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Art Nouveau vanity mirror
 The base of this marvelous antique cast iron vanity or shaving mirror features a tall slender lady in a flowing dress so characteristic of the Art Nouveau period (1890-1914). Her upstretched arms support the framework for the 7-1/2" x 5-1/2" oval mirror in its ornately sided bronze finished frame that vertically rotates a full 360 degrees. The back mirror piece is green painted tin, held securely in place by four metal clips. At a whopping 18-1/2" tall and weighing one ounce shy of 5 pounds, this very substantial piece has survived virtually unscathed through three generations (at least) of constant use by the men of Ol’ Swaphos’ family. From his earliest childhood, he remembers watching first his grandpa and later his papa use this mirror every time they shaved, and it’s ready to become a prized possession of a new family for many more decades to come. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $175.00 + s/h
only 1 available |
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Art Nouveau silveroin clothes brush
 This beautiful antique clothes brush features a silveroin top depicting a lovely lady on each end with long flowing tresses, so typical of Art Nouveau design, descending to a flower with a long stem and leaves. Marked “silveroin” on one side. Silveroin was a trade name for a shiny non-silver alloy used by the Bristol Mfg. Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts from 1895-1915. Piece measures 7" x 2-1/4" x 1¾” tall. Virtually all brush bristles are intact. Top is a slightly wobbly fit after all this time and has a ding or two, but the brush is still usable, makes a great display piece, and is a lovely example of the art noveau style. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $65.00 + s/h and insurance
only 1 available |
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Sterling silver 3-piece vanity set
 This is a stunning sterling silver vanity set consisting of hand mirror, hairbrush, and comb. The heavy sterling backs of both the mirror and brush are beautifully decorated with a center egg-shaped hammered silver design surrounded by delicate flowers, vines, and leaves. Additional vines, leaves, and scrollwork follow the sculptured edges of both pieces, producing a distinct Art Nouveau look.. The sterling comb top features a coordinating design and has a sculptured bottom edge Hand mirror is 11" x nearly 6" and contains a 5-1/4" diameter round beveled mirror. Hairbrush is 10" x 3-3/8" and all brush bristles are intact. Comb is 7-3/4" x 1-3/4" and all teeth are intact. All three pieces carry three hallmarks (a center shield with a circle on either side) and the word “Sterling”. Mirror is numbered 802, hairbrush is numbered 805, and comb is numbered 811. All three pieces are in outstanding condition, having lived in plastic bags for who knows how many decades, and look virtually unused. No dents or dings anywhere and very little tarnishing. The mirror glass has developed age spotting, but is still quite usable. This gorgeous vanity set would make a spectacular addition to any lady’s dresser! (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $325.00 + s/h and insurance
only 1 set available |
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Irice Art Nouveau black onyx atomizer
 This elegant Irice Art Nouveau perfume bottle is 3-1/2" x 2" and stands 4" tall to the top of its goldtone cap. Soft matte finished black onyx bottle is designed to look like the beautifully draped neckline of a lady’s dress, fastened at one shoulder with a closure and smaller drape. Goldtone cap attaches to a fabric-covered tube and atomizer bulb with a long black fringed tassel. Squeezing the bulb produces a puff of lovely-scented air from the perfume that once filled this now empty bottle. Unmarked 1-1/2" x 1" oval base. Perfect condition with no nicks, chips, cracks, or scratches. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $75.00 + s/h and insurance
only 1 available |
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Art Nouveau purse mirror
 This beautiful little antique Art Nouveau purse mirror is 2" x 2-1/2" x 5-1/4" long. Rich repousse design includes two cherubs and three additional cherub heads. Beaded edge and a rope-like handle. Fancy Victorian department stores often gave these little mirrors as premiums to their customers. Surprisingly heavy for its diminutive size, this mirror is made of metal that has aged to a soft pewter appearance. No dents or dings, but the mirror has completely lost its silvering. Still a very striking piece of Victorian art. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $20.00 + s/h
only 1 available |
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Art Nouveau purse frame and clip
 This beautiful antique metal purse frame undoubtedly topped a fine lady’s evening bag some time around the turn of the 20th Century when Art Nouveau was all the rage. Measuring 4-1/8" x 2-1/2" when closed, the center of the front part of the frame features the head of a lovely woman with long flowing tresses, with a cherub head at either corner, and filagree everywhere else. Two 4-1/4" long chains rise from the back part of the frame to attach to a ring which in turn attaches to an ornate clip, allowing the lady to clip her bag to her evening gown’s ribbon belt and leave her hands free for dancing. I don’t know if this is coin silver, silveroin, or some other type of plating, but both the frame front and clip front have the appearance of pewter. The middle portion of the frame back, however, has rubbed to where brass coloring shows through. No markings as to maker, but the purse latch is marked “Pat. Jul.2.01" and the clip back is marked “Pat. February 19th, 1901". Latch closes securely and opens by pulling it slightly forward to disengage its two tiny interior feet from the slots in the frame back. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $225.00 + s/h and insurance
