Ceramics

Forget Harry and Meghan: go back in time to explore the private lives of historic royals at The Haughton International Seminar, which returns this summer.

A rare Chelsea bodkin case in the form of a cauliflower spear is among the objects on offer at the Albert Amor exhibition 'Toys and Trifles', featuring a single-owner collection built up over 20 years.

“A fabulous example of how an auctioneer can sell these collections so successfully outside of London,” said Dreweatts’ (25% buyer’s premium) managing director Jonathan Pratt in the wake of Donnington Priory’s latest auction of European furniture and works of art.

MADAM – I was pleased to see a report of the Hansons Moorcroft sale (ATG No 2430), and mention of the large and rare 18in exhibition Tiger Lily flambé vase in particular, as to my knowledge and awareness one last appeared on the market 29 years ago at Hartleys in Ilkley.

Having been heavily criticised for its antiquated designs at the World Exhibition of 1900 in Paris, the Meissen porcelain factory commissioned avant-garde designers to produce more vibrant pieces.

The Box, a museum, gallery and archive set to open in Plymouth in May, has acquired a ‘colossal and extraordinary grotesque grinning crab’ by the Martin Brothers.

A Westerwald salt-glaze jug offered at Reeman Dansie's latest sale in Colchester was worked with stylised tulips and a medallion with the portraits of William of Orange and Queen Mary.

Only about three of these c.1907 Llanelly Pottery rose bowls (below) are known to exist, says dealer Robert Pugh who is pricing the one shown here at £700.

The collection of the late Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Seeler comprising the contents of her home in Forest Hill Gardens went under the hammer at Millea Bros (25% buyer’s premium) in New Jersey on January 30.

Beer was the preferred beverage of all classes in 16th century England and much of it was drunk from imported Rhenish salt-glazed stoneware.

A single collection of 490 pieces of Moorcroft dating from the 1890s to modern limited editions offered an overall view of the market when sold at Hansons (20% buyer’s premium).

Fine European porcelain specialist Serhat Ahmet has opened a new shop in London’s Cecil Court after more than five years in Grays Antique Centre.

Judith Howard (1945-2019), collector, part-time dealer, museum curator, author, TV expert and lecturer, was a self-confessed ‘maximalist’. Every shelf and wall space in her Wiltshire end-of-terrace was there to be filled. Dusting was a chore reserved for just one day a year.

The opening lot of the Five Centuries sale at Lyon & Turnbull (25% buyer’s premium) in Edinburgh on February 5 was this previously unrecorded maiolica handled and spouted wet drug jar.

A sizeable helping of English and Continental ceramics featured in the large auction titled Mario Buatta: Prince of Interiors held by Sotheby’s New York (25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium).

One of the highest prices of 2019 achieved by French auction house Beaussant Lefèvre (27% buyer’s premium inc VAT) was the €310,000 (£262,710) paid for this impressively tall 4ft 1in (1.25m) high pair of gilt bronze mounted, footed and covered vases.

Caughley Porcelain was founded in Shropshire (at Broseley) so it is hardly surprising that local saleroom Halls has been offering its fair share of consignments from this 18th century factory whose wares rivalled those of the Staffordshire potteries and Worcester in particular.

On March 2 in Thurcroft, Rotherham, Paul Beighton will offer the second instalment of the Rowley collection of Rockingham pottery and porcelain produced locally in nearby Swinton in the first half of the 19th century. The collection was some 20 years in the making and comprised just over 120 pieces in total.