Route 202, New Preston, CT | Tel: 860.868.1496
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INDIAN SCOUT MOTORCYCLE FROM 1920
Behind the bar is an Indian Scout Motorcycle from 1920 - This was the first year of production for the bike that eventually evolved into the Chief. With revolutionary engineering, this bike was far ahead of its time. It became the obsession of Burt Munroe who eventually broke the land speed record at 200mph, after much tinkering.
1840 PUB SIGN
From the original White Horse pub - Mayfair, London, well ingrained with Victorian fog.
DOCUMENT WITH ORIGINAL SEAL SIGNED BY WILLIAM CLOPTON
THE XXI DAY OF JANUARY IN THE 41ST YEAR OF THE REIGN OF OUR SOVREIGN LADY ELIZABETH BY THE GRACE OF GOD OF ENGLAND FRANCE AND IRELAND QUEEN DEFENDER OF THE FAITH 1599 - from one of the noblest families in the land, he had a politically arranged marriage to his cousin Anne in 1586 (he was 12 and she 9) eventually inherited all estates, lived in Stratford upon Avon, where in 1597, he rented the house next to him, called new place to his good friend William Shakespeare, who subsequently purchased it in 1599. Records indicate this was the second biggest house in town, Clopton retaining the biggest. Must have had great dinner conversations when his friends came over. Shakespeare it is said based the character of Ophelia from Hamlet, after a Clopton personal incident also Juliet was similarly inspired by the very colorful Clopton family..
16th CENTURY TAVERN TABLE
In Continuous use for over 400 years, from a Royal Castle. I bet a lot of good ale, victuals, and lively chatter have been absorbed by that oak.
ELIZABETHAN CHEST
geometric shapes fashionable on furniture through the sixteenth century - old hard oak with ancient worm holes - I can only imagine the changing fashions and items those drawers have seen for over 400 years, and now it is a time to hold your menus ..
1597 ROYAL PARDON FROM QUEEN ELIZABETH 1 COMPLETE WITH GREAT SEAL
One of only a handful in existence, as carved by Nicholas Hilliard, and used exclusively by the Queen on matters of great importance.- scholarship rights had to be granted to the British Museum - Her Majestys Goverment did insist after all - perhaps the scholars can enjoy a pint of old speckled hen and a signature burger, whilst at their studies.
PANCHO VILLA
1920 Pancho Villa ordering Indian Bikes - to replace horses for his army
1784 PEACE PROCLAMATION REVOLUTIONARY WAR
1784...'With breaking news' from Paris. London Gazette The Kings Proclamation - the first report of the Peace Treaty between Great Britain and The United States ending the revolutionary war....
PLANET EARTH signed by the MERCURY 7
The first astronaut group 1959 - 1963
1827 GLASS WINE FLAGON
In original basket
16thc. - ORNATE CARVED FINIAL BRACKETS
Either side of the front door came from a Royal four poster bed
1592 - PAIR OF ROYAL COURT CHEST PANELS
From an enormous chest discovered in an Elizabethan Stately Home etched with dates 15 & 92
1480 circa - OAK PANEL CARVED FIGURE
Mounted above Elizabethan Chest
FENDER GUITAR SIGNED BY MICK, KEITH, RON AND CHARLIE OF THE ROLLING STONES - Original triptych by Henry Dilz 1978 and 1979 Paris Concert Tickets.
