How rivalry between the country’s ceramics makers fuelled the best designs in Europe
featuring in this specialist auction is a watercolour by Kenneth Rowntree (1915-1997), titled Lighthouse, Nantucket (Sankaty Head), estimate: £2,500 - £3,500
If you are of a certain age, you may well remember with great fondness the swashbuckling, and yet bumbling, exploits of Captain Horatio Pugwash. Heralded on 70s TV by that jaunty accordion rendition of the Trumpet Hornpipe, just before the evening news, his presence signalled the nal ve minutes of watchable telly before the grown-ups took over.
For a brief interlude we were entranced by the vain and greedy pirate who took the credit for any successful venture, over the real brains of the out t, his young helpmate Tom the Cabin Boy. e reason I mention it is not pure nostalgia but the fact that this month the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich is holding an exhibition on pirates. To honour it, we are putting buccaneering memorabilia in the spotlight (or telescope). I am delighted to say the cartoons of Pugwash’s creator, John Ryan, feature in both the exhibition and article. And, for fans of the Black Pig and all who sailed in her, the good news is his original cartoons won’t break the bank, or indeed treasure chest, have a look on page 50.
In more traditional vein, on page 16, our resident English furniture expert David Harvey gets to grips with an extending Regency dining table of quite monumental proportions – large enough in fact to seat 12. In its heyday, in the early 1800s, the well-to-do took dinner very seriously and it’s easy to imagine some of the glittering functions at which the table would have taken centre stage.
We have two saleroom spotlights this month, the rst, on page 26, focusing on the single-owner collection of historic timepieces by some of the best makers in the business, including omas Tompion and Daniel Quare. e sale, in Norfolk, also features a portable sun dial which, as unlikely as it may seem, was the timepiece of choice for the well-dressed 17th-century man about town.
e other saleroom spotlight features the textile collection of Lady Ottoline Morrell. Although her name is today less known than others of the famous Bloomsbury Group, in line with most of her pals, she de ed convention, having a airs with men and women and lighting a match under the artistic sensibilities of the day. In the process she also notched up a rather wonderful collection of textiles. Have a look on page 48.
Talking of defying convention, we also put the ground-breaking designs of Christopher Dresser, the father of modernism, in focus on page 18. Not for him the overblown gee gaws of the Victorian parlour, instead he created pieces still considered fresh today. Enjoy the issue.
Georgina Wroe, Editor
KEEP IN TOUCH
Write to us at Antique Collecting, Riverside House, Dock Lane, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1PE, or email magazine@accartbooks.com. Visit the website at www.antique-collecting. co.uk and follow us on X and Instagram @AntiqueMag
CAROLYN HOULSTON
We go behind the scenes with the historic textiles specialist, page 8
ED TAXIL-WEBBER
previews a collection of historic timepieces from 1500 to 1900, page 26
SUSANNA WINTER puts the collection of the Bloomsbury Group’s Lady Ottoline Morrell in the spotlight, page 48
ANNA MIDDLETON lifts the page on the market for works of pirate fiction and nonfiction, page 50 is 16th-century Anglo Dutch strong box which has an estimate of £10,000-£15,000 at Bishop & Miller’s sale in Norfolk in March, date tbc, see website for details
Online Editor: Richard Ginger, richard.ginger@accartbooks.com Design: Philp Design, philpdesign.co.uk
Advertising and subscriptions: Charlotte Kettell 01394 389969, charlotte.kettell @accartbooks.com
Fine & Decorative
Tuesday 11 March
Winter Auctions
Preview of Roseberys’ forthcoming auction calendar
Tuesday 11 March
Wednesday 26 March
Prints & Multiples
Wednesday 9 April
Tuesday 18 March Old Master, British & European Pictures Modern British & 20th Century Art
Tuesday 25 March
REGULARS
3 Editor’s Welcome: Georgina Wroe introduces the March issue with an article on early- owering bulbs lending it a spring feel
6 Antiques News: Four pages of the latest “what’s ons” from the world of antiques and ne art, with a plethora of ideas of activities to take part in
56 Top of the Lots: A rare 16th-century pocket watch appears on the rostrum in Nantwich, while the contents of a magni cent Cheshire country house are o ered in Essex
58 Fairs Calendar: Never miss another event both locally and around the UK with our guide to the best events
10 Your Letters: One reader pleads for information on a Dutch bowl by the London retailer Liberty, while another plans to take part in a London auction
Around the Houses: e month’s round up includes an old beer can, which sold for a record-breaking price in America. e medals of a war hero also sell for a premium sum
59 Fair News: Catch up with all the latest events this month, including the 40th London Original Print Fair and nd out why Cotswold dealers are on the move
60 Auction Calendar: Discover who is selling what, where and when with our up-to-date listings from all of the UK’s major salerooms
A 16th-century German pocket watch, which has an estimate of £1,000-£2,000 at Wilson 55’s sale on March 20, see page 56 for details
Waxing Lyrical: English antique furniture expert David Harvey pulls apart an extending Regency table of magni cent proportions by the maker Gillows
66 Marc My Words: Another slice of life from the valuer, collector and BBC Antiques Roadshow expert Marc Aluum
Saleroom Spotlight 1: A single-owner collection of timepieces dating from 1500 to 1900 goes under the hammer in Norfolk. We go behind the scenes
FEATURES
In the Knowles: Antique expert and TV presenter Eric Knowles pays tribute to a guitar from John Lennon’s Berkshire mansion set to hit all the right notes
36 Puzzle Pages: Another quiz and crossword to put you through your paces, courtesy of our resident puzzles editor Peter Wade-Wright
38 Book O ers: Catch up on some reading with the latest titles from our sister publisher ACC Art Books and save more than a third on the RRP
41 Lots to Talk About: Ever wondered why jewellery valuers are so keen on boxes? Catherine Southon reveals all, as well as why even empty boxes are collectable to some
48 Saleroom Spotlight 2: e textile collection of Lady Ottoline Morrell – one of the most amboyant members of the Bloomsbury Group goes under the hammer in Gloucester
18 Best Dresser: On the eve of a singleowner collection sale of his work, we put the forward-thinking designs of the pioneering maker Christopher Dresser in the spotlight, revealing how he turned his back on the overblown style of the Victorians for a modernist aesthetic
30 Natural Talent: e Su olk artist John Morley is the latest in a long line of East Anglian plantsman artists. On the unveiling of a retrospective exhibition of his career, we consider the market for his work – often celebrating spring owers
42 Great Danes: Elliot Todd, the author of a new book chronicling the history of two Danish ceramics manufactories, reveals how rivalry between the two in uential makers led to some of the best designs in Europe
50 Booty Call: To mark the opening of a new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum, we take to the high seas to consider the golden age of piracy and the memorabilia it created – as well as the market for collectable literature on the swashbuckling subject
WHAT’S ON IN MARCH
A NTIQUE news
Record breaker
e National Gallery’s exhibition Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers has been revealed as the most popular ticketed event in the London venue’s history.
During its nal weekend in January some 19,582 people visited, representing one person every 10 seconds. In total, 334,589 saw the exhibition – overtaking the previous record of 323,827 visitors to Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan in 2012. Gallery director, Sir Gabriele Finaldi, said: “ e paintings in this exhibition were among his most striking works and have a freshness and immediacy about them. e show presented Van Gogh as a very serious painter with his ‘lust for life’, as Irving Stone put it, remaining evident and infectious.”
Over 125 days, with an average of 2,676 visits per day, the exhibition was the seventh most-visited at the gallery (paid or free) since 1991 with its catalogue even entering the Sunday Times’ bestseller list. Sunday Times bestseller list.
is month Elvis Presley’s jockstrap comes to market and there is a last chance to see one of the world’s rarest watches
WORD PERFECT
Dr Johnson’s House in London’s Gough Square is the location this month for a talk from the Cambridge writer and historian Susannah Gibson on the first women’s movement, known as the Bluestockings. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was a regular attendee at Bluestocking meetings, with the talk exploring the relationship between the famous dictionary compiler and the group’s host Hester Thrale (1741-1821).
Lichfield-born Johnson lived in at least 17 different places in London, but moved to Gough Square in order to work on his dictionary, which was finally published in 1755. The Bluestockings were named after the blue worsted stockings that some members wore.
Above right One of the pieces on show at this summer’s exhibition
Left A stained glass window depicting the famous dictionary compiler Dr Johnson
Right e jockstrap dates from Elvis’ Graceland days and has a price tag of £35,000
Hats off
A Winchester arts venue has announced plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen.
The Arc will launch the exhibition Beyond the Bonnets: Working Women in Jane Austen’s Novels in July. The show will explore the real-life women on whom many of Austen’s characters drew inspiration, including Susannah Sackree who was nursemaid to Jane’s brother Edward, and Mary Martin who was an innkeeper before running a draper’s shop with a lending library.
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE
In the year that would have marked the 90th birthday of Elvis Presley a very unusual keepsake has gone on sale. Paul Fraser Collectibles is selling one of the King’s most intimate items of clothing –his rhinestone jockstrap.
A fan is believed to have made the athletic supporter, with the initials E.P. as a gift for the singer. After Elvis’ death in 1977, it went to his close friend Jimmy Velvet. It appeared at the Elvis Presley Museum before being sold to a private collector. While one of Elvis’ sequined jumpsuits auctioned for more than $300,000, the jockstrap is priced at a moderate $43,750 (£35,000).
1Firm friends
Burgh House in north London this month unveils a new exhibition celebrating two Victorian illustrators and lifelong friends: Kate Greenaway (1846–1901) and Helen Allingham (1848–1926).
While Greenaway’s nostalgic images revolutionised children’s book illustration, Allingham became known for her idyllic rural watercolours seen in a number of books and periodicals.
Both women sketched together on Hampstead Heath, forging a connection between art, literature, and the natural beauty of the area.
Victorian Idylls: Kate Greenaway and Helen Allingham runs from March 5 to December 14.
3
Right impression
is month sees the opening of a major exhibition of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces at Charleston in East Sussex, the former home of Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell and a familiar haunt of the Bloomsbury Group.
Opening on March 8, all the works showcased come from the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, one of the most important public art collections in the UK. e exhibition revisits two groundbreaking exhibitions, held in 1910 and 1912 at Grafton Galleries in London. It was here the critic and Charleston regular, Roger Fry, rst introduced post-impressionism – through the work of artists including Paul Cézanne and Vincent Van Gogh – to a shocked British public.
Left Helen Allingham (1848–1926) On Hampstead Heath, 1867, image courtesy of Burgh House
e mysteries of the deep are explored at a new exhibition unveiling in East Sussex.
Undersea at Hastings Contemporary, from March 29 to September 14, brings together paintings, prints, drawings and objects from di erent cultures and artistic movements.
Makers range from the Greek painter Yiannis Maniatakos (1935-2017) who wore diving gear to paint views of the seabed, to Christopher Wood’s (1901-1930) Ulysses and the Sirens retelling the Greek myth in a 20th-century setting. Crustaceans appear in di erent guises, including Charles Collins’ (c. 1680-1744) 1738 painting Lobster on a Delft Dish, alongside Edward Bawden’s (19031989) An Old Crab and a Young (c. 1956).
Face value
A long-lost treasure from the collection of the writer and politician
Horace Walpole (17171797) has gone on public display for the first time in more than a century. Visitors to Walpole’s gothic home, Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham, have until April 2 to see the miniature, by the Italian Mannerist painter Lavinia Fontana (15521614) which recently reappeared at an auction in Texas.
The sitter may be Bianca Capello (1548-1587) – one of Walpole’s great heroines, with her adventurous life being the inspiration for his 1764 gothic masterpiece novel The Castle of Otranto.
YORKSHIRE’S FINEST
e Bradford-born artist David Hockney has kicked o the West Yorkshire city’s tenure as UK City of Culture in 2025 with a nationwide art project.
Draw! invites people from across the UK to share an artwork inspired by a particular theme.
Hockney called on would-be artists to draw “something you nd beautiful” such as his 1989 illustration of mills, terraced houses and a little blue bus for the cover of the Bradford district telephone directory. e public can share their drawings by uploading them to www.bradford2025.co.uk/mydrawing or on social media with the hashtag #bradford2025
Clock this
Horologists have until the end of next month to see one of the world’s rarest watches. The ‘Marie Antoinette’ perpétuelle, Breguet, no. 160, designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet for the last queen of France, is one of the treasures on show at the Science Museum’s Versailles: Science and Splendour
The exhibition, on until April 24, takes visitors on a 120-year journey through the evolution of science at Versailles, from the creation of the Academy of Sciences by Louis XIV in 1666, to Louis XV’s passion for exquisite scientific instruments. The watch, which includes a calendar, thermometer and independent second hand was only completed in 1802 after the deaths of both the queen and maker.
30 seconds with..
The textiles specialist Carolyn Houlston who, with her husband the period oak expert David,makes up the dealership Houlston
What attracts you to textiles?
One of my earliest memories is adoring my mother’s wonderful 19th-century chintz bedspread. Later, while working at Phillips auctioneers, I came across a tiny 18th-century Hollie point (flat lace) baby bonnet, that was magical. The work was so exquisite and meticulous I was awe inspired it could have been made at all, never mind have survived for so long.
Above
Cover
What is your most exciting find?
That’s the thing about dealing, every item sourced is exciting. One such was a stunning, natural hand-dyed wool needlework coverlet worked in a flame-stitch or ‘bargello’ design.
I believe it was made in Chipping Campden by Ethel Mairet (1872-1952) or one of her pupils. Mairet was an influential wool dyer and friend of Charles Robert Ashbee, founder of the Guild of Handicraft. I am infatuated with 17th-century flame-stitch so to find a later piece with such local and significant connections was thrilling.
How did Houlston come together?
The partnership was intuitive and obvious to us. Period oak and textiles complement one another, sharing a tactile craftsmanship so rare in modern life.
Many of the textiles we stock are contemporary with our oak and the two quite simply sing in each other’s company as they would have done when first made. Aged over centuries, they have both survived as beautiful examples of timeworn human handiwork.
Houlston is one of the dealers at this month’s CADA fair at Chelsea Old Town Hall, London, from March 20-23.
Above The oil on copper miniature shows a noblewoman in gold-embroidered finery
e London gallery Philip Mould & Co. has acquired a still life of a fruit and gourd by the British painter, printmaker, sculptor, critic, broadcaster and novelist, Michael Ayrton (1921-1975).
Dated 1943, the oil on board conveys the sombre atmosphere of wartime Britain. With the memory of the Blitz still fresh and rationing rmly in place, the depiction of everyday produce such as fruit and vegetables assumes a heightened symbolic importance.
Ayrton’s reputation has seen a recent revival thanks to his centenary exhibition, A Singular Obsession, at the Fry Art Gallery in Sa ron Walden in 2021, in which the present work was featured.
life
WILD TIMES
e opulence and glamour of the Edwardian age is to be explored in an exhibition opening next month at the King’s Gallery Buckingham Palace.
At the heart of the exhibition are two of Britain’s most fashionable royal couples, Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and George V and Queen Mary and the glittering social circles they moved in.
More than 300 objects from the Royal Collection will be on display – almost half of them for the rst time – including works by the most renowned contemporary artists of the period.
Artists and desgners on show include Carl Fabergé, Frederic Leighton, Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris.
Young and old
Encourage any would-be antiquities collectors with a visit this month to the UK’s rst childcentred museum exhibition based on the fascinating word of ancient Egypt. e display, on at the Young V&A in London’s Bethnal Green until November, showcases more than 200 works exploring everything from a fully-painted inner sarcophagus of Princess Sopdet-em-haawt to a wooden funerary boat.
Young visitors can also try their hand at deciphering the mysteries of hieroglyphs, discover meaning and messages communicated through colour and explore the making of everyday objects in ancient Egypt. Making Egypt runs until November 3.
Good Turner
This summer, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of JMW Turner, (1775-1851) the artist’s links with the 17th-century West Sussex country house of Petworth are explored. The artist was a frequent guest at Petworth, at the request of the 3rd Earl of Egremont (1751-1837) who commissioned four landscapes of Petworth currently hanging in the Carved Room.
Opening on June 21, the exhibition will include a range of Turner’s artistic studies of the Petworth landscape, with 10 rarely seen works on loan from Tate.
HANS DOWN
The only murals made by the celebrated studio potter Hans Coper (1920-1981) have gone on show in Hampshire, alongside photographs of the artist taken by his wife, Jane.
Hans Coper: Resurface unites three works, all previously displayed in private UK locations: a Winchester military base, a Yorkshire secondary school and the entrance to a London office, as well as 20 of the artist’s famous pots.
German-born Coper fled to the UK in the face of growing Naziism. After internment in Canada he settled in Britain, initially given employment by fellow refugee and mentor Lucie Rie (1902-1995) who said of him: “I am a potter, but [Coper] was an artist”.
The exhibition is on at The Arc, Winchester until March 24.
Turner’s Vision at Petworth House and Park, West Sussex runs until November 16.
Above A wooden funerary boat, c. 3,000 years old, image courtesy of Chiddingstone Castle
Above Michael Ayrton (1921-1975) Still
with fruit and gourd, 1943, oil on board, recently acquired by Philip Mould & Co.
While one reader makes a play for Barry Humphries’ Sydney Opera House glasses, another calls for information on a Dutch bowl
Star letter
How I enjoyed last month’s feature on gifts of love through the ages (Love Me Sender, February issue), although possibly not for the right reasons. As a husband of 47 years, gifts to my wife over the decades have included a grouting gun (in my defence she does enjoy DIY), knee pads and a telescope. So it was with a sense of both relief and vindication to discover apple corers were once the go-to present for one’s beloved. It gave me all sorts of ideas for Valentine’s Day. H. Boswell, by email
Our star letter receives a copy of British Designer Silver by John Andrew and Derek Styles worth £75. Write to us at Antique Collecting magazine, Riverside House, Dock Lane, Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1PE or email magazine@ accartbooks.com
Left Fruit corers were once given to the apple of the sender’s eye
As a lifelong fan of the late Australian performer Barry Humphries it was a joy to get an insight into his life o stage and away from the camera. And, having just nished his very readable memoir, it came as no surprise that in his private life he was a thoughtful and considered collector, with a good eye. I am writing this before the sale on February 13 while, at the same time, trying to persuade my better half that Humphries’ diamante-encrusted ‘Sydney Opera House’ spectacles should join our own collection.
