A rare piece of Colonial Silver sold for £6,000 in the Jewellery, Watches and Silver Sale at Tennants Auctioneers on 10th January, following strong pre-sale interest (all figures exclude buyer’s premium). Made circa 1750, the silver waiter or tray was a very rare example of Jamaican silver, with a maker’s mark of ‘ER’ and the stamp of Assay Master Anthony Danvers. Tennant’s Silver Specialist Jeffrey Lassaline said of the piece: “Items of Jamaican silver very seldom come onto the open market, but this niche area of interest certainly seems to have plenty of enthusiastic collectors eager to bid”. Indeed, the silver section overall marked a very strong start to the year, with over 95% of the lots selling, and over 60% of those sold above top estimate.
A late 19th century French Silver Table-Service mostly made in Paris by Francisco Marzo was the top lot of the sale, with the 203-piece lot selling above estimate at £12,500. With good provenance were an impressive Edward VII Silver Epergne made by Thomas Bradbury and Sons Ltd. of London in 1903, which was presented to John Hepper by members of the Yorkshire Branch of the Auctioneers Institute (sold for £5,600), and a Set of Six Victorian Silver Dinner-Plates by John Hunt and Robert Roskell with the crest of Henry Lowther, 3rd Earl of Lonsdale (sold for £5,000). A Three-Piece Chinese Export Silver Tea-Service, retailed by Wang Hing of Hong Kong, sold well at £2,200, and amongst the modern silver in the sale was an Elizabeth II Parcel-Gilt Silver Three-Light Candelabrum by Stuart Devlin that sold for £5,600.
Vintage and collectable watches sold well too, led by a good 18 carat gold Art Deco Style Wristwatch made by the Swiss manufacturer Bedat, which sold for £6,200. Selling well above estimate too were a 1916 Rolex Silver ‘Trench’ Watch (sold for £1,300), a circa 1945 Military Silver Deck Watch by Ulysse Nardin (sold for £1,100) and a 1962 Super Compressor Diver’s Waterman Watch made by Rodania (sold for £1,300).
In the Jewellery section of the sale, good quality antique pieces were the subject of competitive bidding, leading to excellent hammer prices, such as an 18 Carat Gold Diamond Five Stone Ring (sold for £2,800), a Mid-Victorian Diamond and Split Pearl Locket Pendant on Chain (sold for £1,800), an Early 20th Century Multi-Gem Set Fringe Necklace (sold for £1,900), and a Mid-Victorian Demantoid Garnet, Ruby and Diamond Dragonfly Brooch (sold for £2,200). The market for unusual, novelty or branded jewellery remains buoyant, too, with notable results achieved by an Enamel and Diamond Novelty Salamander Brooch made circa 1900 (sold for £1,300), a Pair of Hand Painted Porcelain Earrings (sold for £1,100), and 18 Carat Gold Enamel and Diamond Egg Pendant by Victor Mayer for Fabergé (sold for £1,100), and an 18 Carat Gold Sapphire and Diamond Crossover Ring by Asprey (sold for £900). Global gold trading prices continue to have an impact on hammer prices, elevating the demand for pieces such as a Green Chrysoprase and Diamond Bracelet (sold for £5,000), and an 18 Carat Gold Profili Necklace by Fope (sold for £4,400).
The Jewellery, Watches and Silver Sale realised a total hammer price of £407,910 for 510 lots, and a 96% sold rate.
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