STAR SALES
Caroline Wheater’s highlights from the saleroom
1 Grand Tour Provenance
Estimate £8,000–£12,000 Sold £106,000
Canterbury Auction Galleries in Kent ended 2020 on a high note with the sale of a pair of Italian bronze busts, made in the Florence workshop of Pietro Cipriani in the 18th century. The bronze sculptor is considered by art historians to be the most gi !ed of his generation and made pieces for the Earl of Maccles"eld and the Duke of Marlborough, also supplying plaster casts to Horace Walpole, the famed owner of gothic-style Strawberry Hill House. These life-sized busts, mounted on limestone bases, depict the Roman Emperor Lucius Septimius Geta and his sister-in-law, Fulvia Plautilla, both of whom came to a sticky end. The busts would have been brought home as part of Grand Tour booty, when well-heeled young gentlemen spent time in Europe to widen their horizons. The busts had been bought 25 years earlier by the vendor, a retired Kent antiques dealer, at a small provincial auction house where they were on view on top of a wardrobe and catalogued as cast iron. The lot, which came near the end of a three- day sale, prompted a #urry of bids, with an international "rm of sculpture specialists winning out. thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com
2 Soft Glow
Estimate £100–£200
Sold £90
The buyer of this authentic Victorian lamp got a bargain at Sworders. At 77cm high, the ‘ Blanched Hull’ Hinks No. 2 oil lamp was made at James Hinks & Sons Crystal Lamp Works. The company was located in Birmingham during the second half of the 19th century, when the city was a powerhouse of production of domestic objects. In 1864, Hinks developed the duplex lamp, which used two wicks to give twice the amount of light. It remained popular until the arrival of electric light. sworder.co.uk
3 Thoughtful Gift
Estimate £300–£400
Sold £950
A turquoise Victorian toile!e box inlaid with mother of pearl and brass Boulle marquetry was a star turn at Mallams recently. The box lid was inscribed ‘SH Noble, August 2nd 1850’ and a li!le note in copperplate writing reads:
‘ For Aunty from Harry and Philip’. The box had been well looked a "er and the cherry-red velvet interior hid silver-topped glass jars, a mother- of-pearl manicure set, a mirror and even a le!er wallet for keeping precious private notes. mallams.co.uk
4 Oriental Elegance
Estimate £3,000–£5,000
Sold £7,500
Made around 1800, this exquisite chest- on-stand is a # ne example of the quality and stylishness of Chinese furniture exported to the West in the 18th and early 19th centuries. On closer inspection, the surface is decorated with twirling vines laden with grapes, built up using black and gilt lacquer, which gives the surprisingly modern-looking piece a golden aura. Today, it would make striking storage for fans, textiles, scarves or even blankets and was snapped up at Christie’s. christies.com
5 Hanging Display
Estimate £400–£600
Sold £892
Browse antiques centres or fairs and you’ll o!en come across wall-hanging shelves, popular 200-plus years ago. This # ne mahogany example from the late 18th century re"ects the Chinese Chippendale style of the day with its pierced trellis sides. According to Bonhams specialist Christopher Jarrey, who was in charge of selling it, the shelves were probably one of a pair, and would have been used to display collections of decorative #gures or oriental items. bonhams.com
6 Artist’s Mark
Estimate £400–£600
Sold £1,100
Since the mid 20th century, artists have collaborated with textiles companies to have their designs printed onto limited- edition silk scarves, which o!en go on to become collector’s pieces. The sculptor Henry Moore produced several designs in the early 1940s. Dame Elisabeth Frink’s ‘Snowy Owl’ silk scarf edition of 225 was made in 1983 for Christie’s Contemporary Art and re"ects the artist’s love of birds. This example, with hand-rolled edges, numbers 142, and sold at Duke’s. dukes-auctions.com