1. Oak panelled interior door
This oak panelled interior door with polished steel furniture (above) was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens for the interior of Little Thakeham, the Arts & Crafts style house he created near the village of Storrington, West Sussex in 1902. Lutyens' client was Ernest Blackburn, formerly the headmaster of a preparatory school in Kent, who had retired on receiving an inheritance.
He commissioned the architect F Hatchard Smith to build a house on the site, but by April 1902 Blackburn was dissatisfied and brought in Lutyens, who advised him to demolish the half-built brick villa. The door had remained at Little Thakeham until 2000 when it was removed from attic storage and sold as part of the sale at the property held by local firm Tooveys.
It had since been in a private collection for 20 years before being offered for sale at Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury on October 6 when, estimated at £1000-1500, it sold at £11,000.
2. Silver arm badge
Silver arm badge awarded to the winner of the Doggett's Coat and Badge Race in 1887 – £4000 at Dominic Winter.
This large silver arm badge was awarded to a late 19th century winner of Doggett's Coat and Badge Race – the oldest rowing race in the world held from London Bridge to Cadogan Pier since 1715. Marked for Mappin & Webb (Sheffield 1887), below the White Horse of Hanover it is engraved to a banner Won by William Giles East July 30th 1887.
‘Bill’ East (1866-1932), who spent his whole life on or by the Thames, was a rower of some note in the late Victorian era. His titles included the English Sculling Championship in 1891, the fours and pairs in the National Regattas of 1890 and 1891 and the Doggett's Coat and Badge in 1887. He published the 'how-to' book Rowing and Sculling in 1904 and in later life ran the Prince's Head and the Pigeon Hotel at Richmond.
This silver badge, sold together with related ephemera including a silver and enamelled rowing medal inscribed Champion, Tyne 1891 and an original monochrome photograph of the recipient, was part of the collection formed by Islington dealer Jack Webb (1923-2019). Offered for sale at Dominic Winter of South Cerney, Gloucestershire on October 8, it improved upon hopes of £700-1000 to sell to a bidder via thesaleroom.com at £4000.
3. East Anglian boat picture
Oil on canvas by James Dodds – £15,200 at Keys.
James Dodds (b.1957) has been described as ‘East Anglia’s most famous contemporary artist after Dame Maggi Hambling’ and ‘boatbuilding’s artist laureate’. His popularity as a gallery artist spilled over into the saleroom on October 10 when this typical canvas of a bright-coloured wooden boat hull sold to a buyer using thesaleroom.com at £15,200 (estimate £2000-3000) at Keys in Aylsham.
Small Yellow Boat, signed and dated 2002 measured 2ft 1in x 5ft 1in (91cm x 1.52m).
It was the top lot of the Archant collection of Modern British art. Formerly known as Eastern Counties Newspapers, Archant has a long heritage in East Anglia. The firm was co-founded by the Colman family (of mustard fame) in 1845 with this collection on display at its Norwich headquarters for many years.
4. Fragment from early maiolica dish
Fragment from a maiolica ‘istoriato’ dish – £4600 at Clarke’s Auctions.
This tin-glazed earthenware fragment comes from a once magnificent early Italian maiolica ‘istoriato’ dish from the first half of the 16th century. A section of border measuring 3.25 by 4.5in (8 x 12cm), it depicts the figure of a bull with other animals in the background.
This finished piece would have been decorated in the district of Urbino c.1530 when pottery painters such as Francesco Xanto Avelli da Rovigo (c.1486-c.1542) were enjoying both notoriety and princely commissions from the Italian and European nobility. Typically, the narrative scenes they painted were sourced directly from prints after contemporary Renaissance paintings.
A complete dish of this calibre would doubtless command a price in excess of £100,000 but what price this small sherd? At Clarke’s Auctions in Shaftesbury, Dorset on October 10 it sailed past its £70-100 estimate to bring £4600.
5. Ivory miniature
Ivory locket with the inscription ‘We Are Ready Boney’ c.1803-04 – £500 at Dreweatts.
The ivory miniature to this locket depicts a labourer with a raised pitchfork in hand, beside a Martello Tower, with the fleet offshore, and the inscription We Are Ready Boney.
It is believed to date to 1803-04 when the danger of a French invasion was most likely and volunteer companies of ordinary working men were being raised across the country, but particularly along the south coast.
This rare token of Napoleonic era patriotism came for sale at Dreweatts in Newbury on October 14 with an estimate of £200-300 but did rather better, bringing £500.
