February Interiors Sale
Sales Report
Our February Interiors Auction featured a wonderful array of lots, from the classic to the modern, from the quirky to the traditional. With a busy saleroom and plenty of bids both online and via telephones, our second Monthly Interiors Auction of the year was a fantastic event both for our buyers and vendors alike.
One of the top lots of the day was a remarkable sycamore ‘Peep Show’ style slide viewer, dating from the 19th Century. Dubbed the ‘virtual reality’ of the Victorian times, this Peep Show displayed popular scenes of the Thames Tunnel, constructed in between 1825 and 1843. The construction of the Thames Tunnel was highly popular in Peep Shows of the time. The V & A houses the Gestetner Collection of paper Peep Shows, containing no less than sixty examples of the Thames Tunnel through viewers. A fantastic lot depicting a real moment in history, this piece captured the imagination of our bidders and settled at £1,400.
Lot 56 – A Victorian sycamore "Peep Show" style slide viewer, sold for £1,400.
Another eye-catching lot from the Victorian times was an impressive enamel sign, advertising the United Kingdom Tea Company’s Teas. Operating from Mincing Lane, London – known as ‘The Street of Tea’ - the East India Company hosted Tea Auctions from 1836 to 1935. In a wonderful colourful and decorative design, measuring an imposing 92 by 61cm, there was fierce bidding competition for this piece and it eventually sold for £1,000.
An enamelled advertising sign - United Kingdom Tea Company's Teas, 92cm x 61cm. Sold for £1,000.
As ever, our selection of ceramics in the auction featured a variety of lots, from tea services, to vases, to figures. Larger sets of tea and coffee ware sold particularly well, with a colourful set of 19th Century porcelain selling for £420, and an 88 piece set of Royal Albert ‘Country Roses’ reaching £380.
Forty pieces of English 19th century porcelain tea/coffee ware, sold for £420.
An 88-piece Royal Albert Old Country Roses tea, coffee and dinner service, sold for £380.
Also reaching a hammer of £380 was a lovely lot of early 19th Century blue transfer ceramics. This was a varied lot, featuring meat platter, rum plates and various other plates in an array of oriental and pastoral inspired motifs.
A selection of ceramics, to include an early 19th century blue transfer meat platter, two Davenport pierced rum plates etc. Sold for £380.
Representing oriental ceramics, a lovely blue and white Chinese ginger jar with a beautiful floral decoration attracted a flurry of commission and room bids, selling for £300.
A Blue and white Chinese ginger jar with lid, sold for £300.
Our furniture department also attracted some healthy results, with an attractive Victorian walnut suite of furniture selling for £380, and in a contrasting Deco design, a maple dining table complete with eight chairs sold for £380. A re-upholsterer’s dream in the form of a Georgian style sofa also attracted plenty of interest and sold for £280.
A Georgian style walnut scroll-end sofa. Sold for £280.
Art Deco style pedestal maple dining table and eight matching chairs, 195 x 112cm. Sold for £380.
A Victorian walnut 3- piece suite complete with double mirror door wardrobe, dressing table and washstand with marble top and base, sold for £380.
Our collectibles section also featured some strong bidding, with a large collection of cigarette cards reaching £360, and a carbon copy memorandum from 1888 relating to Everton Football Club sold for £300.
A large collection of cigarette cards, sold for £360.
Carbon copy memorandum from Everton FC , Walton Breck Road, Headquarters, sold for £300.
Our next Interiors Auction will take place on Thursday 5th March. If you have any items you wish to consign to these varied, eclectic and popular auctions, pop along to one of our valuation days, or arrange an appointment with one of our valuers at a time to suit you.
Alternatively, if you are looking for that conversation piece to add to your interior scheme, looking to start or increase your collection, or for furniture at a fraction of retail price, make sure you come along to our viewings, taking place on Saturday 29th February from 9:30am until 12pm, Wednesday 4th March from 9am until 5pm and on Thursday 5th March from 9am until the sale commences at 10am.
