Clarks’ traditional New Year’s Day sale as usual doesn’t disappoint! Auctioneer Paul Clark said, “I’d like to thank those who have come out & continued to support us – we have received some fabulous entries for this sale” adding, “I know so many of our regular customers have had a difficult year & been fearful about leaving their home, but we can arrange a safe home visit if required to collect entries for sales”.
The sale starts off with some home furnishings. If you have a period or country property a 19thC. elm Windsor chair & an elm 18thC. ladderback, each in at £60-80, should appeal! A 19thC. mahogany pot cupboard (£30-50) should easily achieve its guide while an impressive Italian, 19thC. carved walnut Savonarola chair, which would make a superb talking piece, goes under offer at £500-600. Ercol remains popular & an elm table with two carvers & four chairs asks £100-150. An Ercol elm sideboard with glazed cupboards over (£60-80) & an Ercol bookcase (£30-50) are two other offerings from this quality furniture maker.
The sale has numerous Chinese entries. A 19thC. hardwood pot stand (£80-120) & early 20thC. dragon lamp (£300-500) have chances. Furthermore, quite nicely decorated 18thC. Chinese porcelain vase with “orange peel” glaze, typical of that period, asks £300-500, however, a good Chinese bronze censer, ought to attract serious global interest with a guide of just £200-300. A pair of small, importantly marked & period, Kangxi porcelain dishes, which were dear to their vendor, aren’t out of consideration even at £2000-3000 whilst a large porcelain ginger jar with prunus decor should achieve its guide of £200-300.
Among the decorative arts is a substantial 19thC. French bronze by Hippolyte-François Moreau which asks £2000-3000 while an extremely fine painting by Steven Townsend, featuring three collie dogs , is in at £10000-12000. A William Turner oil of a nude woman at a beach (£300-500) & a carved Robert “Mouseman” Thompson bowl (£300-500) are two other works of art that catch the eye.
There are numerous collectables at the sale. An original pre-sinking postcard featuring the Titanic asks £200-300. Auctioneer Paul Clark mentioned, “It’s a nice find however, had it been written on & posted, its commercial value would be one hundred times that!” A Burmantofts faience spoon warmer in the form of a “grotesque toad” ought to achieve £200-300 while a Troika vase by Louise Jinks should go close at £100-150. From the other side of the world sees a 19thC. basalt Maori “patu onewa” club which should easily exceed its guide of £200-300. Similar could be said for Fijian Polynesian war club (£100-200) & an 18th/19thC. stone cut Australian Aboriginal throwing club (£200-300). An original Corgi James Bond car with box & paperwork should easily exceed its guide of £50-60 while a 2018 Royal Mint proof coin set (£100-200) should find a new owner.
If you would like grand mid-afternoon tea, then a substantial James Deakin & Sons five-piece silver tea & coffee set, which goes under the hammer at £900-1100, maybe for you! However, if a singleton, a small, but perfectly formed late Victorian London silver tea pot by Charles Stuart Harris may suit better at £120-140. The sale has numerous pieces of fine jewellery. Graham Leishman Stewart of Dunblane, Scotland, was regarded as the greatest silver/gold smith of his generation & a very fine 18ct gold brooch set with moonstone & diamond in Mackintosh style, asks £500-800. An good antique 18ct gold French ring set with a large yellow sapphire asks £3000-5000 while a fine platinum art deco style ring set with diamonds & ruby is in at £1400-1600. An 18ct white gold solitaire ring set with approx. just over one carat diamond is there to go at just £600-800 & a very pretty Victorian diamond, pearl & Kashmir style sapphire pendant asks £500-600. A stunning pair of 18ct white gold earrings set with diamond & aquamarine (£200-300) & a 1940’s ladies platinum & 18ct gold cocktail watch set with diamonds (£400-500) would make fabulous post Christmas gifts! A cased set of ten Victorian Melbourne & Sydney mint gold sovereigns (£2500-3000) & an 18ct rose gold diamond line bracelet, approx. 12ct diamonds (£7000-8000) are two other fine entries that catch the eye.
Entries being invited from the new year for forth-coming sales. See website for details.
