Antique Porcelain & Fine Arts

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Bilston Battersea Enamel Book

This is an interesting piece. It appears that someone took either two lids or a lid and a bottom of a snuff box and made them into the covers for a little note book. The pieces were definitely both made in England - probably in the South Staffordshire region - in the late 18th century. Most likely in the Bilston area or possibly Birmingham or even London but definitely English from the 1700s. They are famous for their Battersea enamel boxes, etc. but I ahve never seen anything like this little notebook. The front piece is white enamel on copper woth hand painted roses in the corners, applied gold designs and the best part off course is the portrait of a young woman / girl. All hand painted and surrounded by little white "jewels" - raised enamel beads that resemble jewels or pearls. The edge has brass mounts to it. The back side has a large floral arrangement hand painted on white ground with gold designs in the corners and brass mounts all around. The inside is lines with a maroon cloth. There is a loose little bokklet also lines with the same color cloth with the first two pages having some info written in it as shown. There is also a business card type piece inside with the name Frau Amalie Goldschmidt . Definitely a really fun and unsual piece! The front part is in pretty good shape with the usual minor cracks to the enamel that these pieces always have. A few of the "jewels" are missing as well. The backside is in rougher shape with an entire corner missing and filled in with some sort of not really matching material. Some cracks as well as shown. It being so unusual makes up for that I think! The entire pieces 2.75 inches wide, 3.875 inches tall and 0.5 inches thick. Unmarked which is normal with these sort of wares. Please email me for more information or other pictures.

Price is $249
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