Apr 30, 2018
Wow what an exciting sale we had with many international bidders in the room. The star lot was an Indian deity which turned out to be 1000 years older than thought. It sold to a US dealer for £155,000 in the room.
The 7¾in Indian figure of deity, which had sat on the shelf of its owner’s home for the past 30 years, was thought to be 19th century, but was at least 1000 years older and extremely rare.
It was consigned with another piece, a rare 18in high bronze figure from the south Indian Chola dynasty and dating back to around the 12th century, which took £220,000 against hopes of £30,000-50,000.
A third bronze of the god Vishnu, standing 12½in high and from the collection of the late Andrew Solomon, sold for £64,000 having been pitched at £12,000-15,000. It dated to the 15th century.
Dec 19, 2017
A collection of 34 perfume bottles sold well above estimates to total more than £25,000 hammer at our recent antique auction on December 14. The same sale yielded more than £7500 for a collection of keys and locks.
We will be offering another tranche of the Joyce Paretti Collection of Perfume Bottles in future and are delighted with this performance. A number feature in Edouard Launet’s 1999 book Perfume and Pomanders: Scent and Scent Bottles through the Ages.
Top price was the £3400 paid for a 2¾in (7cm) long derby porcelain perfume bottle and stopper, decorated with a striped cat pursuing two turtle doves up a tree, the base with a seal of a prancing horse and angel. In a shaped leather case, it came undated but is similar to other bottles from Derby dating to the mid 18th century.
A Louis XVI period gold and enamel oval perfume bottle, the blue ground inset with a grisaille portrait, and classical figure on the reverse, with the inscription la vertu fut ma gloire (virtue was my glory), carried the same guide but more than trebled the upper end of it at £1700.
A 4½in (11.5cm) long, 18th century South Staffordshire pear-shaped enamel perfume bottle, with topper and chain was also pitched at £250-500, but made £1500.
Another example guided at £250-500 was a 3in (7.5cm), 18th century rock crystal and gold scent bottle and stopper with chain that sold for £1200.
Thomas Webb & Sons, the 19th century makers, are celebrated for their swan head
Cameo perfume bottles, with examples in museums such as The Met. Here a conical cameo glass perfume bottle by Webb with a silver band and top, made in Birmingham in 1885, is decorated with a narcissus on yellow ground. At 4¾in (12cm) long, it was expected to fetch £250-500, but in the end made £850.
Incorporating a silver bracelet, a 19th century silver perfume by S. Mordan & Co, London 1888, carried hopes of £100-150 and outstripped this comfortably at £800. (lot 1512)
Two highlights came in at £750. The first, a finely engraved 2in (5cm) high silver-gilt vase-shaped pomander in four sections that screw into each other, is thought to be from Augsburg in Bavaria and dates to c.1690. It had an estimate of £200-300.
The second, a 3½in (9cm) long, c.1800 coalport porcelain leaf-shaped perfume bottle, with butterfly stopper and gilt blue and red decoration on a white ground, was guided at just £80-150.
Marked GH, a 4in (10cm) long Victorian silver perfume bottle and stopper, London 1885, was enamelled with butterflies and wild roses and took £600 against an estimate of £100-150.
Completing the perfume bottle highlights was a crystal example in the shape of a fish with silver tail, London 1906, which was made in collaboration with Thomas Webb who had registered the design in 1884. At 6½in (16.5cm) long, it had the same £100-150 guide and took £550.
Early keys and locks may not command the same price levels as perfume bottles, but the Vittorio Paretti collection of close to 80 lots offered in the same sale held its own well.
Joint honours went to a heavy 17th century polished steel lock, with small key with cloverleaf handle, and a 17th century iron lock and key as a ball. The first had been pitched at £100-200, the second at just £25-50, but they took £460 each.
Four iron and steel key of varied design with a joint estimate of £50-100 made £360, while two 17th century keys with pierced handles guided at £50-75 went for £340.
A tiny pierced polish steel key and a small folding key, both only 2in (5cm) long, sold together for £300 against expectations of £25-50 (lot 1405), and a 5in (13cm) long, 17th century iron key with pierced handle, carrying the initials CPF, made £280 against hopes of £25-50, the same price as paid for three early iron locks guided at £50-80.
Finally, five iron and steel keys of various designs took £240 against hopes of £50-100.
Our next Fine Antique auction and the first of 2018 will be on Thursday, 25th January. Keep an eye out for our catalogue nearer the time.
Dec 6, 2017
The recent Collector’s auction exceeded expectations; a combination perhaps, of being able to bid online (and therefore being accessible to all) but also there were some great bargains as well! Not least, the Louis Vuitton luggage collection. Such an iconic design. Anyone carrying one of these cases on holiday would look very elegant.
