A remarkable collection of Arts & Crafts silver which recently came to light after 40 years in a bank vault sold at Reeman Dansie of Colchester last month.
The vendor was the daughter of Douglas
Shepherd, a designer and architect who worked for the brewery Ind
Coope and collected silver by Omar Ramsden, Robert Ashbee and
Archibald Knox in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.
Most highly rated among 87 lots on February
12 was this Cymric silver, enamel and blister pearl biscuit box by
Liberty & Co, after a design by Archibald Knox.
Weighing a total of 28oz and standing 7½in
(19.5cm) high, it was marked for Birmingham 1900 and further
engraved to the base with the date 1903.
Speculation that it was the only known
example outside that in the Victoria & Albert Museum attracted
eight telephone bidders and an opening bid of £7000, well above the
pre-sale estimate of £4000-5000.
A battle between London dealer Jan Van Den
Bosch and a UK private collector on the telephone saw it sell to
the latter at £26,000 (plus 17.5% buyer's premium).
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