Ceramics

Not so much in demand as they once were, Royal Doulton figurines still have their devoted following, particularly when they are rarities such as the Lady Jester (HN1222) piece offered at Michael J Bowman (17.5% buyer’s premium) sale at Chudleigh on March 25.

What Aylsham auction house Keys (20% buyer’s premium) considered one of the largest private collections of Lowestoft ever to come to market was a near sell-out on March 21.

A Russian ceramic homage to Catherine the Great is among the highlights at Schloss Ahlden’s sale on May 6-7 in Ahlden, Lower Saxony. The impressive 22in (55cm) high bronze-mounted porcelain ensemble in the form of a temple dates to the 1780s or ’90s and is estimated at €48,000. It was produced by the Gardner factory in Moscow, which was founded in 1765.

The Bovey Pottery Company, closed in 1957, would have passed into collecting history without incident had it not been for the ‘Our Gang’ collection of figures.

The English porcelain specialist Simon Spero opens his 37th catalogued exhibition this week in his Kensington shop.

This 8¾in (23cm) diameter Liverpool delft charger, dated 1738, is initialled MML for Michael and Mary Lightfoot, members of a Quaker family who lived in Chester County.

A ground-breaking Mayfair exhibition takes a rare focus on first examples of the maiolica technique.

A record sale total, the trade in buying mood and traditional furniture selling well – all further evidence that 2017 so far is proving rather less catastrophic than some had forecast.

Alexandra Alfandary specialises in Meissen ware and other European porcelain, with a particular concentration on 19th century Meissen. She is a regular exhibitor at fairs and is a member of BADA and LAPADA. Her shop is in Portobello Road.

A rare version of one of the most popular of Beswick farm figures, a shire horse in a piebald gloss finish, pulled its weight at The Auction Centre (16% buyer’s premium) in Runcorn on March 18.

Inspired by an exhibition marking the 400th anniversary of Raphael’s birth in 1883, Alexander III (1845-94) commissioned a porcelain dinner service for use in the Catherine Palace of Tsarskoe Selo, writes Roland Arkell.

This unusual Staffordshire figure of Billy Walters, c.1820, by Enoch Wood was among the pieces sold at the recent Chelsea Antiques, Art & Design Fair (March 15-19).

A fairly early example of a traditional way of insulting Britain’s enemies up to and including the Second World War, this early 19th century twin-handled chamber pot was rated at £2200 by bidders at Lockdales (18% buyer’s premium) at Ipswich.

Presumably the recipient, one Charles Salter of ‘Edinborough’, was pleased to receive to this 18th century green-glazed creamware presentation teapot in 1791.

The £810,000 wucai fish at Fellows’ (20% buyer’s premium) sale at Birmingham on February 27 (ATG No 2282) overshadowed everything else on offer but there were a number of other areas of interest among the 1250 lots.

This 7 x 4in (18 x 11cm) enamel plaque in a silvered frame (right) by Francis Arthur Edwardes is the work of the Duchess of Sutherland Cripples Guild – the metalware workshop set up to aid and educate the children of the Potteries.

Estimated at £1500-2000, this rare English delft dish sold for £20,000 (plus 22.5% buyer’s premium) at Cheffins in Cambridge on March 8.