Charles Monro's House at Finchley, a watercolour by JMW Turner, estimated at £30,000-50,000 at Ewbank’s.
1. JMW Turner watercolour
An early watercolour by JMW Turner (1775-1851) is being offered at Ewbank’s in Surrey on June 22. Dating from 1793-4, the view of a house in Finchley, London has been consigned by the descendants of the patron for whom it was painted.
Measuring 8.75 x 11.5in (22 x 29cm), the signed watercolour depicts the imposing mansion of Charles Monro, the elder brother of Turner’s main patron during this period Dr Thomas Monro (1759-1833).
After passing to Charles’s son and namesake, it has descended through the same family to the present day. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1887 as well as at the Monro Academy Exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1976.
The estimate at Ewbank’s is £30,000-50,000.
View the lot description for this Turner watercolour on thesaleroom.com.
2. George III silver chambersticks
Pair of George III sterling silver chambersticks by Charles Price, London 1814, estimate £1200-1600 at Chiswick Auctions.
This pair of George III sterling silver chambersticks by Charles Price, London 1814, offered for sale at Chiswick Auctions on June 21 are engraved with the ducal initials for Harriet Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans (1777-1837).
Hers was the ultimate rags to riches story.
Born Harriet Beauclerk into a travelling theatre troupe, she became famous as a child actress. In secret, and against substantial opposition from his family, she married banker Thomas Coutts (1735-1822) and on his death in 1822 inherited his whole fortune of around £600,000. She married her second husband William Aubrey de Vere Beauclerk, 9th Duke of St Albans, in 1827.
While dubbed ‘the richest widow in the United Kingdom’ by The Morning Post, Harriet became senior partner in Coutts & Co and took an active role in decisions made in the business. Under the term of her will, she did her utmost to protect the bank’s future and safeguard the Coutts inheritance from beyond the grave.
The engraving of the ducal initials for Harriet Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans, on the George III sterling silver chambersticks offered at Chiswick Auctions.
The majority of the family silver was stored in vaults in Coutts until 1914 when some 35,000 ounces formed part of the Coutts Heirloom sale. All elements of the service bear Harriet’s personal monogram and ducal coronet in prominent position rather than the Beauclerk crest.
Estimate £1200-1600.
View these chambersticks via thesaleroom.com.
3. Portolan chart
Mid-17th century vellum portolan chart, estimate £15,000-20,000 at Lyon & Turnbull.
With a provenance to Paxton House, Berwickshire, this mid-17th century vellum portolan chart has a guide of £15,000-20,000 as part of the Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps and Photographs sale at Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh on June 21.
Showing the Mediterranean from Portugal in the west to the Levantine seaboard in the east, it includes a number of decorative vignettes including the Habsburg coat of arms within the Spanish landmass, a Jerusalem cityscape over the Holy Land and scenes of Islamic rulers in turbans and robes across north Africa and Turkey.
The inset map of Marseilles is a clue to its origin. It is signed Faict A Marseille par Bremond, 1663 [sic] for the Bremond family of cartographers.
View this portolan map via thesaleroom.com.
4. Bonzo the dog
Chad Valley Bonzo the dog, estimate £300-400 at Special Auction Services.
A single-owner collection of ‘character toys’ will be going under the hammer at Special Auction Services in Newbury on June 20.
The Mike Williams Collection comprises nearly 90 mainly British children’s characters from television, film, nursery rhymes, newspaper comic strips and comics as well as books by prolific authors including Enid Blyton and Beatrix Potter dating from 1900-50s.
It was amassed over 25 years and he and his wife spent many of their UK holidays scouring antiques fairs in pursuit of rare and sought after pieces from a variety of makers. So great was his passion that it rubbed off on his wife, who became an avid collector of teddy bears.
She says: “On every holiday our first port of call was the nearby antiques centre. Collecting was his life and it became our way of life.” She describes their house as “like walking into a toy museum” as the collection was displayed throughout.
Shown here is a Chad Valley Bonzo the dog (estimate £300-400).
View these character toys via thesaleroom.com.
5. Naval medal
Naval General Service Medal with a rare Eurotas clasp, estimate £4000-5000 at Noonans.
Estimated at £4000-5000 at the sale of Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria at Noonans, London, June 21 is this Naval General Service Medal with a rare Eurotas clasp.
Only 32 clasps were issued for this bloody action on February 15, 1814, when a British 38-gunner engaged the French frigate Clorinde on her way to Brest. During the side-by-side battle the Eurotas lost her masts and 23 men (including her captain) but the damage inflicted on the Clorinde meant it was subsequently captured.
This medal is engraved for Thomas Gallyer, confirmed on the roll as an Ordinary Seaman aboard the Eurotas.
