!" The Glimmer of Gold
Estimate £20,000–£30,000 Sold £43,750
A1765 giltwood pier mirror was the subject of a bidding tussle at Christie’s recent sale, ApterFredericks: 75 Years of Important English Furniture, an auction of stock by the well-known London dealers, who closed their Fulham showroom in 2019. The !ve-hour sale o"ered everything from armchairs and side tables to chandeliers and wine coolers.
This superb, hand- carved piece is thought to be a #er a design by cabinetmakers Ince & Mayhew, who recorded two very similar models in their Universal System of Household Furniture book of designs. Classy origins were enhanced by an Anglo-American provenance, the mirror having come from the collection of Cliveden House, the country seat of the Astor family from 1893. ‘It was probably acquired by
New York-born Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor, and his wife Nancy Astor, who inherited the family estate at Cliveden as an extravagant wedding gi # from his father, William Waldorf Astor, 1st Lord Astor,’ explains Christie’s specialist Amelia Walker. Pier mirrors o#en came in pairs and were mounted between large windows in drawing rooms. The sale made £3.4m in total. christies.com
!" Cup of Comfort
Estimate £1,500–£2,000 Sold £4,200
With a wide bo!om for the co"ee grounds to se!le on, an English stoneware co"ee pot captured hearts at Woolley & Wallis’s recent sale. The c1750 large salt-glazed pot was hand-decorated in enamels with a colourful parrot-like bird si!ing among #owers and foliage. The long spout was in the form of a serpent – a shape that is also found on silver co"ee and tea wares. Co"ee became a popular drink in Britain in the 1600s, when co"ee houses for male patrons sprang up. woolleyandwallis.co.uk
#. Floral Charm
Estimate £300–£500 Sold £575
An 18th- century Del $ #ower brick would look lovely arranged with late spring da "odils, tulips and anemones, just as the jaunty #oral decoration suggests. Dutch Del $ ceramics were imported into Britain in large quantities from the 17th century onwards, and were a more a "ordable alternative to fashionable but expensive blue and white Chinese porcelain. This ‘parcel’ lot was sold at Lyon & Turnbull, and also included a group of seven Del $ tiles. lyonandturnbull.com
$. Good Wood
Estimate £500–£800 Sold £500
Early English country furniture is the %eld to focus on if you’re looking for a"ordable antiques. This oak and walnut chest, sold at Drewea!s, is a good example. Made around 1680, it bristles with period detail, from decorative moulded doors, to original metal handles on two sliding drawers beneath. Only the legs were replacements. While the metre-plus-wide item was in need of some sympathetic restoration, it also had that most desirable of qualities – patina. dreweatts.com
". Sharp Buy
Estimate £50–£60 Sold £160
Designed in the Arts & Cra"s style, this set of six silver tea knives was made in Birmingham in 1930. Still in their original !#ed box, the knives were branded Liberty & Co and sold at Tennants. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, cutlery sets were designed for every purpose, from peeling so" fruit to spreading bu#er, and these small, nicely weighted knives would have come out at teatime. Usable and a$ordable, antique cutlery is a varied !eld for novice collectors. tennants.co.uk
!. Childhood Charm
Estimate £200–£300 Sold £650
How many small hands have walked the animals two by two into this beautiful Noah’s ark? Made in Germany in the 19th century, it came up for sale at Lawrences’ Collectors, Sporting & Textiles auction and stood out as a ! ne piece of folk art as well as a treasured toy. With a sliding lid, the 44cm-long ark came with a zoo of painted animals, from moles and cats to camels, deer and swans. Even in a fairly faded state, it proved highly saleable. lawrences.co.uk