Decorative Art

This category encompasses a wide range of three-dimensional antiques in a variety of different materials. It includes ceramics, glass and metalware (including silver and plate), medium to small size decorative objects such as tea caddies and dressing table sets.

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Louis XV dish serves up £70,000 in Surrey

23 December 2013

Although missed at the cataloguing stage, this 13½in (35cm) Vincennes dish established a new house record for Wellers of Guildford when it sold at £70,000.

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Rewarding a blue plaque at £32,000

04 November 2013

Size, quality, condition and subject matter are the ingredients by which Berlin porcelain plaques are judged.

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Rare leopard spotted among Sylvac animals

04 November 2013

As with many areas of collectable ceramics, the marketplace for Sylvac animals has been rather muted in recent times. But, if prices have flat-lined for most pieces then there are still collectors waiting in the wings should something truly rare present itself.

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New high for 19th century Meissen in New York

18 October 2013

This spectacular pair of 19th century Meissen covered urns sailed past their top estimate of $15,000 to bring $175,000 (£114,400) at the sale held by Cottone Auctions in Geneseo, New York earlier this month.

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Coffee is served – at 140 times estimate

17 October 2013

The English porcelain highlight of the last month was undoubtedly this Worcester coffee pot sold at Tunbridge Wells & Hastings.

The importance of the Punta Cana Pewter Wreck

16 October 2013

Martin Roberts, the UK specialist who worked as a consultant on the Punta Cana site, discusses the importance of the Pewter Wreck.

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Cargo sheds new light on pewter

16 October 2013

Doncaster auctioneer Sid Wilkinson is to sell items from a huge cache of Tudor pewter tablewares recently discovered by professional treasure hunters off the coast of the Dominican Republic.

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Moorcroft with a $27,000 silver lining

14 October 2013

Estimated to sell for $800-1200, this loving cup combining the talents of William Moorcroft and the San Francisco jewellers Shreve & Co. sold for $27,000 (£17,650) at Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, California.

Nobel Peace medal thief is jailed

10 October 2013

A Nobel Peace Prize medal stolen from the Lord Mayor’s Mansion House in Newcastle is still missing despite a 21-year-old man being jailed for the theft.

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Fit for another campaigning Churchill

25 September 2013

This James II or William and Mary silver-gilt travelling set c.1690 was among the exceptional pieces of English silver sold at the latest sale held by Mellors & Kirk of Nottingham.

Signs of hope for Wedgwood Museum

23 September 2013

There are promising signs for the future of the Wedgwood Museum thanks to planning approval given to redevelop the site where it is based near Stoke-on-Trent.

Duo to run New York Ceramics Fair

23 September 2013

Liz Lees and Meg Wendy, both veteran art and antiques show producers, have formed a partnership to co-produce the New York Ceramics Fair.

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Lanterns light the way in Stoke at £18,000

17 September 2013

A house clearance in Staffordshire yielded this highly decorative pair of late 18th or early 19th century narwhal tusk and gilt-metal lanterns for Louis Taylor’s latest sale in Stoke-on-Trent.

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Communion cup leads Scottish silver sale at £17,000

28 August 2013

This Scottish provincial George II communion cup topped Lyon & Turnbull’s latest silver sale in Edinburgh.

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The silver vaults - 60 years as a London institution

15 August 2013

Back in 1953, The London Silver Vaults opened on the site of the 1880s Chancery Lane Safe Deposit Company, where the great and the good (and no doubt not so good) of London stowed their valuables.

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The toast of Trelissick House sale at £32,000

05 August 2013

The country house sale of the summer, Bonhams’ on-site, two-day auction of the contents of Trelissick House in Cornwall, including The Copeland China collection of Spode, totalled £2.06m, with every lot sold.

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Demand for early Poole resurfacing

31 July 2013

Arousing more immediate interest than anything when Shapes’ catalogue went online, this 16in (40cm) tall Deco period Poole pottery vase bore the impressed mark of Carter Stabler and Adams and the monogram of Truda Carter.

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Rare bird sets Martin Brothers record

24 June 2013

This stoneware bird jar dated 1891 established a new auction record for Martin Brothers when it made £67,000 at the latest Arts and Crafts sale held by Woolley & Wallis.

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Plaques signalling abstinence at the Qing court

19 June 2013

Abstinence was a ceremonial requirement prior to worshipping the ancestors, the heavens or other deities in the Qing court.

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‘Wild man’ spoon is Benson best-seller

10 June 2013

The Benson collection of early spoons was dispersed at Christie’s King Street last week. The highest selling lot was a Henry VI spoon with a Wodewose or wild man finial (one of only four known) which was secured by a UK private buyer on the phone for £70,000.

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