The estate of the socialite and royal confidante, Lady Bowker, certainly was the reason many bidders travelled to Sussex for what was otherwise one of the routine ‘Arcade’ sales held in the Sussex rooms.
Although six of the best pieces from the estate were held over to a later sale, those which were offered netted about £100,000, with private buyers securing most of the top furniture, jewellery and ceramic entries.
The highlight of the consignment was an unusual pair of Regency and later giltwood and gold painted X-frame stools.
With seats covered in floral fabric, they measured 17in by 243/4in (43cm x 63cm). The decoration was later and the stools’ frames looked mixed in age hence the £1200-1800 estimate. However, a private London buyer took the two at £5500.
Also selling above estimate was a French Empire gilt bronze mantel clock, c.1820, 161/2in (42cm), for which a private buyer bid £3500.
Although six of the top ten ceramics were from the Bowker estate, a privately consigned Dutch Delft royal portrait dish, c.1680, led the bidding.
Painted in blue, manganese, green and yellow with a sketchy three-quarter-length portrait of William of Orange beside the inscription KWD3, the 113/4in (30cm) plate had a hair crack and a chip to the underside of the rim. It was bought by a UK dealer at £1100.
Sotheby’s South, Billingshurst, February 6-14
Number of lots offered: 144
Number of lots sold: 855
Sale total: £365,590
Buyer’s premium: 15/10 per cent
The lure of Lady Bowker is a reason for going to Sussex
UK: WHEN diplomat’s widow Elsa Elizabeth Bowker died last September, her obituary in The Times quoted the saying that “people came to London for Harrods, Buckingham Palace and Lady Bowker”.
