ANTIQUES FAIR If only these pieces could talk... Antiques expert Judith Miller talks about her collection
THIS year Judith Miller celebrates 40 years since the launch of the worldwide bestselling Miller’s Antiques Price Guide, the book that every aspiring newcomer to collecting reaches for when starting out.
I know, because it was the first I purchased when I started writing this column, coincidentally 40 years ago last month.
Copies of it and associated publications: guides on chairs, silver, jewellery, watches, collectables and more still sit on my bookshelves.
It was all the excuse I needed to pin her down and give me a guide, well, to herself and what she collects since starting in her student days. Since then, she has become one of the world’s leading experts in antiques and collecting.
A regular specialist on TV, notably on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow and The Antiques Trail on HTV, she also writes for magazines, national and regional newspapers and gives lectures at the V&A and elsewhere.
Not only did she tell all, she showed me pieces from her collection too, some of which are illustrated here, although to her great regret, one or two featured only in photographs.
I asked her to disclose her most incredible find.
She explains: “As a student
The one that got away: the Art Deco sculpture by Demetre Chiparus of the Assyrian Queen Semiramis. Judith could have bought it for £160. It’s worth £250,000 today in the 1960s (she studied history at Edinburgh University), I was still mainly buying small pieces of ceramic. But one day I walked past an antiques shop and spotted this wonderful Art Deco sculpture by Demetre Chiparus of the Assyrian Queen Semiramis in the window.
“I bravely walked in and asked the dealer how much.
“He said £190. After much negotiation we agreed £160.
“I, of course, did not have the money. I phoned my dad and asked to ‘borrow’ the money. He refused.
“I used to go home months and then years later and tell him that the figure was now worth £2,000, £5,000, £10,000 and so on. If I wanted to buy it today, it would cost in excess of £250,000. Oh the regrets!”
As for a more recent disappointment, Judith was outbid on an unusual piece of Venetian glass.
She says: “I am particularly excited by the Murano Vistosi chicks (pulcini) designed by Venetian architect Alessandro Pianon and launched in 1962.
“There are five in total. I was very excited when the rare green square bird with murrines came up for auction at Feildings Auctions in Stourbridge and excitedly, I booked my telephone bid.
“The bidding started. Having gone way beyond my reserve (a cardinal sin!) I had to stop.
“It sold for over £10,000
– not to me. Much as I love my
LEFT: The two-headed snuff box dating from about 1780
RIGHT: The
Murano
Vistosi chicks s designed by Venetian architect chitect Alessandro
Pianon and sold for more than £10,000 collections you always remember the ones that got away.”
She began by collecting porcelain. “I was at school in the Scottish Borders and fascinated by history.
“Starting to buy small pieces of ceramic in the local junk shops gave me a connection with the past. I have always thought if these pieces could speak what could they tell us.
“I then started researching the pieces and I was hooked.
“With very little money
Judith Miller holding a 1960s Copenhagen blue and white vase, a personal favourite of hers, belonging to Lynways, specialists in Scandinavian pottery, exhibiting at Art & Antiques for Everyone when I was a student, I used to frequent junk shops and small antiques shops in Edinburgh.
“I remember once sitting on a dealer’s floor going through piles of saucers and plates.
“The dealer either took pity on me or was sick of me sitting on his floor and he told me just to take them.
“As a young new collector, I wanted to find an example of every pattern that 18th Worcester produced. I think that type of collector is a rare beast these days. People are
The Wedgwood Queen’s ware figurine of Taurusrus the Bull by Arnold Machin
Two pieces of 18th century Worcester blue and white porcelain, decorated with floral sprigs and insects, bought by Judith as a student in the 1960s much more interested in ‘the look’. Also the style is very much more minimalist, which is why anything high Victorian is so unfashionable.
“At an Antiques Roadshow recently I valued a Victorian floral tea set at £15-20 and a 1962 Barbie at £1,200-1,800!”
Nevertheless, two pieces of Worcester blue and white porcelain, decorated with floral sprigs and insects that she purchased in a junk ship in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders were among her favourites.
“They were the first antiques I bought and I was so excited and they started me researching 18th century ceramics.
“They are not particularly early and not very rare. They are totally out of fashion and are probably now worth less than £20 each. But they are priceless to me! They were the start of an amazing journey.”
Judith’s interests evolved over time and now she enjoys seeking out 20th century glass, treen and costume jewellery.
“My husband bought me this Joseff of Hollywood ‘Moon with Ruff’ pin from the 1940s over 20 years ago. It is Russian gold-plated with clear rhinestone eyes that move.
“Luckily for him costume jewellery was very inexpensive at the time. But that has changed!
“Mine is a rare pin and very striking. I get many admiring comments and even offers for it but, of course, I could not possibly sell it. I would value it today at £500-600.”
A tree snuff box Judith showed me was purchased from a dealer in the Seventies. It dates from about 1780.
“Snuff taking was very prevalent in the 18th century and after users competed to have the most interesting containers.
“My example has wonderful cut glass eyes. The most interesting feature is the fact the character has two heads, one with horns. The carver obviously knew that taking too much snuff was not advisable. “One of the wonderful things about antiques is that they can open up a whole area of social behaviour. If only they could talk.”
A curious creature made closer to home was a Queen’s ware figurine of Taurus the Bull, modelled by artist Arnold Machin.
“In 1940 Arnold Machin became the first full-time figure modeller to be employed at Wedgwood’s Barlaston factory.” Judith says.
“He produced many pieces in a variety of ceramic bodies, including Queen’s ware, Windsor grey and terra cotta.
“I found this example at the Antiques for Everyone fair at the NEC. I fell in love with him and he now sits happily looking down on me in the kitchen. He is an exceptional piece of design and would be worth £300-400.”
Judith’s husband bought her this Joseff of Hollywood ‘Moon with Ruff’ pin from the 1940s