Shop Heirloom Objects

Floral-Painted Keepsake Box

An elongated decorative box with a removable lid, painted with red and coral flowers, dark green foliage and blue-grey accents against a warm ochre ground. Brown borders with fine interlacing lines frame the floral decoration, which continues across all four sides.

The interior is cream-colored, with a handwritten inscription beneath the lid beginning “Souvenir de,” French for “a remembrance of.” The remaining inscription is undeciphered.

The surface shows extensive crackling, rubbing, paint loss and worn edges, with a visible split near one corner of the lid. Please review the photographs for condition. Maker, origin and date are unknown.

A distinctive box for small keepsakes or display on a desk, shelf or dressing table.

A handsome vintage stoneware pitcher featuring a warm cream glaze and two simple cobalt-blue bands. Its tall, cylindrical form is balanced by a generously curved handle and subtle pouring spout.

The restrained decoration and utilitarian silhouette give this piece a distinctly rustic character, equally suited to a collection of antique ceramics or a casual arrangement of freshly gathered garden flowers.

The pitcher displays the natural variations and signs of age that make vintage stoneware so appealing, including minor surface marks and wear to the base.

Details

• Material: Glazed stoneware

• Color: Warm cream with cobalt-blue bands

• Period: Vintage; exact age undetermined

• Maker: Unmarked or unidentified

• Condition: Vintage condition with age-related wear and surface imperfections

A versatile piece of traditional pottery with an understated, timeless appeal.

I have used it with the banded bowls all together for centerpieces.

An elegant antique perfume bottle featuring clear glass adorned with intricate floral silver overlay. The decoration depicts a large stylized flower surrounded by sweeping vines and foliage, with finely engraved details that give the botanical design depth and movement.

The rounded glass body is complemented by a silver-toned collar and substantial spherical stopper, creating a beautifully balanced silhouette. The combination of transparent glass and elaborate metalwork reflects the craftsmanship and decorative sensibilities of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods.

A lovely addition to a dressing table, vanity, or collection of antique decorative objects.

Details

• Period: Late 19th to early 20th century, estimated

• Material: Clear glass with silver-colored metal overlay

• Design: Engraved floral and botanical motifs

• Form: Rounded perfume bottle with spherical stopper

• Condition: Antique condition with age-related patina and surface wear consistent with use

• Silver content: Unverified; not represented as sterling silver

A wonderfully moody still life by Polish artist Irena Rudnicka, painted in Warsaw in 1977.

Fish, fruit, leaves, and small bits of the natural world emerge from a dark, earthy background. It has that slightly wild, slightly strange quality I love in old European painting, with a clear nod to the sottobosco tradition: paintings that celebrate the overlooked details of nature rather than arranging everything into something too perfect.

There is a lot to find here. Little botanical details, organic forms, and quiet moments tucked into the shadows. It feels less like a formal still life and more like something gathered from the forest floor and set down for a moment.

Oil on canvas, signed and dated 1977.

On the reverse is a handwritten family dedication to a little boy named Mikołaj, given to him on his name day during the third year of his life:

“To Mikołaj, in the third year of his life, on his name day, as a keepsake from his great-grandmothers, Władzia and Janina; his grandmothers, Stefcia and Nina; and his grandfathers, Władysław and Wacek. Warsaw, December 6, 1977.” *translation to the best of my abilities

The back also retains the artist’s information and a Warsaw museum stamp.

A beautiful painting on its own, made even better by the fact that its history is still attached.

Measurements: 13 1/2" x 19 1/2" (canvas- not inspected out of frame), 16 1/2" x 22 1/2" (in frame as purchased by Nomadica, with some aging and scratches as expected) 

A mid-20th-century decorative tomato with a rounded, gently lobed form and a raised five-pointed calyx. Its silver surface retains the tarnish and wear of age. Marked “925” and catalogued as silver overlay over base metal. Maker unknown.

Dimensions: Approximately 2⅛ inches high × 2¼ inches across, as catalogued.

Condition: Surface scratches, tarnish, and minor pitting. Please review the detailed photographs.

A set of six English Wedgwood green majolica plates with a rich green glaze. Beautiful paired with antique silver, simple linens, and seasonal flowers, they bring color to a table setting or display.

Each measures eight inches across, a versatile size for salad, dessert, or layering with larger dinner plates.

Details
Maker: Wedgwood, England
Period: Early 20th century, per auction attribution
Dimensions: 8 inches in diameter × approximately ¾ inch high
Sold as a set of six.

Free local pick up is available.

A vintage American stoneware bowl produced by the Robinson-Ransbottom Pottery Company of Roseville, Ohio.

Finished in a warm ivory glaze with two rich cobalt-blue bands, this piece has a particularly handsome form: a narrow rolled rim, gently rounded sides, and a raised circular foot. The underside bears the impressed R.R.P. Co. maker’s mark, identifying its American manufacture. More sculptural than the broader-rimmed examples commonly encountered, it is a beautiful small-scale piece of domestic stoneware with strong visual presence.

