Two very fine examples of William Robbie’s signature pieces, one a pair of dapple grey and the other a pair of black Clydesdale horses. One of them is signed on the back William Robbie Tortorston Cottage, Peterhead.Scottish, mixed media, circa 1910.

Biography: William Robbie, 1887-1967, was a farm worker who, during his life, painted about two thousand of these works. He used the same pair of horses, sometimes facing left and sometimes right, painting them in various different colours and with subtle differences in their tack and backgrounds. The earliest works had all the harness cut out in silver cigarette paper (as these ones do) but as he got older he reverted to silver paint. The backgrounds were usually the farms where he was working or those of his patrons. The paintings are of wonderful quality, some are painted on cardboard, often from chocolate boxes. The late Dr. Kenneth S. Goldstein from Canada who spent a year studying folklore in Buchan, North East Scotland, was astounded by Robbie’s work and recorded that ‘he was one of the finest Folk artists in Britain’. One of Robbie’s works was bought by the National Collection of Scotland and is on view in the Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Height: 35cms (13.75 inches)

Width: 53.25cms (21 inches)

Ref: PAINTINGS 10

A very fine red tortoiseshell, walnut and ebony cabinet with original bone tear-drop handles, ebony geometric mouldings and boxwood inlay. Walnut quarter veneered top, sides and door interiors, all geometrically strung. Cushion drawer to the top. The small interior drawers are mahogany lined, showing a very early use of this timber, and the mouldings are all cross-grained walnut. The exterior bottom drawer is lined with quarter cut oak, a typically English way of rendering oak. The piece retains its original lock and hinges. The drawer construction is of large dovetails, also an English feature. William and Mary, English, circa 1690.

Height: 57cms (22.5 inches)

Width: 62cms (24.5 inches)

Depth: 28cms (11 inches)

Ref: CABINET FURNITURE 18

A kelim is a simple flat woven carpet without a pile and has very early origins. They are generally of Middle Eastern origin. This one has animal characters and very pleasing colours.

Length: 330cms (130 inches)

Width: 187cms (73 inches)

Ref: TEXTILES 3

A scumble glazed cupboard dresser with lovely original paint surface. The unusual top with moulded edge and twelve arched glazed panels. British, circa 1835.

Height: 191cm (75 inches)

Width: 122cm (48 inches)

Depth (of base) 37cm (14.5 inches)

Ref: CABINET FURNITURE 17

A wonderful intricately carved domino set made by a French Napoleonic Prisoner of War. Prisoners would often supplement their meagre rations by making objects from bone, such as men of war ships, games, figures and works of art. This particular piece is a fine example. English Prisoner of War, circa 1810.

Height: 5cms (2 inches)

Width: 16.5cms (6.5 inches)

Depth: 6cms (2.5 inches)

Ref: OTHER 5

Of the finest quality, this tray is a tour de force of the intricate work of French Prisoners of War. The sides are the most delicate Chinese lattice, while the base is florally carved and pierced and joined with minute brass pins. Prisoner of War work is the name given to meticulously carved small objects created from carved bone or wood by captured French prisoners languishing in hulks and gaols during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. English Prisoner of War circa 1800.

Height: 3.5cms (1.25 inches)

Width: 9cms (3.5 inches)

Depth: 7.5cms (3 inches)

Ref: OTHER 4

We are pleased to announce our Spring exhibition will be held at Green Farm Gallery on 25th – 29th May. To see the catalogue, click here.

Amongst the many pieces we will be showing, we have a wonderful 2″ thick single-plank top refectory table, a vivid blue food cupboard and a charming naïve hunting scene.

If you do not normally receive our catalogues and would like one, please contact us.

Denzil Grant.

A generous pierced urn splat armchair with scroll ended shepherd’s crook arms and scrolled cow horn top rail. Raised on moulded square legs all in heavy Cuban mahogany. English, circa 1760.

Height: 100cms (39.5 inches)

Width: 73.5cms (29 inches)

Depth: 55cms (21.50 inches)

Ref: CHAIR 15

An early 19th century faux rosewood painted beech chaise longue covered in 20th century kelim. Boat shaped settees became very popular post the Battles of the Nile and Trafalgar. English, circa 1820.

Length: 206cms (81 inches)

Height: 91cms (36 inches)

Depth: 65cms (25.5 inches)

Ref: CHAIR 14

We get many enquiries for small low coffee tables, which don’t really exist in period pieces, so we designed and hand-made this solid oak table to be ergonomic and reassuringly chunky, with through the top pegged tenons. For the contemporary or period interior.

Length: 114cm (45 inches)

Width: 42.5cm (16.5 inches)

Height: 50cm (19.5 inches)

Can be made to any size.

Ref: SIDE TABLE 7