It had come into the Leyburn saleroom among other pieces from a private north-west vendor who had little idea as to its worth. Although Tennants’ specialist Andrew Parker had considered a higher estimate, he settled for a tempting £500-700 on May 13.
The 15in (39cm) diameter bowl had no splits or repairs but was heavily surface marked and pitted and it initially drew rather muted pre-sale interest from the Middle East and London.
Safavid copper bowl, £20,000 at Tennants, with details of bowl decoration and calligraphy.
However, there were more and more requests for photographs which highlighted the quality of the band of calligraphy over figures in a garden and, possibly a key factor, the signature.
As bidding rose into five figures, the suspicion grew that the final two rivals thought they could identify the craftsman or his area. The bowl finally fell to a London dealer at £20,000.
Reliable names
On less exotic ground at the 739-lot sale, which totalled £247,000 hammer, two reliable names ensured success. A pair of deep-seated armchairs, one stamped Howard & Sons Ltd, Berners Street, the other with a Howard & Sons label and stamped 6750 to a rear leg, sold above estimate to a UK private buyer at £4000.
A cast-iron Nasturtium-pattern garden set bearing the Coalbrookdale stamp but cast by a Scottish foundry also went above hopes. Comprising a 3ft (91cm) long table, a bench and three armchairs, it was another online private buy at £2200.
George I walnut dining chair, £2500 at Tennants.
Two pieces of classic Georgian seating furniture sold at multi-estimate sums.
A late 18th century mahogany armchair recovered in green velvet, with scrolled out swept arms above an overstuffed seat, on cabriole forelegs with pad feet had some old decay and small losses but was structurally sound. It went to the trade at £2600.
A George I walnut dining chair, recovered in red velvet, with a plain seat rail on scrolled forelegs with block feet joined by a flattened stretcher, was in similar condition but sold to a private UK bidder at £2500.
