite stunners are a perfect scale for an accent wall or to soften a outside corner. The handmade nature is pleasing and the sunburst medallion is a favorite motif, recalling Georgian period decoration.
Condition: Excellent with no breaks or significant dents or bends other than what was intended. They may have been electrified at one time given the rear through-holes to the bottom backing, which do not really detract from the overall composition.
Dims: 11” Tall x 6” Wide x 3.25” Deep.
Location: Sperryville, VA