Metz: P. Didion, [1870]. Wonderful military certificate of competency in the art of cane fighting. Soldiers were expected to pass many different competencies. This particular diploma was awarded to Monsieur Joseph Franc of the 115th French Infantry Regiment. Complete with the ink signatures of attending instructors. Undated, but circa 1870. 325 x 490 mm (12¾ x 19¼ inches). Has some stains and closed tears, but generally in a good condition. In the 1800s carrying a walking stick / cane was a symbol of a gentleman who was fashion conscious, but one who was also ready to defend himself. Whilst fencing was still practiced, it did not enjoy the same popularity with the newly empowered bourgeoisie. Enterprising fencing masters soon translated their skills to the use of the walking stick or la canne. Fascinatingly, 'la canne de combat' is still a sport practiced today by thousands of cannistes around the world. Magnifique certificat militaire de compétence dans l'art du combat à la canne. Les soldats devaient acquérir de nombreuses compétences différentes. Ce diplôme particulier a été décerné à Monsieur Joseph Franc du 115e Régiment d'Infanterie Française. Compléter avec les signatures à l'encre des instructeurs présents. Non daté, mais vers 1870. 325 x 490 mm (12¾ x 19¼ pouces). A quelques taches et déchirures fermées, mais généralement en bon état. Dans les années 1800, porter une canne / une canne était le symbole d'un gentleman soucieux de la mode, mais également prêt à se défendre. Alors que l'escrime était encore pratiquée, elle ne jouissait pas de la même popularité auprès de la bourgeoisie nouvellement investie. Les maîtres d'armes entreprenants ont rapidement traduit leurs compétences dans l'utilisation de la canne ou de la canne. Fascinant, la canne de combat est toujours un sport pratiqué aujourd'hui par des milliers de cannistes à travers le monde.

Totnes: James Cauty, 2007. Limited Edition Print onto 315 gsm archival paper. Edition of 99 - numbered and stamped (this is 35/99). Believe the Magic, OMK Page Edition. 'Operation Magic Kingdom' was a billboard and street poster campaign in London (2007) against the Iraq war. Also released as stamps and prints. OMK blind stamped and hand numbered in pencil to front. Also official CNPD red stamp on back. With 4 binding holes in the left hand margin. Dimensions: 35,8 cm x 30.5cm James (Jimmy) Cauty, was formerly a musician with the band 'The Orb', and was a member of 'KLF'. More recently, he has been an artist, creating works of dissent, and working alongside artists such as Banksy and Billy Childish. He has been involved in Steve Lowe's L-13 Light Industrial workshop. He created the gift shop at Banksy's 'Dismaland'. His work also toured as part of the ADP (Aftermath Dislocation Principle) Riot Tour.

New York: Arianne Lancell / Alsparck, 1983. Original lithograph of a bearded man in a Winter hat. Part of a suite of work based on Carmilla, the gothic novel by the Irish writer Sheridan Le Fanu. Signed in pencil. Numbered 29 / 297 copies. Authenticated by the artist's own dry stamp (a cat's head). On vellum. Very good condition as the work has never been framed. Sold unframed. 555 x 455 mm (21¾ x 18 inches).
The description for this character in the novel reads: This evening there arrived from Gratz the grave, dark-faced son of the picture-cleaner, with a horse and cart laden with two large packing cases, having many pictures in each. Lithographie originale d'un homme barbu dans un chapeau d'hiver. Fait partie d'une série d'œuvres basées sur Carmilla, le roman gothique de l'écrivain irlandais Sheridan Le Fanu. Signé au crayon. Numéroté 29 / 297 exemplaires. Authentifié par le propre tampon sec de l'artiste (une tête de chat). Sur vélin. Très bon état car l'oeuvre n'a jamais été encadrée. Vendu sans cadre. 555 x 455 mm (21¾ x 18 pouces).
La description de ce personnage dans le roman se lit comme suit : Ce soir arriva de Gratz le fils grave et sombre du nettoyeur de tableaux, avec un cheval et une charrette chargés de deux grandes caisses d'emballage, contenant chacune de nombreuses images.

