Dreweatts

The term ‘Grand Tour picture’ is somewhat amorphous. It is mostly used to refer to 18th century and 19th century works purchased by wealthy young gentleman on their travels around Europe, particularly in Italy, as they ‘completed’ their education.

Copies of royal portraits from across the centuries are something that always seems to catch the eye when you flick through (or scroll through) the reams of pictures listed in auction catalogues.

Chinese emperors certainly got the message when it came to artistic advances

A £1.2m house record at Dreweatts was the highlight of the recent round of UK Asian art sales.

This 2ft (60cm) tianqiuping or ‘heavenly globe vase’ is seemingly the only one known with this decoration.

Dreweatts’ May 18 sale of Chinese ceramics and works of art includes a 42-piece Chinese export part service which has been in the same family since purchase in c.1755.

Dreweatts’ (25% buyer’s premium) Modern & Contemporary Art sale on March 16 was led by some distance by the rare lead Mother and Child sculpture by Henry Moore (1898-1986) which was bid to £320,000 (see News, ATG No 2535).

China trade wares attract significant bidding at Dreweatts

Provenance adds cachet to a varied selection offered in regional sale after London first dibs

Silver was the major strength of a recent two-day sale at Dreweatts (25% buyers’ premium). All bar one of the 549 lots got away to a hammer total tipping the £1m mark.

For many years the largest city outside London, Norwich had its own silver assay office during three periods from 1565-1702.

Dreweatts offered this market-fresh Henry Moore (1898-1986) figure group, 'Mother and Child', on March 16.

The collecting history of English silver spoons spans well over a century.

Auction figures for firms outside London show a shake-up of the status quo

In natural light this English ‘black glass’ onion form wine bottle appears distinctly blue.

Fresh generations of the famous family added to hall’s collections to create eclectic mix. Jonathan Franks reports.

It is thought that Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770) executed at least a hundred drawings featuring the Punchinelli, the hook-nosed, humpbacked clowns which were central to the commedia dell’arte. Jonathan Franks reports.

Appeal of Weston Hall contents particularly enhanced by 20th century occupants