Luis Porretta Fine Arts & Antiques
Nanaimo North Town Centre #205 - 4750 Rutherford Road V9T 4K6 Nanaimo, BC, Canada

Extraordinary ca1960's Bohemian Green Cut To Clear 14" Vase - This superb vase is one of the best we have handled the past twenty years! It is in very good condition, free from chips or blemishes of any kind, some light wear to the base as one would expect from vintage glass. It is heavily cut with chrysanthemum and thistle patterns and stand on a double square foot. It measures 14" in height and weighs in at 9lbs! POA

RAY WESLEY Tsimshian First Nation Canada 1970 23" Totem Signed A TOTEM BY RAY WESLEY (b.1935 - This totem dates to ca1970 and is in very good condition, with a little stain loss to the beak of the Thunderbird at the totems top. It measures 23" in height and was carved by the highly respected Tsimshian Nation carver, Ray Wesley. The totem is signed by the carver, and has written on its back, "Ray Welsey - Kitsumkalum, BC. - Tsimishain Indian". From University Of Victoria: Ray ...Wesley was born January 19, 1935 in Port Essington, near Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada. This area is representative of the Tsimshian Nation, a tribe that inhabits the northern coast of the province. Ray takes the Black Fish, a commonly depicted northern motif, as his family crest. He lists, Wilfred Stevenson, a prominent Northwest Coast Native artist, as his teacher and inspiration. Ray carves in such mediums as wood, silver and gold. Presently, Ray resides on Vancouver Island and through his carvings preserves the art of his ancestors for future generations. $450 See more

Acid green decanter ( French) $124.95 Silver plated claret jug circa 1950’s pair $129. Pair crystal candle holders $85. Lladro Vase ( Spain) 5 $42.95(2 pictures)

RAGNAR Jewellers Vancouver Huge 18kt Opal Set Ring & Necklace 1" Opals Unique! - This superb set of vintage jewelry was designed and made in Vancouver, BC. by RAGNAR jewelers. It is in very good condition and as can be seen from the setting, beautifully balanced. The set is stamped 18kt throughout, the opals as can be seen are 1" in length and the necklace is 20" in length. The total weight of the set is 24 grams. POA

LONGINES Unique 14kt Solid Diamond Gold & Strap Ladies Watch Opal Dial 48gms - This exceptional watch by LONGINES is in very good condition, with a 14kt strap, watch case and encrusted with diamonds and an unusual abalone face - very seldom seen. The watch has a Quartz movement. The serial number of the watch is 281822 and the model number R6622. The watch has its original sapphire cabochon crown and the dial measures 1" x 7/8". The overall length of the strap is 7.25". A truly exceptional watch. Overall weight, 48gms. SOLD!

Here we have a vintage hand-painted, rocking horse, dating to ca1950 and measuring 27" in height, by 27" at its widest point. It is in very good condition, with its mechanism working well. A lovely piece suitable for the younger child. Price $495.00

Imagine the stories this mirror could tell! Dating to the turn of the Century (ca1900), this mirror hung in a hotel in San Francisco and survived the earthquake of 1906, after which it was rescued from the badly damaged hotel foyer. It is very large, measuring 65" x 39" and is hand-painted with typical motifs of the age. A full Provenance is available to the purchaser. Price $1850.00.

We could not add an extra photograph of the Chinese lacquer Cabinet to the post below for some reason, so we have made a new post. 2) A vintage Chinese burr walnut and lacquered cabinet measuring 80"H x 44"W x 21"D, lightly restored at edges. A fine piece with two drawers. $625.00.

Well, where else, but at Luis Porretta Fine Arts, are you going to see such wonderful pieces of furniture etc. for sale? Here is a run down of what is shown in the photographs: 1) An Italian hand-painted (original paint) bombe secretaire bookcase measuring 8ft in height x 45". $3,450. 2) A vintage Chinese burr walnut and lacquered cabinet measuring 80"H x 44"W x 21"D, lightly restored at edges. A fine piece with two drawers. $625.00. 3) A vintage Chinese lacquered screen embe...llished with gold leaf and stork decoration. Measures 6ftH x 64"W. $750.00 4) A 4/4 upright bass, with a Johann Stuber label but with experts arguing over who built it, ca1950, with two bows. With stand and soft case. $5,800. 5) On the wall is the amazing Book Of Kells Collection set of three 30 color serigraph prints taken directly from the Book of Kells held in Trinity College, Dublin and printed by hand by Master Printer Bob Saitch in London. We have a small amount of printers proofs housed in a beautiful folder. Comes with a Certificate of Authnticity. Pop in and take a look - these are quite the stunning thing! Price per set $850.00. See more

For those of you interested in painted furniture, here is a superb original Italian bombe secretaire bookcase. This piece dates to the early C20th and is in very good condition, with paint and decoration intact. The unit measures 8ft in height x 45". Not often seen, we encourage you to compare our price with any that you might find online. Price $3450.00 including local delivery.

