STAR SALES

Caroline Wheater’s picks from the saleroom

!" Stage Le#

Estimate £200–£300 Sold £850

As well as being a society photographer, Cecil Beaton was a highly regarded costume designer for ! lm and stage. This signed watercolour of the character Angela Lynton, made for the 1953 production of the comedy Aren’t We All? by Frederick Lonsdale, was one of several Beaton designs that came up for sale at Dawsons in January. They came from the collection of the late Patrick Wheatley, a well-regarded costume designer. dawsonsauctions.co.uk

$. Finnish Find

Estimate £80–£120 Sold £130

A small 1969 ‘Usva’ vase summed up the appeal of post-war Scandi glassware at Fieldings’ Decades of Design sale. The ovoid design is by Kaj Franck for the Nuutajärvi Notsjö glassworks in Finland, where he was art director from 1951 to 1976. Franck won many honours for his designs in glass, ceramics and plastic, and in 1960 began teaching at the Institute of Industrial Arts in Helsinki. Nuutajärvi Notsjö merged with Ii" ala in 1988. fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk

%. Ormolu Elegance

Estimate £800–£1,200 Sold £1,100

Fancy timepieces made for show are back in vogue and this Empire-style mantel clock encased beneath a glass dome ticks all the boxes. Dating to around 1810, the ormolu (or gilded) clock case is modelled as a vase on a plinth and has handles moulded as swans’ necks and wings. Riding above the white enamelled clock face is Cupid, his cute golden chariot also drawn by birds. The clock sold at Roseberys recently in its Fine & Decorative sale. roseberys.co.uk

". Egg Case

Estimate £6,000–£8,000 Sold £7,560

At the turn of the 19th century, Fabergé of St Petersburg was one of the most skilled and innovative goldsmiths’ workshops in Europe. Under the helm of Peter Carl Fabergé, the company embraced the novel and the quirky, typi #ed by the glorious series of Imperial Easter Eggs, 50 in all, produced from 1885 to 1916. This inchtall hard-boiled egg pendant in gold and champlevé enamel was deliciously a !ordable in comparison, and was snapped up. sothebys.com

!. Spanish History

Estimate £800–£1,200 Sold £700

Consigned to Sworders, this huge chest conjures up visions of treasure and coins, lace and mantillas. At nearly 1.5m long and 72cm high, the imposing 17th- century Spanish piece was formerly the property of a ‘Su !olk gentleman’. It’s made of walnut and decorated with hand-turned bosses, and has a hinged plank top and pine li "- out top. If you have the space, chunky antique chests are great value and this one went for a song. sworder.co.uk

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