Woolley & Wallis Sale News, Spring 2014

SALE NEWS Spring 2014

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FREE AUCTION VALUATIONSEvery first Friday in the month our specialists will be providing free auction valuations at our Castle Street salerooms.

10am - 1pm. No appointment necessary.

Please call 01722 424 509 for information.

AUCTION CALENDARAPRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

1ST

29TH & 30TH

1ST

7TH

21ST & 22ND

4TH

18TH

19TH

8TH

22ND & 23RD

24TH

30TH

9TH

10TH

24TH

7TH

21ST & 22ND

23RD

Furniture & Works oF Art

silver

JeWellery

english & europeAn CerAmiCs & glAss

AsiAn Art

pAintings – 20th Century And ContemporAry

Arts & CrAFts

tribAl Art & Antiquities


silver

JeWellery

CloCks, WAtChes & sCientiFiC instruments

Fine porCelAin & pottery

20th Century design

pAintings


silver

JeWellery

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The Kashmir sapphire ring and naTural salTwaTer pearl

Kashmir sapphires and natural saltwater pearls are now generating more international interest than ever before. Both combine extreme rarity and beauty and the two to be offered in the May sale have the additional dimension of exceptional size. It is most unusual for any round natural pearl over 10mm or any Kashmir sapphire over 5cts to come on to the open market. The Kashmir sapphire weighs 9.68cts. At 33.15cts and

with a maximum diameter of 17.44mm, the round pearl could well be the largest to have ever come up for sale by auction. Both are estimated at £80,000 - 120,000.

Woolley & Wallis Salisbury Salerooms Ltd.51-61 Castle Street, SalisburyWiltshire, SP1 3SU

T: +44 (0) 1722 424 [email protected]

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CONTENTS

4 silver

6 Jewellery

8 english & european CeramiCs & glass

10 asian arT

12 20Th CenTury & ConTemporary painTings

14 arTs & CrafTs

16 Tribal arT & anTiquiTies

18 furniTure & worKs of arT

19 CloCKs, waTChes & sCienTifiC insTrumenTs

20 sales review

22 sponsorships

issue 112

Chairman’s inTroduCTion

Since the last Sale News we have made various departmental changes to our modus operandi. Will Hobbs, who joined Woolley and Wallis 18 years ago and has been running the Furniture department since 2002, has been appointed head of a new department covering Tribal Art and Antiquities. He has been cataloguing these lots for several years with some success and they now merit their own department. Will’s first stand-alone auction was held in February and the 630 lots contained an impressive variety of Tribal Art from Africa, Australasia, the South Sea

Islands and elsewhere. The top price was for a seated Yombe (African Congo) figure which sold to a Belgian dealer for a hammer price of £44,000. With Britain’s colonial history, there is a wealth of Tribal Art in this country, so it was somewhat surprising to learn that we are, apparently, the only UK auction house to hold stand-alone Tribal sales. The next auction will be on June 19th. Will Hobbs’ new responsibilities mean that Mark Richards has now become head of our Furniture department and you can read more about this on page 18.

In addition we are moving three departments – Paintings, European Ceramics and 20th Century DecorativeArts – to new premises in Salt Lane which is about four minutes’ walk from the Salerooms. This will give them, and the other departments remaining at Castle Street, much needed room to expand.

Paul VineyChairman

*Please note all prices quoted in this article are hammer prices only. All other prices are inclusive of buyers premium.

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opposiTe. One of a pair of rare Chinese Imperial red cinnabar lacquer stem bowls, Qianlong 1736-95, 13cm. Provenance: a French private collection.Estimate: £50,000 - 80,000

2. A Yombe seated figure, D. R. Congo, 30cm high. Provenance: Ernst Ohly, Berkeley Galleries, London. Sold for £44,000

baCK Cover. A large and impressive Martin Brothers stoneware owl by Robert Wallace Martin, dated 1895.Estimate: £30,000 - 40,000

ConTenTs | 3


SILVER29th & 30th April 2014



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SPECIALISTS: RUPERT SLINGSBY +44 (0) 1722 424 [email protected] LUCY CHALMERS +44 (0) 1722 424 [email protected]