Anon, by email
I am hoping to appeal to the collective brains of your readership. I recently bought this charming arts and crafts bowl at auction and am keen to nd out more about it. e stamp on the bottom appears to read ‘Liberty Made in Holland’ with a maker’s mark possibly of AR. While it appears to be in the Liberty style, did the London retailer commission pottery in Holland? My research suggests it may originate in Gouda and come from the the company Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland, also known as Plazuid or PZH. But what is the link to Liberty? ere are numbers written in blue on the base which I think read 3062/2.
Any help gratefully received.
Judy Baxter, by email
Top right e diamanteencrusted ‘Sydney Opera House’ spectacles were set to make £1,000£1,500 at Christie’s sale
Below left e arts and crafts style bowl was bought at a local auction
Below Can readers help decipher the marks to reveal the maker and retailer?
The answers to the quiz on page 36.
Q1 (b). A docker has spikes with which to prick biscuits before baking. A spurtle is a Scottish stirring spoon. Q2 (c). The Brodie helmet was designed for WWI troops. Made from one sheet of metal, easily manufactured and a grazing-bullet deflector. Q3 (d). The lights were erected in Parliament Square in 1868, but they were gas powered, totally unsafe and exploded, sadly killing a policeman. Q4 (b) and (d). The illustrations were only in black and white and had to be annotated. In that gentler age, horse riding along most roads was normal. The whip could be used instead of hand signals. Q5 (a). A small dagger. Although the Rhineland was well known for making such things, they were also manufactured in the Northumberland region of ancient Britain and possibly elsewhere, obviously. Q6 (c). Known as ‘curse tablets’ they were written/scratched entreaties (often on lead) to deities to exact revenge on thieves etc. Q7 (b). Q8 (d). Q9 (c). In 1919 it was the oak leaf spray, later it was changed to a single bronze leaf. Since 1993 the emblem has been in silver. Q10. All of them.
Cook herrings is an anagram of rocking horse; Lushed loos can be rearranged to make the words dolls’ house; Clear pad is an anagram of pedal car and Oar shank can be rearranged to make the words Noah’s Ark.
A ROUND the HOUSES
A 90-year-old beer can sets a record in America, while a 2,000 year-old marble foot of a Roman soldier runs away in London
Lyrics by the American singer Bob Dylan sold for £407,000 in California, photo credit Val Wilmer for Getty Images
Kinghams, Moreton-in-Marsh
Julien’s Auctions, Beverly Hills
A typewritten early draft of Bob Dylan’s Mr Tambourine Man, once consigned to the bin, sold for a mid-estimate $508,000 (£407,000) at the California auction house.
Dylan threw the papers into a wastepaper bin at the home of journalist Al Aronowitz (1928-2005). Across four sides of yellow paper, three drafts show Dylan’s most successful song evolving. “Take me on a trip please onyour magic soundin ship,” became, “take me for a trip upon your magic swirlin’ ship,” in the version Dylan sang before The Byrds made the song a global pop hit in 1965.
Typed deletions and Dylan’s own handwritten alterations are scattered through the document.
Typed deletions and Dylan’s own handwritten alterations are
The Omega ‘Dirty Dozen’ watch sold for £2,210 in the Cotswolds
One of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ watches commissioned by the Ministry of Defence in WWII, sold for £2,210 at the Cotswolds auction house’s recent sale.
It was 1945 before the MOD decided the armed forces needed more reliable timekeeping devices than the mixture of civilian wristwatches, pocket watches, and military-issued timepieces from earlier con icts.
The annotated lyrics show the evolution of one of Dylan’s best-known works
forces according to a speci c set of criteria, including IWC,
12 watch companies were contracted to create wrist watches for the British armed forces according to a speci c set of criteria, including IWC, Record, Jaeger LeCoultre, and Longines.
Grana produced
estimates suggesting only around 1,000 to 5,000 were
Grana produced the fewest watches with estimates suggesting only around 1,000 to 5,000 were produced making them the ‘holy grail’ for watch collectors.
Tennants Auctioneers, Leyburn
Novelty animal-themed brooches were in high demand in the North Yorkshire house’s recent sale, with a brooch modelled as an elephant roaring past its low estimate of £150 to fetch £850.
e realistically designed piece was by the American goldsmith and jewellery designer Henry Dunay (1935-2023) who was apprenticed by the New York jeweller Rudolph Cacioli at the age of 14 and went on to become known for his scratched surface technique known as sabi.
At the same sale a silver trompe l’oeil tea-caddy, with the Cyrillic mark ПЕД, for St Petersburg, 1882-1899, more than doubled its estimate of £300-£500 to sell for £1,300.
The basketweave caddy’s inside cover includes the Cyrillic maker’s mark
elephant brooch by the American makby 4.5cm
er Henry Dunay measures 4.1cm
The allegorical scene of Daniel in the Lion’s Den dates to 1730 and sold for £500
A collection of nine Georgian peep shows – the cutting edge of popular entertainment in the mid 18th century – made £4,000 at the auction house’s recent sale beating their individual estimates of £300-£500. e hand-coloured engravings, which when layered create a three-dimensional scene when looked at through a special viewer, were by the Augsburg engraver, printer and publisher Martin Engelbrecht (1684-1756) who made “perspective theatre” – more commonly known as the peep show – famous throughout Europe. Engelbrecht’s designs, covering subjects from court life to religious and allegorical themes, are highly collectable today.
Halls, Shrewsbury
A painting by noted Scottish artist Anna Katrina Zinkeisen (1901-1976) of the wife of her cousin’s son nudged towards its low estimate when it sold for £2,700 at the Shropshire auction house.
Now largely forgotten, Anna Zinkeisen and her sister, Doris, were once the toast of London’s society. During the 1920s and 30s they were the bright young things of the art world. At age 15, Anna won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools and rst exhibited at the Royal Academy at age 18. Both sisters were appointed o cial war artists during WWII
Apollo Art Auctions, London
A still life attributed to the Dutch golden age master Willem Claesz. Heda (15941680) led the Somerset auctioneer’s recent sale when it sold for £65,000, well beyond its guide price of £10,000-£15,000.
The work was attributed to the Dutch master Willem Claesz. Heda (1594-1680)
Depicting a cut pie with a half-peeled lemon, glassware and a nautilus shell on a dish, it was one of six exceptional works from a private collection in Dorset.
Heda, known for his innovation of the ‘late breakfast’ genre, was renowned for achieving a variety of surfaces, such as polished silver, glistening oysters, and re ective glass, while working almost exclusively in shades of grey.
In his work, lemons – an exotic import – typically represent wealth, while the half- lled Roemer, a goblet similar to a rummer, alongside the sumptuous pie appear to warn of the sins of excess.
e Cotswold Auction Company, Cirencester
A wonderfully realistic marble depiction of a Roman legionary’s left foot doubled its low guide price of £30,000 to sell for £60,000 at the London auctioneer’s recent sale.
Dated to 150-200AD, each toe and toenail is shown in admirable detail, as well as the ornate nature of the wearer’s
e thick-soled, open-toed boot is adorned with spiral and studs and plant motifs along the sides. e footwear is nished with a folded lion skin at ankle height.
The marble left foot may have been modelled on a Roman legionary
A traditional gypsy caravan rolled past its low estimate of £2,000-£3,000 to fetch £7,000 at the Gloucestershire auction house. e caravan, known as a ‘bow-top vardo’, had come from the garden of Dunkirk Manor, Amberley, near Nailsworth, in the same county.
Specialists believe the caravan may have been built in the style of William ‘Billy’ Wright (1844-1909) and dates to the late ‘50s or early ‘60s, with the wheels and undercarriage possibly pre-Victorian. Wright apprenticed as a joiner in Leeds in 1865. At the age of 21, he was asked to repair a broken livingwagon and thereafter decided to start building them himself.
The ‘bow-top vardo’ appealed to buyers looking for a freewheeling lifestyle
Anna Katrina Zinkeisen (1901-1976) a portrait of Anna Christina Mackay sold for £2,700
AUCTION Sales round-up
Noonans, Mayfair
Medals awarded to one of just ve naval aviators to survive the ‘Channel Dash’ sold for a mid-estimate £90,000 at the London auctioneer’s recent sale.
The set of medals including (l-r) the Conspicuous Gallantry medal; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star and Defence and War Medals sold for £90,000
Vectis, ornaby-on-Tees
A group of Palitoy action gures – one missing an arm – expected to make £15-£25 sold for £800 at the North Yorkshire auction house.
Chief Petty O cer ‘Don’
Chief Petty Officer ‘Don’ Bunce was just 20 when he took part in the ‘Channel Dash’
Bunce earned the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal – one of six decorations he received for his WWII service as a telegraphist/ air gunner – for his role in one of WWII’s most audacious naval operations and for his “courage which is beyond praise”.
Aged 20, Bunce was one of three crew members of Sword sh ‘L’ from 825 Naval Air Squadron, one of six torpedo bombers scrambled on the afternoon of February 12, 1942, to intercept three German warships—Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen. e ships had been recalled by Hitler from the French port of Brest to Germancontrolled waters in the North Sea via the English Channel.
In inferior planes and with poor armaments, the mission was dubbed “kamikaze”, with one o cer describing it as with “ eir aircraft shattered, undeterred by an inferno of re, they carried out their orders”. Of the six Sword sh that went in, none returned, just ve of 18 airmen living to tell the tale.
Bunce spent the rest of the war as an instructor, until he was demobbed as a chief petty o cer in 1946. He died in 2008 aged 87 with his naval medals and documents bought by a private collector.
Morean Auctions, Massachusetts
A beer can in pristine condition, dating from the 1930s, made history at an American auction house when it sold for $93,600 (£76,000), more than double its low estimate of $40,000 (£32,500).
Brown Derby, produced by Humboldt Brewing in Eureka, California, became one of the rst beers, post-Prohibition, to be sold in cans, taking its name from a well-known Los Angeles restaurant. When the eatery’s owners sued for copyright infringement the label was redesigned in a number of colourways, with the rarest ones being brown and green.
The beer can set a record at the US auction house when it sold for £76,000
e set came from the 106-lot personal collection of Bob Brechin, the chief designer at Palitoy from 1967 to 1984, who played a pivotal role in managing the iconic Palitoy Action Man and Action Force lines. e collection, expected to make £7,000-£10,000, went on to sell for a total £26,300. Vectis specialist, Steven Furlong, said: “We knew the collection would be popular, as collectors recognise the value in the provenance and authenticity of them. e fact they all came with a certi cate signed by Bob himself only added to the demand.”
Dawsons, Maidenhead
The set of a dozen action figures sold for multiple times its estimate
A Mar y Tudor seal-top spoon, dated to 1555 andmade by Nicholas Bartholomew, sold for £6,200 atthe Berkshire auction house’s recent sale.
Bartholomew was aprominent London silversmith, active between 1545 to 1588, with this example including his maker’s mark of a crescent enclosing a star
It was the top seller from the collection of 19 early sealtop and apostle spoons from the estate of the late Geraldine Kennedy-Wallace. Geraldine and herhusband, Stephen, were both Canadian chemists who moved to the UK.
Seal-top spoons, popular in Tudor and early Stuart England, feature a small, at, circular or oval seal at the end of the handle, sometimes engraved with initials or a crest.
Later apostle spoons have the gure of an apostle or a saint at the top of the handle.Often given individually as a christening gift, a full set of 12 (13 including Christ) represents each of the disciples.
The spoon includes Bartholomew’s maker’s mark, a crescent enclosing a star
The seal-top spoon was the top seller from the Kennedy-Wallace collection
Waxing lyrical
Fine English furniture expert David Harvey is reunited with a magni cent Regency table rst spied 40 years ago
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of the author Jane Austen and it seems the entire UK, from exhibitions to the TV, is paying homage to the great author and the era she lived in. Hers was the Regency period known for, among other things, its complicated social etiquette and lavish dinner parties. So, itis easy to picture this magni cent table, dating to around 1800, at the centre of the most glit ering social event. Measuring just over 10ft by 3ft 8in, and able to seat 10-12 people when fully extended, it almost certainly came from an aristocratic home.
One can just picture the ladies sitting around in their silk or muslin empire-waist gowns adorned with the nest jewellery, with the men in ne tailcoats and cravats. e table itself would be set with nechina, silverware, and crystal glassware, with candles in chandeliers and candelabras provided the lighting. Regency dinners were long, multi-course a airs, each course made up of multiple dishes placed on the table at once (service à la française).
Versatility and grandeur
Regency dining tables such as this one, made by renowned furniture maker Gillows of Lancaster and London, were designed for elegance, versatility, and grandeur. I rst heard of this particular one at an antiques fair last year. It was then owned by a client who, some years ago, had moved from Hampstead to a barn conversion in Gloucestershire and told me he was
Above e eight-legged table measures just over 10ft by 3ft 8in and could seat 10-12 people
Above right e table design was patented by Gillows in 1801, as shown in the rm’s archives held at Westminster Central Libraries
Right e un-extended version can be used as a smaller and more practical serving table
thinking of selling his dining table. When I arrived at his home, just the centre part of the table was being used as a serving table (below). e minute I set eyes on it, it started ringing a bell as I furiously started running through my memories of antique furniture I have come across either in real life, or seen in a picture. Where had I seen it before?
Turned turtle
Although in the image (above) the table is upside down, (and taken before the conservation team got to work on it) it well displays mechanisms, virtually identical to a design in the Gillows Archives at Westminster Central Libraries. e blueprint (opposite) shows the rm’s rst design for a patent extending dining table ordered by Lord Strathmore in 1801. e patent was granted to Richard Gillow II in 1800. e eight legs, reeding, rotating block, brass cups and casters are all identical along with the “disposal of the slides to support the leaves”.
e object of the patent, no. 2396, was “calculated to reduce the number of legs and pillars and claws in the construction of dining and other tables, and to facilitate and render easy their enlargement and reduction in size”. As regular readers know, Gillows was the premier furniture maker of the time, known for high-quality, extending dining tables generally in mahogany – a wood favoured for its rich colour, durability and polished nish.
Ingenious mechanism
ere are many interesting features, one being the fascinating way the centre leaf rotates by 90 degrees, with blockwork preventing it from over-rotating. All the patent dining tables illustrated in the Gillows’ records in the early 19th century have eight legs, with either plain turned or reeded designs. Reeding, sometimes called cabling by Gillows, was introduced into its furniture in the 1790s. It replaced uting on dining table legs, a style which had fallen out of fashion because of its dust-harbouring properties.
Above e mechanism of the underside is virtually identical to the Gillows’ design
Right Cut-out slots on the table’s under-frame and its leaf supports
Below Blockwork under the leaf stops it from over-rotating
Typically Gillows
The sheer ingenuity that went into this piece is quite exceptional and typical of the very best Gillows could produce.
‘One can just picture the ladies sitting around in their silk empire-waist gowns, with the men in fine tailcoats and cravats. The table itself would be set with fine china and silverware’
In the image above one can clearly see the cut-out slots on the under-frame leaf supports. They are designed to match the blocks on the bottom of the leaves, so that the four loose leaves can only be laid on the framing in one figuration.
The table is held together with eight metal forks, which make it entirely rigid when fully extended and able to support any number of guests and a well-laden spread.
Another ingenious refinement, also visible, sees the legs set well in from the table edge. This prevents guests’ legroom from being obstructed and also means chairs do not have to be set in specific places.
Finally, I remembered where I had seen the table before. e owner had bought it some 40 years ago from Dolphin Antiques, which was based on England’s Lane in north London. At the time I was working with my father in Chalk Farm, only half a mile away. is was when I rst set eyes on it and am delighted to welcome it to my own showrooms almost half a century later. e next chapter of its life is about to begin.
David Harvey is the owner of Witney-based W R Harvey & Co. (Antiques) Ltd. For more details go to the website www.wrharvey.com
COLLECTING GUIDE the pioneering designs of Christopher Dresser Best Dresser
At odds with the overblown Victorian aesthetic, the sleek designs of Christopher Dresser continue to delight. On the eve of a single collection sale of his work Antique Collecting praises the grandfather of 20th-century modernism
In his long and varied career, the remarkable British designer Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) was an ornamentalist, a lecturer in botany and a designer of tableware, ceramics, glass, furniture and textiles. is month an online sale of the 38-lot collection of Professor Julius Hummel demonstrates the breadth of his skill. e collection, spanning three decades of artistic innovation, includes ceramics, metalwork and glass ware. It also hints at Dresser’s in uence on global design. Hummel is a leading authority on 19th and 20th-century utilitarian design, in particular Dresser’s in uence on the Viennese design movement, Wiener Werkstätte. Bonhams’ Otto Billström, said: “Dresser was one of the most signi cant innovators of the 19th century, both in design theory and in artistic production. His work revolutionised modern aesthetics.”
Early life
Dresser was born in Glasgow, the son of an excise o cer, the profession which took the Dresser family to Sussex in 1847. It was assumed Christopher would follow in his father’s footsteps but, on arrival in England, the 13 year old enrolled at the Government School of Design in London, where he was to remain until the age of 20. During his studies, Dresser was exposed to the new and in uential scienti c discipline of botany.
At the time the search for a hierarchical order in the plant world was a compelling metaphor for visual harmony. It had been explored by several design theorists, among them AWN Pugin (1812–1852) and Owen Jones (1809–1874) who wanted to establish principals for the use of pattern and colour. A fan of both, in 1856, aged 22, Dresser contributed a botanical plate to Jones’ celebrated publication e Grammar of Ornament and botany continued to in uence him.
Above Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) toast rack, model 1987, 1878, for Hukin & Heath. It leads the sale with an estimate of £10,000£15,000. Few examples of Dresser’s six-bar toast racks were produced, making the model 1987 a rare and highly coveted piece
‘Dresser’s toast rack epitomises his design revolution, simplifying the object’s form to its most linear components, stripping the surface of ornamentation and prioritising its functionality’
Starting in botany
On leaving school he married irza Perry and, as a married man in need of an income, began a career in botany. In 1855, the year after leaving the School of Design, he returned as a lecturer, while publishing a series of articles in e Art Journal. 1859, he received a doctorate in absentia in botany from the University of Jena in Germany and was elected a Fellow of the Edinburgh Botanical Society in 1860 and a Fellow of the Linnean Society a year later.
e same year he applied (and failed) for the position of head of botany at the University of London, the rebu prompted Dresser to devote a greater part of his time to his design career.
is change of emphasis resulted in a number of companies engaging Dresser’s skills and, by the time he gave up lecturing in 1868, more than 20 companies were employing him to make a variety of household wares from carpets to furniture.