An Edwardian ca1910 mahogany bench seat with matching Captains style chair. The bench seat measures 43" x 24" and the Captains chair, 24" x 24". Original upholstery! Needs a little tlc, but a pair of fine solid pieces. Price $450.00 the pair.

THE BOOK OF KELLS 3 x Limited Edition Serigraph Prints Exclusive Celtic Art. THE BOOK OF KELLS COLLECTION. THREE LIMITED EDITION PRINTS OF THE BOOK OF KELLS A unique opportunity has allowed the release of a very small number of artists proofs of this exclusive and unique set of prints taken directly from the Book of Kells. The prints comprise the Chiro page, St John, and The amazing Four Evangelist.... This set of serigraph (silk screen ) prints were hand-printed in thirty colours on conservation quality, thick weave paper by a master printer. Each print has a hand embossed seal highlighting the print title and the edition name. The set of prints took six months to proof and three months to edition and the images shown just cannot reflect the stunning vibrancy and depth of these prints. The edition was originally sold at the price of over $5,000! Each set is presented in a high quality embossed folder, with grained tissue guards. Each print measures 24.5 (62cm) high by 19 (48.2cm) wide. Just to remind any interested in these prints, there are very few sets available and these are the precious Artists Proofs. Available for viewing at Luis Porretta Fine Arts, Nanaimo North Town Center Mall, seven days a week!

DON INMAN Original Signed 7" Bronze Canadian Quebec Pioneer ca1960. A BRONZE by DON INMAN. - This beautiful bronze figurine is in very good condition and is signed on the base by the artist, who worked in Montreal. It measures 7" in height and depicts a gentleman from the pioneer days with a paddle. It dates to ca1960s. Price $295.00

Here is one for bottle collectors. A very rare one that that! An original and very scarce soda siphon dating to the WWI era and produced by the Phoenix Aerated Water Co. which began operations in 1885 under the ownership of Navroji Mistri. The bottle is etched on the rear with "By Special Appointment to His Excellency Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa", on the front are etched the words " Phoenix Aerated Water Co - Wellington - Petone". Price $195.00

We are pleased to announce that we will be re-opening the Luis Porretta Fine Arts empire June 1st, 10:00am. :) All normal services: art restoration, Accredited Appraisals, clock and watch repairs, and of course a huge selection of the finest antiques and collectibles on Vancouver Island, will be restored. Lynne Wilson will be the face at the desk for the next while as I will be working on online projects for a while. Please be nice to her as I have given her the authority to boil in oil any naysayers. :) We will have a full safety protocol in place. Meanwhile have a look at a pretty clock!

NANCY DAY Canada Listed Artist Oil Painting Monet Garden 24" x 18". - NANCY DAY - MONETS GARDEN. - This beautiful painting by listed Canadian artist Nancy Day is in very good condition, measures 24" x 18" and is painted on canvas. A beautiful painting with a subdued palette. Price: $750.00

Georg Jensen Design 11 x Rosenthal 1960s 5" Smoke Grey Wine Glass. - A superb set of 11 x original 1960s Georg Jensen design duo tone wine glasses by Rosenthal of Germany and measuring 5" in height. These glasses are in mint condition. Price: $265.00.

MARTHA FORSYTH Botanical "Gladioli" Beautiful Signed Collagraph 17" x 24" Print. - MARTHA FORSYTHE. - "GLADIOLI". - This beautiful print is in very good condition and is signed and titled by the artist in pencil at the lower edges. The print measures 24" x 17" and is offered framed, overall framed size 32" x 24". The print is in mint condition, the frame has one or two small scuffs at the lower edges. Please excuse the reflections in the glass! $115.00. we can safely ship this print.

ALEXANDER CALDER Serigraph "Togetherness" 26" x 21" Framed 7 & Listed Beautiful! ALEXANDER CALDER (1898-1976) - "TOGETHERNESS". - This serigraph print by listed US artist Alexander Calder is in very good condition and measures 26" x 21". It is offered framed and the overall framed size is 38" x 34". This silk screen print dates to ca1970 and is guaranteed genuine. The reflections of the glass on this piece are distracting, but the print speaks for itself. A wonderful piece. Calder was a well known and well listed artist whose work is represented in many collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Price: $1650.00. we can ship this safely!

P.V.F St Croix 9" Cylinder Lever Action Music Box Rosewood Marquetry Case ca1870. - P.V.F ST. CROIX CYLINDER LEVER ACTION MUSIC BOX. This music box is in very good working condition. It dates to ca1870 and is cased in a rosewood case, inlaid with marquetry embellishment, guitar design. A wonderful piece which is in working condition and whose case measures 24" x 9.5" x 9.5". Price: $1650.00. We can ship this item safely.

