1. A fashion for faux bamboo
Estimate £400–£600 Sold £6,560
The Regency period of the early 19th century was an eclectic time for high-fashion furniture. For inspiration, cabinetmakers drew on the styles of ancient civilisations – from Egypt, to the Neoclassical world, to China.
The Prince Regent, later King George IV, was a leader in fashionable society and the looks he chose for his homes rapidly caught on. None more so than faux bamboo furniture, which was used liberally at his seaside party palace, the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. The Royal Collection Trust records a set of ‘36 bamboo chairs japaned; the backs and seats caned £71’ made in 1802 and supplied to the Pavilion by Messrs Tatham & Bailey, furniture makers to the Prince’s household, based in Mayfair.
The fortunes of faux bamboo furniture blossomed, with the segmented nature of bamboo stalks replicated through paint effects and wood-turning methods, as can be seen on this four-poster bed, which sold at Roseberys recently. Specialist Anna Evans says: ‘ The bed was a rare survivor from the Regency period, with its original painted decoration. It was consigned from a private lady as part of a collection of decorated faux bamboo furniture and was the standout lot of the group.’ As bidders competed against each other, it was clearly the hot lot, and rocketed up in price. roseberys.co.uk
2. Tulip time
Estimate £200–£300
Sold £1,834
Dutch Delftware of all periods continues to attract strong interest from buyers, as an ornate, late 19th- century tulip vase proved at Dreweatts recently. The vase, with ten stem holders, is perfect for a spring display of individual flowers, or to use as a decorative object on a shelf, mantelpiece or dresser. It was part of the Pablo Bronstein collection, and had been bought by the well-known contemporary artist from Woolley & Wallis in 2015 to add to his baroque-style collection. Although this piece dates from some 200 years after the baroque period, it is made in the antique style. dreweatts.com
3. Ring of roses
Estimate £200–£300
Sold £2,190
An Edwardian enamel and diamond flower ring consigned to a jewellery auction at Tennants was surprisingly popular among bidders. Finger size K, the decorative dress ring had an old-cut diamond at its centre, surrounded by pink enamel petals and green enamel leaves. Apart from a date, 1902, visible on the inside of the shank, much of the engraved inscription had been rubbed away, making it difficult to decipher who the ring was given to or where it was made. There was speculation that it was possibly the design of an important jewellery house, and it swiftly found a new owner. tennants.co.uk
4. Classic ceramic
Estimate £4,000–£6,000
Sold £15,024
A c1980 footed bowl by the highly collectable 20th-century potter, Lucie Rie, zoomed up to a suitably high price at Lay’s Auctioneers in a Cornish Art & Fine Art sale. The ‘American’ yellow porcelain bowl, measuring 10cm high and 19cm in diameter, came from the estate of Michael Beard, formerly a ceramics expert with the Earle D Vandekar gallery of Knightsbridge. Michael retired to St Ives in Cornwall around 1988, and became a prominent patron of the arts in the area. The bowl was in excellent condition with no chips or scratches, plus the base was impressed with Lucie Rie’s ‘LR’ seal. davidlay.co.uk
5. Sampler scene
Estimate £300–£500
Sold £3,380
An early 19th-century sampler, probably English, and worked in silks and wool on a linen ground, raced out of Olympia Auctions when it came up for sale. The charming piece by Issabella Bossingham, aged 11 years old, shows a traditional sampler scene of a large house and garden. Elegantly framed in maple wood, the sampler was in good condition, while the other attraction for bidders was the level of detail in the sewn picture – a flock of sheep to the foreground, birds flying to eggfilled nests in the treetops, plus floating butterflies and flowers. olympiaauctions.com
6. Mighty roar
Estimate £300–£400
Sold £1,792
A snuff box dating to the 19th century, made from two coquilla nuts glued together, was a hit at a recent Bonhams sale in Edinburgh. In the realm of snuff boxes, human caricatures are far more common than animals, which made this one – carved in the shape of a growling lion – very sought after. Coquilla nuts come from a South American palm and were used to make snuff boxes, umbrella handles and cabinetwork details as they can take a high polish. The snuff box was part of the Jim Lennon collection of silver, Asian and European Works of Art, which numbered over 450 lots. bonhams.com
7. Flatback fun
Estimate £200–£300
Sold £750
Early 19th-century flatback figures made in the Staffordshire potteries are what collectors in the field look for. This example, which sold at Chiswick Auctions, is beautifully hand-modelled and painted and depicts a striped tiger and two Cupids standing underneath an arch of grapevines. Staffordshire figures were fashionable ornaments in 19th-century homes, and reflect popular themes of the time, from travelling menageries to admired army commanders and celebrated royal personages. The flatback design allowed figures to be displayed on a mantelpiece or mounted on the wall. chiswickauctions.co.uk