Design ethic
Dresser’s books, (1862), Principles of Decorative Design (1873), Studies in Design Ornamentation
colour theory and ornamentation to interior decorating.
Dresser argued for the abstraction of natural forms in ornamental patterns, rather than the Victorian norm of copying ora and fauna in form and colour.
He also supported “honesty” in materials, with his personal motto “Truth, Beauty, and Power” engraved on the door of the studio he set up at his home in St Peter Square, Hammersmith. Added to this was his belief, above all, that a designer’s primary goal should be utility, writing...“the rst aim of the designer of any article must be to render the object he produces useful”.
Right Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) for Minton, tea caddy and cover, model 1471, c. 1870. It has an estimate of £1,500-£2,500
Below Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) for James Couper & Sons, Clutha Soli eur vase, c. 1895, 42cm high. It has an estimate of £5,000£7,000
Below left Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) for Hukin & Heath, Claret jug with crow’s feet, model 4321, 1879. It has an estimate of £8,000£12,000
invite him to visit the country in 1876 (Japan had only started to open up to the West in 1853).
His visit, in a semi-official capacity representing British manufacturers, allowed Dresser to travel freely and explore many branches of decorative arts production.
It was here he gained a greater appreciation of material, form, surface, and manufacturing. His analysis of Japanese art and architecture, published in 1882, became an important influence in the broadening popularity of Japonism. In the book he wrote: “No people but the Japanese have understood the value of colour in metal compositions. We make steel fenders, coal scuttles, tin kettles, and iron gates; but we have never fully realised the fact that by producing metal alloys, and combining these with pure metals, a world of colours is open to us.”
Dresser admired the Japanese tradition of combining several metals, but could not introduce these techniques to English makers because hallmarking laws forbid the use of base metals in
While en route to Japan, Dresser visited New York, where he received a commission from Tiffany & Co. to acquire several thousand Japanese artefacts for Louis Comfort Tiffany’s avant-garde store in New York. He continued to import Japanese ware for the retailer.
COLLECTING GUIDE the pioneering designer Christopher Dresser
Morris v Dresser
Like his contemporary William Morris (1834–1896), Dresser strove to produce a ordable, functional, and welldesigned domestic objects. Unlike Morris, Dresser didn’t look tomedieval arts and crafts for his inspiration, nor did he, like Morris, reject machine making. Rather, he looked to the advances of the Industrial Revolution to embrace mass production to provide a ordable design. is was a period of s oul searching for British manufacturing and design. e country was prosperous, with the Great Exhibition of Works of Industry of All Nations held inthe Crystal Palace in 1851 showcasing the nation’s growing industrial might. But Dresser, like many of his forward-looking contemporaries, was appalled at the unrestrained use of historicising ornaments on show.
He stressed the importance of abstracting the essence of design to its most basic linear form. While Morris embrace rich, intricate patterns inspired by medieval and nature motifs; Dresser opted for geometric, and often abstract designs in uenced by Japanese and scienti c forms. He also took inspiration from a wide range of Western and non-Western sources, including Peruvian, Egyptian, Persian, Mexican, Moroccan, and Fijian objects, all of which he would have seen at the British Museum, the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum), and the Indian Museum.
Major retailer
e late 1870s and 1880s saw Dresser at his most proli c and the name Dr Christopher Dresser would have been known in every home. He designed wallpapers, textiles, and carpets for more than 30 rms in Great Britain, Ireland, France, and the United States and ceramics for at least seven di erent companies, including Minton and Wedgwood; and cast-iron furniture and metalwork for a variety of companies.
In 1880, Dresser was appointed art manager for the newly established Art Furnishers’ Alliance, at its new shop at 157 New Bond Street, aided by nancial backing from
Arthur Lasenby Liberty, the founder of Liberty.
However, despite positive reviews, the Alliance went into liquidation in 1883 and Dresser returned to designing textiles and wallpapers. Although he never regained the renown of the early 1880s, Dresser continued to run his studio and produced designs for another 20 years until his death in 1904, while on a business trip to visit a wallpaper factory in Germany.
Towards the end of Dresser’s life, a tribute appeared in an 1899 issue of Studio magazine describing him as “perhaps the greatest of commercial designers, imposing his fantasy and invention upon the ordinary output of British industry.”
After his death two of his daughters took over his design studio but were unable to maintain it.
Above Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) for James Dixon & Sons, tea set, model 2293, c. 1890. It has an estimate of £4,000-£5,000
Right Christopher Dresser (18341904) for Linthorpe Pottery, large jug, designed c. 1880. It has an estimate of £6,000-£8,000
‘Like his contemporar y William Morris (1834–1896), Dresser strove to produce affordable, functional, and well-designed domestic objects. Unlike Morris, Dresser didn’t look to medieval arts and crafts
for his
inspiration, nor did he reject machine making’
Dresser & Minton
Founded in 1793, by the 19th century Minton was one of England’s foremost ceramics manufacturers. While the full extent of Dresser’s work at Minton is not completely clear, by the early 1860s, Dresser was working for the factory as a freelance designer, with his early work for the company showing a dazzling myriad of in uences and techniques. e brightly-coloured censer (above) is outlined in gold, in imitation of Chinese cloisonné enamels. e decorative technique was developed in 1861 for porcelain by the French ceramicist Eugène Collinot (died 1882), and Dresser may have been one of the rst designers to promote it in England to such an extent that Minton’s “cloisonné wares” became one of the manufactory’s most popular styles in the 1860s and 1870s. ere are also hints of Dresser’s enduring in uences in other pieces for Minton, with the interlaced orange foliage on the vase (right) inspired by Islamic decorative motifs, with its bulbous shape taking its inspiration from Persian and Chinese examples.
Above left Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) censer, designed for Minton, c. 1870, image courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Above Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) vase, designed for Minton, c. 1862, image courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Clutha glass
Dresser began designing art glass around 1880. Called “Clutha”, after the ancient name for the Scottish River Clyde, his range of glassware was trademarked in 1888 by James Couper & Sons of Glasgow and retailed through Liberty & Co. in London into the 1890s.
Like his ceramics, Dresser’s glass design was a reaction against the prevailing Victorian fashion for elaborate cut and etched glass. Dresser’s designs embraced clean, geometric shapes with his work often featuring smooth, unadorned surfaces, emphasising form over decoration.
Some of these designs were presented at Minton’s stands at the 1862 London International Exhibition and the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle where they were favourably reviewed.
Dresser & Linthorpe
Even more in the “Dresser” style are some of the 1,000 pots he designed for Linthorpe Pottery between 1879 and 1882 where he was employed as art director. Unlike at Minton, Dresser had total control over his designs which might explain the more stylised approach.
Dresser, wanted to rely on shape and glaze to provide decorative appeal, rather than the elaborate painted decoration common on more mainstream Victorian pottery. A key aspect of his early pots were his ‘ own’ glazes, with multiple colours allowed to ow down the body, producing a marbled e ect.
Colours used included violet, orange, blue and green, often combined in unusual ways.
Minoan or Cycladic pottery were one of the strong inspirations for Dresser’s designs for Linthorpe Pottery as well as Asian, Mexican, Peruvian, and Fijian motifs and even Bronze Age artefacts found in Yorkshire.
Linthorpe used local red clay, and Dresser experimented with di erent ring techniques to enhance the depth and variation of colour, alongside innovative methods, such as spray colour and gas ovens. Dresser’s work at Linthorpe helped elevate the pottery to international recognition, with pieces exhibited at major exhibitions, including the 1880 Melbourne Exhibition.
Above right Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) vase made for James Couper & Sons, Glasgow, c. 1890 and retailed by Liberty & Co, c. 1890, image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Below Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) jugs made for the Linthorpe Pottery, 1879–1882, image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
For inspiration he looked to glass from Rome, Egypt and the Islamic world, as well as Venetian glass from the 14th and15th centuries. Many of his designs used cased glass (a technique where layers of differently coloured glass are fused together) to achieve subtle variations in colour. He also experimented with uranium glass, which gave off a soft glow under ultraviolet light. Air bubbles and other irregularities were intentional, as they emphasised the organic, “honest”, nature of glass. His work in this field influenced later designers including the Bauhaus movement and Scandinavian glassmakers of the early 1900s.
COLLECTING GUIDE the pioneering designer Christopher Dresser
Dresser & Ault
Linthorpe closed in 1889 and its moulds, sold at auction, were bought by William Ault of Ault Pottery (founded in 1887). It is thought that Dresser supplied designs to the Ault pottery from 1891 but these early designs are unidenti ed. In 1893, however, Dresser entered into a three-year contract with Ault whereby he would supply designs to them exclusively. Trading on the marketability of his name, it was agreed that Dresser’s facsimile signature would appear on each piece which continued to re ect non-Western in uences.
As a functional piece, the vase above, would have ideally suited the late Victorian interest in exoticism, to show dried grasses, peacock feathers or other amboyant decorations. Like all of Dresser’s designs for mass production, it has a complexity of the glazing, which uses the varying degrees of saturation of the blue glaze for primary decorative e ect.
Dresser’s metalwork
Unsurprisingly when it came to his metalwork, Dresser also put a bomb under the prevailing Victorian love of the highly decorative Rococo revival style.
His reduced, geometric forms revealed the in uence of Japanese and Islamic silverware and a desire to be economic with the use of costly materials. He was employed by a number of makers including Hukin & Heath, James Dixon & Sons, Elkington & Co., Benham & Froud and Perry, Son & Co.
His earliest work was for Elkington & Co. It had been George Elkington who patented electroplating in 1840 which led to the production of reasonably priced objects which appealed to Dresser’s requirements of welldesigned objects for everyone.
Hukin & Heath, the Birmingham-based silver manufacturer (founded 1855), appointed Dresser as an advisor in 1878, and his electroplated teapots for
Left Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) tall vase made for Ault Pottery, British, c. 1892–1994, image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Below right Christopher Dresser (1834-1904)
teapot made for James Dixon & Sons, c. 1879, image courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Bottom right
Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) lidded ewer, made for Elkington & Co. 1885, image courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Below Christopher Dresser(1834-1904)
decanter, made for Hukin & Heath, 1879, image courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
the rm are remarkable in their simplicity, devoid of extraneous ourish, with a hemispherical body being a study in balance and symmetry. For the same company he made the decanter (below) with its playful “crow’s feet” probably borrowed from ancient Egypt. Unlike many other Victorian designers Dresser disapproved of creating exact copies of ancient designs, preferring to “gather up valuable suggestions from all”.
Dresser’s designs for James Dixon & Sons are arguably among his most imaginative. e company, founded in 1804, was the rst to manufacture Britannia metal. His output for the company was mainly in toast racks and teapots with the latter, like those for Hukin & Heath, among the most inventive and forward-looking of all his metalwork designs.
e Julius Hummel Collection of Christopher Dresser: Design Before its Time is an online sale from February 26 to March 6 at Bonhams. Go to www.bonhams.com for more details.
‘Minoan or Cycladic pottery were one of the strong inspirations for Dresser’s designs for Linthorpe Art Pottery as well as Asian, Mexican, Peruvian, and Fijian pottery and Bronze Age artefacts found in Yorkshire’
DRESSER’S TOAST RACKS
For the collector, there is nothing as ubiquitous in the auctioneer’s saleroom as the “toast rack in the style of Christopher Dresser”. While the exact number of toast racks Dresser designed is not definitively known, there was a significant number, with each epitomising his personal design revolution, simplifying the object’s form to its most linear components, stripping the surface of ornamentation and prioritising its functionality.
At a time when the fast-expanding Victorian middle classes were enthusiastically furnishing their homes, Dresser embraced everything necessary for the family table: claret jugs, tea services, serving dishes, candlesticks, cruet sets and – most necessary for the middle-class breakfast – the toast rack.
The Japanese-inspired toast or letter rack, designed for Hukin & Heath is one of the most recognisable designs by Dresser. It is articulated to allow the brackets, fanning from the centre, to stand upright. There are two variations to this model, a half rack which consists of four brackets instead of six and a fixed rack that does not allow for the articulation of the brackets. It is difficult, as with many of Dresser’s designs, to pinpoint the exact forms that inspired its distinctive ball junctions, however Dresser often employed a ball-and-rod structure that transformed a common structural element – a joint fitting – into a decorative element.
Above left Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) toast rack made by James Dixon & Sons, 1879, image courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Above Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) toast rack, made for Hukin & Heath, 1878, image courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Right Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) toast rack, c. 1880 silver plate made for James Dixon & Sons, marked JD & S Chr Dresser facsimile signature, image courtesy of the Chicago Art Institute
Below right Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) rare toast rack, made by James Dixon & Sons c. 1880, it sold for $150,000 in 2020, image courtesy of Christie’s
Left Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) toast rack, or letter rack, made for Hukin & Heath, image courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
More obvious in inspiration is for the playful toast rack made for James Dixon & Sons in 1880, which seems to replicate the natural theme of fiddlehead ferns. This sophisticated toast rack is one of several simplistic, yet inventive, racks produced by the Sheffield firm following Dresser’s designs.
Many were produced in extremely limited examples and made to order. One design, dated 1879, sold for $150,000 at Christie’s in 2020. Its high price reflecting its rarity – with only three examples known to exist today, with one being held by the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.
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ANTIQUES UNDER THE HAMMER Rare pocket watches
SAL EROOM SPOTLIGHT
A collection of timepieces, including rare pocket watches from 1500 to 1900, goes under the hammer in Norfolk this month
Amassed over two-generations, the 280-lot sale, at the Norfolk auctioneers TW Gaze chronicles four centuries of horology, from the earliest development of watches, to the golden age of the precision chronometer. While some of the lots are so rare information on them was scarce, others are by some of the most important makers in English horology, including omas Tompion and Daniel Quare.
From further a eld, the sale features rare, early timepieces from the Bavarian town of Augsburg, which was a renowned centre for clockmaking, as well as being celebrated for its intricate and high-quality automata. e sale also includes a rare 17th-century pocket sundial –once all the rage among the well to do.
Talented collector
e collection was amassed by London-born Henry Potter Stevens (1875-1965), the son of a vet who, after receiving a rst in chemistry from Oxford, embarked on a career as a chemist in the rubber industry. His work allowed him to travel world-wide extensively with a natural ‘curator-minded’ instinct for quality, craftsmanship and importance. He was also a connoisseur of Chinese art, with
and timepieces
his collection of Japanese inro selling at Bonhams in 2012, following a sale at Sotheby’s in 1966. Aside from collecting, Stevens was a talented and well-regarded painter exhibiting at the Royal Academy, Grosvenor, Redfern and Colnaghi gallery.
His son, Humphrey, joined him on buying expeditions to auction houses across the UK sparking the enthusiasm of the next generation for collecting.
Father of English clockmaking
Leading the sale is an 18th-century, silver gilt cased quarter repeating pocket watch by the “father of English clockmaking,” omas Tompion (1639–1713), which has a guide price of £10,000-£20,000.
Tompion’s contribution to horology cannot be underestimated. In an age when timekeeping was a vital pursuit for both scienti c discovery and the rhythm of daily life, Tompion turned watchmaking into an art form, cementing London as the global centre of horology.
Above right An 18th-century silver double hinged repeating pocket watch, verge escapement and chain fusee movement, by Daniel Quare (16491724). It has a guide price of £3,000-£5,000
Above A 17th-century Italian night clock depicting Apollo pursuing Daphne. It has an estimate of £10,000£20,000
Right A rare 17th-century Augsburg automaton clock in the shape of a rampant lion by the distinguished German clockmaker Jakob van Kress (b.1562). e clock has a guide price of £10,000£20,000
His career coincided with the early development of the balance spring, a revolutionary innovation in portable timekeeping. Prior to this, watches were notoriously inaccurate, prone to variations caused by temperature changes, movement, and the limitations of earlier escapement designs.
Tompion also incorporated the balance spring into his pocket watches, greatly enhancing their reliability. In addition to the exquisite craftsmanship, Tompion’s pocket watches introduced a serial numbering system, an undeniable asset for collectors.
Another rarity in the sale is a 17th-century Italian night clock illuminated by a candle behind the pierced face which reveals the time. Such clocks were reputedly popularised by Pope Alexander VII requesting a ‘silent’ clock that could be read at night.
The sale also features a rare pocket sundial by Michael Butterfield of Paris, c. 1680-1700, housed in its original leather case.
This type of portable sundial was a fashionable traveller’s accessory during the late 17th century, with the latitudes of towns in Europe including Paris, Rome, London, Madrid and Dublin engraved on the back. The hinged gnomon (the triangular flap which creates the shadow) could be adjusted, allowing the time to be read in a variety of locations.
Wealthy travellers continued to carry portable sundials even when watches became popular. Not only were early watches lacking in accuracy, but a German travellers’ guide of the time warned the chiming of a clock or watch might alert highway thieves.
Michael Butterfield was an English instrument maker working in Paris during the late 17th century.
When: March 4 from 10am
Viewing: February 27, 1-7pm; February 28, 9am-12pm; March 3, 10am-4pm and online at www.twgaze.co.uk
IN MY OPINION...
We asked head of sale Ed Taxil-Webber for his sale highlights
Which lot leads the sale and why?
I would say the 17th-century automaton lion clock from the German town of Augsburg, a place which was famed, at the time, for clock and automata production. It was made by Jacob Van Kress an early clock maker about whom little is known with few surviving examples of his work. The rampant lion automaton was clearly a popular design, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has a similar example. For me, it is the most stand-out in many ways. Aesthetically it is striking but it is also rare and a fine item in mechanical terms.
Top left An 18th-century silver-gilt cased quarter repeating pocket watch by omas Tompion of London, numbered 171. It has an estimate of £10,000-£20,000
Above left A late 17th, early 18th-century silver cased pocket watch featuring various portraits including a man dressed in elaborate attire, signed Moise Durand. Watches with such decoration were made by renowned craftsmen for the wealthy elite. It has an estimate of £1,000-£2,000
Left e sale also features a pocket sundial by Michael Butter eld of Paris, c. 1680-1700, housed in its original leather case. It has an estimate of £2,500-£4,000
Below right Lorenz Beha of Norwich (c.1825–1853) two 19th-century pocket watch movements, the pair has an estimate of £50-£70 at this month’s sale
‘Wealthy travellers continued to carry portable sundials even when watches became popular. Not only were early watches lacking in accuracy, but a German travellers’ guide of the time warned the chiming of a clock or watch might alert highway thieves.’
Were there challenges in cataloguing?
