PRINKNASH ABBEY PARK, GLOUCESTERSHIRE GL4 8EU 01452 344499
SALEROOM NEWS JANUARY 2020
Tuesday 28 January SPETCHLEY PARK | THE ATTIC SALE Historic pieces from one of Britain’s greatest estates will be offered in Chorley’s auction on Tuesday 28 January. We are honoured to have been instructed with the sale of surplus items from Spetchley Park in Worcestershire. Country House Attic sales of this type are rarer than ever and at Spetchley there are all the ingredients to attract worldwide attention from collectors. The pieces which have been sourced from the stores and attics of Spetchley Park in Worcestershire offer a tantalising glimpse of the interests of past members of the Berkeley family and range in value from under £100 to several thousand pounds. Spetchley Park has been a seat of one of Britain’s greatest dynasties, the Berkeley family, since the early 17th Century. The house has played its part in many historic events even being earmarked during World War II as the headquarters for Winston Churchill and his cabinet in the event of a successful German invasion. The present house at Spetchley was built in 1811 by Robert Berkeley (17641845) and it was largely furnished from acquisitions made on Grand Tours through Europe and travels in America and India by successive generations. A Gillows commission for Spetchley in the 1820s is reflected here in the furniture for example Lot 680, a Lot 680 pair of George IV rosewood and mahogany pole screens, attributed to Gillows, estimate £400600. The family purchased lots from country house sales, most notably Stowe in 1848. An intriguing post-sale catalogue from that 29-day auction was produced by Henry Rumsey Forster and it features prices realised as well as
the names of purchasers. Robert Berkeley (1794-1874) is listed as a subscriber to the publication and as one of the principal buyers. He was in good company, others among the principal buyers being Queen Victoria, The National Gallery, Earl Bathurst, the Dents (Sudeley Castle) and Robert Holford (Westonbirt House). The late Victorian era saw the marriage of Robert Valentine Berkeley (1853-1940) to Rose Willmott (1861-1922) who continued the family tradition of travel and collecting. During the Edwardian period they made improvements to the house and Rose developed the fantastic gardens at Spetchley, which continue to thrive to this day. Rose was assisted in the creation of the gardens by her older sister Ellen (1858-1934). Ellen Willmott was considered by many to be the leading lady gardener of her day and her garden at Warley Place in Essex one of the great English gardens. Upon Ellen’s Lot 636 death in 1934 her brother-in-law acquired several items from Warley and others were purchased at the 6-day contents sale held there in 1935 and it is likely that Lot 636 came into the collection at that time. This pretty petite sonnerie dressing table clock with its shagreen panelled case is engraved with Ellen’s name, estimate £100-150. Antiquarian books fill one side of our saleroom and cover some fascinating topics. Exquisite 19th Century hand tinted botanical reference books include Lot 377, ‘The Ladies Flower-Garden of Ornamental Perennials’ , estimate £300500. Travel journals such as Henry Koster’s ‘Travels in Brazil’ offer more adventurous fare, estimate £200-400, Lot 342.
Lot 377
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Lot 342
AUCTION | Tuesday 28 January Some extensive dinner, tea and coffee services include examples by Derby and Minton. Eye-catching smaller groups include a pair of Chelsea strawberry leaf moulded sauce boats, circa 1752, with crabstock handles, Lot 441, estimate £800-1,200.
Lot 441
Lot 703
In 1916, some improvements at Spetchley were recorded for the pages of Country Life by Henry Avray Tipping. In the images that accompany the article we can see that Lot 703, a fine mahogany silver table, was at that time located in the centre of the Drawing Room while Lot 679, a Swiss walnut cabinet described by Avray Tipping as 'unusually good', was on display in the Entrance Hall, where it remained until recently .
A country house would be expected to have an impressive selection of silverware and some of the surplus items from Spetchley are now offered in our auction, together with two huge 19th Century plate chests bearing Berkeley name plaques, Lot 152, estimate £300-500.
Lot 175
Lot 152
Lot 679
Lot 175
A graduated set of six George III silver meat dishes by Burwash & Sibley, London 1808/9, make an impressive display and should realise £3,000-5,000, Lot 175. Those with a big appetite but a smaller budget could still delight their dinner guests with Lot 101, six Sheffield plate oval dish covers, circa 1810, each engraved with the Berkeley family armorial, estimate £150-200. The items going under the hammer in our January sale have been amassed over 400 years and range from interesting curios and a library of antiquarian books to Worcester porcelain and rare silver. Some of the fascinating objects were acquired by the Berkeleys during their travels across Europe, North America and Colonial India and then kept in the property’s private museum; others were purchased at country house auctions throughout the 19th Century .