The forthcoming silver sale on 29th and 30th April includes two contrasting Arts & Crafts pieces; a freedom casket and a matchbox cover. While very different in size, function and design, the principles behind the two items follow the same ideals of this important late 19th/early 20th century movement. The Arts and Crafts style was a reaction against the machine-production of items, which rendered traditional craftsmanship obsolete, and emphasised truth to the material, structure and function. Inspiration came from nature, the Medieval arts and Gothic revival, and often with the construction still visible to highlight the hand-made quality.

opposiTe. The Hornby Casket, a fine Edwardian silver Arts and Crafts silver freedom casket, by The Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts, Birmingham 1902, the underside inscribed ‘County Borough of Blackburn. Presented to, with The Freedom of The Borough, Sir Henry Hornby, Baronet. M.P’, with the presentation scroll, dated 4th December 1902. Estimate: £10,000 - 15,000

1. By Gilbert Marks, a late-Victorian silver Arts and Crafts matchbox cover,London 1898, also signed Gilbert Marks 1898. Estimate: £300 - 500

2. A William III silver-gilt three prong fork, by John Ladyman, London 1698. Estimate: £1,000 - 1,500

3. A George IV provincial silver nutmeg grater, by Barber and Whitwell, York, circa 1820.Estimate: £800 - 1,200

4. A Victorian novelty silver pencil, by S. Mordan and Co, modelled as an axe, the blade inscribed ‘FOR AXING QUESTIONS’. Estimate: £500 - 700

5. A George I mug, by Timothy Ley, London 1716. Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000

6. A late-Victorian Scottish silver muff warmer, by Brook and Son, Edinburgh 1897. Estimate: £200 - 300

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The freedom casket (opposite) by The Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts, was presented to Sir Henry Hornby, Mayor of Blackburn, in 1902. In response to the domination of the industrial revolution, Walter Gilbert founded The Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts in 1898, with the intention of offering apprenticeships in traditional crafts and employment to the young. Production took many forms including stone masonry, metal casting, silversmithing and wood carving.

Rarity and novelty are important factors in making an item collectible. Good examples of this in the April sale are a pencil made by S. Mordan & Co. Ltd. (4), and a York-made nutmeg grater (3). S. Mordan & Co. were prolific 19th century manufactures of pens and pencils in all shapes and designs, and the axe is an unusual example. In contrast, while plain nutmeg graters are not particularly rare in themselves, one made in York by Barber & Whitwell is, and will appeal to collectors for this reason.

Included in the sale is the historically interesting mug (5), which is engraved with the motto for The Beefsteak Club. The club has its origins in the 18th century, where male diners celebrated the beefsteak as a symbol of liberty and prosperity. Members wore a uniform of blue coats and buff waistcoats, with buttons bearing the insignia of a gridiron and the motto ‘Beef and Liberty’. Situated in Irving Street, London, the club consists of a single dining room above a shop, with a central table laid with silver, where members are served lunch and dinner, which originally consisted of a beefsteak, toasted cheese and Port. Membership is a mixture of politicians, philosophers, writers, journalists, actors and academics, and restricted to around 300.

The April sale consists of 1366 lots of silver, objects of vertu, coins and flatware, with highlights including a collection of vinaigrettes and snuff boxes, 17th century flatware and private collections of silver.

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JEWELLERY1st May 2014

These working handcuffs and matching earrings were a special commission from the

current owner’s father as a gift to his mother. They were made by Kutchinsky in 18ct gold

and set with diamonds and rubies.



SPECIALISTS: JONATHAN EDWARDS FGAA +44 (0) 1722 424 [email protected] MARIELLE WHITING FGA +44 (0) 1722 424 [email protected]

opposiTe. A pair of ruby and diamond set gold working handcuffs and matching earrings by Kutchinsky. Estimate: £5,000 - 10,000

1. A 19th Century swivel cameo and intaglio brooch.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000

2. An Art Deco diamond brooch.Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000

3. An impressive pair of French sapphire and diamond cluster earrings.Estimate: £60,00 - 80,000

4. An aesthetic period realistically formed gold butterfly brooch.Estimate: £400 - 600

5. A diamond set 19th century floral brooch. The butterfly is mounted en tremblant.Estimate: £5,000 - 10,000

The quality of the carving is immediately evident in this brooch. On one side the intaglio (carved in to the carnelian) demonstrates in fine detail the ever inebriated Silenus, just managing to stay on his donkey and admiring a cup of wine at arm’s length. The other side is carved in cameo (relief) and depicts two lions pullinga cupid in a chariot with equally beautiful

detail. The signature of Morelli explains the quality; in an age when cameos were prized at the same level as any jewel, the Italian gem carver Nicolo Morelli (1771-1838) had few equals. His clientele included the Vatican, Francis II of Austria and even the Bonaparte family.£2,000 – 3,000

