Latest News Articles by Terence Ryle
Mighty mouse roars to £5800
04 September 2017Originally considered just another 20th century burr oak tallboy among a stack of material from a house clearance brought into the Hazel Grove rooms of Maxwells (15% buyer’s premium), opinions changed when a carved mouse was noticed on the lower left leg.
Cottage contents auction has nearly 100% sell-through rate
04 September 2017“Like a country house in miniature,” enthused Jody Beighton speaking of a two-bedroom Georgian cottage whose contents he and its owner catalogued before the August 19 sale at Paul Beighton (17.5% buyer’s premium).
Lalique bowl is a rooster booster at Bamfords
04 September 2017Not quite perfect but always likely to exceed the £300-350 estimate, a Lalique powder bowl was one of the top sellers at Bamfords’ (19.5% buyer’s premium) August 2 sale at Derby.
Cup of tea trumps champagne ahead of Chiswick at South Kensington
28 August 2017With everything buzzing at Chiswick Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) ahead of the opening of the South Kensington showroom next week (see last week’s ATG No 2305), life at the west London rooms goes on providing a solid base for this ambitious expansion.
Scroll on a roll in Roseberys selection
28 August 2017Provincial sales throughout the summer were enlivened by big-money Chinese material but a more concentrated look at the market was afforded by the dedicated sale at Roseberys (20% buyer’s premium) on June 27.
Cricket cages catch the eye at Cambridge sale
28 August 2017Catching the eye at the Oriental Sale at Cheffins (22.5% buyer’s premium) in Cambridge on August 10 were the two highly collectable 4¾in (12cm) tall gourd cricket cages shown here.
Darlington brush with sale success
28 August 2017Made in various materials across the centuries, brush pots used by Chinese scholars are steady favourites at UK auctions and the blue and white porcelain example shown here was no exception when offered at Thomas Watson’s (17.5% buyer’s premium) sale at Darlington on June 20.
Cups and bowl serve up £10,500
28 August 2017Offered as a job lot, these 2¾in (7cm) tall Chinese cloisonné stemmed cups and tea bowl pictured here were entered into the August 15 sale at Stamford auction house Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) by a private vendor content with the £50-70 estimate.
Isle of Wight auction houses join forces in a shipshape format
28 August 2017Pieces with a maritime slant proved popular at the sale at Cowes held by HRD Auction Rooms (15% buyer’s premium) on August 3 during the yacht-fest that is Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight.
Toy names steam in on right lines
28 August 2017Three names prized by collectors helped this 19th century German train set, pictured, to top the 330 lots of toys and railwayana offered at the David Duggleby (20% buyer’s premium) sale at Scarborough on August 12.
Quack Doctor prescribes surprise remedy
28 August 2017Tentatively catalogued as ‘18th-19th century German, possibly Meissen’, a porcelain figure of the Quack Doctor from the Cryes of London series was the surprise tonic at Reeman Dansie’s (20% buyer’s premium) August 1 Colchester sale.
How the country house sale lives to fight another day
21 August 2017Recent country house contents sales at Chorley's, Halls and Hansons show that evolving the model is breathing new life into a traditional format.
An 18th century stoneware jug takes 40 times top estimate at Sworders
21 August 2017The surprise package of Sworders’ (22% buyer’s premium) Homes and Interiors sale of August 1 was an early buff stoneware jug of a type commonly associated with the potteries of Fulham and Vauxhall.
Ceramics and furniture star in Hartleys summer sale
21 August 2017The wide-ranging summer sale at Ilkley saleroom Hartleys (15% buyer’s premium) on June 14 left auctioneer Andrew Hartley in an upbeat mood. He could look back on “some high prices in most areas, and in particular the furniture section showed early signs of a market waking up for items right across the board”.
Rare Beatles concert poster from 1963 sells at Tennants for nearly three times estimate
21 August 2017Back in December 1962, a Yorkshire show promoter booked a new Liverpool band to play at Harrogate’s Royal Hall on the strength of their first record which had charted at No 17 a couple of months earlier.
Snuff box with William of Orange inscription had shipwreck provenance
21 August 2017A 19th century oak snuff box offered at Lawrences (22% buyer’s premium) of Crewkerne on July 11 was inset with copper and inscribed Made from the wreck of the Betsy Cains which brought King William to England 1688 and A.Reed Esq. Mayor 1827.
Furniture: summer sales indicate some market recovery
21 August 2017This focus on furniture kicks off with a royal link and three more cheers at summer sales for the furniture market which a number of auctioneers are saying shows modest signs of recovery.
Two becomes one and life goes on in Leyburn
14 August 2017Condensed into one day instead of the usual two, the Summer Sale at Tennants (20% buyer’s premium) nevertheless provided a bird’s eye view of the middle market which these triannual ‘fine’ auctions at Leyburn traditionally offer.
Early auction starters catch up
14 August 2017Below we present further highlights from the busy summer season that we didn’t have space for in earlier editions.
Tribal auction trio
14 August 2017Tribal art is is an increasingly popular collecting field and regional auctioneers are often posting strong results from this sector, including new stand-alone sale sections.