The first was a 151/4in (40cm) Lenci pottery figure of a crop-haired young blonde on a base with an applied songbird.
Illustrated here, the figure with black and white dress and red hat was estimated at £800-1200 but sold at £4700.
The other main ceramic target was a pair of 8in (20cm)Mint-on Hollins tiles depicting classical women entitled Mechanics and Beauty which doubled expectations at £520.
As expected, the star of the sale was the last lot, a George III mahogany secretaire bookcase. With double astragal glazed doors above a lower section of fall-front fitted secretaire drawer and three more cockbeaded drawers on splayed bracket feet, the 6ft 8in by 2ft 9in (2.03m x 84cm) piece went more than twice over estimate at £8000 to a phone bidder.
Wintertons, Lichfield, May 23-24
Buyer’s premium: 10 per cent
All eyes in the Potteries on a £4700 Lenci blonde
UK: IN a very busy month for the ceramics world ahead of June’s International Ceramics Fair in London, a couple of unusual items led the first day of this Staffordshire sale although neither was from the Potteries.
