1. Portrait of a Tudor lady – £32,000
A portrait ascribed to Robert Peake with the subject traditionally identified as Catherine Norreys, the wife of Sir Anthony Poulett – £32,000 at Duke’s sale of contents from Athelhampton House.
Among the paintings bringing interest at the on-the-premises sale of contents from Athelhampton House, a Tudor manor house in Puddletown, Dorset on October 9 was a portrait ascribed to Robert Peake (c.1551-1619).
The sitter was identified on an inscription along the stretcher as Catherine, wife of Sir Anthony Poulett and the daughter of Henry, Lord Norreys.
The 6ft 7in x 3ft 8in (2m x 1.12m) oil on canvas depicts the subject full-length wearing a black dress with a white lace collar and cuffs.
Estimated at £15,000-25,000, it was pursued by a number of bidders before it was knocked down at £32,000. The auction was conducted by Dorchester saleroom Duke’s.
2. Staffordshire animal figures – £1100
A group of Victorian Staffordshire figures – £1100 at Greenslade Taylor Hunt.
This group of Victorian Staffordshire animal were offered at Greenslade Taylor Hunt in Taunton on October 3 with an estimate of £30-50.
The 7in (18cm) high seated gun dog was a decent quality porcelaneous figure but the lop eared rabbits were examples of a much rarer form.
It was the latter that encouraged significant bidding at the auction and the hammer finally fell at £1100 to a buyer on the-saleroom.com.
3. Christopher Dresser tapered vase – £4100
Following a succession of strong prices for the best Christopher Dresser ceramics – in particular the most adventurous forms produced at the Linthorpe and Ault factories – another example, albeit a small one, attracted attention at Fieldings of Stourbridge on October 5.
The late 19th century tapered vase, resting on a spreading circular foot, with all over graduated turquoise ground, was made at the Linthorpe Pottery and was inscribed with Dresser’s signature.
Measuring 4.5in (11.5cm), it overshot a £70-100 and was knocked down at £4100 to a buyer on the-saleroom.com.
4. Carved oak panel – £7500
An oak panel carved with a scene from the life of Thomas Becket – £7500 at Duke’s ale of contents from Athelhampton House.
Another item at Duke’s sale of contents from Athelhampton House on October 9 was this oak panel carved with a scene from the life of Thomas Becket.
It shows the Archbishop of Canterbury, confronting Henry II and the four knights who later murdered him in Canterbury Cathedral – the latter are depicted conspiring towards the left-hand end of the 12.5in x 4ft 6in (32cm x 1.36m) panel.
The estimate of £200-400 was likely based on the belief that it was a 19th century historicist piece, although the £7500 price it fetched suggested that bidders believed it had some older elements.
5. IWC observation watch – €19,000
An IWC Beobachtungsuhr B-Uhr observation watch – €19,000 at Eppli Auktionhaus.
Observation watches such as this, known as Beobachtungsuhr B-Uhr, were proudly worn by Luftwaffe navigators and proved equally popular as war souvenirs.
This example is a rarity by Swiss maker IWC and dates from 1940. The cased steel watch with manual winding movement came with its original strap and dust cover.
It sold at an auction held by Eppli Auktionhaus in Stuttgart on October 5 for €19,000 to buyer on the-saleroom.com.
