Their recent saleroom history charts the ups and downs of the market over the past 30 years.
Marriage celebration
The little 3½in (9cm) caudle cup, inscribed William Chip and Elizabeth Chip and dated 1676, was probably made to celebrate a marriage.
This piece was included in Christie’s 1990 Rous Lench sale when, with the delft market at its zenith, it was purchased by Jonathan Horne for Syd Levethan’s Longridge collection for £22,000.
Pelham Olive purchased it in the January 2011 Levethan sale for a much lower price of $15,000 (then around £9400). At the Olive sale it realised £8500.
The London made ‘puzzle’ posset pot, measuring 10in (26cm) wide across the handles, with restoration, is decorated with the arms of the Merchant Taylor’s Company and inscribed WTL 1674.
It featured in another major sale of delftware held at the height of the market, that of John Phillip Kassebaum at Sotheby’s in 1991. Then it was secured for £32,000 by Horne for Levethan’s Longridge collection. At the Levethan sale in 2011 Pelham Olive acquired it below estimate at £12,000. Last month, it went for a mid-estimate £14,000.
The 9in (24cm) diameter Staffordshire slipware dish from c.1700-20 mounted with an equestrian figure was another Rous Lench piece from Christie’s 1990 sale. Entering the Levethan collection at £15,000, in 2011 it realised $20,000 (then around £12,500). In the Olive sale it made £11,000.
