Dear friends,
There really is no predicting what you might find in a Bainbridges auction and this is going to be one of my favourites. From two separate probate instructions we are delighted to present to you lots of small items, the silver known as ‘toys’ the rest as objects of vertu. The silver ‘toys’ are fine examples of their kind and date from the late 17th century, including a pair of twin-arm wall sconces and a pair of candlesticks through cutlery, tables, pans, to a horse drawn tram. Luan has done a spectacular cataloguing job for us and made up 35 lots. They follow on from the SILVER AND PLATE section which is interesting in its own right.
Here’s an example of one of the lots, estimated at £300-£500:
A pair of William and Mary silver miniature ‘toy’ candlesticks by George Manjoy, each with stop-fluted stem on stepped square base, London 1691, 4.5 cm high, 23 gm (Provenance: Milntown Collection, sold Bonham’s 13 November 2013, lot 158)
Another good maker represented is Arnoldus van Geffen.
The vertu is dominated by etuis, boxes and opera glasses in porcelain, enamel, silver, tortoiseshell and chagrin. An example follows:
A 19th century Continental dark blue enamel etui of tapering oval form with chased and engraved yellow metal mounts, painted overall with cartouches within scrolling borders with scenes of figures in rural landscapes, on a blue ground scattered with formalised white geometric decoration, the interior fitted with various sewing implements including scissors and a needle, 10.2 cm.
We have wrist and pocket WATCHES ranging from a 1966 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air King (with paperwork and box), an 18ct gold chronograph, a lady’s Cartier wristwatch to a George III tortoiseshell and gold-plated pair-cased pocket watch by Wm Lindsey of London.
And it goes on to include gold and diamond JEWELLERY including 22 ct gold bangles, heavy cufflinks, wonderful old buttons, portrait miniatures by E. Horwitz and others, and much more.
PICTURES, English and Continental, are in 100 lots, the biggest picture section ever for us, and come almost exclusively from one home. They range from the antique to the modern. Artists include Olimpia La Pira, Henry Scott Tuke, R. Weyman, William Cruickshank, Joyce Hirst, James MacWhirter, Peter Deakin, T.G. Hodge, Benjamin Herring, Hugh Boycott Brown, W. Llewellyn, Hugo Schindler, Oto Schmid and Hugh Micklem.
A pretty Northwood cottage has brought to us pretty samplers, two from the 18th century, and another home has yielded 19th century embroidered silk pictures, including pastoral scenes, a map of England and Wales and a very large embroidered picture panel of pheasants. Crewel work is popular at the moment and we have large lengths of unused fabric and bedcovers. On the fabric subject, a London flat has given us some wonderful curtain sets. These are included in our costume section which otherwise is a bit thin this sale but does include a fabulous two-colour mink fur jacket.
FURNITURE includes the best Victorian breakfast table I have ever sold. It has a satinwood top on a shell-carved tripod base and bears a retail label for Haughey Antiques of Cumbria. I guess our estimate is a tenth of what it sold for! If you want a large table – to seat 16 – then we have one that came from a solicitors office. It’s Victorian in oak and is supported by 4 carved D-cup griffin and turned spindles in the style of Berkey & Gay. Otherwise we have a large Victorian pedestal desk, a good carved oak coffer, pretty Continental furniture, a fabulous Victorian mahogany and inlay display cabinet, a good set of 8 Regency dining chairs, a good George I style wing-back chair, modern leather chairs, good settees, a modern grand piano in high gloss black finish, a Victorian walnut centre table and sewing table, a Regency teapoy, a marble top conservatory table, open bookcases, a Compactum bedroom suite, etc.
What else…….good hi-fi comes to mind. One of our deceased clients from Holland Park was a music enthusiast with a large collection of classical records. His hi-fi included items by Denon and I have separated out his deck which has no name but looks important (lot 806). Electrical goods include televisions and computers, along with white goods. CARPETS include some pretty and old oriental rugs. BOOKS and TOYS are represented including Action Men, Marvel and Dinky Toys. TOOLS include good garden equipment. We have MIRRORS although these are sold in a different part of the sale from usual this time. COLLECTABLES includes a very good file of paper money, medals, postcards and a very interesting one man’s early 19th century log and PORCELAIN, POTTERY AND GLASS including decorative and old ceramics from around the world, including Oriental.
Are you a ‘boxed set’ DVD type? It’s difficult to imagine how one man could collect so many, and I mean hundreds and hundreds and they are all UNOPENED. I see some with £30 price labels. These are in large lots.
So we hope to see you at the viewing on Wednesday the 14th from 1-7pm.
The sale is on Thursday the 15th at 11am and bidding on-line is with UKAUCTIONEERS.COM
See you next week,
Peter