1250 - LAND GRANT with running Dog Seal - KNIGHT'S HORSE PENDANT -
TWO SILVER 1250 TREASURE COINS
1250 Land grant from John Ingeram to his son & heir John. With his Wax Seal, intact, of a Running Dog. Written in Latin, this unique piece was possibly created, prior to his departure for the Crusades. 400 years later Ingerams’ ancestors were the first to settle Virginia in the New World. 12th.c. Extremely rare Medieval Knight’s Horse Harness pendant of Thomas Becket. King Henry 111 - 1250 - Two Silver Long Cross coins - discovered in a treasure chest in 1908 Belgium - part of a trove of silver coins worth a Kings Ransom - possibly to be used for political bribes by Richard of Cornwall, King Henrys’ younger brother, in his bid to be elected Holy Roman Emperor - he was successful, even though the treasure never reached its destination, as Brussels was in the midst of a civil uproar and it became too dangerous to travel any further with these millions, the treasure chest was secretly buried under a cistern in a tavern, until an accidental discovery almost 700 years later. 1793 Illustration of the 1216 Coronation of King Henry 111 (by Strutt)
CHARLES DICKENS - PURCHASE OF 160 BOTTLES OF 1834 PORT
Check Drawn on Coutts Bank - 6 March 1865 - for 142 pounds 18 shillings & 10 pence Made out to John Humphrey (The Lord Mayor of London) In a letter "Your brother Mr. William Humphrey has informed me that you will be so very kind as to bid for me at the sale of wine tomorrow.... 'I shall be very glad to lay out from 100 to 150 pounds on the '34 Port taking the smaller range if it should go at very high prices and the larger if it should go at eight or nine guineas per dozen.'
PABLO PICASSO
"Peace & Freedom" signed by Pablo Picasso
QUEEN VICTORIA'S CARRIAGE MASTER'S HORSES 1885
The stone bridge across the East Aspetuck river, features two foundry cast Horses from London, these were presented in 1885 to Queen Victoria’s master of the Carriages upon his retirement.
TRIPTYCH OF JOHN LENNON - MAHATMA GHANDI - MARTIN LUTHER KING
1931 Pencil portrait of Mahatma Ghandi signed by him. John Lennon lyrics to Revolution per Yoko Ono. Martin Luther King Christmas Card.
WINSTON CHURCHILL
Signed Photograph as sent by his daughter, the actress Sarah Beauchamp in 1954 to her US Immigration officer
1488 - CASTLE LAND DEED
FROM NORTHERN FRANCE - THE PART THAT ENGLAND ONCE OCCUPIED, WRITTEN IN OLD FRENCH ON PARCHMENT -No longer valid,I think ?
MARTHA WASHINGTON - SWATCH OF HER WEDDING DRESS
Swatch of Martha Washington's Wedding Dress from her marriage to Colonel George Washington January 6th.1759. This fragment is of a Rich Gold Brocade material and is attached to a letter written by George L. Upshur, her Great Great Great Grandson in 1915 to his girlfriend, proposing marriage - She said yes and carefully preserved this important artifact. - Upshur's Mother was the Grandneice of George Washington Parke Custis - The Grandson of Martha Washington - through her first marriage to Daniel Parke Custis - from the note by Upshur "Mrs Washington's attire on the occasion of her wedding to General Washington was overdress of yellow brocade, silver bodice & silver petticoat trimmed with lace pearls & lilac slippers." The marriage took place in New Kent County, Virginia at the White House Plantation. A replica of the yellow brocade wedding dress is on display at Mt. Vernon.
SPANISH ARMADA DOCUMENT signed by ROBERT DUDLEY EARL OF LEICESTER 1588
Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester 24th July 1588 Captain General of all the armies and forces raised to resist The Spanish Armada - signed at Tilbury - London Favorite, companion and suitor to Queen Elizabeth 1, ordered to resist the Armada and protect England with his outnumbered forces at Tilbury - The Queen gave her legendary clarion call to the troops here - “My Loving People………I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and a King of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any Prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm………” This document appoints Sir Moyle Finch, the Queen’s Treasurer at Wars for the armies and forces under Leicester’s command, a Colonel of a regiment of foot, in English, signed by Lord Dudley and sealed with his armorial papered seal. - Robert Earle of Leycester Baron of Denbighe: Lord great Steward of her Majesties householde etc. And her highness Lieutenant and Captaine Generall of all her Armyes and forces imployed aswell against all forrene Enemyes & invasions as domesticall Traitors and Rebellions…… FORASMUCHAS yt hath pleased the Quenes Majesty (upon certaine Intelligence of the great preparacons, that the Kinge and other Complices and confederates of the league, hade made and of thapproches of their forces, with intent to invade this her Realme of England) to appointe me her Highness Lieutenant generall of all her Armyes and forces leavyed and imployed for the defence of her Royall person and defence of her people and Contrey against all attemptes of forreine Ennemyes………-
AN UNUSUAL PAMPHLET FROM PARLIAMENT 1649
Lord Fairfax, as commander of the army, declaring loyalty to parliament, just after King Charles I was deposed, during the climax of the civil war. This broadside would have been placed in town squares and important taverns for all to read.