Victorian Moss Agate Sterling Bracelet ca1870 with large 1.25" Stones. - This exceptional and very rare bracelet dates to the 1870s and is set in a base metal setting. The moss agate stones are all in very good condition, and measures approx 1.25" x .75". A truly beautiful bracelet and guaranteed genuine. Price: $550

We closed our store in the Nanaimo North Town Centre Mall last week, but we are still shipping items. If you have become a screen junkie the past few days, please check some of our online listings. We can take an ETF or Paypal payment and ship anywhere that suits! Many thanks for looking?

...and now for something completely different! Black Sabbath Technical Ecstasy Label:Warner Bros. Records RR1 2969 Format:Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, White, 180g, Gatefold ... Country:US Released:05 Aug 2016 Genre:Rock Style:Heavy Metal Condition: NM-/NM- A lovely copy showing minimal if any usage. White vinyl. Price $40.00 See more

AN EXCEPTIONAL VICTORIAN 62 x GARNET FILLED BROOCH / PENDANT ca1900. - This brooch is in very good condition and is horseshoe shaped with 62 x garnets and set in a 9kt gold setting. The brooch / pendant measures 1.25" in length. An exceptionally beautiful piece. $650.00. we can ship.

CLARA INNESS (1874-1932) - WINTERSCAPE PAINTING. - This painting by listed US artist Clara Inness is in very good condition and depicts a beautifully painted Winterscape. It measures 16" x 20" picture size, 28" x 23" overall size. Price $425.00. We can ship.

Edwardian ca1900 1.5" Cameo 14kt Filigree White Gold Beautifully set & Carved. - This cameo pendant / brooch is set in a 14kt, white gold, filigree setting and is beautifully carved. It is large and measures 1.75" x 1.25" in size. $450.00. We can ship if required.

For the next few weeks we will be opening our store on an appointment only basis. We are still accepting art restoration projects for oil paintings, cleaning, repairs and frame repairs etc.and we can pick up and deliver. send us a high resolution image of your painting and we will supply an estimate. Above all - stay safe!

It appears that this "lock down" due to COVID-19 is going to be a longer one than most of us supposed. If you are home in self-imposed solitary confinement but have a computer, trawl our on-line listings and if you are interested in anything let me know. We are always happy to accept sensible offers. We are running a range of "rain-check" Gift Cards with a 30% discount (15% off jewelry and watches) off any of our in store inventory. Buy today - save tomorrow! Just drop us a line of inquiry via FB Messenger. Some of our online listings:

At the moment we are open and trading during this unprecedented health crisis but with restricted Mall hours, 11:00am-6:00pm Mon/Sat and 11:00am-5:00pm Sun., though anybody hoping for one of my legendary and highly regarded hugs is out of luck! :) Anybody who ventures forth to shop, please feel free to ask for a 30% discount on our entire inventory (15% on jewelry and watches). An example, this superb Mid Century palette knife painting by listed artist George Mauris. Price: $395 - sale price $295.00!

THE BOOK OF KELLS 3 x Limited Edition Serigraph Prints Exclusive Celtic Art THE BOOK OF KELLS COLLECTION - THREE LIMITED EDITION PRINTS OF THE BOOK OF KELLS A unique opportunity has allowed the release of a very small number of artists proofs of this exclusive and unique set of prints taken directly from the Book of Kells.... The prints comprise the Chiro page, St John page, and The amazing Four Evangelist page. This set of serigraph (silk screen ) prints were hand-printed in thirty colours on conservation quality, thick weave paper by a master printer. Each print has a hand embossed seal highlighting the print title and the edition name. The set of prints took six months to proof and three months to edition and the images shown just cannot reflect the stunning vibrancy and depth of these prints. The edition was originally sold at the price of over $5,000 (framed)! Each set is presented in a high quality embossed folder, with grained tissue guards. Each print measures 24.5 (62cm) high by 19 (48.2cm) wide. Just to remind any interested in these prints, there are very few sets available and these are the precious Artists Proofs, so order quickly. Price: $850.00

MINTON AMHERST JAPAN BOWL. - This impressive footed bowl by Minton is in very good condition, with some light loss to the hand decoration on the bowls interior. It dates to ca1950s measures 10" in diameter. Price $95.00

