Father's Day Gift Guide

 

Belmore Browne (American/Canadian, 1880-1954), Mountain Landscape, oil on panel, signed lower right "Belmore Browne", numbered on reverse P445, size in inches: 19.25 h x 29.75 w (with frame 26 h x 36.25 w)

 

Father’s Day is a celebration of fathers and paternal figures, defined by strength, responsibility, and security - both physical and emotional. Customs for honouring fathers date back to the Middle Ages; as early as 1508 the Catholic church commemorated the fatherly Nutritor Domini (“Nourisher of the Lord”) on the Feast Day of Saint Joseph on March 19.

In modern times the first celebration was held July 5, 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia, the same day as the first Mother’s Day celebration, when a Sunday sermon was held in memory of 362 men who perished in explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines. This was a one-time commemoration and the holiday was not presented again until 1910 in Spokane, Washington when Sonora Smart Dodd proposed an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. After hearing a sermon about Jarvis’ Mother’s Day celebration, Sonora proposed the idea to celebrate all fathers on June 5, the birthday of her devoted and selfless father, civil war veteran William Jackson Dodd who raised fourteen children after being twice widowed. Pastors did not have sufficient time to prepare their sermons and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday in June. Washington State held the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day at the YMCA on June 19, 1910.

Enthusiasm for the holiday waned with the Great Depression and began being promoted on a national level well into the 1930’s. Efforts were aided by the Father’s Day Council which was founded by the New York Associated Men’s Wear Retailers in 1938 which promoted the day on a commercial scale as a ‘second Christmas’ for men. With the onset of WWII the celebration was encouraged as a way to honour troops and support the war effort, and the day became a national institution, but it was not until 1972 that it became a permanent national holiday in the US. Today we celebrate all fathers and father figures with gestures of appreciation and celebrations held world wide on various days often in March, May and June, with North Americans observing on the third Sunday in June.


 

Pierre Jules Mêne (French, 1810-1879), Groupe Chevaux Arabes No. 1 (ou Accolade No. 1), bronze, inscribed “P.J. Mêne” and "F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR". Size: 12.8 h x 21.5 w in.
SOLD

The famous French sculptor Pierre Jules Mêne's Arab mare and stallion, known today as L'Accolade, is considered his most recognized and accomplished work. First exhibited in red wax with a thin black patina at the Salon of 1852, it was entitled Tachiani and Nedjébé, Chevaux Arabes. The following year a bronze version was exhibited, and in 1855 the wax was re-submitted to the Exposition Universelle, alongside two of Mêne's other works, and subsequently won a medal. The model's popularity led Mêne to adapt the horses as separate works: Tachiani became Cheval Libre and Nedjébé was altered to become both Jument Arabe Avec Harnachement and Cheval De Spahi Au Piquet. L'Accolade went on to become Mêne's most celebrated works which was cast in three sizes, the present model being a superb example of the largest. Mêne's grandsons Georges and Henri donated the original wax model of L'Accolade to the French state in 1898. It is now displayed in the Louvre.

19th century strong box with wooden lined interior, size in inches: 6.75 h x 12 w x 7.5 d

Thomas Harold Beament (Canadian, 1898-1984), Queen's Battery Barracks Overlooking St. John's, Newfoundland, oil on canvas, signed lower left "Harold Beament", and on verso inscribed "20" and "F1904", size in inches: 20 h x 24 w

 
 

This painting was likely painted during Beament’s year as a Canadian War artist. The location is a view overlooking the entrance to St John’s Harbour in Newfoundland, with the Queen’s Battery on Signal Hill as the focal point and rising in the distance the city of St. John. The battery, though no longer active in this time, gives the viewer a feeling of security with its cannons sitting atop the cliffs pointing out to the Atlantic. The addition of snowfall adds to the feeling of comfort and quiet. This composition shows Beament’s skill with perspective, evocative use of colour and heightened realism.

