Impressive Australian silver mounted emu egg, by Henry Steiner…
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Impressive Australian silver mounted emu egg, by Henry Steiner Adelaide (1858 - 1883), silver base of four stylized vine & leaf feet on timber platform, main diorama of Australian native scene inc: emu Sturt Pea, Aboriginal hunter holding spear & galah on branch entwined with snake, emu egg base & lid fringed with silver band, blue felt interior kangaroo finial, marked H. Steiner, Queen Victoria head & passant lion, height 27 cm. Provenance: Obtained by the current owner from Sea-Witch Antiques who offered the item for sale on behalf of an Adelaide family who have had this piece since manufacture. The egg has been on loan and display at the Art Gallery of South Australia from 1983 until 2001

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  • Finial - An architectural decoration, found on the upper parts of of an object. On furniture they are usually found on pediments, canopies and shelf supports. On smaller ceramic or silver items, such as spoons, they may decorate the top of the item itself, or the lid or cover where they provide a useful handle for removal.

    Finials have a variety of shapes and forms. They may be urn-shaped, baluster shaped round or spiral, but usually taper into an upper point. Many real life shapes may also be used as finials, such as pineapples, berries, pinecones, buds, lotus and acorns. Sometimes animals such as a lion are depicted, or fish and dolphins.
  • Diorama - When used in relation to antiques and collectables, a diorama is a three dimensional display, usually within a domed or rectangular glass case.

    As the feathers of birds are more easily damaged than the skin of an animal, most taxidermied birds are displayed within a glazed diorama. The birds will be set in lifelike poses in a naturalistic landscape, usually standing a branch within the diorama. Animals will be displayed set in the landscape they inhabit. The foreground will be set with gravel, rocks and bushes, while the background will be painted.

    While most natural history dioramas can be easily picked up and carried by one person, some larger examples were made that were suitable for display at exhibitions.

    The other type of diorama commonly seen is a model ship enclosed in a rectangular glass box, the ship depicted floating on the sea.

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