Olympia Auctions backs cultural institutions in face of funding issues caused by coronavirus

A percentage of the commission from the three upcoming auctions will be donated by the firm to a number of charities. The sales that are part of the charity campaign are in April, May and June.

Beneficiaries will be Westminster Abbey, The Wallace Collection (to support ongoing research into the collection of arms and armour from India, Iran and the Ottoman Empire) and The Grange Festival in Hampshire.

The sales include pictures, works of art, ceramics, silver, jewellery, arms, armour and militaria.

The vendor’s commission will be reduced from 15% to 10%, and half of this will be given by Olympia Auctions to the designated charity.

Sellers will be encouraged to match this donation, or indeed exceed it. Some generous consignments have already been received where the entire proceeds will be given to the relevant charity.

Among the lots coming up for sale are:

Flowers on a window sill (1978) by Winifred Nicholson (1893-1981), estimated £20,000-30,000.

A portrait of a boy and whippet by Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723) and studio. The oil on canvas is estimated at £4000-6000.

A Limoges enamel panel from late 15^th/early 16^th century, estimated at £4000-6000.

A 15^th century Italian marriage casket from the workshop of Baldassare Embriachi, either Florence or Venice, estimated at £4000-6000.

A south German etched, gilt and embossed closed burgonet, Augsburg, c.1555- 60 with the etching attributed to Jörg Sorg the Younger. It is estimated at £40,000-60,000.

A cased pair of 42 bore flintlock duelling pistols by Joseph Manton c.1813 estimated at £8000-12,000.