Robert Brendel Models and Miniatures

Educational model of the Lamium purpureum L. (false purple nettle) flower made of painted papier mâché with a Bakelite base from the 1930s, German ma...

A beautiful grocery shop room box, painted and stained wood with lithographed wall and floor papers, side stair case and upper gallery, some drawers on rear w...

Unique Bavarian hunting walking cane from the early 20th century - the walking cane is handmade of blackthorn wood, featuring an engraved deer antler handle with silver chiselled col...

Antique Red Fox Skull Taxidermy, Germany ca. 1900s An antique taxidermied skull of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) mounted on an ebonized wooden turned ba...

An amazing rocking horse made of wood covered in cow hide. Its saddle and reins and tack are all leather while the bit and stirrups are metal. The horse has inset glass eyes and rest...

Antique Real Skull of a Badger, Germany ca. 1900s An antique taxidermied skull of the badger (Meles meles) mounted on an ebonized wooden turned base. ...

An English late 19th or early 20th Century scratch-built model in glass case of Lichfield Cathedral. This stunning scale model includes replicas of the stained glass windows and was ...

19th Century Botanic Model by Robert Brendel - Cherry Blossom A rare antique botanical model manufactured by the famous Robert Brendel manufactory for botanicals models around 1900....

Antique Real Skull of a Rabbit, Germany ca. 1900s An antique taxidermied skull of the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) mounted on an ebonized wooden tur...

A masterpiece of both cabinetmaking and mechanical engineering, this one-of-a-kind expanding table was crafted by the renowned cabinetmaker Samuel Hawkins of London for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Diminutive in size, the fascinating table was designed as a model to demonstrate Hawkins’ innovative patent screw movement to visitors of the Exhibition – six million people in total over five months. It was exhibited again a century later at the Victoria & Albert Museum during the Festival of Britain, an event intended “to symbolise two main qualities of the national character: realism and strength on the one hand, and, on the other, independence and imagination” (Catalogue of the Exhibition, 1951, p.117). To this day, the miniature masterpiece demonstrates the quest of English furniture makers to combine technical innovation with superb craftsmanship. Displaying exceptional ingenuity, Hawkins’ wind-out screw mechanism allowed one to extend the table’s base to accommodate concentric leaves with the simple crank of a handle. It is based on the inventive expanding table originally designed by Robert Jupe in 1835, which used a swivel mechanism to separate sections of the tabletop and allow for segmented leaves to be inserted. Hawkins’ tabletop, on the other hand, extends outwards directly from the center in order to accommodate additional leaves around its diameter. This unique design allowed the mechanism to also smoothly operate on rectangular tables, which could be wound out from the middle to allow for more table space. Hawkins was not alone in his endeavor to combine the technical merits of engineering and mechanics with the most artful pursuit of cabinetmaking. The first half of the 19th century saw a prolific increase in the popularity of applying new ideas to traditional furniture principles, which allowed furniture to serve many purposes. The resulting “patent” furniture was practical and refined, though few were as innovative as Hawkins’ prodigious design. Carved with the year of the Exhibition on the beautifully designed pedestal base, the table is a testament to the significance of this innovation. The model is mentioned in detail in the catalog of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the first international exhibition of industry, manufacturing, and science. Held at London’s dazzling Crystal Palace, its visitors were treated to exhibits from around the globe, including feats of engineering, innovations in industry, and marvels of design. Queen Victoria herself was a frequent visitor, along with her husband, Prince Albert, and others including Charlotte...

Antique Real Skull of a Duck, Germany ca. 1900s An antique taxidermied skull of the duck (Anas platyrhynchos domestica) mounted on an ebonized wooden ...

A scarce period handcrafted miniature grape screw-press machine salesman sample. Massive industrial machines used for winemaking throughout French and Italian vineyards...