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5As a wonderful example of naturalistically inspired jewellery, this floral brooch demonstrates the High Victorian fascination with novelty and nature. Although the technique of mounting jewellery en tremblant had been fashionable two centuries earlier, the Victorians revived the tradition. The butterfly is accordingly mounted on a

spring which gives it movement to optimise the diamonds’ sparkle in what would have originally been candle-light. The nearly opened rose bud is mounted with a yellow diamond within a ruby surround, exemplifying the quality of the piece.£5,000 – 10,000

Back

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ENGLISH & EUROPEAN CERAMICS

& GLASS7th May 2014


Manlove Vernon Lawrence of Leese Hill, Uttoxeter, was christened in Shropshire on 4th January 1782. His unusual Christian name and his middle name came from his great-grandmother, Ellen Vernon (née Manlove), from whom his mother inherited her vast estate.


SPECIALIST: CLARE DURHAM +44 (0) 1722 [email protected]

It has been some time since a good and sizeable private collection of English porcelain came onto the market, as evidenced by the enthusiasm which greeted the sale of the Raymond Dennis Collection in February. The 129 lot sale was the first single collection catalogue that the department has produced since 2006, and the wide range of estimates meant a strong response from private collectors. The top lot, a rare and early Worcester mug which was featured in the last Sale News, sold for a premium-inclusive £41,500 – over £20,000 more than the last example fetched in London almost seven years ago. With a sold rate of 90%, the collection provided a promising indication that the market is not as moribund as previously feared.

Continuing with the private collection theme, the May sale includes some 70 lots of Caughley porcelain. Rarities such as this dated cabbage leaf jug (opposite) have already attracted

opposiTe. A rare Caughley christening cabbage leaf jug, dated and inscribed for Manlove Vernon Lawrence, 1782. Estimate: £1,000 - 2,000

1. A Copeland Parian bust of The Veiled Bride, modelled by Raffaele Monti, c.1861-65. Estimate: £800 - 1,200

2. A Stourbridge (Thomas Webb) cameo glass bowl and stand. Estimate: £300 - 500

3. An early English sealed shaft and globe bottle, c.1660-70. One of a number of bottles included in the sale. Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000.

4. A rare Caughley eyebath, c.1785-90. Estimate: £1,000 - 2,000

From a private collection of around 70 lots of Caughley porcelain included in the sale.

5. An English delftware ointment pot, late 18th century. Titled ‘The Queen’s Dentifrice.’ Estimate: £800 - 1,200

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CeramiCs | 9

museum interest, but are bound to be hotly contested by keen collectors as well. Estimates start at £100 and offer a good opportunity for all collectors to find fine examples from this Shropshire factory.

Closer to home, a recent exciting consignment came in the form of an early

English wine bottle (3), which is believed to have been unearthed in Wiltshire in the middle of the last century. Research is currently being undertaken to try and discover the origin of the fleur de lys seal that it bears.


ASIAN ART21st & 22nd May 2014

http://weibo.com/johnaxford



fine Chinese worKs of arT from privaTe european ColleCTions There is something very exciting aboutbeing invited to a Fleet Street bank to lookthrough a safety deposit box, put there bythe family eons ago. The packaging of thetwo parcels from the vaults of Hoare’s wastraditional brown paper, which had beenopened and carefully re-sealed many timeswith signatures over each piece of tape used for the operation. These two packagescontained some fascinating contents,including the miniature vase (1), fromthe collection of Allan Hughes of Chalfontin Shrewsbury, who died in 1938. Hispersonal inventory lists hundreds of itemsincluding porcelains, jades, bronzes andsnuff bottles, from collections includingYuan Shikai and Tsar Nicolas II.

opposiTe. Song, Yuan and Ming dynasty ceramics, including pieces from the collection of Andrew Williams Esq.Estimates from £800 - 80,000

1. A good Chinese miniature famille rose double gourd vase, six character Jiaqing mark and of the period 1796-1820, 7.5cm. Provenance: Allan Gibson Hughes (d.1938), of Chalfont, The Mount, Shrewsbury. Estimate: £5,000 - 8,000

