Decorative Art

The interest in studio pottery goes beyond the premier names in the field. Three pieces by Waistel Cooper (1921-2003), a Scot who worked first in Porlock in Somerset and later from the Barbican Pottery in Penzance, generated plenty of bidding at Greenslade Taylor Hunt’s (19% buyer’s premium) July 6 sale in Taunton.

Campaigners against ‘British’ hallmarking overseas have welcomed the launch of a consultation on the issue.

Leading the sale of Arts & Crafts at the Woolley & Wallis June 21 sale was the monumental Pilkington’s Lancastrian vase shown above, standing some 48cm (19in) high.

Two events organised by Brian and Anna Haughton featured among the busy programme of London events in June.

The Zettler Glass Manufactory was founded in Munich in 1870 by Francis Xavier Zettler (1841-1916) and his father-in-law Joseph Gabriel Mayer (1808-83) – two men who combined a deep religious conviction with a love of medieval culture.

It was, said specialist Michael Jeffery, “one of, if not the finest, collections of Burmantofts put together by a private individual”.

Following a near sell-out auction of Lowestoft in March at Keys of Aylsham, another tranche is poised to go under the saleroom’s hammer.

Held in Staffordshire this Saturday (July 15) is the annual Old Hall Collectors’ Club Fair.

AD Antiques, run by British art pottery specialist Alison Davey, is selling this grotesque spoon warmer by the Martin Brothers.

A set of four silver-gilt candlesticks priced at £350,000 by Koopman Rare Art, were among the top sales on the opening day of Masterpiece London last week.

A Sèvres teapot from the Louis-Philippe era sold for an unexpected £13,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) at Kingham & Orme in Broadway, Worcestershire, on June 17.

A massive Burmantofts faience charger sold for £13,000 (plus 22% buyer’s premium) at Woolley & Wallis of Salisbury on June 22 – the highlight of a remarkable collection of more than 700 pieces by the Leeds factory.

Returning clients are usually welcome, but few more so than the couple who consigned two pieces of Red Anchor Chelsea to the sale at Lacy Scott & Knight’s (17.5% buyer’s premium) on June 10.

A pair of 12in (30cm) high Sèvres hard paste vases painted with elaborate chinoiserie sea battles by Jean-Jacques Dieu, proved the highlight of Bonhams’ June 14 sale of European ceramics.

The London Assay Office has spoken out against moves to allow UK hallmarks to be stamped overseas.