Bespoke Knysna furniture is a highlight of weekend sale
Royal Albert collectables are also on offer
A LARGE and bespoke dining suite made by a historic Knysna furniture producer is among the wide selection of furniture at Bernardi Auctioneers’ decorators and collectors auction in Pretoria tomorrow.
Noteworthy rare items from the collection of the late Dr and Mrs MMC de Klerk include:
A bespoke Jonker of Knysna black stinkwood oval-shaped dining table with moulded edge on heavy central columns with quadro-pod foot base.
Sixteen matching Jonker-produced Carolean-styled shield-back dining chairs with carved frame and upholstered ostrich skin seats on doe-foot legs.
Exceptionally large matching sideboard, also by Jonker. Its gabled and moulded pediment, above three plate racks with tongue and groove backboard, is set on a rectangular-shaped top with rebated edge. The sideboard has six fitted baize-lined cutlery drawers and four raised panel doors.
Carl Bernardi says Knysna’s renowned furniture producer, Japie Jonker, made only three of the dining tables that form part of the suite on offer.
“The base was hand-fashioned out of a solid piece of black stinkwood purchased on a post-war Knysna forestry auction. The cabinet maker was Piet Mels. The special table was referred to as ‘The De Klerk Table’,” Bernardi says.
The original Jonker of Knysna factory is now referred to as “Die Ou Fabriek” on Knysna’s Heritage Walk. Jonker, a locally-trained cabinet maker, bought the property in 1930 and established a showroom on the main street in front of the factory.
The other Knysna furniture item likely to attract strong attention is a unique red ivory writing table with shaped top.
In addition to other furniture treasures, the collectables include a Copeland Spode Dresden Rose tea set, Royal Albert Moss Rose tea trios and Royal Doulton Burgundy tea set.
Art includes works by Gabriel de Jongh and Chris Tugwell, and a Remington Cowboy bronze sculpture.
The sale is at 65 Thomson Street, Colbyn, Pretoria, with viewing today and tomorrow before the start of the sale at 10am.
For more details, call Carl Bernardi on 0824451128 or 0124306914 or see www.bernardiauctioneers.co.za.