Auction Report - Antiques & Fine Art, 29th July

Opening the auction was a selection of glass and ceramics. Early successes included the catalogue’s front cover piece; a French ormolu porcelain twin handled vase and cover, which sold for triple the estimate at £1,700. Oriental ceramics and works of art have proved one of Fellows strongest growth areas in recent times. Interesting lots in this latest sale included a large Chinese Canton famille rose circular bowl, decorated with oriental figures drinking tea, which, despite being cracked in half and riveted, sold for £700.

Also featured were many ivory figures, including a Chinese Canton carved ivory card case which was amongst the highlights selling for £900. However this was overshadowed by a lot containing a carved jadeite figure of an Eastern goddess, which reached £1,500 despite a reattached head. On each occasion there was strong telephone bidding against commission bids and also buyers in the room. The auction viewings for potential bidders had been greatly assisted by the presence of a Chinese-speaking member of staff in the saleroom.

The bronze section provided some very interesting lots in this sale. A striking Australian cold painted bronze model, ‘The Cheyenne’, made for the Bergman Foundry sold for £1,100. This was closely followed by three separate lots of Art Deco ivory and bronze figures (chryselephantine), modelled as a dancing lady, a child riding a snail and a comical figure, each receiving enormous interest during the auction and selling for around £1,000 each.

An unusual carved wooden study of a kookaburra by Robert Wilhelm Prenzel also received vast interest prior to the auction and sold for an amazing £2,800. The kookaburra had been in storage for at least two years, coming from a private collector who contributed over 100 lots, including the Tunbridgeware, knife boxes and some bronzes.

Many lots in the books section also received huge interest resulting in sales high above the estimates. John Edwards Holbrooke ‘North American Herpetology’ was the standout of the entire section earning a hammer price of an astounding £4,300. A section of over 100 lots of toys and model cars were consigned from a local estate and sold for a collective £10,000.

Four Chinese silk sleeve panels saw the paintings section off to a great start, selling for a multiple-estimate of £1,000. A handsome portrait of Captain John Ritson Peyton, by John Opie, consigned by direct descendants in the Peyton family, was amongst those receiving the largest amount of interest prior to the sale (with over 600 lot views on a US based bidding platform) and sold for a worthy price of £2,800.

The greatest success however came from ‘The Spinning Lesson’, by Jewish American artist Henry Mosler. This fine oil on canvas sold for £5,200. A fine selection of clocks brought more excitement to the sale with some stunning pieces. A Jaeger LeCoultre Atmos ‘Embassy’ clock quickly rose to a sale of £800.

An impressive French mantel clock by Japy Freres/Gay Vicarino, Paris, beautifully decorated and one of the most eye-catching lots in the section, received huge international interest and ultimately sold for £1,500. This was immediately followed by yet another nicely decorated piece; a French ormolu mantel clock which reached a sale price of £1,300. Surpassing this however was an imposing late 19th century mahogany triple-fusee bracket clock which reached an amazing £3,700.

Ending the day on a high were a pair of rosewood side cabinets applied with striking gilt metal Eyptionesque Sphinx masks, and a good quality Jas. Shoolbred & Co. satinwood and rosewood cross-banded bookcase, which reached £980 and £1,500 respectively.

See the hammer highlights in pictures