Antiques Trade Gazette 11


“Among the traditional English material there was considerable room for optimism to be gained”


11in (1.81m) long crossbanded top above frieze drawers on acanthus carved trestle supports linked by a turned and reeded pole stretcher and on downswept legs with brass lions’-paw feet and castors. Estimated at £3000-5000, it sold at £8500. Looking rather bullishly estimated,


given the times, was a c.1860 walnut and marquetry bookcase standing (2.09 x 1.27) tall. With a pair of glazed doors above


a base with two cupboard doors, the bookcase was decorated all over with floral marquetry and with gilt-metal mounts and had a provenance back to the Earls Strathmore and Kinghorne. Estimated at £3000-5000, it sold on the upper figure. Another large piece, a c.1815


mahogany secretaire bookcase in the manner of Marsh and Tatham, 8ft 2½in high by 4ft wide (2.50 x 1.22m) also went on top estimate at £3000. Two other c.1815 pieces met a


mixed response. A 3ft 6½in (98cm) tall rosewood and brass marquetry secretaire cabinet in the manner of George Bullock was rather disappointing, going just below estimate at £4800. However, a c.1815 and later mahogany twin-pedestal dining table, 8ft 1in (2.70m) long went comfortably above expectations at £3400. Continental furniture had its ups and


downs, too. A French kingwood, rosewood,


tulipwood and gilt-metal-mounted side table in the manner of François Linke, also provenanced to the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, failed against hopes of £3000-5000, but a pair of Louis XVI tulipwood, marquetry and gilt-metal- mounted corner cabinets stamped L. Foureau JME was among the sale stars. Dated c.1780, the 3ft tall, 2ft 6in wide


(92 x 77cm) cabinets had grey-veined marble tops above doors centred by musical trophies within oval reserves. Louis Foureau was more famous for the lacquer furniture decorated in gout de la Chine he produced at his rue du Faubourg-St Denis workshop, following being made master in 1755. The cabinets displayed none of this


chinoiserie taste, but sold at £8000 against an estimate of £2000-3000.


Dreweatts, Donnington Priory November 23 Number of lots offered: 392 Lots sold: 71 per cent Buyer’s Premium: 26.4% inc. VAT Sale total: £261,570


Left: detail of Turkoman carpet – £3400 at


Stroud Auction Rooms.


Above: Italian casket – £9500 at Steven Bruce. Racetrack winner


Rug dealers plan research not profit with £3400 bid


“IT wasn’t a rug you’d want to put on the floor or the wall,” said auctioneer Nick Bowkett of the rather tatty looking Turkoman rug, above, which had been cut in half. It was, however, wanted by at least a dozen of bidders at Stroud Auction Rooms (15% buyer’s premium on November 10. Estimated at £200-250, the 6ft by 4ft


(1.83 x 1.22m) piece of carpet finally fell at £3400 to a consortium of four rug dealers who thought it might be older than the c.1860 suggested in the catalogue. One of them told Mr Bowkett that they


were prepared to lose money on their purchase. They plan to use it for research because they had never before seen the particular ‘elephant pad’ pattern. Another


textile lot to do well, more predictably, was a fine 18th century needlework picture of the Judgment of Solomon, which took £2100. Best of the ceramics was a Royal


Doulton figure A Child’s Grace, HN 62A with a green coat and a yellow dress., Designed by L. Perugini, the 9¼in (23.5cm tall) figure produced between 1916 and 1938, sold at £3200. While there was nothing of great note


among the furniture, it was at least selling, helped here by the return of a Tasmanian shipper to the market. “Plain Victorian and Edwardian pieces are beginning to sell again,” said Mr Bowkett, “but, of course, it’s quality that counts. Mediocre furniture is still bringing mediocre prices.”


Chelsea fans take a Chance


THE opening ceramics section at the Cambridge sale held by Cheffins (21% buyer’s premium) on November 23-24 included 22 pieces which had been acquired by Peter Chance, chairman of Christie’s from 1958 to 1974. Most in demand was Chelsea Gold Anchor period porcelain including a set of five custard cups, each painted with reserves of cupids within gilt frames in deep blue grounds. Estimated at up to £2000, the set sold at £5400. Going more in line with expectations, three 3½in (9cm) high beaker-shaped


bowls painted with two reserves of exotic bowls sold at £2400, and two two-handled cups and covers, 4¼in (10.5cm) diameter, with dark blue and gilt covers and bases and a wide central band painted with Watteauesque figures, which took £2800. Topping the furniture was a


c.1870 century Italian specimen marble table top inlaid as a chess board bordered by four micromosaic vignettes of Rome. Measuring 2ft 1in (66cm) diameter, it was estimated at £3000 but sold at £7600. One of the odder items was a


gangplank board from the armed merchantman HMS Rawalpindi which was sunk off Iceland in a very one- sided action by the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in November 1939. The 4ft 8in x 15in plank was sold with


a framed letter from the ship’s original owners, P&O, to a Mrs Taylor whose


Above: Italian specimen marble table top – £7600 at Cheffins.


husband died along with 226 men and 37 officers (including Captain Edward Kennedy, Ludovic Kennedy’s father). Estimated at £200-400, the plank finally sold at £2200.


THE dark horse among the 800 runners at the 12th November sale held by Steven B. Bruce (15% buyer’s premium) at Stratford-upon- Avon was this small Italian gilt-metal table casket, above. Measuring 11½ x 10in (29 x 25cm), it was inset with black slate, pietra dura and agate and stood on four gilt-metal feet. It had come among a clearance of a former rectory near Henley-in-Arden and given a tempting estimate of £200-300. It sold at £9500 to a London dealer acting for an Italian buyer.


Stylish carriage


HIGHLIGHT of the November 5 550-lot sale at The Auction Company, Broadway (10% buyer’s premium) was this fine mid-19th


century carriage clock, right. Signed Howell James & Co London & Paris to the dial, it featured three hand- painted Sèvres panels, one of them signed. There was some loss of beadwork to the plaques but otherwise the clock was without apparent fault and came with its original key. Estimated at £3000-4000, it drew strong interest


Above: carriage clock – £4900 at Broadway.


in the Cotswolds room before coming down to a dual between bidders on the phone and eventually selling at £4900.


Cinnabar star


Above: 18th century Chinese lacquered bowl – £10,500 at Greenslade Taylor Hunt.


BROUGHT into a regular valuation day by the descendant of an English worthy living in China in the mid 19th century, this finely carved cinnabar lacquer bowl, above, was the star of the fortnightly sale held at Taunton by Greenslade Taylor Hunt (15% buyer’s premium) on November 24. Probably 18th century, the 8½in (21.5cm) diameter bowl was carved with six five-clawed dragons among clouds. A chip to the rim, and a vendor keen to sell, kept the estimate down to the low hundreds, but on the day bidding in the room gave way to a three-way phone contest before the bowl sold to a Yorkshire buyer at £10,500. “By far the highest priced item sold at our Priory Saleroom this year,” said auctioneer Stuart Triggol.


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