November is anything but dull where antiques and art are concerned, for this is the month of Tennants Leyburn “Auction Fest”, in the form of over 1,800 lots, ranging from David Hockney prints to fabulous jewels.
Lot 39
Early in the sale an old wine bottle, dug up in Booksellers Row, Strand, in May 1894 (lot 39) promises to excite the bidding. It is a very early half size shaft and globe bottle which has an attractively weathered and iridescent surface – the kind of character and colour much favoured by bottle aficionados. This bottle was given in the will of a northern glassworks owner to two of his employees, who had always shown great interest in early glass. It may well go beyond its £800-1200 estimate, and is amongst friends in the form of 35 lots of early wine glasses (some of them almost as old as the bottle), including a rare Beilby example from Newcastle
Lot 120
One unusual lot amongst the ceramics is something of the “tyrannosaurus” of the Georgian dining table. A huge Yorkshire creamware punch pot (lot 120) probably made in Rothwell around 1775 may also surpass its £300-400 estimate. Such a pot has never been through Tennants’ saleroom before
Snuff Bottles
The Chinese market is still very buoyant, and amongst the firm’s numerous international clients is Peter Frőlich, whose collection of snuff bottles from the Qing Dynasty, circa 1750-1800, was removed from his Munich residence, and is offered without reserve (lots 168-199). The Oriental section includes a collection of Chinese scholar’s ink cakes (lot 201). Ink was so revered by the Chinese literati that they formed art objects and decorative plaques from dried ink. The estimate is just £100-150.
Lot 319
The silver and objects of vertu section, strengthened by the current high value of precious metals, includes an enchanting Swiss silver and enamel singing bird musical box made in the 1920’s (lot 319). The small box is decorated with enamel panels depicting lovers in woodland glades, and when the small button is pushed a tiny iridescent feather plumed and singing bird is offered up. This piece will not be “going for a song” at an estimate of £6000-9000.
A large selection of lady’s and gentlemen’s wristwatches includes a rare Luftwaffe pilot’s wristwatch – the very embodiment of German engineering and time keeping (lot 323), signed Tutima, Glashutte and dating from the 1940’s, it may well have seen action during the Battle of Britain. It carries a reasonable £500-700 estimate. Imagine how you could impress your friends in the pub with this one!
Lot 573
With money in the bank earning so little interest many are treating themselves to a piece of jewellery. Pretty pieces are in profusion in the sale and with over 250 lots on offer it provides an ideal opportunity for buying Christmas presents. A delightful Edwardian diamond bow brooch carries an estimate of £400-500 (lot 455), but for those with deeper pockets (or to be non-sexist with deeper purses) what about a diamond jabot pin by Cartier in the original case for £6000-8000 (lot 556). The highbrow name of Boucheron offers up a pretty turquoise, diamond and ruby set bird brooch at £2000-3000 (lot 573), while for the man interested in the natural world, there is a pair of diamond set and enamel ladybird cufflinks (lot 676), estimate £1200-1500. Some stunning diamond jewellery includes a three stone diamond ring with a 4 carat round brilliant stone flanked by a pear cut diamond on each shoulder (lot 672) estimate £8000-10,000. Estimates range from just £200 upwards.
Lot 971
The sale includes some fabulous pictures, including four paintings depicting Venice, a city that has inspired artists over many hundreds of years. Two oil paintings by Antoine “Sunshine” Bouvard Snr (1870-1956) (lots 939 and 940) have estimates ranging £6000-9000 and two oils from Sandhall, a country house near Goole (lots 969 and 970) by Belgian artist Franz Vervloet (1795-1872) are estimated at £12,000-15,000 and £7000-10,000 respectively. Eduard Sack’s erotic The Sheikh’s Daughter (lot 971) could attract a Middle-Eastern buyer. The picture features two semi-nude young women reclining playfully on a divan while a white parakeet hovers over their loveliness. The artist has chosen suitably from a vocabulary of exotic props including the customary animal fur rug, velvet cushions, bathing pool, censer – all set against a tiled mirhab Eastern arch. This could go well beyond its £8000-10,000 estimate.
The natural history section of 120 lots includes a number of rare specimens for the ardent collector. A female Addax head mount from a Hamburg client (lot 1073) is estimated at £300-500, a Narwal Tusk (lot 1143) once considered the horn of the unicorn, carries an estimate of £1500-2000, while a crocodile “rug”, just short of 4 metres long may be snapped up at £1200-1800.
Lot 1193
Amongst the works of art Sydney Harpley’s beautiful bronze sculpture of his wife Josephine, lying nude in a hammock (lot 1193) will carry an estimate of £4000-6000.
Lot 1310
Despite the elegance of numerous 18th and 19th century clocks in the sale, it may be a 20th century clock that steals the show. A very rare earth driven electric wall clock by Bentleys of Leicester, circa 1910, possibly one of only seventy made (lot 1310) may bring a jolt of bidding at £4000-5000.
Lot 1368
Tennants Autumn Catalogue Sale will include a major section of some fifty Oriental rugs and carpets from many of the traditional weaving areas of the East. Antique village rugs from Anatolia and the Caucasus, silk rugs from the fabled Persian city of Isfahan, Turkman carpets made in nomadic encampments of Turkestan will all be offered. “We have a good selection of weavings to suit most budgets and tastes with prices starting from as little as £200” said Andrew Middleton who heads the department for Tennants. “My own personal favourite is the Hadji Jalili Tabriz carpet from the Persian province of Azerbaijan, - it’s a good hundred years old and although showing its age, retains much of its former splendour”. The carpet measures 382cm by 289cm and is expected to sell for £3000-5000.
Lot 1579
For those with a large family looking for a suitable dining table, then look no further than The Auction Centre at Leyburn. Boasting a Firby Hall (near Bedale) provenance, a magnificent George IV mahogany extending dining table, measuring 6 metres long, is anticipated to fetch £8000-12,000 (lot 1579). An extremely attractive and compact George III mahogany four-door breakfront bookcase (lot 1413) will enhance anybody’s library or study and carries a £7000-10,000 estimate.
Lot 1712
Tennants have built up a strong following for the work of Robert “Mouseman” Thompson of Kilburn as well as numerous other craftsman who have also adopted “signatures” taken from nature. Compared to some of the high value Mouseman pieces such as lot 1630, an oak hall wardrobe (which was commissioned in 1931 for a Mrs Preston) at £5000-7000, pieces by the “other critters” appear more reasonably priced. For example, an Albert “Eagleman” Jefferies large oak glazed bookcase (lot 1712) carries a presale estimate of just £500-700. The sale includes many superb contemporary pieces of British, Italian, German and Danish furniture of particular appeal to a younger generation of auction-goers. Lot 1756, a Cassina Barcelona chair after a design by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, is estimated at just £100-150.
For further illustrations and/or enquires please contact Adam Schoon or Gussie Wood on 01969 623780.