Today's purchases

1860's French Old Paris porcelain bisque figurine of The birth of Venus Aphrodite

A few weeks ago a good friend Peter invited me to go with him to a small uptown New Orleans estate sale. I went with him with the hope of not buying anything but that rarely happens when you are a Antiques Dealer. By the time we arrived there were 20 people in line in front of use to go into a small one room sale. When the sale opened they were letting people go in five at a time meaning we would be the 4th group to go inside. As we waited we saw people bringing out amazing pieces! And thought by the time we went in nothing good would be left. Finally it was our time to enter. I ran to the back of the room scanning everything on the side walls. As I arrived to the back I look atop a shelf and saw a naked bisque figure of Venus being born out of a shell looking back at me. I quickly picked her up. As this figure is very rare! As I ran down the other side of the room a found a ornate English gold and white pitcher with mermaids and mermans on it. After scanning all of the room I decided I was finished for the day. So much for not buying anything at the sale. But I got some amazing pieces! Every once and awhile I love to go to estates sales to look for pieces to resale in my antiques business.  The provenance for the lovely items in this sale were great. The pieces were  from a Old New Orleans family and estate on Audubon Place, a private street in Uptown New Orleans. Where millionaires and billionaires live today. 

This is a extremely rare 19th century Victorian porcelain bisque figurine of The birth of Venus/Aphrodite of classical mythology. Hand painted in soft pastel colors. Beautifully modeled and depicted. It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as an adult woman. Nestled between two sea shells and accompanied by Dauphins.

She wears a gold crown and gold and coral necklace. The figurine is 8 1/2 inches high by 6 inches wide at the base. The figurine is from a Old New Orleans family and estate on Audubon Place in Uptown New Orleans.

In ancient art the model of Venus is known as the crouching Venus. Venus (/ˈviːnəs/, Classical Latin: /ˈwɛnʊs/) is the Roman goddess whose functions encompassed love, beauty, sex, fertility, prosperity and desire. 

In Roman mythology, she was the mother of the Roman people through her son, Aeneas, who survived the fall of Troy and fled to Italy. Julius Caesar claimed her as his ancestor. Venus was central to many religious festivals, and was revered in Roman religion under numerous cult titles.

Back of the piece

side of the piece

Dauphin head

Dauphin

Antique English 19th century molded Bone China Pitcher by James Shaw Longton England 

Gorgeous antique Victorian English Bone China pitcher from James Shaw of Longton, England. This porcelain mark is rarely seen as it was only produced from 1896 to 1900. The pitcher has some of the best relief molding of Cherubs, mermaids, ivy leaf and vine, acanthus leafs, grapes, pearls and egg and dart.

One this side of the pitcher you can see a mermaid 

detail of the mermaid. 

Lovely acanthus leaf handle 

Back of the pitcher with old man mask at bottom. 

This side shows a merman. 

The mark on the bottom.