QUEEN ELIZABETH I - LETTER PATENT - MARCH 1562
Elizabeth 1 Queen of England Westminster 22 March 1562 Letter portrait of Queen Elizabeth 1 executed in pen and ink within the initial E of a Royal Letters Patent Decree, depicting the Queen in flowing robes, bearing the insignia of State and seated against a stylized background beneath a canopy with a baldachin captioned ’Vivat Regina’, the document being a grant of the manor of Holderness, the manor of Crestingham, a messuage called Holland in the possession of the monastery of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk. With appurtenances, to Robert Thorpe and Francis Boldero, written in Latin in a handsome Chancery hand, engrossed historiated majuscules and adorned with calligraphic heraldic beasts and emblems, endorsement Westminster 22 March 1562.
CELTIC BRONZE RING -
over 2200 years old - used as both status and wealth.
JAMES 1st King of England - Indenture 1610
LION STATUE
The magnificent reclining Lion mounted over the granite fireplace is over 200 years old and from the Borgia Palace in Rome, he bears the Borgia Museum seal.
QUEEN VICTORIA'S CRICKET TEAM
Photograph of Queen Victoria's Cricket Team complete with trophy shield, badge, bat and ball
THE LION'S DEN
The Lion's Den contains all works of art in oil including a floral still life by Camille Matisse. Two major dog and horse paintings from the Stubbs school, 19c. landscape and dog paintings.
The beams crisscrossing the room and all salvaged from a 200 year old barn in Pennsylvannia.
The two large supporting corbels are from a 1725 French Château just outside of Paris. Flanking the fireplace are two Muller et Frères 1920 lamps.
The majority of table tops in the Lion's Den are steel banded and adapted oak parquet flooring from an 1842 Parisian Ballroom. The central table in front of the fireplace is a mounted and glass topped antique Indian door, the black ebonized oval table sits upon a large iron 18th.c. industrial base.
19thc. PARISIAN GAS LAMPS
Repurposed as chandeliers to help create the warm ambiance in the Lion's Den
18th.C HAND PAINTED FOLDING LADIES FAN
An 18thc. French hand painted ladies folding fan with four swooping bluebirds the sticks painted with a landscape scene.
FALCON
Antique Japanese bronze sculpture of a falcon perched on rockery with its wings spread
16th.c. ANGEL
Set into the beams is an 16th.c. carved oak angel
16thc. LION
Set into the banquette is a hand carved 16thc. lion head.
15thc. LINEN FOLD GOTHIC ARCH
From an Abbey in England.
1675 FIRST ENGLISH NEWSPAPER
The very first English newspaper is to the right of the front door Published the week of September 21st 1675 - two sided with a dedicated paragraph to each news worthy item from around Europe, the paper tells of armadas & galleons, sieges & fortresses, of a noble banquet in London attended by ‘persons of quality’, & the first advert which was a lost and found for a little dog belonging to a Mr. Fabian Philips of Chancery Lane, promising whoever shall bring, they will be well rewarded.
1876 BOTANICALS FROM ZERMATT
Sixteen Botanicals mounted in mirrored frames are a collection from 1876: ‘These few faded flowers, gathered from the rocky slopes beneath the shadow of the Matterhorn in September 1876 are offered to Mrs. Benjamin Brig as a small remembrance of happy wanderings when she and her husband contributed much to the enjoyment of the charms of Switzerland by their pleasant companionship and never failing kindness.’
Pre-Revolutionary 1773 British Colony of Connecticut 20 shillings
1920 FRENCH HAND CARVED HORSE STAUTE
Vintage wallpaper, Muller Frères 1920 French Lamps, English Antique architectural elements repurposed, Wide Plank pine flooring from 1780's