17th century Italian cabinet a Christmas auction highlight

A rare mid-17^th century northern Italian rosewood, ivory and ebony cabinet on a 19^th century stand (lot 387) is one of the strong antique furniture highlights at Philips Auctions forthcoming Decorative & Fine Arts sale from noon Sunday December 1 at 47 Glenferrie Road, Malvern.

The cabinet contains eight cedar lined drawers each with pen engraved ivory plaques depicting hunting, fishing, fowling and hawking scenes and in its centre is a Renaissance style cupboard with the drawers and the base inlaid with ivory neoclassical pictures.

The following lot (388) – a 19^th century Louis XIV style Boulle Mazarin desk of typical Baroque form with recessed frieze drawer and a kneehole cupboard flanked by six shaped drawers and eight legs connected by stretcher bases – is another big crowed puller along with an 1870s Louis XVI style walnut three-door bookcase cabinet (lot 380).

This is Philips Auctions last decorative arts sale for the year and it has a lot to recommend it for the unusual or thoughtful Christmas present.

For auction goers looking for a clock that is bound to generate plenty of favourable comments, they will not be able to go past lot 35 – a 1920s art deco spelter, marble and onyx figural timepiece depicting a silvered Diana dressed in a girdle and kneeling with her ivorine bow poised and aiming at two deer.

There are several objets verdu worth examining as gifts including lot 140, a 19^th century French .950 silver gilt and glass “opera” liquor flask and a mid-20^th century Chinese Republic era mounted watercolour folding fan (lot 130).

There are plenty of silver items to whet buyer appetites including an unusual cast silver owl with a white amethyst geode (lot 189) and ram’s head in cast silver with quartz crystals and turquoise (lot 211), both by Aurelio Teno (Spanish School, 1927-2013).

A strong sterling silver attraction is lot 219 – a superb 1925-32 Georg Jensen four piece “blossom” tea and coffee service with ivory handles.

For those auction goers really wishing to impress for Christmas, an 1887 Royal Worcester exhibition vase (lot 250), carrying design number 1266 and registration number 02204, might just be the answer.

Of exotic tapering form with a waisted cover, the catalogue estimate of $5000-$8000 is an indication of the vase’s importance and value.

An 1840s pair of ormolu mounted Sevres porcelain lamps (lot 231) is another great gift example for those auction goers looking for something a little different.

The following Monday night’s jewellery auction, from 6pm, offers a range of Georgian silver fob watches, wristwatches and a range of diamond and ruby baubles for Christmas delights.