2. A pair of Chinese Imperial gilt metal and kingfisher feather earrings, late Qing dynasty. Provenance: from the collection of Luís Esteves Fernandes (1897-1988).Estimate: £1,500 - 2,500

3. A fine Chinese celadon jade carving of a water buffalo, Qianlong 1736-95, 15.7cm.Provenance: purchased from Spink & Son Ltd., formerly from the Henry Tozer Collection. Estimate: £20,000 - 30,000

The water buffalo is the traditional symbol of spring, strength and tranquillity; seen with the boy it is thought to represent a peaceful time and contented people. As the reputed mount of the philosopher Laozi, the buffalo has strong Daoist connotations. An important animal in all rice cultivation societies, buffaloes are depicted in art dating back thousands of years.

4. A fine Chinese white jade carving of a Buddhist lion dog, Qianlong 1736-95, 15cm.Provenance: an English private collection, and according to a paper label, the collection of Queen Amelia of Portugal.Estimate: £30,000 - 50,000

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SPECIALIST: JOHN AXFORD +44 (0) 1722 424 [email protected]

An hour later on the same day, and furtheralong the street at another bank was a farless auspicious looking box, but containingthe two jades illustrated here (3 & 4). The buffalo, purchased from Spink &Son Ltd, in the summer of 1960 for £1,600(with a part exchange of two rhinoceroshorn carvings), is a beautiful beast with acontented bovine expression in an attractivemottled stone. He had previously been part

of Henry Tozer’s collection, which hit theheadlines in July 1960 following the sale of‘The Atterbury buffalo’, which was sold byhis executors at auction for £6,000. The jadeBuddhist lion came from the same package;it is also of superb quality and has anintriguing handwritten label, “Late QueenAmelia of Portugal Collection”.

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4th June 2014

20TH CENTURY & CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS


SPECIALISTS: VICTOR FAUVELLE +44 (0) 1722 424 [email protected] JO BUTLER +44 (0) 1722 424 [email protected]

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opposiTe. John Bratby R.A. (1928-1992) The Gondola and Bridge of Sighs.Signed, oil on canvas,122 x 91cm.Provenance: Thackeray Gallery, purchased by Michael Burns 12.3.85.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000

1. Yves-Jean Commère (French 1920-1986) Printemps au verger. Signed, oil on canvas, 66 x 92cm.Provenance: The Lefevre Gallery No. 132/64.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,500

2. Gabriel Deschamps (French b.1919) St Tropez Harbour. Signed, oil on canvas, 66 x 100cm.Estimate: £800 - 1,200

3. John Bellany R.A. (1942-2013)Still life with Amaryllis.Signed twice, oil on canvas,122 x 91.5cm.Estimate: £5,000 - 7,000

4. Edward Bawden R.A. (1903-1989)Caradon No. 1, Nr. Liskeard, Cornwall.Signed and dated 1958, also signed, titled and dated verso, watercolour46.5 x 57.5cm.Estimate: £3,000 - 5,000

Following on from the Modern British Sale in November, we are now holding bi-annual 20th Century picture sales. The June sale incorporates Modern British art as well as 20th Century European paintings. We are also keen to include more sculpture and prints.

There has already been a very good response, with British works by Edward Bawden R.A., John Bellany R.A., John Bratby R.A., Ken Howard R.A., Edward Seago R.W.S., Cedric Morris, Victoria Crowe, John Hopkinson, five bronzes by Sidney Harpley and a fascinating album of drawings by Henry Sanders

already consigned. European artists are also well represented with works by Yves-Jean Commère, Gabriel Deschamps (2), Roger Marcel Limousse and Sergei Chekonin. We look forward to hearing from you if you are considering including pictures in the sale, which closes for entries on the 25th April.

The watercolour by Edward Bawden (4), signed and dated 1958, is titled ‘Caradon No. 1, Near Liskeard, Cornwall’. Bawden’s love of countryside, especially rugged and vast landscapes, was not idealistic and he often depicted human impact on the landscape. This work conveys the effect

of copper mining but retains the serenity typical of his work. John Bellany R.A., another important influence on 20th century British art through his art and his teaching, painted a wide variety of subjects, and this still life is typical of his style with bold confident colours (3).