A number of items in the sale are unique and without any market precedent. This made it both challenging and rewarding. We are used to seeing items which can be compared to others, giving a steer on value and description. But, for example, the master clockmaker Lorenzo De Ruggiero, who made the stunning Italian night clock, is only mentioned once briefly in a research paper. We had some fantastic support from our specialist consultant, Oliver Allen, from the Norwich clock and watchmakers, S Michlmayr & Co, whose help has been invaluable.
What unusual stories did your research bring to light?
The most fascinating story emerged from one of the most reasonably priced items, namely two pocket watch movements by Lorenz Beha of Norwich. He was a travelling watchmaker and jeweller and the victim of a grisly 19th-century highway murder that was reported nationally in contemporary newspapers. His murderer was tried and hung on Castle Hill, Norwich in 1854. As Beha was only 28 when he was murdered with a hatchet, examples of his work are scarce.
In the KNOWLES
Antiques specialist Eric Knowles hits all the right notes when a guitar from John Lennon’s former home in Berkshire goes up for sale
If you are a collector, or dealer, or both, you will be more than familiar with “the one that got away”. at one piece seen at a fair, or saleroom lot, the absence of which continues to haunt you. As a dealer, it’s something you mistakenly overlooked, or, as a collector, you might have been the underbidder who gave up when the stakes got too high.
For former property developer Tony Goddard, that moment came in the early 1970s, when he had a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to purchase an iconic piece of music history – only to let it slip through his fingers At the time Goddard was friends with Jo Jo Johns, a personal assistant to e Beatles at the band’s Saville Row o ce.
When John Lennon decided to head to America with Yoko Ono in 1971 he entrusted Jo Jo clear out his home, Tittenhurst Park, a Georgian mansion near Ascot in Berkshire. She o ered Goddard the chance to purchase various items from theproperty, including an upright Steinway piano, which Lennon famously used to compose his timeless anthem, Imagine. It came with a price tag of £750 and one strict condition: it had to be collected by the end of that weekend. Unfortunately, without the proper vehicle to transportthe grand instrument, Goddard missed his chance.
Fast forward a few years, andthat very piano sold at auction for a staggering £1.6m. e missed opportunity has become a bittersweet memory for Goddard, who now refers to it as one of his biggest regrets. However, not all was lost in that unforgettable transaction.
Let It Be
While Goddard let the piano slip away, he didn’t walk away empty-handed. He did manage to acquire one very special item from Lennon’s home: a Conrad Baritone
Above right e Conrad Baritone guitar has an estimate of 1,000-£2,000 at Hansons’ sale on March 5
Above e baritone’s neck is 2in longer than a normal guitar, leading to a lower sound
Right e guitar came from John Lennon’s Berkshire manion
‘The
guitar, which e Beatles had purchased during their US tour in 1965-1966 and may have been owned and played by George Harrison. It de nitely played a part on the recording of their Let It Be album, and it has remained in Goddard’s possession ever since, stored in the attic of his Leicestershire home for decades.
Conrad guitars were budget-friendly, Japanese-made instruments that became more common inthe late 1960s and early 1970s when they were imported to the United States. With a neck 2in longer than a normal guitar, the baritone has lower register, lending ita distinct sound –think thedeep twang of a Spaghetti western soundtrack.
It’s true he Beatles did favour famous guitar brands like Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Hofner and Rickenbacker, but John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, were known for experimenting with a wide range of instruments, including baritone guitars.
And while Tony Goddard may never fully get over passing on Lennon’s Steinway, the Conrad Baritone guitar remains a piece ofmusical legacy that will soon nd a new home with someone who understands its true value.
Eric Knowles is a consultant with the Derbyshire auction house Hansons. e guitar goes under the hammer at its Etwall saleroom on March 5, expected to fetch £1,000£2,000. For details go to www.hansonsauctioneers.co.uk
vendor was offered the chance to purchase various items from John Lennon’s property, including an upright Steinway piano, which John Lennon famously used to compose his timeless anthem, Imagine. It came with a price tag of £750, but with one condition: it had to be collected by the end of that weekend’
THE EXPERT COLLECTOR John Morley
NATURAL TALENT
Nothing says spring like the rst bulb of the year. e Su olk plantsman artist John Morley captures their beauty in a unique way, as a new exhibition makes clear
East Anglia has a rich tradition of 20th-century plantsman artists. Mostly known to each other, their gardens bloomed with owers exchanged between them. And, while they spent afternoons chatting about art, their main obsession was the growing and cultivation of owers.
For one of the best known – Cedric Morris (1889–1982) who founded the East Anglian School of Painting in 1937 – it was the iris. For his friend and fellow Su olk artist, John Morley (b. 1942) it is the early- owering bulb – in particular the snowdrop.
At this time of year, amid the hyacinths and auriculas, Morley’s walled garden near the Su olk town of Beccles should see in bloom the narcissus Cedric Morris – a gift from the artist who cultivated the bloom.
Meanwhile 50 miles to the south visitors to the garden of Benton House, Morris’ home near Hadleigh, may get a glimpse of the Benton Magnet snowdrop, a ower cultivated and named by Morley.
is month London’s Garden Museum celebrates Morley’s art. Curator Emma Rutherford said: “ is is the rst exhibition to explore his art, life as a gardener and his friendship with Cedric Morris. We are thrilled to showcase works from across his career in this retrospective.”
3EastAnglian gardener artists
Cedric Morris (1889–1982)
Opposite page John Morley (b. 1942) Untitled Hyacinths, oil on board, 2008, photo Douglas At eld
Above right Benton End with Iris Benton Apollo, bred by Cedric Morris, image courtesy of the Benton End House & Garden Trust
Below left John Morley (b. 1942) ree Auriculas, oil on board, 1991, photo Douglas At eld
Based in Suffolk, Cedric Morris was both a celebrated painter of flowers and an influential plantsman. With his partner Arthur Lett-Haines (18941978) he founded the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing where students included Lucian Freud and Maggi Hambling. But Morris was also a plantsman and gardener of considerable note. Benton End became a community in which art and gardening combined with music, literature, and food but, above all, was a place for freedom, inspiration, and creativity. Morris famously bred bearded irises, naming 90 cultivars many of which carry the ‘Benton’ prefix.
John Nash (1893–1977)
The younger brother of Paul Nash, John Nash lived in East Anglia and created finely observed botanical studies as part of his wider artistic output. Nash was a passionate gardener from childhood, with the well-known collector and writer on alpine plants, Clarence Elliott later introducing him to horticulture in the 1920s. Nash illustrated some of Elliott’s nursery catalogues in return for his horticultural education.
John Aldridge (1905–1983) was an English artist and gardener associated with the Great Bardfield Artists, a group of mid-20th century painters known for their work in Essex. Aldridge often incorporated horticultural themes into his work with the garden at Place House his Great Bardfield home providing a source of inspiration for many of his paintings. The garden itself was admired for its design and planting schemes.
‘Visitors to the gardens of Benton House, Morris’s home near the Suffolk town of Hadleigh, may get a glimpse of the dancing head of a snowdrop called BentonMagnet cultivated and named by Morley. Meanwhile some 50 miles to the north, a visit to Morley ’s walled garden should be rewarded with a glimpse of the narcissus Cedric Morris – a variety grown by Morris’
THE EXPERT COLLECTOR John Morley
Rural roots
Born in Beckenham, Kent in 1942, Morley’s interest in gardening began with his grandfather who managed a nearby estate and passed on his love of plants to Morley’s parents. After studying at Beckenham Art School, in 1963 he enrolled at the Royal Academy School at a propitious time in the school’s history.
Exhibition curator, Emma Rutherford, said: “Morley’s teachers there were the painter and muralist Charles Mahoney (1903-1968) who published the Gardener’s Choice with fellow artist Evelyn Dunbar (1906-1960) and the painter and illustrator Edward Bawden (1903-1989) who was part of the Great Bard eld School of artists in Essex. Both ofthese teachers were interested in gardening and saw a great crossover between art, gardening and the natural world around them.”
Encouraged by their tutoring, Morley took inspiration from Kew Gardens a place he loved to visit, exploring the magni cent plants on display.
e Brotherhood of Ruralists
After leaving the Royal Academy School, his interest in the natural world continued. A friend of David Inshaw from
his time at Beckenham School of Art, Morley developed a growing interest in 1970s movement, e Ruralists. Formed in 1975, the group was centred round pop artist Peter Blake after his move from London to Bath. It was made up of seven members: Blake and his then wife Jann Haworth, Inshaw, Graham Ovenden and his wife Annie and Graham and Ann Arnold.
eir intention was to continue the tradition of English painting, reviving painting of romantic subjects in idyllic rural settings openly acknowledging the in uence of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. While never a member of the group, Morley was friends with several and sometimes exhibited with them. Emma Rutherford said: “Some of John’s landscape and garden paintings are inspired by the luminosity of light found in the Brotherhood of Ruralists’ work.” One of the reasons Morley never joined the group was geographical. While the West Country was the area most favoured by its members, Morley and his wife, the painter Diana Howard, had by then settled in an isolated retreat near Beccles in Su olk.
Above right John Morley (b. 1942) Auricula in a Flowerpot, oil on canvas board, 2004, photo Douglas At eld
Move to Su olk
In the early 1970s, the Morleys bought a row of four derelict farm cottages, known as North Green, near Beccles, with Morley telling e English Gardener: “It literally was a eld, but I had always loved gardening, so we set about planting yew hedges and creating enclosed spaces to give the plants some protection from the weather. I only paint by natural light and in winter there is very little, so I had more time for the garden.”
Before long it was the snowdrop that captured his heart – for one practical artistic reason – they didn’t move much in the wind making them admirable subjects for artistic study.
‘It
was a time when snowdrops were not particularly popular or fashionable, but Morley’s fascination grew along with his collection,
which
was boosted by gifts from his new friends including Cedric Morris’
After moving to Su olk, Morley was befriended by the late Lady Priscilla Bacon, a talented plantswoman who had, a decade earlier, restored the gardens of the nearby Raveningham Estate to their Edwardian plans. Morley told e English Garden: “She kindly included a note in her own garden plant catalogue to say that if people wanted a list of rare snowdrops they should send three rst-class stamps to me.”
Love of snowdrops
It was a time when snowdrops were not particularly popular or fashionable, but Morley’s fascination grew along with his collection, which was boosted by gifts from his new friends, including Cedric Morris in the neighbouring Su olk town of Hadleigh.
Emma said: “New friends helped John develop a serious collection of snowdrops for breeding, while Cedric Morris gave him examples of unusual plants from his own garden. John would visit Cedric at Benton End every ursday afternoon when he’d nish teaching art classes, they would walk around Cedric’s garden and John would learn more about his plants.”
While plants formed the basis of their friendship, art was always on the agenda. Emma Rutherford continued; “John admired Cedric’s paintings of plants. eir style is very di erent but I think their intimate knowledge of plants, growing them and caring for them, shows.”
Collectable catalogues
Below John Morley Snowdrops in a Glass, oil on board, 2005-2006
In 1984, Morley started selling his snowdrops, by mail order, making a printed list of 22 blooms. Since then, for 40 years, North Green catalogues were cherished by gardeners and are collectable today. (The business ended in 2024 when the EU banned the bulbs’ sale in Europe.)
The first illustrated list was hand-printed on foolscap, the endeavour raising £120.
As the lists’ popularity grew, and more detail was required, paintings were used to illustrate the flowers and, in 1997, the first North Green catalogue was produced combining photographs and paintings.
The cover of the 2009 catalogue used one of Morley’s paintings of a storm lantern lighting snowdrops next to some terracotta pots (far left).
It is one of the works on show at this month’s Garden Museum exhibition.
Above John Morley (b. 1942) Auriculas, oil on canvas, 1975
Morely has been visiting Prague for the last 25 years, first at the invitation of Richard Bawden (Edward Bawden’s son) who offered him a lastminute place on a trip. A few months later, the graphic designer Brian Webb invited both John and Diana Morley to the Czech capital with the design society, the Double Crown Club. A third invitation followed shortly after when a statue of Winston Churchill was unveiled.
Curator Emma Rutherford said: “On each trip Morley realised he liked the city more and more and asked Geraldine Mucha (the daughter-inlaw of the art nouveau Czech artist Alphonse Mucha) if she knew of any available art studios.”
She located an apartment close to the city’s monastery and botanic gardens, which Morley used as the inspiration for still lives, with fruit and nuts from Prague’s numerous fruit orchards finding their way into his work.
Growing network
It was Morris who introduced Morley to the Su olk plantswoman Jenny Robinson through whom he met Primrose Warburg, a leading grower of snowdrops in Oxford. Morley became a regular at Warburg’s snowdrop lunches, where rare varieties were swapped, and within 10 years Morley had amassed around 30-40 named snowdrops.
When Morris died in 1982, he appointed Jenny Robinson as “plant executor” who went on to bequeath Morris’ snowdrop collection to Morley whose knowledge of the plant, as well as other early owers, including auriculas, fritillaries was, by then, encyclopedic.
Before long his own Su olk garden would contain more than 300 varieties, providing him with endless inspiration for his art.
He said: “I have never thought of myself as an artist who gardens or as a gardener who paints - the two are just naturally interchangeable. e peace and harmony to be found in the garden is re ected in my paintings.”
Painting career
Despite being described as “self-e acing”, and as dedicated to gardening as his life as an artist, Morley has enjoyed a notable career as an artist, including exhibiting at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition every year since the 1960s. His work was also exhibited at Godfrey Pilkington’s Piccadilly Gallery, in London, in addition to a Royal Academy show of his paintings in 1975, and at Kew Gardens in 1991.
Emma Rutherford summed up his talent. She said: “I knew John’s work before I met him. A friend bought one of his snowdrop painting some 20 years ago. I always remembered how arresting its quiet simplicity was. He has the ability to take something very simple like a owerpot, or a group of plums, or fungi, and with his careful arrangement of forms and, careful observation, create a still life which elevates the things he’s portraying to something really incredibly special.”
Above right John Morley (b. 1942) Cedric Morris Irises, oil on board, 2002
Now in his 80s, Morley and his wife still live in Su olk.
Painting trips to Prague continue but at a slower pace with the production of wood engravings halted as being too demanding.
John Morley: Artist Gardener is on at the Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB, from March 19 to April 20. For more details go to www.gardenmuseum.org.uk
For collectors the good news is that Morley’s work, even in oils, can still be picked up for the low thousands or high hundreds, with a record for one of his early oils, Four Flower Pots achieving a record price of £5,500 at Sotheby’s in 2007.
His work crops up most at local auction houses in East Anglia, with the upcoming exhibition sure to provide a boost. Associate director at the Colchester auction house Reeman Dansie, Daniel Wright, said: “I’m a fan of John Morley’s work. Informed by a gardener’s sensitivity, garden themes predominate – a subject which appeals to collectors. He is equally successful in a range of media; oils, watercolours and woodcuts, with floral still lives to the fore.”
Junior specialist at Chiswick Auctions, Emily Smaje, said: “There is always an appetite among collectors for the considered garden studies in which Morley excels. The market for his work has certainly fluctuated in the last few years while remaining accessible for most collectors.” In 2020, a pastel of a flowerpot and eggs beat its pre-sale estimate of £200-£300 to sell for £640 at the Essex auction house Sworders. Prices are unlikely to stay achievable for long.
Above right John Morley (b. 1942) Out in the Garden, woodcut, sold for £140 in 2023, image courtesy of Reeman Dansie auctioneers
Right John Morley (b. 1942)
Flowerpot With Eggs, sold for £640 in 2020, image courtesy of Sworders
Below John Morley (b. 1942)
Quinces and Apple, pastel, signed and dated 2000. It sold for £1,000 in 2023, image courtesy of Chiswick Auctions
Above
John Morley, photo Douglas At eld
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Puzzle TIME
Scratch that itch for antiques know-how with two pages of puzzles and a crossword from our resident quiz master Peter WadeWright
MARCH QUIZ
Q1 If you had a 'docker' and 'spurtle' in your collection, what would you collect? (a) industrial machinery, (b) kitchenalia, (c) bathroom tments, (d) medical instruments.
Q2 John Leopold Brodie designed something in the early 20th century that saved many lives. What was it? (a) the open-car seat belt, (b) a safety razor, (c) a helmet, (d) a gas-mask.
Q3 For any collector of street furniture, the rst tra c light is not available. Why not? (a) like swans, they belong to the monarch, (b) it was destroyed by being run into by a ‘horseless carriage’, (c) an outraged su ragette set re to it, (d) it exploded.
Q4 In the 1930s copies of the Highway Code described nine variations of road signs, but what else did they contain in particular? (Two answers.) (a) handy hints on dealing with di cult passengers, (b) information on the colour of road signs, (c) the polite way of addressing policemen, (d) rules for the use of a horse-whip.
Q5 An Anglo-Saxon artefact (c. 8th century) called a ‘sax’ or ‘seax’ is a what? (a) dagger, (b) brooch, (c) torc, (d) ring.
Q6 If you had 'de xiones' in your collection, what would it/they be? (a) a brightly-coloured image i.e. ‘ xed’, (b) a blessing, (c) a curse, (d) a family tree?
Q7 A Victor and Lambert from the 1890s are examples of what? (a) quill pens, (b) typewriters, (c) naval hammocks, (d) horse saddles.
Q8 In Sheraton’s 1803 e Cabinet Dictionary what carvers’ term did he de ne as "the massy and rude formation of any general outline"? (a) roasting, (b) coasting, (c) toasting, (d) boasting
Q9 In 1919, something was added to the Victory medal to show the wearer had been mentioned in dispatches. What was it? (a) a silver star, (b) a bronze
Send your answers to Crossword, Antique Collecting magazine, Riverside House, Dock Lane, Melton Woodbridge, Su olk, IP12 1PE. Photocopies are also acceptable, or email your answers to magazine@ accartbooks.com. e rst three opened by March 15 will win a copy of Jackson’s Hallmarks, Pocket Edition: English, Scottish, Irish Silver & Gold Marks From 1300 to the Present Day, worth £6.95.
Q8 Pages from Sheraton’s 1803 e
SOLUTION
TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD:
The letters in the highlighted squares could be rearranged to form the name John Ruskin
The three winners, who will each receive a copy of the book are: Dick Lenton; Worcs., by email; Mrs P. B. Warrington, by email and Arthur P. Sands
ag, (c) a bronze oak leaf spray, (d) a single oak leaf.
Q10 Shell and BP companies collaborated on e Shilling Guides to British Counties in the 1960s but on which of the following did the petroleum brand National Benzole produce paperback books? (a) bridges, (b) follies, (c) castles, (d) monuments.
