Latest News Articles by Terence Ryle
Twentieth century design in the regions led by Beuer chaise longue
07 January 2019While five-figure sums for top-end 20th century design furniture are familiar in the international centres of New York, Paris and London, fewer pieces appear in the UK regional market.
Furniture: bright signs for the best
21 December 2018While the market shows increasingly discerning tastes, quality definitely counts at auction.
No sign of Mouseman demand tailing off
21 December 2018Never out of fashion, the best furniture by Robert Thompson is going through one of its periodic surges – as evident at Wilkinson’s Doncaster rooms last month (ATG No 2369) and at Sworders of Stansted Mountfichet (ATG No 2363) in October.
Hat pins hit the spot at auction
21 December 2018High-priced luxury handbags and other luxury goods made the most money at Tennants (20% buyer’s premium) sale of Costume, Accessories and Textiles at Leyburn but collectors’ interest was more focused on a private collection of hat pins.
Sewing boxes head to new homes and chess set checks in
17 December 2018The two sewing boxes modelled as houses shown below were made for different markets but both had strong appeal to UK collectors.
Stuart and early Georgian silver from early 20th century collector starts Kent sale with aplomb
17 December 2018On the market for the first time in at least 60 years, and in some cases for more than a century, a small collection of 17th and 18th century silver accounted for a fraction of the lots but 20% of the total at the two-day winter sale at Canterbury Auction Galleries (24% buyer’s premium).
Lalique mirror saved from dustbin
17 December 2018The bronze pieces produced by Rene Lalique are perhaps less well-known than the master’s jewellery and glass but seldom so under-rated that they are consigned to the dustbin, as was the case with this c.1910 hand mirror, below.
Swiss watch is an eyecatcher
17 December 2018Eclipsed in price by a £150,000 pearl (News, ATG No 2369), the c.1810 Swiss gold automaton pocket watch shown below was at least as eye-catching at the Roseberys (25% buyer’s premium) jewellery and watches auction on November 20.
Lecturer’s delftware is talk of the saleroom
17 December 2018Very much a buyer’s market these days, English ceramics in their various forms are affordable to collectors on modest budgets.
Cumbrian book sales on the starting blocks
17 December 2018Packed with job lots in many categories, the book section of a three-day antiques auction held at Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium) in the Cumbrian market town of Cockermouth heralded an intent to make such sales a regular feature.
Potlids cover themselves in glory to nearly sell out
10 December 2018It is 40 years since 19th century potlids were the collectables of choice but there is still a very active market for them.
Musical duet offering from Bowie and Sheeran
10 December 2018Musicians from different generations provided sound results at Suffolk saleroom Bishop & Miller (19% buyer’s premium).
Auctioneers offer golden oldies
10 December 2018Illustrated here are some of the oldest lots ever auctioned – three in the Evolution Sale at on November 20 at Summers Place Auctions (25/20% buyer’s premium) of Billingshurst, West Sussex, and the other from Fonsie Mealy (23% buyer’s premium inc VAT) of Castlecomer, Ireland, in a sale held on the same day.
Child’s play also for grown-ups: a look at the toys and games market
10 December 2018Originally given as presents to infants, early dolls, rocking horses and even board games can now inspire passions among collectors far surpassing the delight of children on Christmas morning and far exceeding most doting parents’ budgets.
Rocking horse gallops to fine auction finish
10 December 2018A rare rocking horse by one of the top 19th-early 20th century makers, FH Ayres of London, left quite a lot to be desired but raced away at Adam Partridge’s (15% buyer’s premium) Macclesfield sale on November 23.
19th century doll comes with trunk of clothes too
10 December 2018Believed to have been in the same family since new, a rare 19th century Jules Steiner doll and her trunk of clothes demolished the estimate at a wide-ranging sale at Lawrences (22% buyer’s premium) at Crewkerne on November 16.
Naval chairs capable of being folded away for battle stations are exceptional survivors
03 December 2018In a specialist maritime and scientific instruments auction there were only three furniture lots at Charles Miller (24% buyer’s premium), but one of them led the day.
Norwich bidders eager for beaker
26 November 2018An English provincial rarity, the 3½in (9cm) tall, c.1688 Norwich beaker below was a target for collectors at Henry Adams (20% buyer’s premium) of Chichester.
Forres silver reaches high point at Thomson Roddick sale
26 November 2018Rare as Forres silver is, three pieces by the Highland town’s smiths John and Patrick Riach were on offer at Edinburgh auction house Thomson Roddick (17.5% buyer’s premium) on October 11 – the fiddle pattern dessert spoon, below, and two characteristic Scottish toddy labels.
Guild edged Arts & Crafts at Stacey’s auction
26 November 2018This classical Guild of Handicrafts bowl, below, underlined the popularity of Arts & Crafts silver when offered by Essex auction house Stacey’s (20% buyer’s premium).