Autumn Fine Art Sale Highlights

Two rare examples of 18^th century English porcelain are amongst the highlights coming up for sale in Tennants Auctioneers’ Autumn Fine Art Sale on 17^th November. The plates were made by Worcester, one of the oldest remaining English porcelain factories having been founded in 1751, during their experimental early years of production. ‘First Period’ Worcester is highly collectable, and whilst the majority of pieces were made in a colour scheme of blue and white – it is the Chinese-inspired ‘Famille Verte’ design and colours scheme in enamels that set these plates apart. The simple, shallow shape of the place also indicate that they were amongst the first productions of the factory, likely made circa 1752. The plates are being offered with an estimate of £5,000-7,000 (plus buyer’s premium) each.

Two Dutch paintings are amongst the Fine Art on offer in the sale. Beached Fishing Boats at Sunset by Henrick Willem Mesdag (1831-1915), dated 1896, is being sold with an estimate of £15,000-25,000 (plus buyer’s premium), and Still Life of a Coffee Grinder, Metal Bucket and a Bowl of Eggs Arranged on a Stone Ledge by Henk Helmantel (b.1945) is being offered with an estimate of £15,000-25,000(plus buyer’s premium). Helmantel is considered one of the Northern Realists and producing masterful still lifes equal to a great many of the Dutch Old Masters. Also on offer is a delicately wrought watercolour of a Summer Kingfisher (female), by Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935), being sold with an estimate of £6,000-8,000 (plus buyer’s premium).

Other highlights include a pair of 19^th century Derbyshire Blue John Urns, made from the purple and yellow fluorspar highly prized for its decorative qualities (estimate: £4,500-6,000 plus b.p.), two rare Kashan Silk Souf rugs made c1920 in Central Iran. The rugs, which by repute were once in a Royal Collection, have an intricate pattern wrought in silk pile on a flatwoven silk and metal-thread background and are being sold with estimates of £3,000-5,000 and £4,000-6,000 (plus buyer’s premium).

One of the top lots in the furniture section is a late 17^th century walnut table cabinet, probably made in the Low Countries. The decorative painted cabinet comes with good provenance, a history of family ownership dating back to turn of the century Austria, when it was owned by Freiherr Markus Prennschutz von Schutzenau-Trenck, who was married to an opera singing daughter of a Countess.  The cabinet is being sold with an estimate of £3,000-4,000 (plus buyer’s premium).

A note of luxury design is brought to the sale with a good selection of fine modern watches, which include a rare Rolex Submariner 50^th Anniversary model, which was launched in 2003 to celebrate the milestone birthday of this iconic and highly collectable chronometer. The watch features the rare green bezel and maxi dial and being sold with an estimate of £6,000-8,000 (plus buyer’s premium).

View further details and highlights from the sale here.