Post Sale Report

Posted on 23rd August 2013

The opening section of ceramics and glass included a small collection Lalique glass consigned from a vendor in the South. The stand-out piece from the collection was a “Myrtilles” pattern inkwell (lot 11) which sold to a bidder from the Continent on the telephone at £1,300. Just a few lots later a bid of £850 secured a large Walter Moorcroft flambé vase (lot 15), followed by a set of five Royal Worcester fruit painted coffee cans and saucers (lot 44) which made £950.

 The Oriental section attracted greatest interest pre sale and this was to prove the case on the day. Chinese items have been soaring for a while now, but this time the top price came from a Japanese carved ivory memento mori (lot 77 Pictured). Modelled as a skull and encrusted with semi-precious cabochon stones it made £1,600 against a £1,200-1,800 estimate.  It was closely followed by a Chinese jade carving (lot 75) which sold to an internet bidder at £1,300.

 The top price from the Silver section came from a large Edwardian tea tray by Martin Hall, dating to 1902, which sold to an internet bidder at £1,700. A telephone bidder paid £1,300 for a George III silver covered cup, London 1731, against a £700-900 estimate.

 Diamonds continue to attract the greatest interest but the top price of the jewellery section came from a fine sapphire and diamond ring (lot 253) which sold to a bidder on the telephone at £6,000. A bid of £2,700 in the room was enough to secure a single stone pear cut diamond ring (lot 238). The same purchased an enamel, pearl, sapphire and diamond pendant, circa 1890 (lot 240), at £2,200.

 The Objects of Virtue and Miscellanea section saw one of the biggest surprises of the day. Two Arnold Mac tinplate motorcycles (lot 406), which came from a Cumbrian consignment, attracted a huge amount of pre sale interest. Bidding was hotly contested with bidders in the room, on the telephone and the internet. It was finely knocked down to a telephone bidder at £1,700. A bidder on the internet from the Continent purchased an 18 carat gold, diamond and jade snuff box and cover (lot 385) for £3,000.

 The market for watercolours showed signs of improvement. A large and well executed landscape by Robert Angelo Kittermaster Marshall (1849-1926)(lot 456) sold to a bidder in the room at £1,100 while a work by Charles Spencelayh (1865-1958), titled Tea Time (lot 470), sold to another room bidder for £1,600.

 The clock section was small but included some interesting early pieces. A Queen Anne watch clock by a Preston maker sold for £1,000 against a £400-600 estimate. The top performer amongst the longcase clocks was a walnut, crossbanded and inlaid cased eight day example by John Ogden II of Darlington (lot 591). It was eventually sold to a buyer in the room for £2,700.

 The furniture section provided reason for optimism with high demand for quality pieces in “ready to go” condition.  Leading the way was a Regency style dining suite by renowned cabinet makers Arthur Brett & Sons (lot 661) which sold to a bidder in the room for £2,400. It was shortly followed by a George III oak chest on chest which made £1,100 against a £1,000-1,500 estimate.