Thanks to our eagle-eyed specialist, bowls that lay unnoticed during a house clearance sold in Fernhurst for £35,000
As we continue with our new weekly series of consignment valuation days at John Nicholson’s, we can reveal that we have already found amazing treasures locally – and we know many more are waiting to come out of hiding!
Take the pair of Chinese famille rose porcelain bowls shown here. Beautifully decorated with coral red fish to the exterior, this 14.5cm diameter pair has a wonderful interior, garnished with blue and white sprays of flora. Each bowl has a Daoguang mark to the base. They may well be contemporary with that period of the Qing dynasty, which lasted from 1820-50.
The bowls came to light during a routine house clearance in Hindhead. The owner was moving to the United States and had called in John Nicholson’s to assess the contents and manage the process of their dispersal. Unaware of the significance of the bowls, the owner did not single them out for inspection, but luckily our specialist spotted them during a visit. Estimated at £4,000-6,000 in our May 17, 2023 Islamic & Oriental auction, they sold to a collector in Hong Kong for £35,000.
Also sold from the clearance were several antique Chinese jade pieces, which attracted very healthy prices indeed
The Surrey/Sussex border region has also proved to be very fertile ground for antique and Contemporary Islamic art. A recent example of this was the abstract study by the Turkish artist Mubin Orhon (1924-81). Signed and dated 1961, the 80cm square canvas left its £3,000-5,000 far behind when it sold for £15,000 at our November 17, 2023 Islamic & Oriental auction.
Now it’s time to see what treasures you may have in your home. Bring them along to our consignment valuation day at Fernhurst saleroom each Friday between 9am and 5pm. No appointment necessary. Or on other days by appointment only.
