Decorative Art

Even 40 years ago, when the market for George Tinworth (1843-1913) anthropomorphic mouse groups was in its relative infancy, this 3½in (9cm) model above would have been a bargain at £1.

The highlight of a sale of paintings, furniture and works of art staged at Drouot by Coutau-Bégarie on May 28 will be this early 16th century Limoges enamel plaque painted with a scene from Virgil’s Aeneid.

Strawser auctions in Indiana has a long tradition of selling 19th and early 20th century English majolica wares by the likes of Minton and George Jones and Wedgwood.

Bloomfield Auctions (15% buyer’s premium) in Belfast achieved a house record on May 11 with the sale of this William De Morgan vase for £15,000.

John Douglas’ interest in antique base metalware started over 60 years ago.

From 1932-34 Clarice Cliff was the art director for a project involving nearly 30 artists of the day to promote good design on tableware.

At the end of last year the antiques business lost one of its expert dealers, Victoria de Rin, a leading light in the world of collectables, who specialised in Wemyss Ware. Sadly she passed away on December 12, 2020.

The Annie Marchant (‘Breadboard Annie’) collection of domestic and country antiques offered in Kent on April 12-13 produced many strong prices.

Janice Kehoe established Solo Antiques in 2004 and specialises in Art Nouveau and Art Deco sculpture and glass as well as the Arts & Crafts movement.

The latest silver sale at Woolley & Wallis – first scheduled for November – included a collection of more than 300 lots from a deceased estate.

This unmarked teapot and cover, offered by Dreweatts, dates from the first decade of porcelain production at the Chelsea factory.

Armorial head linked to the palaces of Henry VIII when he was married to Anne Boleyn.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

Not to be confused with the modern Peter Rabbit series by Wedgwood, much scarcer teawares were made by the Grimwade’s factory in the 1920s.

Estimated at just £100-200, a rare automaton of a stereotypical Chinaman smoking an opium pipe sold for £7400 at McTear’s (24% buyer’s premium).