Eleven micro mosaics expected to bring between £4430 and £6220 totalled £17,780 at the September 1 sale.
Ten came from the same local vendor including the top-sellers, the 2 x 1½in (5 x 4cm) example illustrated here depicting Pan and a goat rutting and a more familiar 2 x 3in (5 x 8cm) copper-backed scene of the Colosseum in the manner of Domenico Moglia (1780-1862).
Estimated at £500-700 and £1000-1500 respectively, each sold at £3600.
Another perennial favourite was a 2¼in (6cm) diameter metal-backed panel depicting Pliny’s Doves in the manner of Giacomo Raffaelli (1753- 1836). Upgraded from a general sale, it was pitched at £600-800 and sold at £3000.
All three went to the same local private buyer.
Panel depicting Pliny’s Doves in the manner of Giacomo Raffaelli – £3000 at at Clevedon Salerooms.
Collection of intaglios
From another private source was a large collection of intaglios. The technique of incising or engraving patterns on stones leaving the background untouched (the opposite of cameos) for rings or seals goes back to Sumerian times but has been associated with Italian craftsmen since the days of Rome.
The 19th century Clevedon pieces came from a vendor whose relative, perhaps in the jewellery trade, had travelled extensively in Europe and the Far East.
Possibly removed from signet rings, they were offered in seven multi-lots and totalled nearly 10-times the top pre-sale expectations at £15,160, going to a mixture of UK dealers and private buyers.
Chinese estimates eclipsed
Ming-style cloisonné enamel bowl – £8200 at Clevedon Salerooms.
Estimates were also eclipsed for Chinese material. A group of 3in (8cm) tall porcelain ovoid vases, all in good order, comprised one from the Republic period painted with a continuous mountain landscape and red lozenge to the base and four painted with foliage and insects bearing six-character marks. They were estimated at £100-150 but took £8200 via thesaleroom.com.
Unmarked and carefully catalogued only as ‘antique’ was a 9in diameter x 4in high (22 x 9.5cm) cloisonné enamel bowl, decorated in Ming style with lotus blossoms and scrollwork, the interior with a fish amid waves.
Generally in good condition, there was some loss of decoration around the rim of the base and ‘pock’ marks all over from the production process but, against a £150-250, it took another online bid of £8200. Both lots went back to China.