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Lot 101
VIEW DAYS | Sunday 26 & Monday 27 January
Lot 14
Lot 607
Some of the most fascinating objects in the sale have been hidden away in drawers at Spetchley for many years. An exquisite 17th Century Limoges enamel draw purse bears a portrait to each side of a lady and gentleman of the court, Lot 14, estimate £1,500-2,000. An ivory rosary bead, believed to be Flemish and date from the 17th Century, opens to reveal a detailed relief carving of the Adoration of the Magi and the Shepherds, Lot 607, estimate £2,000-3,000.
Other Properties offered in the auction include a Lot 74 group of Old Master Paintings from the collection of the late Lady Killearn, which until recently hung in the great hall of Little Sodbury Manor, South Gloucestershire. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn stayed at the 500 year old Grade I listed Manor during a ‘Summer Progress’ of 1535. It is also reputed that William Tyndale began his Bible translation there. The portraits largely dating to the 17th Century depict richly dressed ladies and armoured noblemen, Lot 86 and include a painting attributed to Cornelius Johnson, Lot 74, estimate £2,000-3,000.
Lot 87
From another local property come Lots 86 and 87 which by family tradition could be portraits of Elizabeth I and her suitor, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. The portraits are almost eclipsed by their ornate carved and gilded frames, estimate £3,000-5,000 and £6,000£8,000 respectively. A dramatic painting by English marine artist Peter Monamy (1681-1749) depicts Dutch, French and English vessels reefing their sails against a threatening sky and mounting waves, Lot 92, and carries pre-sale hopes of £8,000-£10,000.
Lot 92
Among the numerous rugs and carpets that will bring the auction to a close, Lot 737, a Ziegler carpet stands out. From one of Gloucestershire’s principal country houses and dating from 1900, this is of impressive size and hugely decorative, having colourful designs of lions and peacocks among flowers and foliage, estimate £12,000£18,000.
Lot 737
Auction: Tuesday 28 January, 10am
View Days: Sunday 26 January 10am-4pm Monday 27 January 9am-4pm Sale morning 8.30am-10am All figures provided in this Newsletter are estimates only. A buyer’s premium will be added to the hammer price of every lot, and other fees may apply. Fully illustrated catalogue now available at www.chorleys.com. Printed catalogues upon request. If you wish to bid but cannot view in person, please remember that we are happy to provide condition information upon request.
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FUTURE EVENTS & OTHER NEWS Time to update your insurance valuation? The value of the art and antiques in your home doesn’t just increase or decrease in line with inflation. Trends and fluctuations in the economy and the auction world can have a considerable effect on the value of different types of assets, such as gold, furniture or paintings. If your insurance valuation was undertaken more than 5 years ago, you could be insuring the wrong things, meaning that you are insufficiently covered while also paying too much premium. An up-to-date inventory can also be useful when considering capital gains or inheritance tax implications. Chorley’s is a member of SOFAA, the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers, whose mission is to promote and monitor the highest expertise and probity within the profession. Chorley’s is a preferred valuer of many leading insurance companies and legal advisors, who know that they can rely on our knowledge, attention to detail and discretion when undertaking valuations at properties containing important works of art, antiques, silver and jewellery. If you think you might need an inventory and valuation to be undertaken for insurance, or any other purpose, do get in touch. We would be happy to make a home visit, without charge or obligation, to discuss your requirements.
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Buyer’s Premium & Storage Charges Please note that from 1 January 2020 our buyer’s premium will be 22.5% (27% inclusive of VAT). Regrettably, due to the increasing problems caused for us by late collection of purchased lots, we will now start implementing the following storage fees for items that are not collected within the time period (usually seven working days after the auction) stated on the invoice. This will also apply to unsold lots that are not being reoffered in a future sale. Should you have special circumstances that make this timescale impossible, we would request that you let us know in advance where possible. Administration fee per client
£10 + VAT
Daily storage fee per lot
£2 + VAT
SPRING AUCTION DATES Tuesday 28 January Spetchley Park | The Attic Sale
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Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 March Fine Art & Antiques | Ceramics & Glass Closing date for entries 7 February
Tuesday 28 April Modern Art & Design Closing date for entries 20 March
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