Features

Serpent jewels, symbols of eternity and exoticism, are ever popular and two good examples are on offer this autumn.

Collectors with refined taste are happy to take their time even when it comes to the most important makers.

Both Christie’s and Bonhams brought impressive Chinese clocks to market in July.

The precursor to the Woolley & Wallis Fine Jewellery sale on October 25 is a single-owner catalogue devoted to the collection of Jean Louis Chameroy (1946-2020).

Dent and Co is one of the bestknown names in English horology with a long history of precision clock and watch making.

Jewellery from the estate of Ella Naper (1886-1972) was offered at Lay’s (21% buyer’s premium) in Lanner, Cornwall on August 10-11.

‘Wristlets’ bridged the gap as pocket watches transitioned into the modern wristwatch during the Great War but had a significant design flaw in the hinged cover still in place.

The Cartier Love Bracelet – the plain gold band with screwheads to lock it around the wearer’s wrist – has become one of the most recognised pieces of modern jewellery.

The north European Mannerist bronze sold for £550,000 against a guide of £250-350 was not the only spectacular sleeper in the August 8 sale at Reeman Dansie (22.5% buyer’s premium).

Metal detectorists continue to be the best supply of ancient and medieval jewels onto the market.

A group of just over 20 lots of Jacobite drinking glasses from the 18th century featured in a sale of Scottish Works of Art and Whisky held in Edinburgh.

The salt-glazed portrait jug of Nelson by Doulton & Watts of Lambeth is considered the first character jug made by Doulton

This elegant Victorian clear glass claret jug of neoclassical design featured in the July 27 sale at Kinghams (25/18/15% buyer’s premium).

Included in Mellors & Kirk’s (24% buyer’s premium) July 18-20 sale in Nottingham was this classic baluster goblet dated to the 18th century.

An 18th century wine bottle honouring Thomas Wedgwood, a key figure in the history of the Wedgwood factory, comes for sale in Derbyshire this autumn.

Bottles with fatal content had to be specially designed and coloured to avoid a nasty accident

This 12in (30.5cm) diameter Dutch delft bowl was a high-flyer at Rob Michiels (30% buyer’s premium inc VAT) in Bruges.

The most eagerly contested lot in a recent sale at Potteries Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) was a Doulton stoneware Isobath inkwell.

Wedgwood has long been such a popular collecting strand in the US that it is no surprise to see quantities reappear on the market at auction, either as mixed-owner consignments or single-owner collections

The boar’s head tureen with matching stand is considered the rarest of all the game tureens made by the Minton factory in its colourful majolica range.