Paris: Choudens Fils, Editeurs / Lemercier, 1892. This is a beautiful French hand finished chromolithographic poster is advertising performances of "Le Pays de l'Or" [The Golden Land], an operetta and spectacle written in 1832, set in America. This was first performed at le théâtre de la Gaîté in Montparnasse, Paris at the beginning of 1892. The poster, designed by artist "Le Maresquier", features a female gymnast riding a bicycle on a slack wire over Niagara Falls. Several Americana-themed vignettes surround her. An attractive poster mounted on linen. Very good, clean poster, with gold hand colouring to some parts. A few small scratches to the image where a previous mounted frame has broken. Two neatly repaired tears to the top edge of the poster (not really affecting image). Image is 800 mm x 600 mm. Backing linen is 830 mm x 635 mm. Il s'agit d'une belle affiche chromolithographique française finie à la main qui annonce les représentations de "Le Pays de l'Or" [The Golden Land], une opérette et un spectacle écrits en 1832, se déroulant en Amérique. L'affiche, conçue par l'artiste « Le Maresquier », représente une gymnaste faisant du vélo sur un fil mou au-dessus des chutes du Niagara. Plusieurs vignettes sur le thème de l'Americana l'entourent. Une jolie affiche montée sur lin. Très bonne affiche propre, avec une coloration dorée à la main sur certaines parties. Quelques petites rayures sur l'image où un cadre monté précédent s'est cassé. Deux déchirures soigneusement réparées sur le bord supérieur de l'affiche (n'affectant pas vraiment l'image). L'image est de 800 mm x 600 mm. Le lin de support mesure 830 mm x 635 mm.

In the mid 19th century, Bilbille went from Paris to Leipzig fair, via the fabric producing towns of Mulhouse and Saint-Gall, buying and selling fabric samples. This original hand embellished advertising poster has been created to promote an industrial collaboration. It shows a fashionable female of the time in a dress which has been highlighted in places with a lighter colour. We have not been able to find anything else like this online or in auction records. Could it be it was a one-off? In frame, under glass. Size of image: 595 x 470 mm (23½ x 18½ inches). Au milieu du XIXe siècle, Bilbille se rend de Paris à la foire de Leipzig, en passant par les villes productrices de tissus de Mulhouse et Saint-Gall, achetant et vendant des échantillons de tissus. Cette affiche publicitaire originale embellie à la main a été créée pour promouvoir une collaboration industrielle. Il montre une femme à la mode de l'époque dans une robe qui a été rehaussée par endroits d'une couleur plus claire. Nous n'avons pas été en mesure de trouver autre chose comme cela en ligne ou dans les dossiers d'enchères. Se pourrait-il que ce soit une pièce unique ? Dans cadre, sous verre. Taille de l'image : 595 x 470 mm.

Totnes: James Cauty, 2005. Limited Edition Print onto 315 gsm archival paper. Edition of 29 stamped and numbered (this is 10/29). Part of the 'Stamps of Mass Destruction' campaign also released as stamps and prints. Stamped and hand numbered in ink on front, showing "Cautese National Postal Disservice" and the "C.N.P.D. Stamps of Mass Destruction Limited Edition". With this print is the COA (Certificate of Authentication) from Cauty - an attractive design, numbered. This is one of James Cauty's famous anti-occupation of Iraq protest prints. These stamps were the subject of a legal action in 2003 by UK's Royal Mail alleging copyright infringement. Dimensions: 32.8 x 30.5 cm. James (Jimmy) Cauty, was formerly a musician with the band 'The Orb', and was a member of 'KLF'. More recently, he has been an artist, creating works of dissent, and working alongside artists such as Banksy and Billy Childish. He has been involved in Steve Lowe's L-13 Light Industrial workshop. He created the gift shop at Banksy's 'Dismaland'. His work also toured as part of the ADP (Aftermath Dislocation Principle) Riot Tour.

