Viennese oval gold and hardstone box by Anton Dudeum – £9000 at Olympia Auctions.
Leading the field was a Viennese oval gold box with top and base set with Egyptian jasper and the sides with 20 specimen hardstone panels.
With the Austrian 2nd Standard (18ct) mark to the gold, the maker’s mark for Anton Dudeum and the date, 1799, the 3½in (9cm) box was estimated at £2000-3000 but went to a UK dealer at £9000.
Swiss gold and basse-taille enamel snuff box – £6000 at Olympia Auctions
From Geneva c.1840 came a gold snuff box with all-over basse-taille enamel featuring ribbon-tied leaf borders around flower sprays and butterflies. The 2¾in (7cm) long box went to the US trade at a top-estimate £6000.
Foremost French pieces
Empire ormolu ‘Chariot of Telemachus’ mantel clock – £4000 at Olympia Auctions.
Best of the French pieces was an Empire ormolu mantel clock in the well-known form the Chariot of Telemachus after the c.1807 bronze by Jean-André Reiche.
It had all the names buyers look for: the chapter ring of the clock in a chariot wheel was signed L[oui]s Bergmiller A Paris and the movement signed Pons for Pierre-Honoré-César Pons, who would later oversee France’s rise in status to Europe’s premier clockmakers.
It sold to a Continental bidder on mid-estimate at £4000.
Ceramics surprises
Vases with pseudo Sèvres marks – £3700 at Olympia Auctions.
The surprises at the west London sale on November 23 came among the ceramics. A pair of late 19th century 2ft (61cm) tall pedestal urn-shaped ormolu-mounted vases with pseudo Sèvres marks were estimated at £800-900 but sold to a bidder from Europe at £3700.
Featuring reserve ovals of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, courting couples, fruits and flowers, they lacked the finials.
Meissen cabinet cup and saucer with a view of Dresden – £2200 at Olympia Auctions.
From Germany, and also more than quadrupling the top estimate, was a c.1820 Meissen cabinet cup and saucer.
Painted with a view of Dresden across the Elbe and with a gilt entwined snake handle, the 4¼in (11cm) high cup and saucer was a British trade buy at £2200.