Finally, here are four anagrams of collectable children’s toys: Cook herrings; Lushed loos; Clear pad and Oar shank. Rearrange them to form, in order, four answers, each made up of two words.
(a) A well-loved equine-based toy, rst made in the 17th century and thought to help children develop balance and con dence.
(b) A cabinet sized home-from-home.
(c) A child-sized vehicle e.g. ‘Joiboy Toys’ by Wallis Brothers and Wickstead, 1909.
(d) A Biblical conveyance with passengers.
For the answers turn to page 10
Q10 A collection of Shell Guides to the counties of Britain. Faber & Faber, image courtesy of Mallams
Cabinet Dictionary, image public domain
Across
1 Collective name for weapons, uniforms etc. (9)
7 5th sign of the zodiac. (3)
8 Chic and sophisticated European city... not just associated with plaster. (5)
9 Luxury jewellery and design house founded in 1837 in New York. (7)
11 Attitudes and spirit of a culture, community or era. (5)
13 Take legal action involving money. (3)
15 Type of jacket originally worn by members of European and American navies. (3)
17 Aromatic wood of a coniferous tree used for clothes storage… and other things. (5)
20 Small circular ornamental window, medallion, panel etc. (7)
21 Sharply pointed French thrusting sword of the 14th to 17th century (called a tuck in English) (COTES anag.) (5)
22 Collectable sporting memorabile. (sing.) (3)
23 Horizontal rail connecting chair legs. (9)
Down
1 Strong, durable wood often used for flooring. (5)
2 Wood used for boat ribs and planks…and, traditionally, field gates. (5)
3 Critical trials (pl) e.g. for real v. fake, soft v. hard paste etc. (5)
4 Starched Elizabethan neck frills (pl.) (5)
5 Single celled or long filament life forms. (pl.) (5)
6 Area in mid Wales known for its ancient castles and museums. (5)
10 Melt materials together. (4)
12 What you mustn’t do to Pandora’s prize possession. (4)
14 Political or religious pamphlet or leaflet. (5)
15 Light shoes without fastenings. (pl.) (5)
16 To sum up…the only (wild and native) venomous British snake. (5)
17 Strong T-shaped object to which many a nautical rope has been attached. (5)
18 Of the Netherlands e.g. _____ Baroque style was a 17th-century artistic movement. (5)
19 To come around again…styles etc. (5)
Finally, rearrange the letters in the highlighted squares to form the name of the ornamentation of interlaced ribbons and scrolls. Note, one letter is missing and you are invited to write it into the central square.
which county of Wales is this famous castle?
is the name for this collecting genre?
FROM THE MARKETS OF TUSCANY - A COLLECTION OF TRADITIONAL, SEASONAL RECIPES
BY GUILIA SCARPALEGGIA
STEPHENS
ISBN 9788867534418
RRP £30.00
OFFER PRICE £19.50
BOOK OFFERS
If you are need of some sunshine this month, our selection of the latest titles from our sister publisher ACC Art Books will take you from the vineyards of Italy to the palaces of Rome
A collection of traditional recipes and a guide to the best food markets in Tuscany. Through photographs, words and recipes the author takes us on a tour through the most famous and lesser-known areas of the beautiful Toscana.
A GUIDE TO BAROQUE ROME: THE PALACES
BY ANTHONY LANGDON
ISBN 9781843682530
RRP £23.99
OFFER PRICE £15.59
The palaces built in Rome in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are some of the most magnificent buildings in Europe – yet they remain relatively unfamiliar. This is the first stand-alone, overview guide ever published. We produce it as a companion volume to our revised edition of Anthony Blunt’s seminal A Guide to Baroque Rome: The Churches. Features 140 prints, plus diagrams, new photographs, references and indexes.
MY TEDDY BEAR
BY ANNE MONIER
ISBN 9782383140276
RRP £27.00
OFFER PRICE £17.55
How did a wild and ferocious animal become the symbol of childhood? This delightful book traces the history of the teddy bear from its creation in 1902 to the present day. Accompanies the exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, on until June 22.
FOUNTAIN SAFARI
BY JAMES GARLAND
ISBN 9781961856196
RRP £45.00
OFFER PRICE £29.25
A comprehensive, entertaining survey of fountains, sketching out their evolution over two millennia and across several cultures. A sharply focused, comprehensive, useful, entertaining, and hopefully lasting survey aimed to provide a panoramic portrait of the fountain class of artistic endeavour.
PARIS BLUES
BY MATHIEU BITTON, FOREWORD BY NAOMI CAMPBELL
ISBN 9783961716685
RRP £59.95
OFFER PRICE £38.97
Paris Blues is a captivating collection of photographs by award-winning art director, designer, and photographer Mathieu Bitton that showcases the beauty and allure of Paris, the city of his heritage. The beautifully-illustrated book also includes personal anecdotes and reflections to give an insight into the author’s memories and experiences of the City of Light and his deep connection to the French capital.
ITALIAN WINES 2025
BY GAMBERO ROSSO
ISBN 9788866412915
RRP £26.00
OFFER PRICE £16.90
Now in its 28th edition, Italian Wines 2025 is the English-language version of Gambero Rosso’s Vini d’Italia 2025. The guide is an essential tool for both wine professionals and passionate amateurs around the globe: it provides the instruments for finding one’s way in the complex panorama of Italy’s wine world.
or call 01394 389950.
Postage to UK addresses is £7, call for overseas rates. Offer subject to change without notice.
14TH
LOTS to TALK ABOUT
Catherine Southon urges collectors to
box
clever when it comes to treasured antique jewellery
Whenever I am presented with a closed Victorian jewellery box or, better still a Georgian one, my heart skips a beat –desperate to nd what treasure lies inside. e market for original Georgian, antique, and designer vintage jewellery in original tted cases is at an absolute premium with early cased examples exceeding all expectations at auction. Early jewellery boxes should not be viewed just for protection and storage they should be seen as individual works of art, a miniature treasure chest. Added to which, whether a heart-shaped leather piece or a tortoiseshell case, when an antique jewel comes complete with its original box, it is a signi er of where the piece was made and also, potentially, by whom - a greater hallmark of prestigious craftsmanship.
In the world of antique jewellery, where provenance and presentation are paramount, the original box can dramatically a ect the price achieved, and the presence of the original case elevates the desirability and price of a piece, often by an astonishing margin.
Georgian designs
Te materials and the shapesthat jewellery boxes are constructed from give us an instant understanding of the age and quality of the piece of jewellery that they are likely to contain. In the 18th century, early Georgian jewellery boxes were as rich and detailed as the pieces of jewellery that they contained. They were often shaped to fully display the contours of the item.Often of red Moroccan leather or other skins, sometimes they were tooled with gilt decoration. In the last 10 years or so, early Georgian ordesigner jewellery boxes have increased significantly with empty boxes selling for between£50-100 each.
Some were often constructed from a wooden block which then had ttings cut out and were often tted with silk to the interior and covered with red leather to the outer case. ey were secured with beautifully shaped hooked clasps or swing catches.
Heart-shaped boxes
With the availability of di erent dyes, Victorian boxes were often available in a variety of colours such as various shades
Above right A 22ct gold wedding ring, dated 1937-1938, in a tted case stamped Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co Ltd
Above A large diamondset oral clip brooch by Boucheron, c. 1940, in its original blue leather case
Below A mid Victorian diamond, pearl and enamel heart-shaped locket pendant by Hunt and Roskell in its original box
of brown, navy, green and red. Heart-shaped ring boxes were also introduced which are always in demand at auction especially if they contain their original contents.
Retailers’ names
Jewellery, particularly from prestigious houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Fabergé, was meticulously designed with bespoke cases bearing the retailer’s name or royal warrant (even without their contents, empty boxes by these names are collectable).
e intricate logos of these retailers stamped into the silk interiors summon up the glamour of the era – the romance, the parties, the dresses! Like the jewellery itself, boxes tell their own unique story. Many have initials engraved on them that can help trace the contents back to their original owner.
Look for names such as Garrard, the o cial jeweller to the British Crown or, in the case of a recent heart-shaped pendant that appeared in our saleroom, the name of the elite London jewellery and silversmithing company, Hunt & Roskell. e rm was the successor to the celebrated silversmith Paul Storr who had left Rundell, Bridge & Rundell to set up his own workshop near Clerkenwell in 1819. Later based in Bond Street and operating from 1843–1897, the rm held the royal warrant of Queen Victoria for many years.
Just as charming is an unusual red leather box, housing a 22ct gold wedding ring, both from the London maker Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co Ltd. Without the box the ring is wonderful but with it, it is irresistible.
As well as appearing on countless television programmes, Catherine runs her own auction house in Chislehurst, Kent, go to www.catherinesouthon.co.uk for more details.
‘Jewellery, particularly from prestigious houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Fabergé, was meticulously designed with bespoke cases bearing the retailer’s name or royal warrant. The logos stamped into the silk interiors summon up the glamour of the era –the romance, the parties, the dresses!’
COLLECTING GUIDE Danish porcelain
GREAT DANES
A 134-year rivalry between two renowned Denmark ceramics makers sparked some of the best designs in Europe, writes Elliot Todd the author of a new book on Royal Copenhagen and Bing & Grøndahl
Founded in Denmark in 1775, Royal Copenhagen remains among the oldest porcelain manufacturers still in operation. roughout its 250-year history, the factory has experienced several highs and lows and has weathered more than 130 years of competition from the Bing & Grøndahl Porcelain Factory, which, in 1853, also began producing porcelain in Copenhagen. Since 1882, the two factories were located less than two kilometres apart with their retail agship stores eventually competing side-by side in the heart of Copenhagen.
‘Having amassed a huge inventory, Royal Copenhagen finally opened its saleroom to the public in January 1780 after the importation of other European porcelain was banned’
Denmark’s long and storied history in ceramics dates back 5,000 years. So when the German factory Meissen began to unravel the secret of porcelain production in 1710 –which soon spread throughout Germany, France, Austria, and England – Denmark was not to be left behind. In 1721, Scandinavia’s rst ceramic rm Store Kongensgadefabriken opened in Copenhagen producing faience reminiscent of Dutch Delftware, with the second factory Blatarn opening in Copenhagen in 1738.
Despite repeated attempts, porcelain production in Denmark remained elusive until the Frenchman Louis Fournier (c. 1720–1786) succeeded in producing yellowish soft-paste pieces at the Blåtårn facility in 1761. Before closing in 1765, Fournier was ordered to share his knowledge of soft-paste porcelain production with Frantz Heinrich Müller (1732-1820), a pharmacist trained in metallurgy and mineralogy. It is here where the story of true hard-paste Danish porcelain begins.
Denmark’s rst porcelain factory
Supported by Queen Dowager Juliane Marie, Müller acquired Copenhagen’s old post o ce at No.50 St. Købmagergade near the Round Tower in December 1774, which was deemed suitable for Denmark’s rst porcelain factory. In March 1775, the new company was granted a 50-year monopoly to produce porcelain in Denmark and its dominions, including Norway.
Founded on May 1, 1775, as Den Danske Porselinsfabrik ( e Danish Porcelain Factory), it was resolved that the factory trademark would consist of three wavey blue lines representing the three waterways of Denmark, namely the Sound, Great Belt, and Little Belt. is three-wave mark, rst applied to Müller’s test pieces in 1775, appears on every piece and has remained unaltered to this day.
First Bornholm Period
e rst four years were technically and economically challenging with the kaolin (a key component of porcelain clay) from the island of Bornholm producing greyish rather than true white porcelain, giving rise to the First Bornholm
Opposite page Royal Copenhagen, full lace Blue Fluted compote with gilding introduced by Arnold Krog in 1886. is pattern termed Blue Mussel appears on early Chinese porcelain and was adopted by Royal Copenhagen from Meissen in 1775. Surprisingly, this was a local estate sale nd
Below e Royal Copenhagen retail store was relocated to Amagertorv in Copenhagen in 1884, steps away from their present store
The collection
In 1947, my father, Frederick, purchased his first piece of Danish porcelain, writes the author Elliot Todd. It was a Royal Copenhagen figurine as a wedding gift for a friend. His passion for collecting Royal Copenhagen and Bing & Grøndahl pieces began with this first gift purchase and continued unceasingly for more than 50 years until his death in 2001. At a time well before computers, he began his quest for the rarest and finest examples of Danish porcelain available, eventually befriending several antique dealers who would keep a watchful eye for pieces that might be of interest. One might logically assume that my father made numerous trips to Denmark; however, in fact, he never travelled beyond Canada, with all of his pieces acquired in either the United States or ordered directly from the two factories in Denmark. In 1953, he married my mother, Marilyn, and was with her until the very end. Four years later, I was born into a home filled with my father’s porcelain, so growing up and being surrounded by these Danish treasures was very natural for me.
Antique fairs
As early as the age of six, I can remember travelling very willingly with my parents to various antique shows. As time passed, I became increasingly interested in my father’s collection and spent many hours perusing the numerous books and magazines that he had acquired over the years. His collecting savvy came from his own intuition and instinct, along with the body of knowledge that he amassed from books and other printed material, predominantly in Danish.
Having some knowledge of German, my father was able to decipher the Danish text with the help of a dictionary. Many a time, my father would share stories about where he found this or that piece, as well as the proverbial ‘one that got away’.
On one occasion, he spotted a small Royal Copenhagen artist-signed vase at an antique shop in New York, which he failed to purchase at the time. Upon returning home, he forgot exactly where he had seen this little vase. However, he found a copy of the Manhattan phone book at the local library, wrote to every antique dealer in the same vicinity, and eventually tracked down this ‘little gem’ that is still in the collection today. My father’s passion for Danish porcelain eventually became contagious to the point where, I too, have actively sought the scarcest pieces over the last 25 years to further expand and round out the collection, this time with the aid of the internet.
COLLECTING GUIDE
Period. By 1779, high-quality white porcelain was possible using French kaolin. However, increased production costs and nancial di culties led King Christian VII to become the new factory owner under the direction of Queen Dowager Juliane Marie on April 21, 1779. e factory name was changed to Den Kongelige Danske Porcelainsfabrik ( e Royal Danish Porcelain Manufactory) on June 30, 1779, eventually becoming Royal Copenhagen as known today.
Royal Copenhagen
Copenhagen ) and blue
From its inception, Royal Copenhagen was charged with producing massive quantities of the factory’s now timehonoured underglaze Blue Mussel (Blue Fluted ower dinnerware for the Danish middle class. However, overglaze-decorated tea sets and dinnerware with owers, landscapes, or birds styled after German porcelain – as well as a range of costly commissioned pieces – were also produced for the Danish royal family and other crown heads of Europe. Having amassed a huge inventory, Royal Copenhagen nally opened its saleroom to the public in January 1780 after the importation of other European porcelain was banned.
e 1780s marked a high point in both the quality and range of items that included the introduction of an estimated 500 overglaze-decorated gurines, most of which were adapted from Meissen or other manufacturers.
Production of the famed 1,802-piece Flora Danica dinnerware service based on Danish plants from the 51-volume set Flora Danica began in 1790, but eventually ceased in 1802 due to mounting costs. Delivered to King Christian VII in November in 1802, today Christiansborg Palace, and Fredensborg Palace house most of the remaining 1,530 pieces.
Above Royal Copenhagen Flora Danica plate depicting Solidago virgaurea, painted in the original style by Arnold Krog in 1906
Right Royal Copenhagen tureen, Blue Mussel service. 1780-1790
An updated version was commissioned for the marriage of Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra in 1863 with the service going into regular production thereafter and still produced today.
Below Royal Copenhagen gurine, Fisherman with netted sh in wheelbarrow. Polychrome. 1782, unidenti ed modeller
Troubled times
e period from 1790 to 1820 proved extremely di cult for both Royal Copenhagen and Denmark. Beginning in 1793, the French Revolution began to disrupt the procurement of kaolin giving rise to the Second Bornholm Period which lasted until 1815 when amethod to purify the Bornholm kaolin was implemented. In Copenhagen, Christiansborg Palace was razed in 1794, followed by a devastating re in 1795 that destroyed one-fourth of the city. In 1801, Müller retired and was replaced by Ludvig Manthey after which the factory sustained heavy damage during the 1807 bombardment of Copenhagen by British naval forces. Denmark ultimately declared bankruptcy in 1813 and relinquished Norway in 1814 with the market for Danish porcelain having plummeted.
Rise and fall
These troubled years were followed by Denmark’s ‘golden age’ marked by high points in painting, sculpture, architecture, music, literature,philosophy, and science along with the start of Danish industrial art exhibitions. However, with the prevalent fashion for neoclassicism and French Empire style, this was not the factory’s nest hour. Gustav Hetsch (1788-1864) – a noted German architect – joined Royal Copenhagen in 1821 developing many French empire-style shapes for vases and other wares with
oral or architectural motifs, some of which were produced for various exhibitions or specially commissioned. However, the factory’s pro ts primarily came from the sale of dinnerware and its newly introduced series of neoclassical bisque porcelain gurines modelled after Denmark’s most preeminent sculptor, Bertel orvaldsen.
constitution in 1849 ended the factory’s
By the late 1840s Royal Copenhagen was struggling both artistically and nancially. Adoption of the new Danish constitution in 1849 ended the factory’s royal monopoly. e factory, along with massive quantities of antiquated inventory, were bought by a consortium headed by Gustav Falck (a wealthy merchant) in a deal nalised in January 1868. However, the seeds had already been planted for competition.
‘From its inception, until the late 1880s, Bing & Grøndahl mirrored Royal Copenhagen, producing competitivelypriced bisque figurines, uninspired utilitarian ware and a small number of overglazedecorated presentation and exhibition pieces’
Above right Aluminia faience platter and sauceboat from the Alexandra service, 1868
Left Royal Copenhagen urn designed by Gustav Hetsch in 1832 depicting the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Bangkok with Kronberg Castle on the reverse, 1865-1868
Right Bing & Grøndahl urn with oral motif 18601880
Far right Vilhelm eodor Fischer (1857-1928) for Royal Copenhagen vase from February 1895 depicting demoiselle cranes with bluebells, 1887, shown in the Danish Pavilion at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle
Aluminia faience factory
style earthenware. In March 1868, it was acquired by
In 1862, the 28-year-old Danish painter August Schiøtt (1834-1863) established the Aluminia faience factory in Christianshavn for production of inexpensive Englishstyle earthenware. In March 1868, it was acquired by the businessman and industrialist Philp Schou (18381922) who, realising the factory needed to be enlarged, purchased a former tobacco factory adjacent to the Frederiksberg Gardens and later the Copenhagen Zoo. However, porcelain production was not possible using the lower temperature faience kilns that had been installed. To satisfy his yearning for porcelain, Schou purchased Royal Copenhagen along with its contents from Falck in June 1882 and subsequently moved all production to Frederiksberg.
