Western Morning News (Saturday)
Sensational start to the year
CLARKS continued its terrific start to 2023 with a sensational record sale which was littered with many highlights with diamond jewellery and miniature portraits capturing the main headlines. During the sale, filming of Salvage Hunters with Drew Pritchard added extra sparkle to a fantastic day.
Auctioneer Paul Clark said: “The sale was well received by bidders, especially with so many fine entries fresh to the market.”
Clarice Cliff started proceedings and achieved a top price of £270 for a small honey pot. A crocus biscuit barrel made £110 while a crocus candle holder and ashtray secured interest at £210, well over the estimate. Some smaller, more common pieces of Troika followed but this didn’t deter bidders. The Cornish pottery is red hot at the moment and this was reflected in the prices, despite some pieces having damage. A small wheel vase by Penny Broadribb saw an internet vs room battle max out at £170. A damaged vase by Louise Jinks also made £170 and a small slab vase by Linda Thomas made £230 online. Cornish pottery by Jennie Hale once again proved to be quite desirable with ‘cat jars’ making up to £210.
Decorative objects invariably prove popular. A malachite casket ticked boxes, being both decorative and useful and this attracted both collector and trade interest at £210. A Benin bronze of a leopard (£200), a pair of Don Powell of Slade drumsticks (£50), a part of a Sopwith Camel propeller (£170), a remnant of an exploded bomb (£70), an eel gleave (£50) and a David Inshaw print (£1000) were other items that caught collectors and dealer’s interest. A 19th century French carriage clock secured bids of £2600 and another enamelled French carriage clock made £720.
Paintings proved very popular with a small oil by Walter Sickert, a man thought by some to be ‘Jack the Ripper,’ made bids of £1500 while a 17th/18th century portrait of a cleric achieved £400. A pair of Theodore Rousseau pencil sketches saw internet interest at £340 while local artist Mary Martin, sold well at Clarks making £680.
The fine miniature portraits really lit up online interest. A tiny John Hoskins miniature of Charles I was one of a number of extended bidding battles, eventually achieving £4200 at the hammer. A Christine Zinke enamel of Thomas Betterton (£2200) followed by a Samuel Cooper style portrait of the Earl Of Fairfax (£2600) both warmed bidders to the task ahead. A tiny but superb 16th century oil of Mary of Guise, mother of Mary, Queen of Scots achieved a whopping £5000 before exquisite portraits by George Engleheart (£3900) and Richard Cosway (£4200) closed that part of the sale.
Silver and jewellery has a very strong following at Clarks and this sale didn’t disappoint. A Victorian silver wine goblet by Daniel and Charles Houle made £310 and the same price was achieved for an 1884 ale goblet by John Septimus Beresford. A fivepiece Elkington & Co. silver tea service (£940) and a repaired Georgian spirit kettle by Sebastian and James Crespell (£640) also attracted lots of interest.
However, it was the diamonds that would set things alight. A diamond solitaire of just over 4ct achieved a superb price when making £25000 at the hammer followed immediately by a sparkling 1920s diamond bracelet at £8400. An art deco diamond brooch then achieved a very impressive £13500 before a 2.3ct diamond ring made £10000 and another art deco diamond and onyx brooch achieved a whopping £5000.
Entries are invited for its forthcoming sales. Call 01579 349960 / 07756070198 or visit clarksauctionrooms.com.