South African Design: Past & Present

Timed Online Auction, 13 June - 9 July 2025

Cape Interiors: Furniture, Metalware, Silver & Glass
About the Session

This sale traces the heritage of South African design across centuries of creative expression highlighting diverse design objects through two sessions. Uniting the sessions is a celebration of the versatility of materials - metal, wood, glass, clay, fibre - and how artists and artisans have transformed them over time into works of wonder, rich in both tradition and innovation.


Sold for

ZAR 3 518
Lot 23
  • A Cape teak and brass-bound balie and cover, late 19th century
  • A Cape teak and brass-bound balie and cover, late 19th century
  • A Cape teak and brass-bound balie and cover, late 19th century
  • A Cape teak and brass-bound balie and cover, late 19th century


Lot Estimate
ZAR 3 000 - 5 000
Selling Price
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
ZAR 3 518

About this Item

A Cape teak and brass-bound balie and cover, late 19th century
the circular tapering sides incorporating a pair of pierced lug handles, the cover surmounted with a shaped wooden handle, incised 'JAH' to the underside of cover and body, 17cm high, 21cm wide over handles

Notes

Urns or balies were part of everyday Cape kitchen equipment, usually constructed from teak making them water tight, and bound together by strips of brass, copper or iron.

Balies were used for many different purposes in the home. The ones such as this one made with a tight fitting lid, were used for pickling and salting meat.



More from South African Design: Past & Present

A Cape yellowwood and stinkwood inlaid side table, early 19th century
A Cape yellowwood and stinkwood inlaid side table, early 19th century
ZAR 8 000 - 10 000
A Cape Neo-classical stinkwood rusbank, 19th century
A Cape Neo-classical stinkwood rusbank, 19th century
ZAR 15 000 - 18 000
A brass konfoor, 18th century
A brass konfoor, 18th century
ZAR 15 000 - 18 000
A brass konfoor, 19th century
A brass konfoor, 19th century
ZAR 18 000 - 20 000
A Cape brass two-handled jam boiler, 19th century
A Cape brass two-handled jam boiler, 19th century
ZAR 3 000 - 4 000
A Cape brass coffee urn and konfoor, T.C. Falck, Roberston, 20th century
A Cape brass coffee urn and konfoor, T.C. Falck, Roberston, 20th century
ZAR 7 000 - 9 000