It was one of these many furniture dealers who scooped the pick of the day, a 19th century rosewood crossbanded and line inlaid breakfast table. The 3ft 9in by 4ft 9in (1.14 x 1.44m) table, which had an octagonal column and line-inlaid quadruped base with brass terminals, had been in storage for many years while its owner was in the Far East. During a visit home the vendor decided to sell everything. It was a quality piece and in good condition and was knocked down to the Dorking trade at £4000.
Two of the top selling furniture items came to the rooms as a result of vendors moving into retirement homes. From a Haslemere vendor came an 18th century 5ft (1.52m) wide oak dresser with open shelves to the top and three doors and a cupboard to the base which went to the local trade at £3400.
From an elderly lady in Oxshott came a late 17th century Anglo Dutch walnut and marquetry chest. The top and sides of the chest, which was in “fair” condition, were inlaid with panels of scrolling foliage and there were two short and three long drawers all on a later base. Another local trade buy, it made £2800.
The local trade also took a fine George III gentleman’s mahogany wardrobe. The 4ft 2in wide (1.27m) wardrobe had two doors, each with oval shell inlay, and two short and two long drawers to the underneath.
In suitably good condition it brought £2300.
From the same private source came a late Regency mahogany dining table and a set of six late Regency mahogany dining chairs.
The table, 6ft 11in (2.10m) when fully extended, had been altered at some point which made the £2500-4000 estimate look a bit bullish and a Belgian dealer was able to secure it with a bid of £2000.
The dining chairs, which were offered together with a similar pair of open armchairs, all had back rails carved with scrolls and anthemion and central pierced horizontal splats with S-scrolls.The chairs got away for a mid-estimate £2300.
One of the biggest surprises of the day was the success found in the ceramics by a Royal Doulton flambé hare. The 6in (15cm) high hare was one of three flambé figures offered.
As the rarest of the three figures and in unusually good condition, the hare was desirable to a strong band of collectors and it was one such collector, from the North of England, who chased it from its £50-100 estimate to £1000.
Two Japanese lots discovered during a clearance at a house in Esher appealed to the London trade.
A 19th century Satsuma 141/2in (37cm) high vase of round form with a short neck and a flared top was decorated with patterned bands and four panels with flowers and birds all on a pale ground.
The vase had gilt character marks to the base and was chased over the £500 top estimate to £2200 by a London dealer. The other Japanese lot, a pair of 19th century vases, went to a different London dealer.
Each 181/2in (47cm) high vase was decorated with geometric patterns of flowers and foliage and had two main and two secondary panels of bamboo and flowers and gilt temple dog handles. The pair took £3000.
Ewbanks, Send, October 4
Number of lots: 637
Number of lots sold: n/a
Sale total: £89,240
Buyer’s premium: 15 per cent
Furniture dealers turn out in force to allay worries
Like most provincial auctioneers, Christopher Ewbank was rather apprehensive of the market prior to his October sale on 4 October at Send. “I was relieved really,” said Mr Ewbank after the sale where attendance was strong and the “furniture dealers were still out in force”.