Danish silver tobacco box with hinged lid, lined with wood, stamped with Copenhagen three tower mark (.830) and dated 1947, as well as assayer's mark for Johannes Stittgard (1832-1960), small dent, size in inches: 1.5 h x 4 w x 3.5 d

Silver plated hinged single cigar case, early 20th century, size in inches: 4.75

Marie Didiere Calves (French, 1883-1957), Four Brittany Spaniels, oil on canvas, signed lower right "Marie Didière Calvès", size in inches: 13 h x 18 w (with frame: 20.5 h x 26 w x 3 d)

Georgian III mahogany tilt top occasional table with original brass catch mechanism, sitting on a splayed tripod base with turned column, English circa 1780-1800, size in inches: 28.5 h x 31 w x 31.75 d

Georgian sterling silver marrow scoop, London 1800, bearing maker's mark for Joseph Barnard, size in inches: 8.4 h

Georgian sterling silver tapered meat skewer, London 1807, bearing maker's mark T.J. for Thomas James

As etiquette at dinner parties became more prominent, cutlery was developed to allow for a less hands-on approach to eating. The marrow scoop was developed as a utensil to scoop out the bone marrow delicacy which was highly prized for its richness. Crafted with a rounded spoon at one end and a narrow scoop at the other, it was usually plain in design. Originally produced in mass quantities beginning in the 17th century, today they are mainly sold individually.

Landscape With Church and Windmills, unsigned oil on panel, Dutch, late 18th or early 19 century, displayed in ornate gilt frame, size in inches: 8.75 h x 12 w (with frame: 15 h x 19.25 w)

Borghese Gladiator, bronze sculpture after the antique, inscribed "G. HOPFGARTEN. ROMA. 1862" on base, size in inches: 15.5 h x 16 w x 14 d

This is a copy after the Borghese Gladiator, a Hellenistic life-size marble sculpture portraying a swordsman battling a mounted combatant, created in about 100 BC. The name comes from the Borghese Villa in Rome, where it stood in a ground floor room named for it. It was sold by Camillo Borghese to his brother In-law Napoleon Bonaparte and taken to Paris and added to the Louvre collection where it still resides.

French repeater carriage clock, with elaborate white metal dial, marked on movement "E.M & Co French Make" and numbered "2247", retailed by Russells Ltd. Paris. The maker, E Maurice & Co, are recorded as working at Rue Charlot 75, Paris and showed carriage clocks at the 1889 Paris Exposition. Late 19th century. Size in inches: 6.25 h x 3.25 w x 3 d
SOLD

 
 

Peder M. Monsted (Danish, 1859-1941), Munkebjerg, oil on canvas, signed, inscribed and dated lower left "P. Monsted, Munkebjerg 1920", size in inches: 10 h x 14.5 w

 
 

Norwegian Silver and Gilt Lidded Tankard, 1709, maker Jens Joensen Erland, Skien, supported on lion and ball feet, with royal lion thumb piece, the lid embossed with flora and fauna decoration, the gilt center inscribed "Simon Jorgenson Martha Jorgens Daatter" and dated 1709, also “PHP HCDP” and “Sit Nomen Domini Benedidictium” the base stamped three times I.E. for Jens Joensen Erland, size in inches: 9 ⅛ h x 9 ¾ w x 10 d

Wooden oak bible box with hinged lid, 18th century, with carved decoration, size in inches: 8.5 h x 21.5 w x 15.25 d

Ole Ring (Danish, 1902-1972), Sailing Ships In Frederiksholms Kanal, oil on canvas, signed lower right "Ole Ring", with Kleis frame (Kleis Georg Vesterbro 58), size in inches: 33.5 h x 47.5 w (with frame: 41 h x 55.25 w)

19th century bronze inkwell, mounted eagle over two ink pots with hinged lids (ink pots removable) and pen tray, possibly American, size in inches: 7.75 h x 9.25 w x 5.75 d

James Henderson (Canadian, 1871-1951), Rocky Mountain Encampment, oil on canvas, signed lower left "J. Henderson", circa 1926, size in inches: 14 h x 19 w (with frame 18.5 h x 23.5 w)

James Henderson painted throughout the prairies, Rocky Mountains, and the British Columbia coast including Victoria. In 1926 many Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast views were exhibited in a Group Exhibition at Regina City Hall under the auspices of the Local Council of Women’s Art Committee. Henderson became known for his Canadian landscapes as well as his portraits of First Nations in nearby reserves.