Image (1) is a delightful work by Yves-Jean Commère, an artist from Angers in France. He had a preference for strong colours and, perhaps optimistically, almost always painted summer landscapes with glorious sunshine.

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ARTS & CRAFTS18th June 2014



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SPECIALIST: MICHAEL JEFFERY +44 (0)1722 424505 [email protected]

opposiTe & below. A fine pair of Martin Brothers stoneware Aquatic wall plaques by Robert Wallace Martin, dated 1887.Estimate: £8,000 - 12,000

2. A large Martin Brothers stoneware jardiniere, dated 1899.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000

3. A good Martin Brothers stoneware double bird group, dated 1904. Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000

4. A gold and moonstone pendant designed by Archibald Knox.Estimate: £500 - 800

5. A rare Liberty & Co silver and turquoise fork designed by Archibald Knox, dated 1903.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000

6. Three Liberty & Co Edward VII Cymric silver coronation spoons, designed by Archibald Knox, dated 1901Estimates from: £400 - 2,000

MARTIN BROTHERS POTTERYThe £81,750 paid for the large and spectacular bird sculpture in the our Arts and Crafts sale last year set a new world record auction price of a piece of Martin ware. This year’s sale will begin with another fine collection of the Martin brother’s work; seen as the beginning of the British Art Pottery movement.

The auction covers all aspects of the potters’ output, from the early Renaissance pots, influenced by Robert Wallace Martin training as a sculptor, through the small gourd vases and aquatic vases, to a unique pair of Aquatic wall chargers (which have, to date, remained un-recorded). The section culminates in a large owl (illustrated on the back cover) and a rare double bird group (3).

ARCHIBALD KNOX (1864-1933)To celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth in 1864 we have included a good selection of his designs retailed by Liberty & Co.

Born on the Isle of Man on the 9th April 1864, Knox was inspired by the Historical Celtic crosses and rugged landscape of the Island, something he would transfer through his watercolours to his dynamic designs made for retail by Liberty. These are now viewed as the high point of English Art Nouveau. The sale will celebrate his designs for jewellery and metal ware.

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ARCHIBALD KNOXBeauty & Modernity - A Designer Ahead Of His Time. Woolley & Wallis are delighted to be sponsoring a lecture by Liam O’Neill, Founder and Chairman of the Archibald Knox Society.

Saturday 7th June at 4pm at Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair.www.olympia-art-antiques.com

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TRIBAL ART & ANTIQUITIES

19th June 2014



SPECIALIST: WILL HOBBS +44 (0) 1722 339 [email protected]

Howard Carter’s 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb reignited the public interest in ancient Egypt. With worldwide press coverage and travelling exhibitions, the demand for artefacts inevitably grew. The unravelling of the cultures and beliefs fascinated people, and the contents of tombs were a great source for this knowledge.

Some of the most prolific objects found were the shabti; these small mummy-shape figures were produced and used for around 2,000 years, from the First Intermediate Period (2181-2040 BC) to the Ptolemaic Period (330-30BC). Over this long period the materials included stone, glass, wood, bronze,

pottery, wax and faience. These were placed in the tombs of their deceased hosts to assist in the afterlife with duties such as the production of food, including butchery, brewing and baking, and also more agricultural roles, like ploughing, grinding corn and sowing grain. With changes in their roles; worker, overseer, answerer, their form remained similar with small differences; some had the owner’s name and title inscribed, others a simplified version of the shabti spell, taken from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead relating to the deceased with Osiris, the god of the Netherworld. Examples with hoes and picks are known; all are either painted on or moulded.

Over the periods the number of shabti increased, with 417 buried with Tutankhamun. As religious ideology began to change during the Ptolemaic Period, these iconic funerary figures disappeared.

Another popular image was that of the scarab beetle, symbolising rebirth and representing the god Khepri. Often mounted on a ring with an inscription on the flat underside, they were frequently used as seals, later they were used in a funerary context in the form of the heart scarab. Placed over the heart of the mummy, inscribed with chapter 30 from the Book of the Dead, to prevent the heart from speaking out against the deceased at his or her judgement.

opposiTe. A selection of Egyptian faience shabti.

1. A Zulu carved wood staff.

2. An Egyptian glass pendant.

3. An Egyptian faience sippus of Horus.

4. A group of Egyptian scarabs.

From a private collection. For estimates please refer to the department.

