Auction Reports

West London auction house takes second-highest result for Anglo-Indian silver thanks to tea service by a celebrated maker

A silver Dent ‘explorers’ watch once owned by the imperialist Cecil Rhodes sold for £7200 at a recent sale at Hansons Holloways (28% buyer’s premium) in Banbury.

Two 19th century harps with interesting ownership histories emerged at different salerooms in the space of two days.

Lots offer elements that once featured on much larger spectacular 19th century creations

Qianlong (1735-96) period ‘Boy and chicken’ cups typically pay homage to those made in the Ming period – particularly the celebrated Chenghua (1464-87) doucai prototypes that have long been considered among the greatest Chinese porcelains.

After moving to a farm at Cropton, North Yorkshire, over the next 25 years Ian David Smith assembled an extensive private collection of horse-drawn vehicles and associated items.

Beatrix Potter was a pioneer of character merchandising. Two years after the publication of the first of her ‘little books’ she designed, fabricated and patented her own Peter Rabbit stuffed toy in 1903 – making him the first ever licensed character.*

This bespoke 19th century fairground steam-powered confectioner’s vendor cart, to make ice cream and popcorn, tempted bidders at John Rolfe (20% buyer’s premium) in Tetbury, Gloucestershire.

Dedicated anniversary sale devoted to Robert Thompson centres on three private collections

An Elizabethan or early Stuart diamond cluster gold ring found in Wormington, Gloucestershire, in November 2024 was among 14 metal detected jewels offered at Noonans (24% buyer’s premium) in Mayfair.

Clockmaker Brockbank & Atkins of St John’s Square, Clerkenwell, was known as a supplier of mahogany and silvered brass eight-day wall clocks for lighthouses.

In 1862, just a year after the founding of the Morris, Marshall & Faulkner Company at Red Lion Square, a circular was sent to prospective clients to announce the ‘revival of the art of painting on china tiles’.

A pair of William De Morgan ruby lustre four tile panels depicting galleons in full sail with fish swimming in sea sold for a top estimate £6000 at Martel Maides (20% buyer’s premium) in St Peter Port, Guernsey.

Two small single-owner collections of Martin Brothers stoneware were offered in June: one at Catherine Southon (27.6% buyer’s premium inc VAT) in Chislehurst, Kent, on June 17, the other as part of the Charterhouse (25% buyer’s premium) June 25 sale in Sherborne, Dorset.

Items from the collection of architect Christopher Smallwood (1937-2024) were offered for sale at Dreweatts on May 13.

Out of vogue for a decade or more, most Regency mahogany linen presses sell for a few hundred pounds at auction.

A rare English silkwork portrait miniature of Charles I sold well above its £3000-5000 estimate for £24,000 at a Bonhams (28/27% buyer’s premium) sale that ran online from June 2-16.

The contents of the London home furnished by a renowned Christie’s auctioneer and a distinguished interior decorator emerged at Dreweatts (27/26% buyer’s premium) earlier this month.

Working in St Martin’s Lane, London, from 1680 until his death in c.1705, the Flemish-born cabinetmaker Gerrit Jensen is often associated with marquetry furniture from the William and Mary period.

This George II Palladian giltwood looking glass sold for £17,000 (estimate £2000-3000) at Lawrences (25% buyer’s premium) in Crewkerne on June 17.