What We Are Looking For
Classical & Neoclassical Decorative Arts
Pieces inspired by the Grand Tour often draw on Greco-Roman themes: urns, medallions, classical busts, plaster casts, and furniture in Palladian or Neoclassical style. These items appeal because they combine decorative elegance with clear references to the cultural ideals that travelled with Grand Tourists from Rome to Athens and beyond.
Italian & Continental Works
Specimen marbles, pietra dura inlay, micromosaics, carved marble tables — these are hallmarks of the Grand Tour aesthetic. We’ve seen strong market performance for similarly styled pieces in recent sales; for instance, a mid-19th-century marble specimen centre table with pietra dura inlay has already appeared in our upholstery departments.
Collectables & Travel Relics
Don’t overlook smaller pieces: miniature bronzes, cameos, intaglios, architectural fragments, and travel souvenirs all have a place in this sale. These items often carry narrative weight — as objects that might have been acquired on the road. Some of Bonhams’ Grand Tour lots include marble inkwells adorned with miniatures and reverse-painted glass plaques.