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ID #SA1220737
FOR SALE
£750
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Early 20h Century Silvered "Fish Bookends" by F Abella & Sons
Hickmet Fine Arts
for sale €878     $953
£750
Hickmet Fine Arts

Hickmet Fine Arts

Sellingantiques Verified Since Apr 2012
View Dealers Stock Page
  • About Us
    Established in 1936, hickmet fine arts is an international family run antiques business
  • Trade Associations
    Hickmet Fine Arts is a registered member of LAPADA  BADA  CINOA
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Id #SA1220737
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Early 20h Century Silvered "Fish Bookends" by F Abella & Sons

1920 - 1940
Description

A pair of sculptural silver bookends depicting stylised fish in an elegant S-curve form. The dimpled bodies feature a circular pierce near the top, with fins and heads forming sturdy bases. Marked “F. Abela & Sons, Hamrun Malta,” they display a silver-toned finish with light patina and mid-century character.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Height: 15.5 cm

Width: 7 cm

Depth: 5 cm

Condition: Excellent Original Condition

Circa: 1930

Materials: Silver

SKU: 9577

ABOUT

F. Abela & Sons was a Maltese firm based in Hamrun, one of the island’s principal commercial towns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The business operated as a retailer and manufacturer associated particularly with silverware, jewellery, and decorative items. Like many Maltese family firms of the period, F. Abela & Sons served both local residents and the steady flow of visitors and naval personnel passing through Malta, which was an important British Mediterranean base.

Pieces linked to the firm are sometimes marked with the retailer’s name, indicating that the company either produced items locally or commissioned work from Maltese silversmiths and foreign manufacturers. Hamrun itself developed into a busy trading centre with numerous workshops and retail establishments supplying jewellery, silver, and luxury goods.

F. Abela & Sons forms part of this broader tradition of Maltese family businesses that contributed to the island’s reputation for skilled metalwork and craftsmanship. Surviving marked pieces today provide evidence of Malta’s small but active decorative arts trade.

Physical Dimensions
Height
15.5cm (6.10")
Width
7cm (2.76")
Depth
5cm (1.97")
Declaration

Hickmet Fine Arts has dated these Silvered Metal Fish Bookends to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1220737
Dealers Internal Reference
9577
Dealers Notes

Please contact us for a shipping quotes.

Viewing can be arranged at our gallery and everything sold by Hickmet Fine Arts comes with a full certificate of Authenticity and Valuation.

If you have enjoyed seeing this item and wish to see more quality pieces please visit our website www.hickmet.com

Description
A pair of sculptural silver bookends depicting stylised fish in an elegant S-curve form. The dimpled bodies feature a circular pierce near the top, with fins and heads forming sturdy bases. Marked “F.
“
Abela & Sons, Hamrun Malta,” they display a silver-toned finish with light patina and mid-century character.
Hickmet Fine Arts
fig 1. A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails.
fig 1. Early 20h Century Silvered "Fish Bookends" by F Abella & Sons

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Height: 15.5 cm

Width: 7 cm

Depth: 5 cm

Condition: Excellent Original Condition

fig 2. A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails.
fig 2. Early 20h Century Silvered "Fish Bookends" by F Abella & Sons

Circa: 1930

Materials: Silver

SKU: 9577

ABOUT

F. Abela & Sons was a Maltese firm based in Hamrun, one of the island’s principal commercial towns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The business operated as a retailer and manufacturer associated particularly with silverware, jewellery, and decorative items. Like many Maltese family firms of the period, F. Abela & Sons served both local residents and the steady flow of visitors and naval personnel passing through Malta, which was an important British Mediterranean base.

fig 3. A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails.
fig 3. Early 20h Century Silvered "Fish Bookends" by F Abella & Sons

Pieces linked to the firm are sometimes marked with the retailer’s name, indicating that the company either produced items locally or commissioned work from Maltese silversmiths and foreign manufacturers. Hamrun itself developed into a busy trading centre with numerous workshops and retail establishments supplying jewellery, silver, and luxury goods.

fig 4. A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails.
fig 4. Early 20h Century Silvered "Fish Bookends" by F Abella & Sons

F. Abela & Sons forms part of this broader tradition of Maltese family businesses that contributed to the island’s reputation for skilled metalwork and craftsmanship. Surviving marked pieces today provide evidence of Malta’s small but active decorative arts trade.

Height
15.5cm (6.10")
Width
7cm (2.76")
Depth
5cm (1.97")
Date of Manufacture

Hickmet Fine Arts has dated these Silvered Metal Fish Bookends to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1220737
Dealers Internal Ref
9577
Hickmet Fine Arts
Hickmet Fine Arts
Sellingantiques verified Since Apr 2012

Established in 1936, hickmet fine arts is an international family run antiques business

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Hickmet Fine Arts Profile Page

Trade Associations

Hickmet Fine Arts is a registered member of LAPADA  BADA  CINOA

Relevant Links
PDF SHARE
SAVE
A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails.
1 / 12
Archive I A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails.

Early 20h Century Silvered "Fish Bookends" by F Abella & Sons

Archive II A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View II
Archive III A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View III
Archive IV A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View IV
Archive V A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View V
Archive VI A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View VI
Archive VII A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View VII
Archive VIII A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View VIII
Archive IX A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View IX
Archive X A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View X
Archive XI A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View XI
Archive XII A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails. View XII
Enlarged Archival View
Hickmet Fine Arts

Hickmet Fine Arts
Telephone 07971 850405
Location
Gallery Eighty Five
85 Portobello Road
London
W11 2QB
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/davidhickmet
Verified Since Apr 2012
Items For Sale 112
Items Sold 6
Hickmet Fine Arts
Hickmet Fine Arts
Verified Since Apr 2012
View Dealer Info
Location: Gallery Eighty Five, 85 Portobello Road, London, W11 2QB, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/davidhickmet
Verified
Apr 2012
For Sale
112
Sold
6
A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails.
Early 20h Century Silvered "Fish Bookends" by F Abella & Sons
Ref: SA1220737
A pair of silvered metal bookends sculpted in the shape of upright stylised fish with textured scales and curved tails.
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FAQs

Early 20th-century Art Deco metalwork frequently features stylised animal forms, geometric curves, streamlined silhouettes, and silvered or electroplated finishes that reflected the eras focus on modernism and industrial production.

Bookends from this period were commonly cast in heavy base metals such as spelter or brass, weighted internally for functional support, and finished with silver electroplating or lacquer to produce a uniform metallic surface.

Authentic pieces typically display maker stamps or foundry marks near the base, natural casting variations on hidden underside surfaces, appropriate weight for holding hardback volumes, and subtle surface oxidisation consistent with age.

Position them on a timber bookshelf, console table, or executive desk to frame hardback volumes, allowing the polished metallic finish to create visual contrast against dark wood or matte backgrounds.

Dust regularly with a soft, dry microfibre cloth and avoid harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive polishes, which can erode delicate silver electroplating over time.
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