Namikawa’s name takes vase to the top

Some of the output – the vast majority of it made for the Western market – is quite breathtaking and all is of a superior quality.

The magic signature of Yasuyuki was the key to the top priced object of this Lawrences, Bletchingley (11% buyer's premium) March 18-20 sale: a fine (if not the very best) 5in (12cm) high vase and cover worked in gold and silver wire with six panels of flowers, butterflies and medallions and finished to the cover with a kiku knop.

It was consigned for sale with an estimate of £2500-4000 by a local collector who had owned it for many years, selling to a London dealer for £5000.

This was one of a handful of commercial Oriental works of art in this three-day sale.

A good-quality signed Satsuma pot pourri vase and cover, around 3in (7.5cm) high, decorated with figural and landscape panels within an all-over floral design made five times its estimate at £560 while, despite damage to both, a pair of large 19th century Cantonese famille verte baluster form vases decorated with figures in continuous landscapes brought £1050.

An unusual entry to the European works of art was a collection of 19th century ivory, horn and mother-of-pearl snuff box lids mounted in a plaque and surrounded by brass and hardstone roundels.

Around eight or nine lids made up this highly decorative one-off that auctioneer Robin Lawrence had spotted while valuing a lack-lustre china cabinet in a council house in Redhill. It sold for £1750 (estimate £300-500).

Easier to call were both a Royal Dux matt glazed porcelain figure of a girl in a flowing dress seated with an urn of water beside a pool decorated with lily pads sold at £530 and a good quality walnut cased concertina by Lachenal & Co., London sold in its fitted burr walnut case as predicted for £560.

Victorian and Edwardian furniture had the edge of quality above the earlier pieces. Estimated at up to £2000 but, after a duel between two private buyers, sold for £4200 was an Edwardian mahogany bureau bookcase embellished with satinwood lines and marquetry swags to both the fall front and the architectural cornice plus ornate cast brass handles and escutcheons to five drawers.

There were solid performances from two slightly out-of-favour forms, a Victorian davenport and credenza.

The piano top mahogany davenport with a rising superstructure took £1550. The good-quality Victorian credenza – bowed glazed doors to the side, figured walnut ground, ormolu mounts and a central marquetry vase of flowers, insects and classical scrolls – made £3500 (estimate £3000-5000). The latter was a welcome result for Mr Lawrence who pointed to the absence of the Italian trade (traditionally strong buyers of smart credenzas) and some imperfections to this example including a faded colour and a bowed top caused by some excessive central heating.