Art and antiques news from 2002

The Euros have arrived. Yes, we all know that – last New Year’s Day. No, euros for collectors have arrived in London.

WITH nearly 300 ceramics and glass lots covering a range of interests, there was almost bound to be one surprise at this Midlands sale for Bonhams on 13 March.

Florida-based Dolphin Promotions launch Great Lakes Modernism at the Southfield Civic Center in suburban Detroit, Michigan, from October 18 to 20.

Operating for many years from their warehouse space in Eccleston, Lancashire, Bygone Times International were one of the UK’s largest dealers in memorabilia supplying themed bars and restaurants worldwide.

The season has not quite begun, but this late 18th century cricketing badge enjoyed a long innings at Duke’s Dorchester salerooms on April 11-12.

Two small locally consigned lots provided the best seller and cover lot at the buoyant March 23 sale held by Michael J. Bowman (15% buyer’s premium) at Chudleigh Town Hall.

FRANCE: FROM June 6 to 9 the inaugural Le Salon du XXeme Siecle (20th Century Design Show) will be launched at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.

Miller’s Collectables Price Guide 2002/3, published by Miller’s. ISBN 1840005432 £17.99 hb

In today’s liberal society only the more prudish of eyes would blink at the notion of two women living together but back in 1778, when the notorious ‘Ladies of Llangollen’ eloped to Wales dressed as men, it was nothing short of scandalous.

There were auction highs and lows during New York’s March Asia week that saw Sotheby’s (20/15/10% buyer’s premium) and Christie’s (17.5/10% buyer’s premium) hosting eight sales in four days, from March 19-22.

They haven’t exactly been churning out sales at Christie’s (17.5/10% buyer’s premium) King Street rooms recently. Things have been pretty quiet since the February Impressionist and Modern auctions, and their March 21 auction of 19th century furniture and sculpture was their first decorative arts event this year.

THE FIRST oak and country sale of 2002 for Sotheby’s Olympia (17.5/10% buyer’s premium) took place on March 26 with just over 300 lots of furniture, metalware and decorative works of art and a smattering of textiles.

WITH 452 lots bringing around £43,000, this was a satisfactory enough Cheshire sale if sometimes hard work for Patrick Cheyne on 23 March.

Paris in late March held various attractions for art lovers outside the saleroom. Europ’Art, a new contemporary art salon (March 14-17), attracted 200 artists from 18 countries (40 of them from ‘guest nation’ Israel). The International Paris Print Fair (March 22-25) assembled 30 exhibitors from France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK (Elizabeth Harvey-Lee, Flowers Graphics, Garton & Co, Sims Reed, and William Weston).

In a much longer review that appeared in a recent issue of The Bookdealer, John Collins of Maggs Bros warned that it is “always difficult reviewing a collection of essays; each really needs its own review, so one has to steel one’s heart, and gallop through”.

THE names of two women artists, one very well known, the other undeservedly obscure, provided talking points at two provincial sales in March.

The Doulton Lambeth Wares by Desmond Eyles, revised by Louise Irvine, published by Richard Dennis Publications, The Old Chapel, Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset, TA19 0LE. ISBN 090368579 £60 hb.

A section of the Knightsbridge sale concerned with the law was strong on collections of sensational accounts of trials of a sexual nature, some dealing with serious assaults – like the account of a 1786 trial at East Grinstead of ...John Motherhill, for a Rape on the Body of Miss Catherine Wade, daughter of ..the Master of Ceremonies at Brighthelmstone which sold at £440 (Laywood) – others dealing with simple adultery, indiscretion or deception.

March 18 saw a specialist 575-lot Spanish sale at Numismatica Ars Classica. The coins dated from Visigothic times (mid-7th century) to the 19th century. In the absence of more detailed literature, this catalogue will be useful for collectors and dealers alike.

Glass from Islamic Lands by Stefano Carboni, published by Thames & Hudson in association with The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait National Museum. ISBN 0500976066. £40 pb