AFTER THE AUCTION

Track the latest trends in the salesroom with CAROLINE WHEATER’s round-up

Why this dish found in a humble Derbyshire kitchen fetched £ 230,000 at Hansons Auctioneers

1 IMPERIAL FINESSE

Estimate: £40,000–£60,000

Found in a kitchen cupboard in south Derbyshire, this dish – dating from 1723–35 – made waves at Hansons when it was discovered that it carried the reign mark for Emperor Yongzheng. It has since emerged that both the National Museum of China and the Guangdong Museum hold replicas of the plate. After a relentless bidding war, it eventually sold to an overseas phone buyer. Hammer: £230,000 * 01283 733988; hansonsauctioneers.co.uk 2 FELINE CHARM

Estimate: £40–£60

An online buyer bid more than double the high estimate to secure this chubby cat, c1971, modelled by Swedish designer Lisa Larson for the Gustavsberg porcelain factory near Stockholm. Larson (born 1931) was appointed by Stig Lindberg in 1953 and stayed at the factory until 1981. Her fun ceramic animals, including elks, rhinos, Dachshunds and zebras, are her best-known creations. Hammer: £130 * 020 8313 3655; catherinesouthon.co.uk 3 COUTURE KING

Estimate: £1,770–£2,220

The French fashion designer Roger Vivier (1903–98) was one of the great names in shoe design, creating the stiletto heel in 1954. From the 1930s, he made magical footwear for the couture houses of Paris, including Christian Dior. These king!sher-feather and trompe-l’oeil printed shoes date from 1957 and are similar to a pair in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection. Hammer: £4,662 * 020 7293 5000; sothebys.com 4 SILVER SERVICE

Estimate: £100–£150

This pair of silver baluster-form café au lait pots would be a wonderful way to serve coffee. Pots such as these were popular throughout the early 20th century for serving hot coffee and warmed milk in hotels. This pair was made by the London silversmiths Charles Boyton & Son in 1912. Hammer: £190 * 01635 553553; dnfa.com

5 FINE FURNITURE Estimate: £1,000–£1,500

Good-quality antique furniture never fails to sell, as illustrated by this late 18th-century ‘Gainsborough’ armchair in mahogany. The style of the chair was inspired by an earlier design that became fashionable for furnishing aristocratic salons. The generous proportions were perfect for accommodating the bulky costumes worn by men and women of the day.

Hammer: £2,800

* 01722 424500; woolleyandwallis.co.uk

6 CHIC AND USEFUL Estimate: £100–£150

Echoing Ercol designs of the period, this 1950s coffee table is British-made and crafted from teak. Just over 60cm wide, the table came in a parcel lot with three others, so it’s a great buy for someone looking to sell on at a fair or vintage event. Hammer: £160 * 01279 817778; sworder.co.uk

7 SO WEARABLE TODAY Estimate: £500–£700

You’d certainly get some admiring glances wearing this marquise-shape ring on your nger. Though it looks surprisingly modern, it was made in the late 19th century. The gold-and-silver design has an old-cut diamond at its centre, surrounded by pave-set sapphires, and also boasts a pretty, decorative shank. Hammer: £780 * 0121 212 2131; fellows.co.uk

8 BUYING INTO HISTORY Estimate: £80–£120

You can’t replicate the kind of patina that is created by touch, and wear and tear, which is part of the appeal of antiques. Evidence found on this late 19th-century mahogany desk rack points to it having been owned by a chemist – the upper drawers have labels such as ‘The draught to be taken immediately’, ‘The eye water’ and ‘The gargle to be used frequently’. Hammer: £150 * 01865 241358; mallams.co.uk