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THE COLLECTION OF DR. LAWRIE WEBSTER The next sale, on the 8th July, will include Part 1 of the Lawrie Webster Collection of Boxes. We are pleased to be selling this

extensive collection of over two hundred boxes, primarily from the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection covers caddies, writing boxes, gentleman’s toilet boxes, étuis and work boxe; from English pieces made

by quality London makers, to more exotic Indian ivory and Chinese lacquer examples. Lawrie Webster certainly has a collector’s eye for detail and quality.

FURNITURE & WORKS OF ART

8th July 2014

Mark Richards has recently been appointed Head of the Furniture & Works of Art Department. Mark joined Woolley and Wallis in January 2000, working in and eventually running the fortnightly general or ‘shutter’ sales. After working with John Axford in the Ceramics department he moved into the Furniture Department in 2002. Commenting on his appointment Mark said ‘I am delighted to be taking over the running of the Furniture department. Will Hobbs has done a fantastic job over the last 15 years and I wish him every success in his new role. As we are all aware, the furniture market hasn’t been the most buoyant of areas over the past ten years however we have found that high quality, unusual and well provenanced items

continue to sell very well. I hope to build on the firm foundations already in place and to drive the department forward in the coming years.’ Mark has a broad knowledge of the antiques market but has a special interest in Italian antiques. ‘Having spent a year studying in Rome I have developed an affinity for Italian Furniture and Works of Art and I continue to keep up my language skills by carrying out phone bids for our Italian clients.’ The Furniture sales will still be held quarterly and will continue to have an eclectic mix of antique and decorative items alongside private collections.

SPECIALIST: MARK RICHARDS +44 (0)1722 [email protected]

below. From the Lawrie Webster collection of over two hundred boxes. Estimates from £100 - 2,000

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1. An 18ct gold pocket chronometer by Charles Frodsham. Estimate: £3,500 - 5,500

2. A gold repousse pair cased quarter repeating watch by Poy. Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000

3. A gilt metal and shagreen verge watch by Mitchell. Estimate: £700 - 1,000

4. A gilt metal and under-painted horn watch with a figure of Britannia. Estimate: £250 - 350

CLOCKS, WATCHES & SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS

30th July 2014

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SPECIALIST: RICHARD PRICE +44 (0)7741 [email protected]

THE ANALOG VERSUS THE DIGITAL WATCHMany will remember the late ’70s and ’80s when Japanese digital watches seemed to be conquering the industry.

The analog display was superseded by the digital light emitting diodes and liquid crystal displays. The mechanical watch seemed to be dying rapidly. Swiss market share dropped to 15% of world production with many manufactures going bankrupt.

The fight back was cutting edge. Revolutionary techniques using half the usual number of parts were developed by Swatch. The multi-colour circular analog watches were launched in 1983 and in less than 10 years a 100 million had been produced.

Although quartz, they had put the Swiss industry firmly back on the map. The euphoria saw the renaissance of the mechanical wristwatch and collectors continue to chase mechanical watches, showing little interest in battery products even from the top makers. Many of the best names are now owned by vast companies and are no longer independent. This has not stopped the enthusiasm and many watches are finding buyers in excess of £100,000. It seems the plastic digital watch has had its day.

CloCKs, waTChes & sCienTifiC insTrumenTs | 19


furniTure & worKs of arT

There was a fantastic start to the year for the first sale in January which produced a sold rate of 87% and a sale total of half a million pounds. Despite the weather, the saleroom had standing room only which showed strong trade buying against a high number of private buyers, all eager to purchase previously unseen items with solid provenance.

A George I walnut bachelor’s chest achieved the highest price of the day, its small size and good condition proving to be very popular, finally selling to a UK dealer for £32,950.

The final section of the sale consisted of 80 lots of arms and armour. Such was the interest that multiple phone lines were booked for the entire section. One collection was found in a basement in the Meon Valley, while another came from a deceased estate. The slight rust in no way diminished the interest, the guns having been stored for 30 years in boxes. The section produced only one unsold and a total figure of £71,000 (3).

