Features

In contrast to the red-hot trade in vintage and modern wristwatches, the market for antique pocket watches appears very low key. However, as demand for the better-quality pieces remains robust, not all are destined for the scrapheap. Richard Fox reports

Few lots in the Design since 1860 sale held by Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh were more admired than a series of Art Nouveau pencil and watercolour jewellery drawings by Frances Macdonald McNair (1873-1921).

The windmill cup was the most popular of the novelty silver wager cups produced from the late 16th century until the early 18th century.

When Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685 (which had given religious freedom to French protestants), a flood of Huguenot refugees travelled across Europe to places where they could practise their religion in safety.

In a recent Financial Times article titled 'Dangerous baubles for boys', historian and style journalist Nick Foulkes commented that a friend had “described my hands as looking like a cabinet of curiosities trying to emulate a pair of knuckledusters”.

As very personal items, typically weighing little more than an ounce of bullion, the most numerous silver survivors from the 17th century are spoons.

This Charles II silver mounted coconut cup is particularly rare on account of its marks for the Hull silversmith Edward Mangie (1634-85).

The V&A loses out in £23,000 bidding battle for Prince Albert’s drawings of the diamond and sapphire coronet he designed for Queen Victoria.

London’s historic diamond and jewellery quarter faces challenges but also opportunities

This pair of William III silver candlesticks came for sale at Potteries Auctions (20% buyer’s premium).

Given their relatively small metal content, many silver-mounted ‘tigerware’ beer jugs survived the great bullion melting of the English Civil War, making them perhaps the most recognised example of late 16th century silver today.

Many sales in late November and early December are assembled with presents in mind and silver and jewellery are much to the fore.

Pictured here are two early English pottery tankards – both of them documentary pieces.

Among the best-performing lots at the Woolley & Wallis (25/12% buyer’s premium) Ceramics & Glass sale was a rare Wedgwood black basalt seal.

While the kilns at Sèvres languished during the Revolution, Napoleon recognised the value of a national porcelain factory and used it as an extension of his power.

At a recent sale at Stamford Auction Rooms (20% buyer’s premium) in Lincolnshire this pair of mid-19th century Staffordshire red squirrels sold for a surprise £2000.

A Bamfords (20% buyer’s premium) sale included this 3¼in (34cm) tall Chelsea figure from the Red Anchor Senses set created by the Low Countries sculptor Joseph Willems (1710-66), in c.1755.

Estimated at £200-300 in the belief they were later copies, a pair of Sèvres dishes sold for £9500 at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium).

Estimated at £400-600, a Meissen chinoiserie decorated porcelain snuff box took £12,000 at Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium) in West Sussex.

British porcelain element of renowned US collection amassed in European salerooms comes to auction in London