Objects of Vertu and More: At European Decorative Arts

The European Decorative Arts Company, in Gallery #54, specializes in the finest examples of Objects of Verdu (enamels and hardstone carvings), decorative carriage clocks, and Viennese enamels.

Carriage Clocks

Carriage or “traveling” clocks reached their heyday in the second half of the 19th century.

Easily recognizable by their four-sided cases with glass sides and handle on top, these so-called “little darlings” evolved into complex designs with a variety of case styles, movements and decorative techniques.

Rock Crystals and Hardstones

These exquisite objects were made in rock crystals and other hardstones – and were crafted by important makers such as Hermann Ratzersdorfer, Hermann Bohm, Charles Duron, Jean Valentin Morel.

From the time of their inception, these objects were meant to be cherished for the materials that were employed in their production and for the skilled manner in which they were crafted. The fact that these items, as fragile and vulnerable as they are, have survived in their present condition with minimal damage, is testament to how greatly they were valued over the years by their temporary custodians.

Viennese Enamel

This elaborate drinkware is part of the gallery’s collection of Viennese enamels which includes works by Hermann Ratzersdorfer and Hermann Böhm, in popular Renaissance Revival forms and decoration (painted enamels with silver-gilt mounts).

Along with Limoges in France, Vienna became a center for the production of painted enamels in the second half of the 19th century. Major workshops by well-known silversmiths, such as Bohm and Ratzersdorfer, created elaborate confections in the “Ringstrasse” taste, catering primarily to a burgeoning affluent clientèle and made primarily for export.

Make an appointment to see The European Decorative Arts Company‘s extensive collection.

Contact the gallery at: 516.621.1771 or 212.758.3023 or eurodecart@gmail.com

You can also find decorative European objects at F&P Associates, Solomon Treasure and a number of other galleries here at the Manhattan Art & Antiques Center (1050 2nd Avenue at 56th Street).