Bing & Grøndahl
e other big player in this story – the Bing & Grøndahl Porcelain Factory – was co-founded in 1853 by the brothers Herman and Jacob Bing (who ran one of Copenhagen’s leading art goods store) and Frederik Vilhelm Grøndahl (a former bisque porcelain maker at Royal Copenhagen). It launched without royal support or fanfare, but with government-sanctioned visits to Royal Copenhagen to obtain the necessary information for porcelain production.
COLLECTING GUIDE Danish porcelain
From its inception, until the late 1880s, Bing & Grøndahl mirrored Royal Copenhagen, producing competitively-priced bisque gurines, uninspired utilitarian ware and a small number of overglazedecorated presentation and exhibition pieces.
However, the hiring of two new artistic directors at each factory: Arnold Krog (1856-1931) in 1884, for Royal Copenhagen, and Pietro Krohn (1840-1905) in 1885 for Bing & Grøndahl, marked a major artistic awakening with both men charged with transforming Danish porcelain, each in their own way.
Royal Copenhagen innovations
Right Pietro Krohn (1840-1905) for Bing & Grøndahl heron service sauceboat, 1888
Below far left Carl Liisberg (1860-1909) for Royal Copenhagen roaring polar bear, April 1894. Purchased by the Prince of Wales in 1895
At Royal Copenhagen, Krog set about rejuvenating the deteriorating Blue Mussel dinnerware, introducing a series of elaborate, full-lace pieces with gilding.
Soon after, he, along with chemist Adolphe Clément (1855-1928) and signature artists Carl Liisberg (1860-1909) and Frans Hallin (1865-1945) among others, perfected the new underglaze technique of Danish-style painting using colours in addition to blue.
Clément produced a few small vases with coloured glazes in 1888 which were further developed by Valdemar Engelhardt (1860-1915) from 1892 who also pioneered crystalline glazes. First shown at the 1888 Nordic Exhibition of Industry, Agriculture and Art in Copenhagen, the factory’s unique and extremely costly underglaze pieces, depicting Danish ora and fauna and strongly in uenced by Japanese art and the art nouveau movement, received rave reviews from the art critics. ey sold quickly, but only to those of considerable wealth including royalty.
Royal Copenhagen subsequently took the art world by storm earning top awards at the major expositions of the time including Paris (1889, 1900, 1925), Chicago (1893), Stockholm (1897), Turin (1902), St. Louis (1904), Brussels (1910), and San Francisco (1915).
Bing & Grøndahl rings the changes
e coming-of-age moment for Bing & Grøndahl came with the introduction of an elaborate underglaze blue gilded dinnerware service at the 1888 Copenhagen
Below left Frans Hallin (1865-1945) for Royal Copenhagen vase with blossoming gourd vines and irises, March 1888. Exhibited at the 1888 Nordic Exhibition of Industry, Agriculture and Art in Copenhagen
Below Elisabeth Drewes (1877-1948) vase for Bing & Grøndahl with open-worked bouquet of tulips with leaves and brown bulbs in underglaze blue, c.1899–1900
exhibition. e set depicted herons designed by Krohn and painted by two new hires –E e HegermannLindencrone (1860-1945) and Fanny Garde, (1855-1928) who would catapult Bing & Grøndahl to stardom. Krohn left the factory in 1893. However, the Danish style of underglaze painting was not fully developed until Frans Hallin arrived from Royal Copenhagen in 1895 when he also introduced the now time-honoured annual Christmas plates. Under Hallin, the underglaze pieces by both factories were often indistinguishable, calling for, once more, a new artistic direction.
e next breakthrough came at Bing & Grøndahl with the hiring of J.F. Willumsen (1863-1958) as artistic director. Rather than painting at surfaces, Willumsen developed the designs for elaborately-carved, art nouveau-styled vases based on Danish ora and fauna with E e Hegermann-Lindencrone, Fanny Garde, Elisabeth Drewe, among others, taking the lead in their execution. In the end, the factory was awarded a Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris Exposition for its craved works, keeping Bing & Grøndahl in the forefront for the next 25 years.
Underglaze gurines
Production of Royal Copenhagen’s underglaze gurines began in 1888 with two cod sh modelled by Carl Liisberg (1860-1909) that were painted by the signature artists. Heightened interest in these much sought-after gurines led to the establishment of the ‘Kurant Kunst’ (marketable art) department in 1893 with the hiring of 16 young women who painted the rapidly growing number of mass-produced gurines, vases and related items developed for the middle class.
Bing & Grøndahl followed suit in 1896 introducing their own line of underglaze gurines, vases, and related items. ese ongoing successes at the international exhibitions coupled with the growing interest in the new Danish style of underglaze painting led Royal Copenhagen to establish its own retail stores in Paris (1890), New York (1894), and London (1897). However, Bing & Grøndahl’s only retail store remained in Copenhagen.
Battle of the gurines
Despite their remarkable success, neither factory was content to rest on its laurels. Royal Copenhagen launched a new line of Juliane Marie overglaze porcelain in 1905, reconstructing the 18th-century gurines and other related items. is was followed by its popular series of provincial costume gurines, and nally the exquisitely decorated gurines of Gerhard Henning (1880-1967).
Bing & Grøndahl also introduced overglaze decorated gurines. e grey porcelain of the 18th century returned from 1913-1924 and included gurines with modi ed Blue Mussel motifs. Craquelé porcelain emerged in 1916 and remained popular into the 1970s with Bing & Grøndahl again following suit. Ivory-coloured blanc de chine porcelain was introduced by Arno Malinowski (1899-1976) in 1928, followed by bleu royale and pourpre de chine porcelain with abstract motifs by orkild Olsen (1890-1973) in the 1950s in keeping with Danish modernism. Experiments in stoneware at Royal Copenhagen shortly after the 1900 Paris Exposition led to the hiring of Patrick Nordström (1870–1929) in 1912, who introduced vases and bowls with a wide range of glazes including oxblood.
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1910s onwards
The hiring of Jais Nielsen (1885-1961) by Royal Copenhagen in 1921 and Jean René Gauguin (18811961) (the son of Paul Gauguin) by Bing & Grøndahl in 1923 as stoneware artists reaped major rewards at the 1925 Paris Exposition.
Thereafter, Knud Kyhn (1880-1960), Axel Salto (1889-1961), Nils Thorsson (1898-1975) and Ivan Weiss (b. 1946) among others contributed unique and regular production stoneware pieces for Royal Copenhagen through the 1990s. Gauguin remained at Bing & Grøndahl and continued to produce many unique stoneware sculptures until his death in 1961, after which Sten Lykke Madsen (1937-2020) took the helm in an attempt to continue his legacy.
Changes at Aluminia
Transformations at Aluminia (the manufactory established by Schou in 1863) began in 1901 with the introduction of a range of brightly-coloured art nouveau-styled pieces designed by Christian Joachim(1870-1953) that were widely exhibited and sold.
Above right Christian Joachim (1870-1953) for Aluminia faience, vase with herons and garlands, 1910
Above left Gerhard Henning (1880-1967) for Royal Copenhagen, gurine of a Chinese bride and groom from e Arabian Nights
From the 1930s onward Nils Thorsson contributed multiple new lines of art faience, with his contemporary Baca and Tenera faience pieces from the late 1950s to early 1970s still popular today.
The 1970s onward proved problematic with economic downturns, worker strikes, and changing consumer needs leading to decreased sales and a series of mergers.
In 1987, Royal Copenhagen purchased Bing & Grøndahl ending their 134-year-old rivalry. Although Royal Copenhagen’s production has since moved to Thailand, its design centre in Glostrup, Denmark continues to make waves through the introduction of new dinnerware patterns.
Above far right Jais Nielsen with his monumental stoneware sculpture e Potter, 1925
ANTIQUES UNDER THE HAMMER e Lady Ottoline
SAL EROOM SPOTLIGHT
A collection of textiles owned by and, in one example, sewn by the amboyant society hostess and Bloomsbury group member Lady Ottoline Morrell goes under the hammer in Gloucester
Wbecame known as the Bloomsbury Group. In 1915, the Morrells bought and restored Garsington Manor near Oxford and the salons continued, among the long-staying house guests were DH Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, Mark Gertler, Vanessa Bell, TS Eliot, Aldous Huxley, Dora Carrington, and EM Forster.
Reacting against the conventional mores of the Victorians, the Garsington set embraced feminism and sexual freedom, Morrell writing in her diary in 1915: “conventionality is deadness”.
ey also invited paci sts and conscientious objectors to Garsington, providing a refuge for Duncan Grant, Clive Bell and Lytton Strachey. After an injury Siegfried Sassoon recuperated there and was encouraged to go absent without leave as a protest against WWI.
Vibrant coverlet
hile her name is overshadowed by other more famous ‘Bloomsburys’, Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873–1938) was at the heart of the famous artistic circle, as a hostess, lover, friend and patron. Her legacy perhaps better survives in ctional form – she appears in at least a dozen novels, most famously as the inspiration for DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley after Morrell’s brief ing with a visiting young stonemason.
Her looks were striking – at more than 6ft tall, with aming red hair, she sometimes dressed in Grecian style, at other times as a Cossack or Oriental princess. At her rst meeting with poet Siegfried Sassoon in 1916, he noted she was wearing voluminous, pale pink Turkish trousers. So it is no surprise textiles belonging to her, and in one instance, made by her, are likely to cause a stir when they appear at Dominic Winter Auctioneers in Cirencester this month.
Aristocratic background
Born Ottoline Violet Anne Cavendish-Bentinck, Morrell was the daughter of the 6th Duke of Portland, a prominent and well-connected aristocrat. Her rst cousin was Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, the future Queen Mother. In 1902, she married Philip Morrell, a Liberal MP, with the pair maintaining a townhouse in Bedford Square in Bloomsbury. Morrell delighted in entertaining a coterie of avant-garde painters, writers and philosophers who
Above right Part of a collection of cloths made of 18th/early 19th-century fabrics, including damasks and brocades, likely purchased during Lady Ottoline’s many trips abroad. ey have an estimate of £300-£500
Above Henry Walter Barnett (1862-1934)
Lady Ottoline Morrell, 1902, image public domain
Above left A large needlework oral panel embroidered by Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873-1938) and others, c. 1915/1916, worked in silk threads, approximately 195 x 173cm (6ft 5in x 5ft 8in). It has an estimate of £5,000-£8,000 at his month’s sale
Right An 18th-century metalwork drawstring bag of orange silk 13.5 x 15cm (5¼ x 6in) and an 18th-century envelope purse, probably French, brown silk with spangles, 13 x 15cm (5¼ x 6in), the pair has an estimate of £150-£250
For Morrell, Garsington’s interiors were her canvas. e artist Henry Lamb once telling her: “You beat us all at colour”. e house’s interior was described as a “ uttering parrot-house of greens, reds and yellows”, which was lled with Persian carpets, Chinese boxes, beautiful porcelain, silk hangings, lacquered screens, and ornate mirrors.”
It was here that Morrell, and others, created this month’s sale highlight – a vibrant coverlet. e panel embraces the unconventionality of life at Garsington – defying the usual rules of form and colour found in Victorian and Edwardian embroidery with da odils depicted in shades of blue and purple.
e coverlet was a collaborative a air, sewn by Morrell as well as Juliette Huxley, wife of the British naturalist Sir Julian Huxley, and her sister-in-law Maria, the wife of Aldous Huxley. e women stitched while being read to by Bertrand Russell (with whom Ottoline was having an a air). Morrell wrote: “Maria, when at home, sitting at my feet would be allowed to embroider a ower in one corner of the vast bedspread on which I was at work, Juliette at another corner. How much is woven in that coverlet! How intense the feelings as we worked at it.”
Lawence the embroiderer
Also in the sale is a needlework panel sewn by the author DH Lawrence and his wife Frieda for Morrell in 1916. Worked in coloured silk threads, it depicts a phoenix rising from a aming circle, on a black cotton. Despite a falling out after DH Lawrence’s portrayal of Morrell as the domineering and foolish Hermione Roddice in Women in Love, the Lawrences were frequent visitors to Garsington Manor. Although best known for his novels, Lawrence was also a painter, and produced such items as hand-made boxes and this needlework. e phoenix, which appeared on the front cover of some of his books, symbolised the author’s belief that rebirth must take place to create something new and meaningful.
End of Garsington
But the Morrells’ extravagant hosting and passion for collecting came at a cost. In 1927, the couple sold Garsington and moved to 10 Gower Street in Bloomsbury. Soon after the move Morrell developed cancer of the jaw, which required part of her jaw to be removed. She tried to disguise the dis gurement using her trademark amboyant veils and scarves. Her eventual death, at the age of 64 was caused by a quack doctor using an experimental drug – an ending every bit as tting as her extraordinary life.
AUCTION fact file
WHAT: Historic textiles including works from the collection of Lady Ottoline Morrell
Viewing: March 5-7 by appointment; March 10-12 from 9.30-5.30pm and the morning of the sale, from 9am, and online at www.dominicwinter. co.uk
Top left A needlework panel embroidered by DH Lawrence (1885-1930) and his wife Frieda (18791956), 1916, in coloured silk threads, 18 x 24 cm (7 x 9½in) on a larger black cotton. It has an estimate of £500-£800
Above left e Lawrences’ panel comes with a note written by Morrell at her Gower Street home, stating: “Made for me by DH Lawrence and his wife Frieda, 1916”
Below A pair of gentleman’s dress slippers belonging to Philip Morrell (1870-1943), Italian, early 20th century. e slippers have an estimate of £150-£250
‘The
panel embraces the unconventionality of life at Garsington – defying the usual rules of form and colour found in Victorian and Edwardian embroidery: daffodils are depicted in shades of blue and purple, and carnations are multi-coloured’’
OPINION...
We asked head of sale Susanna Winters for her sale highlights IN MY
Which lots caught your eye?
The embroidered panel has to be the standout item. As we unwrapped it in the gloomy afternoon light, the colours just glowed. Knowing Ottoline had stitched it sent shivers down my spine. The other item which caught my eye is the 18th-century lute-shaped embroidered purse, mainly because of its shape, which intrigued me. Research showed it was intended as a sweete bag for herbs, rather than as a receptacle for money.
How did Lady Ottoline’s textiles reflect her character and lifestyle?
She was flamboyant, unexpected and colourful in all aspects of her life. The objects she gathered, like her, were vibrant, lavish, conspicuous, and often surprising. She had a wonderful eye for colour and favoured brightly-coloured clothes in highly original designs. Virginia Woolf described her as “like a Spanish galleon, hung with gold coins, & lovely silken sails”.
What stories or insights came to light while you were cataloguing the sale?
I was intrigued to learn that Lady Ottoline was in the habit of wafting around her garden attired in her nightgown. We are offering one of her monogrammed nightdresses in the sale - it has some some discolouration, tears, and repairs, with loss to a section of hem, so one imagines it may have got caught on the roses during a night-time foray.
Where are you expecting interest in the collection to come from?
Overseas, as well as this country, including the usual mix of individual collectors, art and antiques dealers, interior designers and institutions. There has been a resurgence of interest in recent years in the enduring legacy of the Bloomsbury Group. The importance of the ground-breaking way in which they lived, worked and loved cannot be underestimated and resonates strongly today.
We also expect there to be strong interest from gender diverse individuals and groups, for whom Lady Ottoline is an inspirational trailblazer. The sale is particularly interesting for collectors because of the very personal nature of the items, being Ottoline’s own private possessions, which until now have been in the hands of her descendants.
COLLECTING GUIDE
Booty Calls
From Treasure Island to Pirates of the Caribbean, the allure of the pirate’s life has captivated generations. Antique Collecting reveals the era’s swashbuckling collecting potential
In the annals of history, few epochs captivate the imagination as vividly as the Golden Age of Pirates. Spanning the late 17th and early 18th centuries, this turbulent period witnessed the rise of a seafaring fraternity whose exploits have inspired countless tales of derring-do, treasure hunts, and battles on the high seas. Yet, beneath the romantic veneer lies a complex narrative of desperation, ambition, and de ance that reshaped maritime commerce and provoked the ire of the world’s great powers. is month the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich unveils a new exhibition exploring this fascinating period of global history.
Origins of the age
e roots of this piratical zenith can be traced to the economic and geopolitical upheavals of the late 1600s. e conclusion of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) left thousands of sailors, privateers, and naval o cers unemployed. Many of these men, skilled in the art of warfare and embittered by their sudden redundancy, turned to piracy as a means of survival. Others were drawn from the ranks of merchant seamen, seeking an escape from the gruelling conditions and scant pay of legitimate trade.
Gerome Ferris (18631930) e Capture of the Pirate, Blackbeard, showing the battle between Blackbeard and Lieutenant Maynard in Ocracoke Bay, image public domain
‘Contrary to the chaotic image often associated with piracy, many crews adhered to strict codes of conduct that governed their operations. These agreements, known as “articles of agreement,” outlined rules on the division of plunder, compensation for injury, and conduct aboard ship’
At the same time, the colonial empires of Europe were expanding their reach across the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Vast quantities of wealth — gold, silver, spices, and other goods — owed along well-de ned maritime routes, providing rich pickings for those bold enough to seize them. e Caribbean and the east coast of north America were the main areas that saw a surge in activity in the early 1700s with ports such as Nassau in the Bahamas and Port Royal in Jamaica became notorious pirate havens.
Code of conduct
Pirates operated as opportunistic entrepreneurs, targeting poorly defended merchant ships, striking swiftly and disappearing before naval forces could respond. e pro ts were staggering: a single haul could yield fortunes beyond the dreams of most seamen.
Yet piracy also disrupted legitimate commerce, prompting a erce response from the world’s maritime powers. e British, Spanish, French, and Dutch all sought to eradicate the menace, deploying warships and o ering pardons to those willing to renounce their criminal ways. e introduction of the “pirate round” — a trade route connecting the Atlantic and Indian Oceans — broadened the scope of piracy but also invited greater scrutiny and retaliation.
