Napoleon's Campaign Glass Sells for £8,800

A cut glass gobelet that accompanied Napoleon I whilst on campaign sold for £8,800 (plus buyer’ premium) on 16^th July in Tennants Auctioneers’ Summer Fine Sale. Whilst on campaign, Napoleon demanded that he was looked after in the manner to which he was accustomed in the Imperial Palace, surrounded by luxurious goods that befitted his rank and served to the highest standards of formal etiquette. The present glass was made by Montcenis, a crystal manufacturer established in 1787 and was engraved with a ‘N’ topped by the imperial crown. The glass was sold in the original fitted brown leather case embossed with the same crowned ‘N’ and gilt bees, and had been part of a Private Family Collection in the North West of England.  

Selling well above estimate was a charming early 19^th century Italian Micro-Mosaic Plaque depicting a hound sitting beside a classical alter, which sold for £5,000. Further notable works of art and ceramics included a Chinese porcelain Kangxi period baluster jar (sold for £6,800), a large Chinese porcelain brush pot, Qianjian School from the late 19^th/early 20^th century (sold for £3,200), and a bronze figure of the Muse Harmonie after Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (sold for £2,800).

Strong results were seen for fine pieces of furniture in the sale, with a pair of Milanese Neo-Classical Commodes in the manner of Giuseppe Maggiolini, by repute from the 1947 Swinton Park Sale, selling for £7,500, a 20^th century extending Jupe-style table selling for £7,000, and a good pair of Louis XV/Transitional Style late 19^th century vitrines selling for £7,500. Also selling well were a late 19^th century French kingwood and ormolu-mounted vitrine (sold for £5,500), a fine George III amboyna concertina-action card table (sold for £3,900), and a pair of 19^th century mahogany and brass-bound barrels (sold for £4,800).

The market for period upholstered armchairs continues to shine, with a Victorian armchair by Cornelius V Smith selling for £7,500, a matched pair of late Victorian armchairs in the manner of Howard & Sons selling for £4,000, and a late Victorian armchair selling for £4,400.

Notable clocks attracted good levels of interest, and the top clocks in the sale included a circa 1860 fine brass quarter chiming skeleton clock, attributed to either Evans of Handsworth or Smiths of Clerkenwell (sold for £5,200), a rare 1983  150^th Anniversary Atmos clock by Jaeger LeCoultre (sold for £3,200), and a good circa 1913 Grande Sonnerie striking and repeating alarm carriage clock by Chas Frodsham (sold for £2,500).

The sale achieved a total hammer price of £348,460 with an 80% sold rate for 418 lots.

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