When this example, right, was offered at the Leominster rooms of Russell Baldwin & Bright (10 per cent buyer’s premium) on October 21, the Herefordshire auctioneers failed to give it a full catalogue description and estimated it at £350-450. It was a rather worn piece and was without its complete transfer label but it sold to a London buyer at £3000 – not far short of the sort of sum examples have made in the capital.
Older pieces included a Georgian fruitwood dresser, 5ft 6in wide (1.68m) fitted with three shelves flanked by two narrow cupboards over a base having four central drawers together with a pair of double fielded panel doors at £4600 and a Regency breakfast table, 4ft 4in wide (1.32m) featuring a circular top on parcel-gilt fluted columns, which attracted £4400, despite an apron in need of repair.
Bidders spot design icon for what it’s worth
UK: EXAMPLES of the laminated-birch long chair designed by Marcel Breuer for the Isokon Furniture Company in 1936 have become a fairly common sight at London sales of modern design icons but are perhaps less familiar in the provinces.