Contrary to the chaotic image often associated with piracy, many crews adhered to strict codes of conduct that governed their operations. ese agreements, known as “articles of agreement,” outlined rules on the division of plunder, compensation for injury, and conduct aboard ship. Democratic principles often prevailed, with captains elected by the crew and major decisions made collectively. is relative egalitarianism stood in stark collectively. is relative egalitarianism stood in stark contrast to the rigid hierarchies of naval and merchant vessels, attracting those who yearned for autonomy and a share of the spoils.
Right An engraving of the female pirate Ann Bonny for Charles Johnson’s A General History of the Pyrates
Below right Unknown artist, Chinese pirates, known as the Ladrone, who operated in the South China Sea in the early 1800s under Ching Shih. Ladrone is Spanish for thieves, not in exhibition
Swashbuckling was not the sole preserve of men, some of the fi ercest buc aneers were women
Anne Bonny (1697–1721?)
Born in Cork, Ireland, to a lawyer father and his servant, Bonny grew up in South Carolina after her family emigrated. Known for her fiery temperament, she married a small-time pirate, James Bonny, but soon left him to join the infamous pirate Calico Jack Rackham. Disguised as a man, she fought alongside her husband, quickly gaining a reputation for ferocity. She formed a close bond with Mary Read, another female pirate on the ship. Bonny was captured with Calico Jack’s crew in 1720 but avoided execution due to pregnancy. Her ultimate fate remains a mystery.
Mary Read (1685–1721?)
Read was disguised as a boy by her mother to secure financial support from her late husband’s family. She continued her male disguise working as a soldier and sailor. She joined a pirate crew after being captured by buccaneers while serving on a Dutch ship. She later joined Calico Jack’s crew and befriended Bonny, who was likely the only person aware of her true identity at first. Read was captured alongside Bonny and Calico Jack but also escaped execution due to pregnancy. Like Bonny, her ultimate fate is unknown.
Ching Shih (1775–1844)
Ching Shih, a Chinese pirate leader, was one of the most successful and powerful pirates in history. Originally a Cantonese prostitute, Ching Shih married pirate captain Zheng Yi in 1801, becoming deeply involved in his operations. She proved to be a shrewd and capable leader, quickly rising to prominence within the Red Flag Fleet. After Zheng Yi’s death in 1807, Ching Shih assumed full command of the Red Flag Fleet, which at its peak had over 70,000 pirates and 1,200 ships.
COLLECTING GUIDE the Golden Age of Piracy
Icons of the age
e era produced a pantheon of infamous gures whose names endure as bywords for swashbuckling adventure. Foremost among the main players was Bristol-born Edward Teach, or Blackbeard (d. 1718), a man whose very name inspired terror. With a fearsome visage framed by a thick black beard—often braided with ribbons—Teach was the archetypal pirate. His reputation was ampli ed by theatrical tactics, such as lighting slow-burning fuses in his beard to create a demonic aura in battle.
Commanding the formidable Queen Anne’s Revenge, a captured French slaver re tted for piracy, Blackbeard preyed on ships along the American coast and in the Caribbean. His reign ended in 1718 when Lieutenant Robert Maynard of the Royal Navy ambushed and killed him o the coast of North Carolina. If Blackbeard was the most infamous, Bartholomew Roberts, or ‘Black Bart’ (1682-1722), was undoubtedly the most successful pirate of the era. Over a career spanning just four years, Roberts captured more than 400 ships, a staggering achievement that earned him enduring notoriety. His dominance ended in 1722 during a erce battle with the Royal Navy’s HMS Swallow o the coast of Gabon. Mortally wounded by grapeshot, his death marked the decline of the Golden Age of Piracy.
William Kidd
A gure who straddled the line between privateer and pirate was William Kidd (1645-1701). Initially commissioned by the English crown to hunt pirates, Kidd’s fortunes turned when he himself was accused of piracy, likely due to a combination of political intrigue and his own questionable decisions. His most infamous act was the capture of the Quedagh Merchant but his subsequent arrest and trial in England became a cause célèbre, illustrating the thin line between sanctioned privateering and outright piracy. He was hanged in 1701, a grim reminder of the precarious nature of maritime ventures in that era.
e decline of an era
By the 1720s, the Golden Age of Pirates was drawing to a close. European governments made more determined e orts to eradicate piracy. is increased the danger of pirate crews being seized by naval forces and subjected to harsh justice. Key gures, such as Blackbeard and Black Bart, met their ends in dramatic confrontations, their deaths serving as grim warnings to others.
Moreover, the changing dynamics of global trade and colonial governance left fewer opportunities for piracy to ourish. Treaties between European powers facilitated greater cooperation in suppressing maritime crime, while the growth of standing navies ensured that the oceans were no longer the unpoliced expanses they once had been.
e decline in piracy in the Caribbean, did not mean an end to piracy elsewhere. In North Africa, the Barbary corsairs captured ships across the Mediterranean and beyond. Although considered part of the wider Ottoman Empire, modern-day countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya were largely independent Islamic republics. For centuries, their economies were supported by the activity of Barbary pirates, who raided merchant ships and ports to steal cargo and capture people for ransom or slavery. Many nations paid ransoms to the pirates to free captive people, or to avoid attacks on their trade ships. e ongoing stalemate, maintained by various European countries, evaporated after the Napoleonic War (1803–1815), when public opinion turned against the tacit acceptance of Barbary piracy.
Bombardment of Algiers
e Bombardment of Algiers in 1816 was a joint naval attack on city by a British and Dutch eet, seeking to liberate 3,000 Christian slaves. Despite only partial success – there were more losses than at the Battle of Trafalgar –Barbary pirates continued their activities until the French conquest of Algeria in 1830. But British o cers at Algiers, keen to celebrate the win, commissioned a centrepiece from
‘The era produced a pantheon of infamous figures whose names endure as bywords for swashbuckling adventure. Foremost among them was Edward Teach, or Blackbeard, a man whose very name inspired terror’
the leading London silversmith Paul Storr (1770-1844), presenting it to their commander, Admiral Pellew. On show at this month’s exhibition, it shows the fortress at Algiers, bristling with tiers of guns, and scenes of the bombardment. e surrounding gures represent British seamen ghting Algerians and releasing the beleaguered Christian captives.
Pirates! is on at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London SE10 9NF, from March 29 to January 4 (recommended for children above the age of 10). For more
from children details, or to book tickets, go to www.rmg.co.uk
Below left Two vintage 18th-century duelling pistols used by Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, sold for £36,600 ($45,500) in 2023, image courtesy of Julien’s Auctions
Caribbean: At World’s End more then doubled its low estimate of £10,000 to fetch £21,420.
Below A productionused cursed Aztec coin e Curse of the Black Pearl sold for £3,584, in 2024, image courtesy of Bonhams
A production-used cursed Aztec coin from The Curse of the Black Pearl (in reality a fake metal coin with a faux-gold finish) sold at Bonhams last December for £3,584.
Jolly Roger
While they may, or may not, have flown on pirate ships, the famous flag of a skull and crossbones played a significant role on British submarines in WWII symbolising combat wins.
e tricorne hat worn by Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in Pirates of the Caribbean: at World’s sold for £21,420, image courtesy of the Prop
End, Store
Right Rare to appear at auction, a Jolly Roger ag from WWII submarine HMS Unbroken sold for £13,000 in 2022, image courtesy of Duke’s did for collecting dinosaur bones, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise did for lovers of swashbuckling memorabilia. Since its release collectors and movie enthusiasts alike have vied for iconic props. In 2023, flintlock pistols from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, used by Captain Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp) fetched £36,000 at the Californian auction house Julien’s Auctions. Meanwhile, in the UK, the Prop Store frequently offers pieces from all six films. It was here that Jack Sparrow’s stunt jade dragon ring from the same film sold for £2,750, while Sparrow’s tricorne hat from Pirates of the
Above left Captain Jack Sparrow’s (Johnny Depp) wig and bandana, sold for £13,750 in 2012, beating its estimate of £6,000-£8,000, image courtesy of the Prop Store
defiance of a remark by Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson,
The practice was initiated in 1914 by Lieutenant Commander Max Horton who flew a Jolly Roger in defiance of a remark by Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, who called submarines “underhand, unfair, and damned un-English”, comparing them to pirates.
British submarines continued the tradition in WWII with white bars representing merchant ships sunk and red ones enemy ships. Daggers depict the number of special operations conducted, with stars signifying successful gun attacks.
COLLECTING GUIDE the Golden Age of Piracy
age there was, and will only ever be, one pirate –Captain Horatio Pugwash.
Always wise after the event and known for the oaths “doollopping doubloons” and “kipper me capstans”, the cardboard cut-outs of Pugwash and his foes kept every 1970s youngster transfixed. Created by the Edinburgh son of a diplomat, John Ryan (1921-2009) wrote his first story at the age of seven entitled The Adventures of Tommy Brown. After wartime service, he studied art at Regent Street Polytechnic, with cartoons also the object of his fascination.
Pugwash was rejected 12 times before he made it to the first-ever edition of the Eagle comic in 1950, alongside Ryan’s Harris Tweed (for In Girl magazine, he created Lettice Leefe, while in Swift, he gave life to Sir Boldasbrass). After the strip was dropped for being too young for the comic’s audience, it went to the Radio Times where it remained for eight years, first appearing on television in 58 black-and-white episodes from1957-1966, before appearing in colour in the mid-1970s.
In the 1990s the series fell prey to an urban myth, with the invention of non-existent characters cited as Master Bates, Roger the Cabin Boy and Seaman Staines. When these rude alter-egos were referred to in The Guardian and The Sunday Correspondent, Ryan successfully obtained public retractions and damages.
Soon after, with his children grown up, Ryan gave up his London home and moved to the Sussex coast for a gentler pace of life. A private man who never sought the limelight, he died in 2009 at the age of 88.
BOOK, LINE and Sinker
Pirates, as antagonists and anti-heroes, villains and virtuous rogues, have long inspired writers to explore radical freedom on the fringes of society, writes book expert Anna Middleton
1 John Ryan (19212009). Captain Pugwash, original gouache drawing, 1979. It sold for £1,250 in 2022, image courtesy of Chiswick Auctions
2 John Ryan (1921-2009). Captain Pugwash and Cut- roat Jake original pencil sketch, sold for £130 in 2019, image courtesy of Dominic Winters
3 John Ryan (1921-2009). Captain Pugwash, rst edition, published by e Bodley Head, 1957 and four ink drawings, sold for £720, in December, image courtesy of Dominic Winters
Above Rare rst edition of De Americaensche
Zee-Roovers, 1678, by Alexandre Olivier Esquemelin, 1678, for sale by Peter Harrington, price £125,000
Above right e book De Americaensche
Zee-Roovers, 1678, is a cornerstone in pirate literature. It was later translated into English in 1684 as Buccaneers of America
Though the brutal reality of piracy often gets short shrift, tales of rebels and rule-breakers still fascinate children and adults alike with promises of escape and adventure. e books pirates inspired, and sometimes wrote, o er collectors their own adventure in search of hidden treasures. One of the most famous pirates was Captain Henry Morgan, of Morgan’s Rum fame. One of the best contemporary accounts of his exploits came from his ship’s doctor, Alexandre Olivier Esquemelin (c. 1645-1707) who published his un inching account as De Americaensche Zee-Roovers in 1678, swiftly followed the next year as the translated version Buccaneers of America. Morgan was so outraged to have his misdeeds made common knowledge that he brought a libel suit against the publishers.
e birth of pirate myths
e next great gure in pirate literature is the mysterious Captain Charles Johnson (b. 1680) author of A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates (1724). e book was phenomenally successful and established most of our popular pirate myths. It contains the rst recorded use of the term “Jolly Roger” for the pirate ag and popularized the tropes of buried treasure, eyepatches, and missing legs. It also elevated many real-life pirates to a celebrity status that they still enjoy today.
Our knowledge of John Rackham, alias Calico Jack, comes largely from the book, as do tales of his
lover Anne Bonny and her fellow female crewmate, Mary Read. A General History also includes important (if exaggerated) accounts of Henry Avery, and Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts with his beard “twisted with Ribbons, in small Tails” and adorned with matches before a battle.
Daniel Defoe
e real identity of Johnson is unknown, but some critics believed the real author of A General History to be Daniel Defoe who had a reputation as the “o cial historian of pirates, highwaymen, and their fellows”. Robinson Crusoe, 1719, was a runaway bestseller which featured a thrilling world of buccaneers, shipwrecks, and cannibals. In 1720, Defoe wrote the satire, e King of Pirates: Being an Account of the Famous Enterprises of Captain Avery, based on Henry Avery, one of Restoration England’s most infamous buccaneers and one of the few pirate captains to escape the long arm of the law.
Life at sea
In 1814, Lord Byron, who shared the pirates’ fondness for billowy shirts and debauched behaviour, wrote the hugely in uential poem, e Corsair. e work is a paean to adventuring on the “waters of the dark-blue sea, our thoughts as boundless, and our souls as free”.
‘The
Far left First edition of A General History of the Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, Murderers, Street Robbers, etc by Charles Johnson, 1734, for sale by Peter Harrington, poa
Left e book contains many lurid descriptions of pirates, including Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts
Right Collected volume of six verse publications by Lord George Gordon Noel Byron, 1813, including e Corsair, for sale by Peter Harrington for £750
Below far left First edition of e King of Pirates: being an Account of the Famous Enterprises of Captain Avery, the Mock King of Madagascar, with his Rambles and Piracies by Daniel Defoe, 1720, sold by Peter Harrington for £12,500
Below left First edition of e Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, 1719, which was sold with its sequel by Peter Harrington for £275,000
Below right First edition, rst impression, one of 2,000 copies of Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome, 1930, sold by Peter Harrington for £15,000
Far right First edition, rst impression, of Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie, 1911, for sale by Peter Harrington for £800
An unapologetic anti-hero, the pirate Conrad “knew himself a villain, but he deem’d / e rest no better than the thing he seem’d / And scorn’d the best as hypocrites who hid / ose deeds the bolder spirit plainly did”.
Byron’s poem was the basis for numerous pieces of dramatic music, including Hector Berlioz’s overture Le Corsaire, and the operas e Pacha’s Bridal (1836) and Il Corsaro (1848).
Treasure Island
Robert Louis Stevenson dreamed up this 1883 tale of “buccaneers and buried gold” to amuse his 12-yearold stepson during a stormy summer in Scotland. e subsequent book, “all about a map and a treasure and a mutiny and a derelict ship … quite silly and horrid fun”, was Stevenson’s rst commercial and critical success. Pirates have broad West Country accents and growl “arrgh” or “ooh argh Jim lad” not because of the book, but because of Robert Newton’s portrayal of Long John Silver in Disney’s lm, Treasure Island (1950).
In 1911, J. M. Barrie immortalised the pirate Captain Hook in Peter and Wendy. Pursued by a monstrous crocodile that snatched his hand, Hook chases Peter Pan, the boy responsible for the pirate’s mishap. In Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons from 1930, piracy is child’s play, as its young protagonists spend a summer in the Lake District dreaming of a life at sea.
Bottom right First edition of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1883, for sale by Peter Harrington for £8,750
book was phenomenally successful and established most of our popular pirate myths. It contains the first recorded use of the term “Jolly Roger” for the pirate flag and popularized the tropes of buried treasure, eyepatches, and missing legs’
Anna Middleton is a specialist at the rare book dealer Peter Harrington. For details go to www.peterharrington.co.uk
ANTIQUES UNDER THE HAMMER Lots in March
TOP of the LOTS
One of the rst jigsaws ever made goes under the hammer in London, while an unrecorded Constable sketch emerges in North Yorkshire
A German pocket watch dated to the late 1500s consigned from a local Cheshire family has an estimate of £1,000-£2,000 at Wilson 55’s sale on March 20.
In the decades running up to the Thirty Years War the German towns of Augsburg, Munich, and Nuremburg were at the epicentre of early watch making. Specialist Liz Wilson, from the Nantwich-based auction house, said: “Only a handful of these 16th-century pocket watches produced in Germany survive.”
A Victorian Egyptian revival silver desk stand has an estimate of £500-£700 at the Shrewsbury auction house, Halls Fine Art’s sale on March 5.
An unrecorded early sketch by John Constable (1776-1837) has an estimate of £150,000-£200,000 at the North Yorkshire auctioneer Tennants’ March 15.
sale on in depicts
Consigned by a West Yorkshire vendor, the stand is the work of the notable Birmingham maker Horace Woodward & Co, and dated 1871. It is made of a central box mounted with a sphinx. Egyptian revivalism was a decorative arts and architectural movement that saw a resurgence in the mid-19th century, driven archaeological discoveries, influence of Romanticism.
Discovered in a private family collection in the county, the landscape depicts Dedham Vale looking towards Langham, c. 1809-1814, in the artist’s home county of Suffolk. The sketch is thought to be the basis of the larger Dedham Vale (c.1825), now in a German museum, with a full-sized landscape extending across the vale, but the same sunlight bursting through the clouds.
(c.1825), now in a German the of
Two rare 18th-century ‘dissected maps’ by the inventor of the jigsaw, John Spilsbury (1739-1769), have an estimate of £800-£1,200 at Bonhams’ online sale endingon March 11.
Spilsbury, who was apprenticed to the leading cartographer Thomas Jeff erys in 1753, decided to make the most of the booming children’s publishing industry by cutting up a map on a board for children to reassemble.
He was so successful that, in 1763, Mortimer’s The Universal Director, described him as an “Engraver and Map Dissector in Wood, in order to facilitate the Teaching of Geography”. Spilsbury went on to create eight variations: the World, Europe, Asia, Africa, America, England and Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
by growing Western fascination with ancient Egypt, fuelled by colonial expeditions, and the
A seated nude study by Gilbert Spencer (1892-1979) has an estimate of £400-£600 at the Suffolk auction house Lacy Scott and Knight’s 20th-century art and design sale on March 21.
Gilbert, was the younger, and lesser known, brother of the painter Stanley Spencer (1891-1959), though partly thanks to recent exhibitions his work is starting to be reappraised in a new light.
Gilbert was a frequent visitor to Garsington, the Oxford home of the art patron Lady Ottoline Morrell who was a great supporter of his work. For more on life at Garsington, turn to page 48.
Above John Constable (1776-1837), Dedham Vale looking towards Langham c.1809-1814, could make £200,000
Right In the style of the day the watch would have been worn on a chain around the neck
Left One of two jigsaws by the inventor of the educational tool, John Spilsbury (1739-1769)
Above right Gilbert Spencer’s work is emerging from the shadows of his more famous brother, Stanley
,
Above e Egyptian revivalist desk stand appears on the rostrum in Shrophire this month
The principal contents of a Georgian country house in Cheshire go under the hammer this month, offered for sale by the Essex auction house, Sworders.
