Leading the day at £3600 was this pair of 51/2in (14cm) high Derby figures, right, of musicians of c.1756.
They had quite a bit of damage repairs and deficiencies to the extremities, and the auctioneers thought some of the decoration might have been later, prompting a modest £700-900 estimate.
However, the quality of their modelling overcame their condition. Following at a double-estimate £3000 was the mid-18th century delft dish, right, painted with a tall industrial-looking building by a bridge, which had been catalogued as possibly Liverpool. Overall the sale realised just over £80,000 with 68 per cent sold by lot and 79 by value.
The image of quality and industry
English ceramics may have been the junior partner to their Continental cousins in lot terms at Christie’s South Kensington (17.5/10% buyer’s premium) on June 27, making up just 81 of the 230 lots, but they provided the two highest prices.
