The Crompton-Stansfield family collection featured a series of sentimental jewels from the late 17th to the 19th century, many of them marking anniversaries, wedding, births and deaths from a well-to-do Midlands-Yorkshire family that included mayors and members of parliament among their number.
Well-preserved and offered without reserved, many went above estimate. Typical of this time-capsule collection was a yellow gold and silver slide, garnet and enamel slide set with a Stuart crystal over woven hair and interlocking initials.
It was inscribed to the fittings MC Obt 23 June 97 and AF Obt 27 October 97 and accompanied by a 19th century handwritten label stating the slide was owned by Mrs Stansfield of Esholt Hall widow of Robert Stansfield.
Jane Stansfield (nee Busfield Ferrand) of Harden Hall, Stockport, married Robert Stansfield (1727-72) of Esholt Hall in Bradford. It is thought the slide, which dates to c.1700, originally belonged to a member of the Busfield Ferrand family. Guided at £300-500 (a garnet was missing), it made £750.
Mourning brooch
Diamond and enamel mourning brooch – £7500 at Elmwood’s.
A gold and blue enamel mourning brooch set with the initials REC in rose-cut diamonds within a border of around 7ct of old mine cut diamonds was in particularly good condition.
It was made in 1840 to mark the death in York, aged 36, of Robert Edward Crompton of Azerley Hall, Harrogate, an officer of the 15th King’s Hussars. It had both an inscription and a hair lock to the back.
Estimated at £2000-3000, it took £7500.