Robinson-Ransbottom was one of Ohio’s notable pottery manufacturers, known for producing durable utilitarian wares for the American home. Though originally intended for kitchen use, this bowl now feels especially suited to decorative display — on open shelving, on a table holding collected objects, or as part of a simple floral arrangement.

The glaze shows extensive fine crazing, light age-related staining, and minor surface wear consistent with use and age, all of which contribute to its patina and character.

This bowl may be purchased on its own or paired with the flower frog shown, which transforms it into a sculptural vessel for low, natural arrangements.

Maker: Robinson-Ransbottom Pottery Company (R.R.P. Co.)
Origin: Roseville, Ohio, United States
Period: 20th century
Material: Glazed stoneware
Decoration: Double cobalt-blue bands
Markings: Impressed R.R.P. Co. manufacturer’s mark on underside
Dimensions: 6 inches diameter × 3 inches high
Condition: Vintage condition with extensive glaze crazing, age-related discoloration, and surface wear consistent with use. Please review photographs carefully.

Price, bowl only: $45
Price, bowl with hairpin flower frog made in America: $89

A silver snuff box from the 1800s, its hinged lid decorated with a basket of roses and tulips within a scrolling rococo border. The shaped, lobed outline follows the curves of the ornament, while the polished sides and base keep the emphasis on the flowers.

Made to hold snuff—finely ground tobacco inhaled through the nose—boxes like this were carried in a pocket and brought out during social visits. A finely decorated silver example served as both a practical accessory and a display of taste and means. Its original owner is unknown.

The flowers are worked in repoussé: the silver is hammered from behind to create a raised design. The reverse of that workmanship remains visible inside the lid. A stippled background provides contrast to the relief.

The curling rococo ornament reflects European influence on Ottoman decorative arts during the 18th and 19th centuries, while tulips were already firmly established in Ottoman gardens and design.

The base bears a single stamped mark. Its exact silver fineness has not been established, so it is offered as silver without a sterling designation.

Now a small keeper for a medicine, earrings, or another treasured thing.

Purchased via an auction in England.

Date: 19th century
Origin: Ottoman Empire
Length: 5.5 cm / approximately 2.2 inches
Weight: 37 g
Material: Silver; exact fineness unverified

A silver drinking cup from the 1800s, attributed to Kashmir, a Himalayan region known for its intricate textiles and decorative metalwork. Finely ornamented silverware like this was made for affluent local households and European buyers, used at the table or given as gifts. This beaker’s original owner is unknown, but was recently acquired from an auction house in England.

Scrolling vines cover the body, punctuated by raised leaves resembling Platanus orientalis, the Oriental plane tree, known in Kashmir as the chinar. Its distinctive foliage is a recurring motif in Kashmiri silver. Plain borders frame the dense decoration, while the interior is smooth.

The surface combines chasing—shaping and defining the metal with punches—and engraving, which cuts fine lines into it. The intricate botanical pattern reflects the relationship between Kashmir’s silverwork and textile traditions.

The base bears Ottoman Turkish marks: a tughra, the reigning sultan’s calligraphic monogram, and sah, meaning “correct” or “genuine,” used in the Ottoman system for verifying silver. These marks provide an Ottoman connection, although the beaker’s journey between regions is undocumented.

Such marks are commonly associated with .900 silver: 90% silver alloyed with other metals for strength, compared with sterling’s 92.5%. The exact fineness of this piece has not been independently verified.

Originally a handleless drinking cup; now a particularly beautiful vessel for a few garden stems.

Date: 19th century
Height: 11 cm / approximately 4.3 inches
Weight: 121 g
Attribution: Kashmir, with Ottoman Turkish marks
Material: Silver; exact fineness unverified

Spanish Still Life, circa 1840

An unsigned oval oil on canvas, attributed to Spain, circa 1840, presented in an antique frame.

The provenance identifies the painting as formerly belonging to Adolfo López Mateos, President of Mexico from 1958 to 1964. A handwritten note from his daughter, Elena López Mateos, states that the paintings and other items sold from the collection belonged to her father and had been given to her mother as wedding presents. The original note is not included, as it was for an entire collection of similar paintings.

A label on the reverse records a spring 1970 appraisal attributed to Dr. Cooke of the National Gallery of Art, identifying the work as a Spanish still life dating to 1840 and describing it as good quality, with darkening.

Condition: Age-related surface wear, including light paint loss and scuffs. The canvas has been relined. The frame shows wear and cracks consistent with age. Please review all photographs for details.

Dimensions: 18″ wide × 15″ high × 1¼″ deep, including frame. Canvas: 16″ wide × 12½″ high.
Weight: Approximately 2.5 lbs.