LIAM LAVERY Listed Ireland Artist Superb Framed Metal Sculpture. - This wonderful sculpture was made in Ireland in 1996 by Liam Lavery and is rendered in metal. It is professionally framed within a glazed box frame ready to be hung in the home or office. The sculpture measures 12" x 12" x 2" thick and weighs approximately 30lbs. Liam Lavery hails from Cork in Southern Ireland and specializes in unique metal sculptures. Liam Lavery - Fleischmann International Trophy Competiti...on.Liam Lavery (b.1960) was first commissioned to make a trophy for the Cork International Choral Festival in 1994. His work has developed from small, low-relief wall panels using cast aluminium as his medium and material, through to large scale public commissions, using a variety of different materials that include wood, copper bronze, enamels, glass, stone and stainless steel. This development has involved many collaborations with fellow artist Either Ring. They work out of a studio and foundry near the village of Dromina, in north County Cork. Major commissions include Waterford Millennium Plaza, Charleville Credit Union, Mitchelstown Credit Union and Spor affortiden, Denmark. In June of 2005 they had a joint exhibition at Kirsten Kjares Museum, Denmark, and also exhibited at the Friars Gate, Kilmallock, Limerick. Price: $425

HAROLD PINTER Old Times Playhouse Theater Guild 23" x 18" Silkscreen Poster. - PLAYHOUSE THEATER GUILD - HAROLD PINTER "OLD TIMES" SILK SCREEN POSTER. - This poster is in mint condition, dates to ca1970s and measures 23" x 18". It is a very scarce item and these items are seldom seen for sale. This one of twenty different theatrical silk posters we have in the series. Price: $75.00 each

JORGEN EJSING (1889 -1954) Listed Original Danish Winter Scene Oil Canvas ca1920. - JORGEN EJSING (1889-1954) This beautiful winter landscape by listed Danish Artist, Jorgen Ejsing, is in very good condition, and beautifully painted in muted colors. The painting measures 16" x 12" and is offered in its original frame. The overall size is 19" x 15". Price $350.00

Georgian ca1810 Antique Stationary & Pen 2 x Walnut Ink Well Desk Set Unique!. - GEORGIAN ca1820 WALNUT STATIONARY SET This exceptional stationary set dates to ca1820 and is a in good condition, with one ink well cap missing. It is a unique piece with a turned carrying handle and pen rests intact. It measures 11" in length and 7" in height. The drawer runs well and apart from the missing ink well cap, is in very good condition. A lovely piece. Price $250.00

Canadian Forces WWI Memorial Medal Gnr. James MacLean K 71096. - WWI MILITARY MEMORIAL MEDAL WITH CHAIN This memorial medal is in very good condition and is supplied with its chain. It belonged to the family of a Gnr. J. MacLean, Service number: K71096. We have not been able to track this persons regiment through the Government of Canada database, but we are not militaria experts. Price: $150.00

AN ARGILLITE PANEL MONOGRAMMED "EL - 1983". - This beautiful panel, which depicts the sun in typical Haida design started its life on the Queen Charlotte Islands, where argillite is endemic to this Island. It measures 8" x 6.25" It has a few light scratches on its surface, which can be seen in the images and needs some lamp black, or black shoe polish to bring the surface back to its original luster. A fabulous piece of argillite seldom seen in such a large piece, and thus highly collectible. SOLD!

GEMEINHARDT 2S Conservatory Flute SOLID SILVER With Case & Rod 427gms. - A solid silver (all three parts) flute by GEMEINHARDT model 2S and marked EKHARDT. The flute is in very good condition, free from dents or scratches and presented in its original case. $550.00

This is an LP that is not often seen! EGG UK Canterbury Prog Rock 1970 Original Deram DES 18039 US Press ARTIST: EGG TITLE: EGG LABEL: DERAM... No: 18039 YEAR: 1970 COUNTRY: US SLEEVE CONDITION: VG DISC CONDITION:NM- Sleeve shows edge and ring wear, disc shows very light usage only. A lovely copy of this scarce pressing See more

GINO HOLLANDER Untitled Nude Study Oil Painting 18" x 13" Original Listed Artist. GINO HOLLANDER. - UNTITLED. This beautiful painting dates to ca1970s and is an abstract painting by well listed artist Gino Hollander, it measures 18" x 13", overall framed size 26" x 22". Hollander, who died in 2015, has paintings in numerous National and International collections, and much information is available about this artist online. Some reflections from the glass are noticeable in these images. Price $650.00

THORNTON Victorian ca1880 Draughtsman Drawing Instruments Boxed and Intact. - A VICTORIAN DRAFTING SET ca1880 by A. G. THORNTON (MANCHESTER). This drafting set is in good condition and the instruments seem to be intact, though the protractor is of a later age. The instruments are in their original box which measures 7.5" x 5.5". Price $75.00

EDINBURGH THISTLE CRYSTAL Exceptional Vintage 8" Footed Crystal Bowl. - AN EDINBURGH THISTLE CRYSTAL FOOTED BOWL. This superb bowl, marked Edinburgh Crystal is in very good condition indeed, free from chips or blemishes and dating to the 1960s. It is beautifully decorated with the Scottish Thistle design, made famous by Edinburgh Crystal. The bowl measures 7" in height and 8" in width, and as can be imagined in a heavy piece! One of the best we have seen! Price $495.00