Among the highlights in the 835-lot sale was a pair of unique Copeland and Garrett presentation cups with matching salvers made for William Copeland and Thomas Garrett to commemorate the signing of their partnership agreement in 1834. The pieces were made using a porcelain paste that included material from the ox bones gathered from a feast given to mark the event in two inns in Stoke-on-Trent.
A pair of punchbowls from the same bones was also made for the Talbot Inn and Wheatsheaf Inn (presumably the places where celebrations had taken place).
A commission bid of £32,000 from a porcelain collector secured the two cups well above the £8000-12,000 estimate. After the sale, Bonhams specialist John Sandon said: "This is as important a piece of factory history as you could get."
The buyer's premium was 25/20/12%.
A full report of the sale which took place on July 23-24 will appear in a future issue of ATG's printed newspaper. Subscribe here.
