Metalware

This sector comprises artefacts made from both base and precious metals. Many antique items were originally used for domestic purposes but are now collected on account of their craftsmanship, decorative quality and social interest.

Items can range from include pewter jugs, tin pots, brass bells, copper weathervanes and cast iron benches.

While this area offers plenty of affordable material, rare historical survivors can command high prices.


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Second chance for works from Spetchley Park offered at Chorley’s

02 March 2020

Second-dibs sales at regional salerooms – those that follow after a major London auctioneer has cherry-picked the contents of a stately country house – can sometimes acquire the slighting epithet of ‘crumbs from a rich man’s table’.

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Art Deco duo dance into North Shields

02 March 2020

Briefly catalogued, but accurately estimated, this bronze and ivory dancing couple was the outstanding star at Featonby’s (18.75% buyer’s premium) recent sale in North Shields.

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Bell to announce ships in Ceylon stands proud in Scotland

02 March 2020

This 14in (25cm) diameter bronze bell shown here bears the insignia of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (the Dutch East India Company or VOC), the date 1747 and the name Jaffanapatnam. It is suspended in a wrought iron frame and mounted to a large stone mill wheel.

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Moigniez bronze bird flies into German auction

27 January 2020

When he was only 20, the French sculptor Jules Moigniez exhibited one of his works at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1855.

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Royal history behind the £99,000 candelabra

27 January 2020

Highlight literally and metaphorically of the Woolley & Wallis sale on January 8 was a pair of ormolu and hardstone-mounted candelabra, superb in themselves and packed with French royal history.

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Pick of the week: Gimson is top dog of Arts & Crafts

16 December 2019

Cotswolds steel masterworks bring £50,000.

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The web shop window: a cockerel weathervane at Robert Young Antiques

04 November 2019

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

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Head of a saint in Munich sale

28 October 2019

The extensive autumn sale at Hermann Historica in Munich runs from November 11-20 and is accompanied by five catalogues for the ‘bricks and mortar’ sale and a further six for the subsequent online auctions.

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Lloyd’s candlesticks are Suffolk cover stars

30 September 2019

Pair of candlesticks light up auction with surprise result.

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Big money for Russian bronze

19 August 2019

Not always predicted but overwhelming when it comes, big-money Russian interest sent a bronze equine group soaring at Dawson’s (23% buyer’s premium) in Maidenhead.

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Metalware provides a wide price range for buyers to ponder

05 August 2019

Metalware in all its forms played a major part in the development of the Bauhaus and recent sales contained examples in every price range.

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Ground hero: mortars from Schwarzach collection impress at Cologne auction

01 July 2019

Cologne auction house Lempertz (24% buyer’s premium) held a recent sale devoted to the Schwarzach Collection of mortars, which is thought to be the most extensive of its type in Europe, if not worldwide.

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Carved coral Tripani adviser

24 June 2019

Italy – or more specifically Sicily – came up trumps for Stamford auction house Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) in the form of this 4½in (11cm) carved coral and copper-gilt urn and cover.

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Dutch dealer goes miniature for tableware and furniture

27 May 2019

Illustrated below is one of seven lots of Dutch ‘white metal ’ miniature tableware and furniture entered into a weekly general sale at Gorringe’s (21% buyer’s premium).

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Tobacco taken with a conscience

20 May 2019

Almost wholly reliant on slavery, the tobacco industry was the subtle target of British Abolitionists 50 years before Britain outlawed slavery and nearly a century before the American Civil War.

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Cologne saleroom offers 115 bronze mortars from collection

29 April 2019

On May 17, Cologne auction house Lempertz is selling 115 bronze mortars from the 8th-18th centuries.

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Estate provides Chelsea candlesticks to Stair Galleries in New York

19 April 2019

English and Continental porcelain from several notable estates is included in Stair Galleries’ next fine sale in Hudson, New York, on April 27-28.

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‘Surrey’ enamel candlestick draws admirers in New York

25 February 2019

This exceptional candlestick belongs to a small group of cast and enamelled brass wares made in the second half of the 17th century. All are distinguished by their method of production: unlike champlévé or cloisonné decoration, the enamelled fields were cast in the mould.

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Cotswold School Arts & Crafts sconce speculation

04 February 2019

A set of four Cotswold School Arts & Crafts wall sconces, one shown below, was catalogued by Moore Allen & Innocent (20% buyer’s premium) as in the Wild Strawberry pattern and in the manner of Ernest Gimson (1864-1919).

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Guillemin torchères shine in Selborne

21 January 2019

Topped by the 17th century Dutch bottles at £30,000 (see ATG No 2375), the year’s first sale at Hannam’s (23% buyer’s premium) had other treasures among the 2000 lots including the French bronze figural torchères, right.

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