Jewellery

The January jewellery sale as ever exemplified the power of the big Jewellery houses. The two highest prices attained in the sale being the Van Cleef and Arpels diamond scroll earrings (4) and the Fabergé gold and enamel frame (shown on page 22). Both signed and marked, the two items epitomise their periods, c.1939 and c.1905. These two items typify the state of the market where signed pieces, synonymous with quality and style are more sought after than ever. Both achieving prices well beyond their estimates, the earrings sold for £43,950.

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SALES REVIEWbriTish arT poTTery & ClariCe Cliff, arT deCo & 20Th CenTury The final sale for 2013, the British Art Pottery sale in December achieved a new world record auction price for a William De Morgan tile. The previous record price held by the salerooms in 2012 of £6,300 was beaten by lot 60, the ‘Chameleon’ tile (1). By repute, the tile was one of six which provided the splash-back on a Victorian washstand and caught the attention of tile collectors from around the world, selling to a private collector for £8,780.

The March Clarice Cliff, Art Deco & 20th Century sale top lot was a Madoura Pottery jug designed by Pablo Picasso, titled ‘Pichet Tête Carrée’ Ramie No.233 (2). The lot drew interest from America, Europe and Great Britain, selling for £4,150 to an English private collector.

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silver

Decorative items are always well received by the collectors market, and the Victorian silver sewing case and hand mirror realistically modelled as a dab flat fish was no exception, selling for £4,400 (6). Made by Louis Dee, London 1884, the front cover of the January sale was unique and eye-catching which went on to attract the attention of the national publications and newspapers, including The Daily Telegraph.

Tribal arT & anTiquiTies

A Yombe figure made the top price for the first Tribal Art sale in February (featured in the Chairman’s Introduction page 3).The posture of the seated wooden figure is believed to depict a tribal chief in thoughtful contemplation; it was part of the private collection of well-known dealer Ernest Ohly, owner of the Berkeley Gallery in Mayfair.Zoomorphic headrests are relatively rare and popular amongst collectors, the example shown here (7) is a Shona headrest from Zimbabwe depicting a bovine animal which sold for £3,200.

CloCKs, waTChes & baromeTers

A clock reputed to have been given to Maria Fitzherbert by King George IV and ‘anglicized’ by the eminent clock maker Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy achieved the highest price in the February sale (5). King George before becoming Prince Regent had married Maria Fitzherbert in 1785. The marriage was deemed void by King George III and on 23rd June 1794 she was advised by letter that her relationship with the Prince was over.

The raymond dennis ColleCTion & fine porCelain & poTTery Five-figure objects in English ceramics are few and far between, and rates in recent sales had started to drop as collectors became more discerning, so a 90% sold rate and a top lot of £41,500 made the sale of the Raymond Dennis Collection a notable event. Preceding the Fine Porcelain & Pottery sale in February, and with a separate catalogue, the 129 lot sale was amassed over 50 years, with examples of Regency, 18th century ceramics and Worcester. The rare shape of this mug (8) is seldom found in

porcelain, having originated from earlier stoneware examples. Three other Worcester examples are known in different patterns to this - one in the Victoria and Albert Museum - so the lot drew considerable interest from collectors, finally selling to the London trade.

The Fine Porcelain & Pottery sale also achieved a high sold rate and a top price of £26,850 for a pair of Meissen Continent groups, circa 1745, of Africa and Europe, modelled after Kändler (9).

5

7

98

6

However, his affection for her lasted until he died. Vulliamy had very little regard for French movements and replaced many of the French movements of the palace clocks with his own product. He worked extensively at the palace during 1819-20, and it is almost inconceivable to believe that anybody outside the palace would have commissioned him to make a substitution of this type. The clock sold for £31,700.

sale review | 21


MARIELLE WHITING IS TAKING PART IN THE LONDON MARATHON The London Marathon has been running since 1981, attracts over 35,000 entrants and is probably one of the toughest athletic challenges.

This year Marielle Whiting from the Jewellery department will be running for Children With Cancer, a charity dedicated to fighting childhood leukaemia and other childhood cancers.

Woolley & Wallis will be sponsoring Marielle and if you wish to do so please go to: www.virginmoneygiving.com/mariellewhiting

John Benjamin was formerly International Director of Jewellery at Phillips Auctioneers, where he was responsible for the auction programme in London and Geneva. In 1999 he left Phillips to set up

SALISBURY INTERNATION ARTS FESTIVAL

The Wu

For 40 years Salisbury International Arts Festival has been bringing outstanding performances of theatre, dance, film, literally events, visual arts and music to over a million visitors.This year Woolley & Wallis will be sponsoring The Wu Quartet one of the UK’s finest string quartets. Performing at St. Martin’s Church, Friday 6th June at 7.30pm the group have won numerous competitions with their handpicked quartets by Mozart and Beethoven and the programme will include Ligeti’s first quartet, a work with which these players have a deep connection.

