Miniature 19th Century Graphite Studies of Three British Estates by E.T. Billhouse wood carving along the back side edge

along the back side edge

This charming vintage hand-painted Chinese Foochow lacquer bowl features a gold interior with three goldfish and a black exterior with a finely painted dramatic gold dragon with red and green details

and great looking

and is all the better for leaving us to imagine what it is this busy mouse is holding in its paws and furtively munching on

which one would likely dispense using a little spoon  The wood on this lathe-turned piece is just gorgeous

Miniature 19th Century Graphite Studies of Three British Estates by E.T. Billhouse wood carving along the back side edgeIm getting really drawn into the world of 19th century English drawings, and am super charmed by these little miniature pencil drawings of three different estates done by a E. T. Billhouse in 1838. I especially love how there is lots of empty space around them, such that they feel like private little worlds unto themselves, secretly glimpsed through a scope from on far, then rendered under a magnifying glass. Really sweet. On wove (un ribbed) paper,