Painted by F.H. Chivers with grapes, plums, peaches and pears within gilt foliate borders, c.1900, it comprised a pair of serving dishes and 18 dessert plates and sold, as expected, to the trade at £5200.
A more unexpected result came when a London-decorated early 19th century Chinese porcelain coffee pot and cover – estimated in a group lot at £500-700 – was taken up at a handsome £4200 by the London trade.
Underbid by specialist Oriental dealers, the locally consigned Chinese coffee pot was decorated with sepia images of Diana and Cupid beneath a band of puce swags within gilt borders. Standing at just over 9in (23cm) high, it was the only Chinese porcelain entry in the lot. The remaining pieces (two saucers and a side plate) were less sought after Paris porcelain – also London-decorated with similar designs.
There was stiff trade competition for three late 19th century Meiji period Satsuma entries. An ovoid vase and cover, signed Kinkozan, 12in (30cm) high, and decorated with cranes, bamboo, birds and flowering branches, drew interest from London and New York before it sold to the trade at £2400.
A second Satsuma Kinkozan vase from the same consignment, decorated with figures and brocade, 71/2in (19cm) high, also exceeded expectations bringing £1550.
The buyer of this latter piece also took a third Satsuma entry from a different consignment. Given a humble £200-300 guideline despite being intricately decorated with figures in a landscape setting with blossoming trees, the lozenge-shaped box and cover made a more realistic £1850. Specialist Geoffrey Stafford Charles speculated that the paper label to the base of the entry may have covered a maker’s signature.
A large rivetted crack and unrestored crack did not deter bidders for a Mason’s Ironstone fluted oval jardinière. Mr Stafford Charles said because this type of early restoration (seldom used after 1900) did not seek to disguise damaged areas, it tended not to be crucially inhibiting so long as the piece itself was unusual or of good quality. With two mythical beast handles and painted with Oriental vases and flowers, the c.1820, 191/2in (50cm) wide jardinière was taken by the trade at £2700.
A collection of English creamware filled the ceramic section with 32 fresh-to-market entries. They were arguably estimated a little high and, although the majority sold, several of the higher value lots failed to find buyers or were secured well under the guideline.
A creamware model of a lion passant, c.1790, estimated at £2000-3000, was knocked down at £1200 while a creamware cylindrical teapot and cover, probably Leeds Pottery, failed to get away against hopes of £1500-1800.
On a more positive note, a creamware urn-shaped bowl and cover, probably Leeds Pottery, was taken up by a UK dealer for an American placement at £1300.
Dreweatt Neate, Donnington Priory,
January 31
Number of lots: 355
Lots sold: 70 per cent
Sale total: £94,860
Buyer’s premium: 15 per cent
19th century rules world of ceramics
UK: THE hottest property in Dreweatt Neate’s, Newbury, January auction of ceramic and glass, was late 19th century decorative porcelain. “You cannot have enough late 19th century in your sales these days,” said specialist Geoffrey Stafford Charles. Strong prices were paid for Mason’s ironstone and Oriental porcelain of this period, but a turn-of-the-century Coalport blue ground part dessert service took the biggest money.