The selection of period furniture, objects and fine paintings was assembled by Boden Hall’s most recent owners, Victoria Wrather and her late husband, William.
William, a Manchester surveyor and developer, and his wife, Victoria, a successful decorator and interior designer, set about the successful restoration of the property when they bought the estate 27 years ago. Over the years both have been avid collectors, with Victoria’s collection of teapots numbering close to 400.
Her passion started when her brother, who was at school at Dartington Hall in south Devon, bought home a blue-andwhite teapot bought for 10p. She told The World of Interiors: “He said: ‘Well, you never drink anything else, you might as well have a nice cup of tea in a nice teapot.”’ Her husband had a particular love for walking sticks, corkscrews, vintage cars and vintage bicycles.
In the 1990s, Victoria ran Minshull Archives in Knutsford, alongside dealers Michael Wisehall and David Bedale, building a reputation for her knowledge of period textiles and wallpaper which featured throughout the hall. The sale includes a 19th-century painted carved wood and marble console table, estimated at £2,000-£4,000, and a pair of William IV gothic revival oak card tables, pitched at £3,000£5,000.
Irish influence
Irish furniture and fine art also feature, the former mostly bought from Knutsford antique dealer Michael Wisehall who lived in Dublin. One such is a large mahogany sarcophagus form peat chest which has an estimate of £2,000-£3,000.
William became interested in buying art through a Manchester picture dealer in the ‘90s. In addition to many good 18th and 19th-century pictures, he also purchased several works by top-drawer 20th-century painters.
These include a double portrait by the Irish artist Sir John Lavery, of his wife Hazel and daughter Eileen, which has a guide price of £180,000-£250,000. Best known for his portraits and wartime depictions, Lavery’s first wife, Kathleen MacDermott, who he married in 1889, died of tuberculosis in 1891, shortly after the birth of Eileen. In 1909, Lavery married Hazel Martyn (1886–1935), an Irish-American known for her beauty and poise, who became the subject of more than 400 of his works.
But amid all the Georgian grandeur and centuries of fine art are playful elements. Alongside Victoria’s collection of novelty teapots, are lots as varied as a Michelin compressor with its Bibendum man, expected to make £300-£500, and a WWII airman’s sheepskin flying jacket and trousers, with a guide price of £200-£300.
Better by Design: The Principal Contents of Boden Hall, takes place at Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers, Stansted Mountfitchet on March 4, with viewing on February 28 and March 2-3 and online at www.sworder.co.uk
1 One of the interiors at Boden Hall 2 Harold Harvey (1874-1941) Morning Sunshine, 1911. It has an estimate of £25,000-£35,000 at this month’s sale 3 A George IV mahogany console table, c.1825. It has an estimate of £2,000-£4,000
4 A pair of William IV Gothic revival oak pedestal card tables, c. 1830. e pair has an estimate of £3,000-£5,000 5 Edward Atkinson Hornel (1864-1933) e Swan Pond, signed and dated 1911. It has an estimate of £10,000-£15,000
6 John Lavery (1856-1941) La Belle Mère, a portrait of the artist’s wife Hazel and his daughter Eileen, 1911. It has an estimate of £180,000- £250,000
7 A Regency mahogany peat chest, early 19th century, Irish, probably Dublin. It has an estimate of £2,000-£3,000
FAIRS Calendar
Because this list is compiled in advance, alterations or cancellations to the fairs listed can occur and it is not possible to notify readers of the changes. We strongly advise anyone wishing to attend a fair especially if they have to travel any distance, to telephone the organiser to confirm the details given.
LONDON:
Inc. Greater London
Adams Antiques Fairs 020 7254 4054
www.adamsantiquesfairs.com
Adams Antiques Fair, The Royal Holticultural Halls, Elverton Street, SW1P 2QW, Mar 23
The Cotswold Art & Antiques Dealers’ Association
07855 443913
cotswolds-antiques-art.com
Art and Antiques Fair, Chelsea Old Town Hall, King’s Road, London SW3 5EE, Mar 20-23
Etc Fairs 01707 872140 www.bloomsburybookfair.com
Bloomsbury Book Fair, Turner Suite at Holiday Inn, Coram Street, London, WC1N 1HT, Mar 9
Freckleton Memorial Village Hall, 17 School Lane, Freckleton, PR4 1PJ, Mar 8
Jaguar Fairs 01332 830444
www.jaguarfairs.com
Wetherby Racecourse, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS22 5EJ, Mar 8-9
V&A Fairs 01244 659887 www.vandafairs.com
Nantwich Civic Hall Antique and Collectors Fair, Civic Hall Nantwich, Beam Street, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 5DG, Mar 20
WALES
RJG Events 0798 9955541
Beaumaris Antique and Collectors Fair, Beaumaris Leisure Centre, Rating Row, Beaumaris, Isle of Anglesey, LL58 8AL, Mar 16
SCOTLAND
JAC Fairs 07960 198409, Ayr Antique, Vintage & Collectors Fair, Citadel Leisure Centre, Ayr, KA7 1JB, Mar 29 Glasgow Antique, Vintage & Collectors Fair, Bellahouston Leisure Centre, Glasgow, G52 1HH, Mar 16
IRELAND
Antiques Fairs Ireland 00353 85 862 9007
North Dublin Antiques, Art & Vintage Fair, White Sands Hotel, Coast Rd, Portmarnock, Mar 2
Naas Antiques & Vintage Fair, Osprey Hotel Devoy Quarter, Kildare, Mar 9
FAIR NEWS
We showcase two events taking place in London and, for the more adventurous collector, a agship fair in Paris
Paris match
Capital move
Members of the Cotswold Art & Antiques Dealers’ Association (CADA) are on the move this month, heading to Chelsea for its first annual fair held in the capital.
Chelsea Old Town Hall, on the King’s Road, is the location for the four-day event from March 20-23, which will see CADA members joined by a number of guest exhibitors.
Three London galleries are set to take part in one of Paris’ flagship art events for the first time this month. James Butterwick, the Pissarro Gallery and Michael Werner gallery will join 36 other exhibitors at the Salon du Dessin at the Palais Brongniart from March 26-31. The event, dedicated to drawing, is dubbed “the world’s leading event showcasing the very best in old, modern and contemporary art”.
The Salon du dessin is accompanied by the Semaine du Dessin, which offers free private visits to museums, libraries, and institutions in Paris.
e Palais Brongniart is the location for the 33rd edition of the Salon du Dessin
The Evesham dealer Tobias Birch will present 20 longcase, wall and mantel clocks – some previously unknown – by the renowned makers Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780-1854) and his father Benjamin Vulliamy (1747-1811). Guest exhibitors include Antiques Roadshow expert Richard Price and furniture specialist Lennox Cato. CADA chairman, Alex Puddy, said: “Many of our members exhibit in London and internationally, but bringing them together in the capital will illustrate what a diverse range of impressive art and antiques can be found in the Cotswolds.”
e Evesham clock specialist Tobias Birch is o ering this ormolu and bronze mounted clock by Vulliamy, c. 1815, priced £18,000
Printy fresh
Stonham
the crows
Buyers from Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex are expected at the Aspal Antiques Fair in Stonham Barns Park, this month.
Organisers of the event, near the Suffolk town of Stonham Aspal, are staging their fourth antiques fair on March 15, showcasing a range of antiques and collectables including retro, vintage and gardenalia.
The fair is a spin-off from Aspal Antiques which was opened in 2021 by two local couples: Alan Knight and Henrietta Lewis, and Wendy and Alf Faulkner, as a response to the growing postlockdown interest in antiques.
The London Original Print Fair (LOPF) celebrates its 40th birthday this month with a four-day celebration of works from more than 40 leading international galleries, publishers and printmaking studios.
Taking place at Somerset House on the Strand from March 20-23, the event showcases works spanning six centuries — from revered Old Masters to cutting-edge modern and contemporary talent including Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) and Tracey Emin (b. 1963) .
Founded in 1985, LOPF is London’s longest-running art fair and the world’s oldest specialist print fair. It has grown from an intimate gathering of 16 exhibitors into Europe’s largest works-onpaper fair, championing the art of printmaking.
William Scott, Pears, 1979, is one of the works on o er from Gwen Hughes Fine Art
Collectables from far and wide will be showcased at the
AUCTION Calendar
Because this list is compiled in advance, alterations or cancellations to the auctions listed can occur and it is not possible to notify readers of the changes. We strongly advise anyone wishing to attend an auction especially if they have to travel any distance, to telephone the organiser to confirm the details given
LONDON: Inc. Greater London
Adam Partridge
The London Saleroom, The Auction Room, Station Parade, Ickenham Road, West Ruislip, HA4 7DL, 01895 621991 www.adampartridge.co.uk
Antiques and Fine Art, Mar 11-12
Apollo Art Auctions
63-63 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SW 07424 994167
www.apolloauctions.com
Ancient Art and Antiquitiesdate to be confirmed
Bonhams
101 New Bond St, London W1S 1SR, 020 7447 7447 www.bonhams.com
British. Cool (Online), Mar 10-19
Modern and Contemporary African Art, Mar 20 19th-Century and British Impressionist Art, Mar 26
Hawthorn House, East Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7SX, 01252 203020
www.parkerfineartauctions.com
Fine Paintings and Frames, Mar 6
Reeman Dansie
8 Wyncolls Road, Severalls
Business Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 9HU, 01206 754754
www.reemandansie.com
Specialist Collectors, Mar 11-13
Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers
Cambridge Road, Stansted
Mountfitchet, Essex, CM24 8GE, 01279 817778
www.sworder.co.uk
Better by Design, The Principal Contents of Boden Hall, Mar 4 Paint. Print. Sculpt, Mar 11 Homes and Interiors (with Arms and Militaria), Mar 18
Fine Interiors, Mar 25-26
Fire Wine and Spirits (Timed Online), Mar 21-30
The Rostrum Auctions, Hansons
Norfolk, The Old Bakery, Groveland, Thorpe Market Rd, Roughton, NR11 8TB, 01263 840 021
www.therostrumauctions.co.uk
Norfolk March Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Fine Art Auction, Mar 29
Timeline Auctions
The Court House, 363 Main Road, Harwich Essex, CO12 4DN, 01277 815121
www.timelineauctions.co.uk
Ancient Art, Antiquities, Natural History, Coins and Books, Mar 4-9
Toovey’s Antique & Fine Art
Auctioneers Spring Gardens, Washington, West Sussex, RH20 3BS, 01903 891955 www.tooveys.com Firearms and Edged Weapons, Militaria, Medals and Awards, Mar 5
Wristwatches and Pocket Watches, Clocks and Barometers, Cameras and Scientific Instruments, Mar 6
Fine Art, Silver and Plate, Jewellery, Mar 19 Furniture, Objects of Virtu, Collectors’ Items, Works of Art and Light Fittings, Rugs and Carpets, Mar 20
The Old Boys School, Gretton Rd, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 5EE 01242 603005
www.bespokeauctions.co.uk
Antiques and Collectables (Timed), Mar 7-16
Silver, Jewellery, Antiques and Collectables, Mar 27
Chilcotts The Dolphin Saleroom, High Street, Honiton, Devon, EX14 1HT, 01404 47783
www.chilcottsauctions.co.uk
Jewellery, Watches, Silver & Coins, Mar 8
Chorley’s
Prinknash Abbey Park, Near Cranham, Gloucestershire, GL4 8EU, 01452 344499
www.chorleys.com
The March Auctions 2025: Asian Art, Ceramics, Books and Manuscripts.
Fine Books and Manuscripts, Mar 25
A Private Collection of Rugs and Carpets, Mar 26
Jewellery, Silver, Watches and Objects of Vertu, Mar 26
Dawsons
Unit 8 Cordwallis Business Park, Clivemont Rd, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 4BU, 01628 944100 www.dawsonsauctions.co.uk
Entertainment and Memorabilia, including Vintage Posters, Mar 12
Fine Jewellery, Watches and Silver, Mar 20
Fine Pictures, Prints and Sculptures, Mar 26
Interiors, Art, Antiques, Fine Wine and Whisky, Mar 27
AUCTION Calendar
Because this list is compiled in advance, alterations or cancellations to the auctions listed can occur and it is not possible to notify readers of the changes. We strongly advise anyone wishing to attend an auction especially if they have to travel any distance, to telephone the organiser to confirm the details given.
The Retro Auction Sale Plus Model Railway Auction, Mar 13
Silver, Jewellery and Watches, Mar 13
Antiques and Collectables, Mar 14
Fine Silver, Jewellery and Watches, Mar 27
Medals and Militaria, Mar 27
Antiques, Fine Art and Collectables, Mar 28
Tennants Auctioneers The Auction Centre, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5SG, 01969 623780
Modern and Contemporary Art, Mar 1
20th-Century Design, Mar 1
Antiques and Interiors, to include a Section of Silver, Mar 7
Asian Art, Mar 7
Asian Art, Mar 14
The Spring Sale, Mar 15
British, European and Sporting Art, Mar 15
Fine Jewellery, Watches and Silver, Mar 15
Militaria and Ethnographica, Mar 19
Antiques and Interiors to Include Designer Fashion, Mar 21
A Single Owner Collection of Royal Mint Coins - Part II, Mar 26
Thomson Roddick Callan
The Auction Centre, Marconi Road, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA2 7NA, 01228 535 288
www.thomsonroddick.com
Interior Sale, Mar 3
Antiquarian & Collectable Books, Prints and Related Items, Mar 6
Antiques, Silver, Jewellery, Ceramics, Glass & Oriental Works of Art, Mar 17
Wilkinson’s Auctioneers
The Old Salesroom, 28 Netherhall
AUCTION Calendar
Because this list is compiled in advance, alterations or cancellations to the auctions listed can occur and it is not possible to notify readers of the changes. We strongly advise anyone wishing to attend an auction especially if they have to travel any distance, to telephone the organiser to confirm the details given.
Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN1 2PW, 01302 814 884 wilkinsons-auctioneers.co.uk
Antiques and Fine Furniture, Mar 9
Private Collection of Early Carvings and Metalware, Mar 9
1 The Square, Church Street, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5BD
01732 865 988 or 07836233473 cato@lennoxcato.com
www.lennoxcato.com
Malvern Flea & Collectors Fair
Hundreds of indoor and outdoor stalls offering everything from furniture through to toys. A fair not to be missed!
Sunday 23rd July
Holiday Monday 28th Aug
Three Counties Showground, Worcs. WR13 6NW. Entrance
7.30am-3.30pm - £5
Please check www.b2bevents.info in case dates have changed or been cancelled Tel: 01636 676531 www.b2bevents.info
A RARE ELIZABETHAN RUBY AND
1560-1580 ENAMEL RING, CIRCA ESTIMATE: £6,000–£8,000
A GOLD WRISTWATCH BY PATEK PHILIPPE, REF. 3538, CIRCA 1972 ESTIMATE: £3,000–£5,000
AN ENAMEL AND DIAMOND SERPENT BRACELET, CIRCA 1860 ESTIM ATE: £3,000–£5,000
01422 843189 o ce@terrierantiques.co.uk www.terrierantiques.co.uk QUALITY ANTIQUES & OBJETS D’ART 26 Market St, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 6AA
COTSWOLD
Thur 12 noon - 8 pm Fri & Sat 11 am - 6 pm Sun 11 am - 5 pm 60
JOIN US FOR CADA’s12th annual fair bringing the best of the cotswolds to the city CHELSEA OLD TOWN HALL KING’S ROAD, LONDON SW3 5EE
20 to 23 MARCH 2025
for tickets to the fair at www.thecada.org
Marc
My Words
BBC Antiques Roadshow expert Marc Allum shares one of his trade secrets on repurposing antique leather
Iam a rm believer in Plato’s immortal words: “our need will be the real creator”, or, to modern ears: “necessity is the mother of invention”. Today’s antiques business is all about ability, which is probably the reason I never get bored.
One area that springs to mind is taking artefacts out of their original context and repurposing them, to give them a new lease of life. So when it comes to a wall display, how about a collection of old keys, cabbage-ware plates, old rotary kitchen whisks or clock dials? ere’s something for us all.
Why not put a garden sculpture in the house? Granted, it won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but we often see shop signs or ttings, as well as industrial antiques in a domestic setting, so why not garden ornaments? e problem is staying ahead of the trend. You might think an idea is unique but, rest assured, someone has spotted it, too. At the risk of giving away a trade secret, I have one example of repurposing that I have enjoyed over the decades, and you might too.
Cordoba leather
If you are a keen visitor of stately homes and country houses, you may have noticed rooms decorated with beautifully hand-coloured and gilded, embossed leather
wall panels. ese panels were particularly fashionable in the 17th and early 18th centuries and mainly came from Spain. Known as Cordoba leather (named after the Andalusian city of Córdoba, famous for its highquality leather since the 10th century), it became part of sumptuous decorative hangings and the wall coverings of grand rooms, as well as seat coverings, altar screens and even oor mats, bedspreads and screens.
Despite being called “Cordoba leather”, apart from the rst examples from the 16th century, it was rarely produced in Spain. Manufacturers took the technique to France, Germany, the Netherlands and England. Each production centre had its own characteristics and the use of di erent techniques developed over the centuries.
But the style fell out of fashion in the 18th century and it was removed from its original settings and scrapped. Other examples wore out or fell prey to old-fashioned leather rot, meaning in-situ survivors became all the rarer.
Ahead of the curve
However, I frequently come across fragmentary examples that have limped on to the present day. (Nothing seems to put a buyer o more than a screen which is full of holes.)
Below right With a bit of spit and polish, repurposed 300-yearold leather panels look
Pieces that have survived in large enough sections can be mounted in frames and hang back on the wall. While some specialists demand a lot of money for good examples, Cordoba leather crops up at auctions and, considering its age and beauty, some superlative pieces can be picked up for relatively small amounts of money.
A little elbow grease and some restorer’s wax can result in a wonderfully decorative feature that’s also 300 years old. So you, too, can become a repurposer ahead of the curve (well, almost).
Marc Allum is an author, lecturer and specialist on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. For more details go to www.marcallum.co.uk
‘Pieces that have survived in large enough sections can be mounted in frames and hang back on the wall. While some specialists demand a lot of money for good examples, Cordoba leather crops up at auctions and, considering its age and beauty, some superlative pieces can be picked up for relatively small amounts of money’
Above Pieter de Hooch (1629-1684) a 17th-century interior decorated with gilded leather panels