A large Louis Vuitton case, no. 1074290, Paris, with brass corners, hinges and lock, no. 290909, the lid opens to reveal a lift out clothes holder, complete with leather handle and leather luggage label complete with outer cover. Standing at 29ins long, 19.5ins wide, 9ins high, it fetched £2200. Also from the Louis Vuitton collection was a speedy 35 Damier Azur bag with padlock and keys, including dust bag which fetched £260.
Another iconic brand in the sale was Hermès. Famous for their timeless and colourful silk scarves, which fetch up to £600 new, unworn and boxed, they were selling with us from just £30. Do keep an eye on future sales for bargains such as these! Four designer silk scarves, vintage scarf and hat sold for £170, another small silk neck tie, boxed, fetched £80 with an estimate of £30-50 and other Hermès silk scarves, boxed, fetched from £90 through to £160, all with estimates of £40-60.
Other exciting items included an Everlast red boxing glove, signed by Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Ken Norton, Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Joe Frazier, Lennox Lewis and George Foreman. In a gilded frame and standing at 23ins x 16ins x 5ins deep and with an estimate of £250-500, it sold for £400.
A good silver gilt and enamel filigree shaped box and cover, decorated with panels of birds in coloured enamels. Impressed silver and 16cms high, it sold for £1100 against an estimate of £100-150.
Lastly, a Danish sterling silver Georg Jensen cigarette box with wooden interior with an estimate of £80-150, sold for £900.
Our last auctions of 2017 start with an Oriental auction on 13 December. Keep an eye out on our website for previews.
Nov 28, 2017
A good strong sale with two particular Lots flying out the door. Lots 136 & 256 did very well.. the first Lot 136 sold on the phone. Alonzo C Webb (1888-1975) American. An American City Skyline, possibly Chicago, mixed media, signed and dated 1950, 20” x 26”. Estimated at £400-£600, it fetched £3200. Lot 256 attributed to George Mullins (act.1756-1775) Irish. Study of an Old Man, seated in a Landscape, oil on canvas laid down, signed and dated ‘AD 1772’, Unframed, 26” x 20”. Estimated at £150-£250, it also went for £3200 to an internet buyer.
The next Paintings auction will be 20th December. Keep an eye on our website for further details.
Nov 17, 2017
The Fine Antique auction on the 9 November saw some good results with some surprises. A good set of three lead garden figures, modelled as cherubs emblematic of earth, wind and water, on circular bases. Estimated at £500-700, they fetched £1100.
Estimated at £500-600, the ever popular Clarice Cliff bizarre “forest green” tea set, teapot and cover, milk jug, sugar basin and two cups and saucers went for £1100. A standing bronze from Sir William Hamo Thornycroft RA (1850-1925) British , 129 baluchis, wearing his medals, holding a rifle with bayonet in front of him sold for £5500 with an estimate of £2000-3000.
The clock section did well with a superb rare Moser of Paris brass carriage clock, with eight-day movement, triple dial with month and days, striking on a single bell, stamped Moser A. Paris, no. 9483, stamped on the movement and case, complete with carrying handle. Carrying an estimate of £600-800, it went for £1100. Also, a superb French 19th century gold, diamond and blue enamel bangle, made in France circa. 1890 and estimated at £500-800, sold for £1400.
A rare set of four early Dutch silver candlesticks, estimated at £2500-3000 sold for £3800.
More unusual was an early Fijian whale tooth necklace. Estimated at £500-700, it sold for £1300.
We will be running an auction of collectors’ items on 2 December. Please see the catalogue on our website nearer to the sale.
Nov 17, 2017
The recent Oriental sale in November saw items selling well. A 19th century framed Chinese kingfisher feather river landscape picture, the frame 33in x 25.5in sold for £4000.
Also, a Chinese famille rose porcelain butterfly vase, the base with a qianlong seal mark, 7.25in wide at widest point & 9.2in high sold for £3000. A good quality Chinese celadon glazed porcelain jar, the base with a yongzheng seal mark, 8.4in wide at widest point & 8.1in high sold for £30. An unusual Chinese yellow glazed oval porcelain bowl & cover, the base with a qianlong seal mark, 10.75in wide including handles & 9.75in high overall sold for £4000. A shallow Chinese jun ware ceramic tripod censer, 5.4in diameter at rim & 1.6in high sold for £2400. A good large 18th/19th century Chinese langyao type porcelain vase, 16.7in high sold for £4000.
From the Japanese selection, an unusual meiji period ivory okimono of a seated woman with a child, possibly Tokyo school, 7.75in high sold for £2000.
The next Oriental sale will be 13 December. Do please keep an eye on our website for the catalogue.
