Ceramics Fetch High Prices

The market for high quality antiques was seen to be very strong yesterday at Tennants Autumn Fine Art and Antique Sale.  Auctioneer Nigel Smith said “It just shows that for the best pieces, there is still a very buoyant market.  However, in order for the top prices to be realized at auction, only the best examples will do, and accordingly bidding has been strong and high prices are being paid!” This was evident yesterday when buyers at Tennants engaged in some intense bidding to acquire the most sought-after pieces. 

A Staffordshire Creamware Teapot circa 1780 (lot 80) far exceeded its estimate of £300-£500 by selling for £800.  It had been an unwanted item bought about 25 years ago in Matlock by a lady who acquired it as part of a mixed lot for £1. Richard Plant, Tennants’ Head of the Heart of England, found the Teapot during a valuation day in the village of Wensley in Derbyshire and was surprised and delighted by its wonderful condition.

Buyers from the Orient

With their reputation for selling high quality works of art, Tennants saw a number of buyers from the Far East yesterday in their Leyburn Auction Centre, keen to acquire some unusual and rare Oriental works of art, including a Pair of Chinese Vases (lot 140) which sold for £2,700 (estimate £400-£600). Also a number of Japanese lots created plenty of interest with a Japanese Bronze Group of a Sow and Six Piglets from the late Meiji period (1868-1912) (lot 168) sold for £3,500 (estimate £2,000-£3,000) and also from the Meiji period, a decorated Japanese Shibyama Tusk Vase (lot 169) sold for £12,000 (estimate £5,000 - £8,000).

Paintings Section totals over £500,000

The Paintings Section of Tennants Sale today saw a packed saleroom and some competitive bidding from the people in the room and over the phones, all twelve of which were kept busy throughout. Some of the highlights included a watercolour and gouache painting (lot 804) by Edward Angelo Goodall R.W.S. (1819-1908) of An Eastern Street Scene dated 1882 which sold for £9,000 (estimate £700-£1,000), a magnificent oil painting (lot 887) attributed to Georg Wilhelm Lafontaine (18th Century) of St Paul’s Cathedral, London which sold for £17,000, and an Irish Portrait in oils of a Fashionable Young Lady (lot 893) by a follower of Thomas Frye (c.1710-1762) which sold for £26,000 (estimate £6,000-£9,000).

Fine Furniture Flies

At the end of the second day 188 lots of furniture went for a total of £264,000 with 93% being sold. The highlights included a Napoleon III Table (lot 1383) which sold for £10,000 (estimate £5,000-£7,000), a Chippendale-style Chinoiserie Display Cabinet (lot 1377) which sold for £8,000 (estimate £4,000-£6,000) and an early 18th Century Burr Walnut Cabinet on Chest (lot 1352) which sold for £6,800 (estimate £4,000-£6,000).

Back to Press news

Lot 80. Sold for £800

Lot 169. Sold £12,000

Lot 893. Sold for £26,000

Lot 1383. Sold for £10,000