Antebellum vignette

Antebellum vignette

I bought a few little antebellum items at a estate sale here in Mobile for my birthday. I have grouped them together. In the back ground is a late 18th century Italian engraving framed in the 1850's in a mahogany & gilt frame. I love theses engravings as many old antebellum homes in the Deep South had them in just about every room. Oil Portraits and paintings were costly in the 19th century as framed engravings were much cheaper then original artwork.

On right side of the engraving is a Rococo Revival Old Paris porcelain vase with apple green body with a detailed portrait of Madonna and child after Raphael's Madonna della sedia. I bought this vase over 10 years ago at a antique shop in the South of France. Next to the vase is a paneled sided Old Paris porcelain cup and saucer circa 1850. Large Paris porcelain cups like this are rare and were used for Café au lait. The cup has in gilt letters "Love the giver". Most of theses cups with inscriptions were given as gifts as presentation pieces.

Next to the Café au lait cup is a very rare 1840's gold colored bohemian cut glass finger bowl. Cut and etched, finger bowls like this was filed with water, usually with lemon or flower petals, placed at the front of each dinner plate which is used for rinsing one's fingers in between courses in a multiple course meal. Originally finger bowls were made and sold in sets but are very heard to find today in sets dating from this period but sometimes show up as pairs are sets of two.