Pot Lids and Stevengraphs were two areas of the market put to the test last month.
Neither of these subjects is attracting new young buyers - as
with crested china the demographics here tend to be male over the
age of 45 - and it is only the very best items that are performing
well.
Fortunately though for Bonhams, their sale in Honiton on
February 11 offered one such pot lid: The Dutch Fisherman,
a rare lid that includes the lettering Tatnell & Son and
Pegwell Bay.
This one, shown here, was in perfect condition and evidently
better than the equivalent lid sold by Specialist Auction Services
of Midgham, near Reading for £1500 in November. It sold to a UK
private collector at £2050.
On the strength of this extensive Stevengraphs offering of more
than 100 pieces, this once great collecting area is now desperately
in need of buyers at the entry level.
Admittedly condition was not always great - and original mounts
and fresh colours are traditionally important variables - but many
were selling for £20 or less. These are the sort of price levels
that really don't work either for the vendor (who gets next to
nothing after charges) or an 'international' auctioneer (who surely
can't make a profit on pennies).
The two lots performing above expectations here were a faded but
scarce mounted and framed silk of Niagara Falls which sold at £270
and the otherwise relatively common silk of the Houses of
Parliament, shown right, framed together with an original sketch
for the image signed by J. Seckerson.
To the back was an inscription stating the ribbon was the first
off the loom - enough for a collector to part with £560.
The buyer's premium was 17.5% .
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