Market fresh furniture always commands extra interest and these pieces had remained in Barnsley’s family after his death and were inherited by his son Edward Barnsley, a famous furniture maker in his own right. They eventually passed down to his grandson who was the vendor here.
Offered separately, all five lots went over estimate and sold for a combined £33,800.
Serious bidding in particular came for a rosewood wall mirror probably made by Barnsley for Kenton & Company. The 2ft 6in x 19.25in (75 x 49cm) frame was decorated with holly and ebony borders which were inset with mother of pearl and abalone. It had four roundels with tesserae borders.
The mirror compared closely to another also thought to be made for Kenton which features in a photograph signed by Sidney Barnsley and dated 1903 (the image features in the book Gimson & The Barnsleys: Wonderful Furniture of a Commonplace Kind by Mary Comino).
Estimated at £4000-6000 for the sale on June 22, it drew competition from a number of parties before selling at £17,500.
Carved Motifs
Also drawing keen bidding was an oak coffer by Sidney Barnsley. Measuring 3ft 11in (1.2m) wide by 21in (54cm) high, it had a hinged lid and featured carved heart and diamond motifs to the front.
Estimated at £3000-5000, it sold at £6500.
The carved heart and diamond motif on the Sidney Barnsley oak coffer.
The other items consigned from the same collection featured two further pieces by Sidney Barnsley: an oak cupboard that fetched £2400 (est: £1000-1500) and mother of pearl inlaid walnut dressing table mirror that took £4000 (£2000-3000). The fifth lot from the consignment was a pair of wrought iron fire dogs designed by Ernest Gimson and made by Alfred Bucknell. Estimated at £2000-3000, the lot was knocked down at £3400.
Edward Barnsley Furniture
A private collection of Edward Barnsley furniture provided a further nine lots to the Woolley & Wallis sale. All of them found buyers, raising a combined £15,550 to the bottom line.
Two of the lots which were commissioned by the vendors directly from the maker himself. These included an English walnut desk and chair which was commissioned in 1934 as a wedding present and, offered together, made the highest price of the consignment.
The 5ft wide by 2ft 1in high (1.51m x 63cm) desk had two graduated banks of four drawers and ebonised wood handles.
Estimated at £500-1000, the desk and accompanying chair drew decent competition and was eventually knocked down at £6000.