Further information available at www.salisburyfestival.co.uk

A Fabergé enamel and gold frame. Sold by Woolley & Wallis for £46,400.

CHALKE VALLEY HISTORY FESTIVALOnce again we are delighted to be one of the sponsors of the festival which this year takes place from June 23rd-29th.

The lecture we are sponsoring is on the Empress Dowager Cixi of China (1835-1908) who has been described as the most important woman in Chinese history.Originally chosen as one of the Emperor Xianfeng’s concubines, she bore his first born son who was just six what the Emperor died in 1861. Cixi engineered her position

as Regent and effectively ruled China for the next 47 years until her death in 1908.The lecture will be given by Jung Chang the best-selling author of Wild Swans (1991) and Mao: The Unknown Story (2005).Her books have sold more that 15 million copies, though they are banned in China. Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province in 1952 and came to Britain in 1978. She now lives in London.

Full details of the festival can be found at www.cvhf.org.uk

FABERGÉ BY JOHN BENJAMIN FGAFriday July 18th at 7pm.

Tickets are £15 each with the proceeds going to the Salisbury Hospice, Tim’s chosen charity.

To book tickets please contact Christine Johnson on 01722 424509 or [email protected] his own independent jewellery consultancy

specialising in valuations for insurance, probate, tax and family division purposes.John Benjamin lectures to the corporate and private sectors on a diverse range of jewellery related topics and makes regular appearances on BBC Television’s Antiques Roadshow. He is a Fellow of the Gemmological Association, holds the Association’s Gem Diamond Diploma and is a Freeman of both the City of London and the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. He was a consultant to Woolley & Wallis’ jewellery department from 1999-2003.

In 2003 he published his first book Starting to collect Antique Jewellery, and in 2005 he co-authored with Paul Atterbury The Jewellery and Silver of H G Murphy.

THE INAUGURAL TIM WOOLLEY MEMORIAL LECTURE

22 | sponsorships


silver

Lucy ChalmersT: +44 (0) 1722 424 594

[email protected]

asian arT

Freya Yuan T: +44 (0) 1722 424 589

[email protected]

painTings

Jo Butler

T: +44 (0) 1722 424 592

[email protected]

english & european CeramiCs & glass

Clare DurhamT: +44 (0) 1722 424 507

[email protected]

Deputy Chairmanasian arT

John Axford mriCs asfav

T: +44 (0) 1722 424 506

[email protected]

Managing Director

Clive Stewart-Lockhart friCs frsa

T: +44 (0) 1722 424 598

[email protected]

SPECIALIST DEPARTMENTS

ChairmaninsuranCe & probaTe valuaTions

Paul Viney asfav

T: +44 (0) 1722 424 502

[email protected]

Jewellery

Marielle Whiting fga

T: +44 (0) 1722 424 595

[email protected]

silver

Rupert Slingsby

T: +44 (0) 1722 424 501

[email protected]

asian arT

Sophie Lister T: +44 (0) 1722 424 591

[email protected]

Tribal arT & anTiquiTies

arms & armour

Will Hobbs

T: +44 (0) 1722 339 752

[email protected]

marKeTing

Tamzin CorbettT: +44 (0) 1722 424 590

[email protected]

asian arT

Alexandra Domeracki T: +44 (0) 1722 424 583

[email protected]

furniTure & worKs of arT

Mark Richards

T: +44 (0) 1722 411 854

[email protected]

CloCKs, waTChes & sCienTifiC

Richard Price (Consultant) T: +44 (0) 7741 242 421

[email protected]

Jewellery

Jonathan Edwards fgaa T: +44 (0) 1722 424 504

[email protected]

20Th CenTury design

Michael Jeffery

T: +44 (0) 1722 424 505

[email protected]

painTings

Victor FauvelleT: +44 (0) 1722 424 503

[email protected]

speCialisT deparTmenT | 23


woolleyandwallis.co.uk


Woolley & Wallis Sale News, Spring 2014

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