“Expectations were not too good before the sale,” said Mr Williams but although a few of the regular shipping buyers were missing and there was some caution generally among the trade, the sale was “fairly respectable”.
Furniture dominated the sale, bringing all the best results. Topping the proceedings was a 19th century breakfast table. The 4ft 6in by 3ft 6in (1.37 x 1.06m) table had rosewood crossbanding to the rectangular top which was set on a turned column and shaped quadruple base. Sourced from a private Herefordshire family, the table had the advantage of being completely untouched. “It had not been cleaned or tarted up in any way,” said Mr Williams. Expected to take £1500-2000, it went to a dealer at £2800.
An 8ft by 2ft 8in (2.43m x 81cm) elm and oak refectory table with a four-plank top also went over estimate. The table had been stored for a number of years in the shed of a local private property and again was in wholly untouched condition. It went to the Ludlow trade at £2700. Stored in the same shed was an 18th century elm dresser.
Mr Williams was a bit disappointed at the levels of interest in the 6ft 2in by 6ft 5in (1.87 x 1.95m) piece which he admits was a “little plain”.
“Interest in these more mundane dressers has eased back a bit recently,” said Mr Williams but the dresser which had a rack fitted with small shelves to one side, a shaped frieze and a base with three drawers, went to the Shropshire trade for £2000.
An early 18th century walnut chest-on-chest was a “nice colour” but it had one major flaw – the top was “almost certainly” associated to the base. Considering this, Mr Williams felt the 3ft 3in (99cm) wide piece went to the East Midlands trade at a “fair enough” bid of £2600.
One of the biggest surprises of the day was the success of a set of 19th century mahogany four-tier graduated wall shelves. The shelves were a good “small” size at 3ft (91cm) wide and were of good quality with decorative brass baluster supports.
Mr Williams estimated the set at £120-150 but their usefulness, decorative quality and the inkling among a number of dealers that they were an original Regency set saw them soar over estimate to take £2350.
Silver was “going OK” according to Mr Williams. The “pretty little things” were still going well while the “large lumpy” pieces were proving harder to get away.
Small pieces that found success included an Edward VII pin-cushion in the form of a hedgehog with marks for Birmingham 1906 which took a mid-estimate £330, and a George IV vinaigrette in the form of an attaché case with trellis engraving and a pierced gilt grille, took £220.
There were no major successes in the ceramics, the best piece on offer being a 9in (23cm) high Royal Worcester potpourri jar and cover with moulded coloured scroll work to the border and handles and sprays of pink roses painted by May Blake. The piece was in very good condition and went to a private client on the bottom estimate £1000.
Brightwells,
Leominster,
October 10-11
Number of lots: 1140
Number of lots sold: n/a
Sale total: £130,400
Buyer’s premium:
10 per cent
Untouched furniture unaffected by outside world events
“In light of the current situation...” this is, understandably, now a well-worn phrase in provincial salerooms and Roger Williams was yet another auctioneer to utter them after his October sale on 10-11 October at Brightwells, Leominster.