Georg Jensen (Danish, 1866-1935), Crystal And Silver Acorn Ice Bucket 1137, cut glass spherical ice bucket with sterling silver Georg Jensen handle in the Acorn pattern, designed by Johan Rohde (1856-1935) in 1915, crystal ice bucket designed by Hadeland of Norway

Frederick Arthur Verner (Canadian, 1836-1928), Two Paddlers In A Birchbark Canoe, watercolour, signed lower right "Verner 1879", size in inches: 6.25 h x 12 w (with frame: 10.25 h x 16 w)

Set of bronze nesting apothecary weights encased inside the master cup and bearing various stamped marks, German, circa 1750

Dating back to Roman times, nesting cup weights were designed to transport essential weights used for most trade transactions. Usually made for apothecary or tobacco sales, these weights measure in Troy ounces, a metric measurement which originated in Troyes, France to ensure purity standards. The shaped hinge and handle opens to reveal 6 weights resting within the next in ascending sizes (16, 8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5).

Robert Charles (G̲uud San Glans) Davidson (Haida/Canadian, b. 1946), Thunderbird, serigraph, design of Thunderbird with tip of upper beak curved back printed in red and black on beige. Monogrammed lower right RD, 200 were printed, purchased directly from the artist in 1970, Provenance: Private collection B.C. (450), Size in inches: 16.75 h x 13.75 w (with frame: 17.75 h x 14 w)

Influenced by the Bear Mother pole raising and potlatch in 1969, this Thunderbird design uses box-style formline. The Thunderbird has outstretched wings and can be see in side profile with the claws wrapping under the tail. Thunderbird’s belly encases Mouse Woman (Kugann Jaad) who is topped with a mosquito design.

Mahogany sarcophagus shaped wine cellaret with platform base, English, circa 1830, with key, size in inches: 25 h x 31.5 w x 20 d
SOLD

Antoine-Louis Barye (French, 1796-1875), Tigre Qui Marche (Walking Tiger), bronze, signed "Barye", and with foundry stamp "F. Barbedienne Fondeur Paris", third quarter of the 19th century, size in inches: 8.5 h x 16 w x 4 d
SOLD

Rare Swiss Grand Format Sublime Harmonie Piccolo Dinner Music Box stamped "C. Paillard et Co, Ste. Croix, Suisse", circa 1887, with 15 cylinders playing a total of 90 tunes, in finely decorated burl walnut chest, size in inches: 51 h x 52.5 w x 24 d

One of the world’s largest music box, this Swiss Grand Format Sublime Harmonie Piccolo Dinner music box was made by C. Paillard & Company of Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, possibly for the Royal Jubilee Exhibition in Manchester in 1887. The renowned music box maker Charles Paillard was known for his advancements in both music box mechanical production and musical sound. While most music boxes had a fixed cylinder, Paillard introduced interchangeable cylinders circa 1862 which enabled wealthy customers of the pre-phonograph era to listen to a larger variety of tunes. Cylinder music boxes produce sound by the use of a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder, to pluck the teeth of a steel comb. Paillard introduced the Sublime Harmonie which uses two or more combs of equal scale, thereby increasing the volume of the music box without creating a harsh and tinny sound. The two combs are tuned alike, or with a slight intentional dissonance. The fully operational movement has a running time of approximately 45 minutes on one wind. The music box sits on a five-drawer inlaid burl walnut chest, the 14 additional brass interchangeable music cylinders are contained in four drawers and come complete with four wooden travel boxes. The original 'dinner menu' program card shows the entire set of 90 tunes.