1. A George III mahogany clock
This George III mahogany striking bracket clock signed for Thomas Mudge and William Dutton, London, emerged for sale at Schuler Auction in Zurich on March 20. Standing 15in (37cm) high, this fine quality timekeeper from c.1780, sold to an online bidder at SFr19,000 (£15,200), many times the estimate of SFr1000-2000.
2. A Russian silver presentation figure
At Roseberys London on March 25 this 42cm high Russian silver presentation equestrian figure sold to an online bidder at £10,500 (estimate £2000-3000). With St Petersburg marks for 1899-1908, the figure of a cavalry soldier with drawn sabre on stepped red marble plinth is applied with two plaques engraved (in Russian) with the name of Julius Lyubovistky, General of the Infantry, and a list of senior officers.
As Lyubovitsky retired from the army in 1905 to become a member of the State Council of Imperial Russia, it is likely this piece was given to him in that year to mark the end of an immensely successful military career. He was responsible for much of the peacetime training of the Imperial army and likely played a prominent role in the selection of the Mosin-Nagant , featured prominently in this figure, as the standard Russian service rifle.
3. A Chenghua mark blue and white bowl
Estimated at just £20-30, a Chinese blue and white bowl with a Chenghua (1464-87) reign mark sold to an online bidder for £8500 (plus 15% buyer’s premium) at Shouler & Son of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, on March 21. The 6in (15cm) diameter bowl, with a substantial hairline crack, had been turned down during a house clearance by a better-known firm. It was thought to be a Kangxi (1661-1725) honorific copy of a Ming palace bowl.
4. A Kangxi mark and period dragon dish
This Kangxi (1661-1722) mark and period dragon dish sold for £28,000 at Tennants of Leyburn on March 23. Measuring 13in (32cm) across it is incised and painted to a green ground with an aubergine dragon chasing the flaming pearl with further dragons to the border and the exterior. According to the regulations governing members of the Imperial household drawn up under the emperor Qianlong (1735-96), dishes of this green and aubergine type were specifically assigned to the Fifth Rank Concubine. This piece was in good condition, with only a faint 1cm hairline crack and other very minor wear to count against it.
The pair to the dish that followed was in rather poorer condition: two large sections of the rim had been broken and restock with some some sections missing. It sold at £2000.
5. A Pablo Picasso dish
Tête de chèvre de profil, a dish designed by Pablo Picasso for the Madoura Pottery in 1952 sold to an online bidder for £11,000 at Lyon & Turnbull’s inaugural Modern Made sale in London on March 28. The 16in (40cm) dish, stamped and marked 'Madoura Plein Feu / Empreinte Originale de Picasso / Edition Picasso' (underneath), is one from an edition of 100.
6. A Chinese dish with boys at play
In the language of Chinese ceramics, vessels decorated with a continuous landscape of boys at play signifies an auspicious wish for many sons. This 9in (22cm) bowl with blurred underglaze blue decoration was catalogued as Qing or later but shares some characteristics of Chenghua (1464-87) period porcelains. At Andrew Smith & Son of Itchen Stoke, Winchester, it improved upon a £150-180 estimate to bring £9000.