only 1 available |
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Dragonfly nymph pewter overlay perfume bottle
 The front of this unique crystal perfume bottle features a pewter overlay depicting a highly detailed dragonfly nymph with flowing tresses kneeling amid foliage. Distinct Art Nouveau look! Bottle measures 2" across x 5/8" deep x 2-5/8" tall to the top of its ornate pewter cap. 1-1/8" x 1/2" base is unmarked as to maker. Perfect condition with no nicks, chips, cracks, scratches, or damage to the pewter. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $26.00 + s/h
only 1 available |
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Lady with moon and stars pewter overlay perfume bottle
 The front of this unique crystal perfume bottle features a pewter overlay depicting a lady with flowing tresses and flowing gown reaching upward toward a large crescent moon and surrounding stars. Distinct Art Nouveau look! Bottle measures 2" across x 5/8" deep x 2-5/8" tall to the top of its ornate pewter cap. 1-1/8" x 1/2" base is unmarked as to maker. Perfect condition with no nicks, chips, cracks, scratches, or damage to the pewter. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $26.00 + s/h
only 1 available |
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Silver plated purse mirror
 This antique silver plated Art Nouveau purse mirror features three flowers bordered by a flowing ribbon that gracefully ripples its way around the entire edge and descends to also border the handle. The other side of the handle is likewise decorated below the 1-7/8" diameter beveled mirror. Piece measures 4" long x 2" across. Other than some tarnish this beautiful old purse mirror is in perfect condition with no dents or dings and no loss of silvering to the mirror. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $40.00 + s/h
only 1 available |
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Goldtone child’s mirror
 If your little princess envies your Art Nouveau hand mirror, give her one of her own! This vintage goldtone child’s mirror is 2-3/8" wide x 4-1/2" long to the tip of its curvy handle. Back features a classic raised Art Nouveau lady with long flowing hair. Round mirror is 1-3/4" in diameter, slightly loose in its frame, and streaked with age, but still reflects well. No dents or dings to the metal. (Click on picture for more images.) Tell a friend.
Price: $10.00 + s/h
only 1 available |
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Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau was an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art – especially the decorative arts – that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century (1890–1905). The name “Art Nouveau” is French for “new art,” but it was known in Germany as “Jugendstil,” German for “youth style.”Art Nouveau is characterized by organic, especially floral and other plant-inspired motifs, as well as highly-stylized, flowing curvilinear forms. Art Nouveau was an approach to design according to which artists should work on everything from architecture to furniture, making art part of everyday life.
A description published in Pan magazine of Hermann Obrist’s wall-hanging Cyclamen (1894) described Art Nouveau as “sudden violent curves generated by the crack of a whip.” Subsequently, not only did the work itself become better known as “The Whiplash,” but the term “whiplash” is frequently applied to the characteristic curves employed by Art Nouveau artists. Such decorative “whiplash” motifs, formed by dynamic, undulating, and flowing lines, are found throughout the architecture, painting, sculpture, and other forms of Art Nouveau design
Art Nouveau is now considered a “total” style encompassing not only the visual arts, but also architecture, interior design, lighting, and the decorative arts including jewelry, furniture, textiles, household silver, and other utensils. To many Europeans, Art Nouveau encompassed a whole way of life. It was possible to live in an art nouveau-inspired house with art nouveau furniture, silverware, crockery, jewelry, cigarette cases, etc. The Art Nouveau movement wanted to make art part of everyday life, break all connections to classical times, and bring down the barriers between the fine arts and applied arts. Art Nouveau was underlined by a particular way of thinking about modern society and new production methods, attempting to redefine the meaning and nature of the work of art, so that art would not overlook any everyday object, no matter how utilitarian. Hence the name Art Nouveau – “New Art.”
By the start of the First World War, however, the highly stylized nature of Art Nouveau design—which itself was expensive to produce—began to be dropped in favor of more streamlined, rectilinear modernism that was cheaper and thought to be more faithful to the rough, plain, industrial aesthetic that became Art Deco.
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