Homes Antiques

where small silver antiques are being

reassessed as the treasures they are

perfect for forming into interesting and

striking displays’ says Claire Grindey.

The ‘poetic objects’ that are being

considered afresh by canny collectors

include at the £100 to £300 mark

decorative vinaigrettes (smelling salt

containers) and pomanders snuff boxes

and mulls ale and spirit beakers novelty

salt and pepper pots scent bottles early

English spoons knives with hard stone

handles and travelling sets of campaign

cutlery. ‘These pieces don’t take up a

lot of space but look lovely displayed in

a glass vitrine for example or grouped

together in a frame on the wall – you can

do this with spoons and knives. The focus

is on developing a more modern way of

appreciation rather than having bits and

bobs all over the house.’

9

JOHN MACKIE LYON

& TURNBULL

ARTS AND CRAFTS &

AESTHETIC MOVEMENT

‘There’s a revival of interest in the more

traditional design field of the late 19th

and early 20th centuries’ comments John

Mackie. Rare domestic metalwares by

the Aesthetic Movement’s Christopher

Dresser are pounced on when they come

up for sale and can easily reach five

figures. ‘They are Japanese inspired and

those simple lines are appealing today.’

In tandem a resurgence in the

popularity of Arts and Crafts furniture

hinges on the Cotswold school of

furniture makers Ernest Gimson Ernest

and Sidney Barnsley and Peter Waals

with prices starting at £400 for a small

bookshelf up to £40000 for important

pieces such as desks and cabinets. Liberty

furniture is hotly pursued too but is far

more affordable – a light oak sideboard

might set you back £5000. ‘Most

collectors are looking for choice things or

to upgrade which is why something like

an early Mouseman refectory table of the

1930s fetched £11000 recently – people

will pay for quality and style.’

10

PAUL GALLOIS

CHRISTIE’S

STATEMENT PIECES

‘People are looking for treasures’ says

Paul Gallois. If your budget is large

a glamorous antique is no longer

enough to create a talking point buyers

want something extra. ‘It’s all about

authenticity to own a piece that has

been used by fascinating people and

to participate in its use’ says Gallois.

The treasures in question range from

French ormolu porcelain from £3000 to

£5000 to pietra dura (specimen stone

decorated) cabinets on stands table tops

and plaques that can cost anything from

£5000 to £1m dependent on quality

and cut of stone. For some collectors

only a royal provenance will do – such as

a Sèvres plate that came from a service

made for Catherine the Great for £80000.

FORWARD PLANNER

AUCTIONS FOR

YOUR AUTUMN

DIARY

SEPTEMBER

K6th Antiques Catherine Southon.

catherinesouthon.co.uk

K12th The Autumn Country House sale

Sworders. sworder.co.uk

K13th Fine Art Chefns. chefns.co.uk

K13th Made in Britain Sotheby’s.

sothebys.com

K 14th Paintings Drawings Furniture & Works

of Art Duke’s. dukes-auctions.com

K 19th Watches Sotheby’s

K 19th Prints and Multiples Christie’s King

Street. christies.com

K20th The Oak Interior Bonhams New Bond

Street. bonhams.com

K20th Tribal Art and Antiquities Woolley &

Wallis. woolleyandwallis.co.uk

K 23rd Jewellery Watches & Silver Tennants.

tennants.co.uk

K27th Fine Furniture & Works of Art Lyon

& Turnbull. lyonandturnbull.com

OCTOBER

K10th 20th Century Decorative Art and

Design Sworders

K10th 12th 13th Fine Art sale including

Silver & Vertu Lawrences. lawrences.co.uk

K12th Art & Design from 1860 Chefns.

chefns.co.uk

K13th Studio Ceramics Adam Partridge.

adampartridge.co.uk

K17th Design: Living in a Material World

Sotheby’s

K18th English & European Ceramics & Glass

Woolley & Wallis

K18th Pictures Silver & Jewellery Halls.

hallsgb.com

K25th Important Design Bonhams

K25th Decorative Arts: Design since 1860

Lyon & Turnbull

K31st The Watch sale Fellows. fellows.co.uk

NOVEMBER

K6th Furniture & Works of Art Mallams

Abingdon. mallams.co.uk

K15th Home & Interiors Bonhams Edinburgh

K15th Fine Glass and British Ceramics

Bonhams Knightsbridge

K16th Lalique Christie’s King Street

K18th Autumn Fine Art sale Tennants

K21st Jewellery Watches and Silver Sworders

K22nd British & European Paintings

Lyon & Turnbull

BELOW One of a pair of Italian ormolu-mounted

pietra dura plaques dating from the late 17th or early

18th century that fetched £50000 at Christie’s

ABOVE This Liberty & Co oak hall cupboard

c1900 sold for £1500 at Lyon & Turnbull

124 H&A SUMMER 2017