Totnes: James Cauty, 2005. Limited Edition Print onto 315 gsm archival paper. Edition of 65 stamped and numbered (this is 06/65). Part of the 'Stamps of Mass Destruction' campaign also released as stamps and prints. Stamped and hand numbered in ink to front. "Cautese National Postal Disservice" certificate inclused. Has the "C.N.P.D. Stamps of Mass Destruction Limited Edition". This is one of James Cauty's famous anti-occupation of Iraq protest prints. These stamps were the subject of a legal action in 2003 by Royal Mail alleging copyright infringement. Dimensions: 32.8 x 30.5 cm. James (Jimmy) Cauty, was formerly a musician with the band 'The Orb', and was a member of 'KLF'. More recently, he has been an artist, creating works of dissent, and working alongside artists such as Banksy and Billy Childish. He has been involved in Steve Lowe's L-13 Light Industrial workshop. He created the gift shop at Banksy's 'Dismaland'. His work also toured as part of the ADP (Aftermath Dislocation Principle) Riot Tour.

1929. Gorgeous oval shaped drypoint etching with aquatint, and small detail / colouring by hand. The work is unsigned - but most likely by Jean Gilles. This is a fantastic example of the Années folles (France in the 1920s) passion for what was known as 'Boudoir Art'. Gilles worked in the style of Louis Icart or Jean Hardy. Under white cardboard mount. Perfect for framing. The etching and the mount are both in a very good condition, with just a small spot or two (covered by mount). Whole item including card mount 600 x 400 mm (23½ x 15¾ inches). Image 370 x 195 mm. Superbe gravure à la pointe sèche de forme ovale avec aquatinte, et petit détail / coloration à la main. L'oeuvre n'est pas signée - mais très probablement de Jean Gilles. C'est un exemple fantastique de la passion des Années folles pour ce qu'on appelait «l'art boudoir». Gilles a travaillé dans le style de Louis Icart ou de Jean Hardy. Sous passe-partout en carton blanc. Parfait pour l'encadrement. La gravure et le montage sont tous deux en très bon état, avec juste une petite tache ou deux (couvertes par le montage). Article entier, y compris le support de carte 600 x 400 mm.. Image 370 x 195 mm.

London: G. Baxter, 1853. Two framed prints of famous images. One is entitled: "Australia. News from Home". This first depicting a group of men inside a wooden building in Australia. Two of whom appear indigenous. The other entitled: "News from Abroad". This showing a family gathered around for the reading of a letter, whilst on the wall there is a poster promoting emigration to Australia. Both from paintings by Harden Sidney Melville, and engraved, printed and published by G. Baxter. They are cropped, so no longer have the Baxter stamp at the bottom. Tipped on to card and mounted in wooden frames under glass. Each measures: 110 mm x 150 mm. Total size including frame: 260 mm x 290 mm. They have a label to the rear which says they were framed by The Petersfield Book Shop. In very good condition. (Price is for the pair).

Paris: Rüe de la Harpe vis a vis le Soleil d'Or, 1737. Original etching. Depicts a follower of Bacchus in the centre, on the left a man with a thyrsus standing in a giant cup and drinking from a conch shell; and on the right a statue of Pan on a plinth. Etching is annotated in the lower left Bouchardon del. Under gold edged duck egg blue passe-partout. Has a small area of green (paint?) to bottom left. Otherwise very good. Actual image size: 210 x 145 mm (8¼ x 5¾ inches). Gravure originale. Représente un disciple de Bacchus au centre, à gauche un homme avec un thyrse debout dans une coupe géante et buvant dans une conque ; et à droite une statue de Pan sur un socle. L'eau-forte est annotée en bas à gauche Bouchardon del. Sous passe-partout bleu canard bordé d'or. A une petite zone de vert (peinture?) En bas à gauche. Sinon très bien. Taille réelle de l'image : 210 x 145 mm (8¼ x 5¾ pouces).