Enthusiastic bidding at Cheffins’ fall Fine Art sale Sept. 27 and 28

Oct. 2, 2007

CAMBRIDGE, England—With summer gone, it was evident that buyers were keen to begin the fall auction season during Cheffins’ September Fine Art sale Sept. 28 and 29. Contents from a number of country homes throughout England made up a large majority of sale entries. Live online bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.

The auction began with a section of English Pottery. An early star, lot 9, a George I Delft coronation plate, 33.5cm diameter, sold for £6,000. Lot 17, a wonderful Minton Majolica ‘Stilton cheese stand’, modelled as a beehive attracted a great deal of attention before hammering at £18,000. The piece, owned by Valerie Finnis, had been exhibited at Sotheby’s & Royal Horticultural Society ‘Glory of the Garden.’ Additional highlights included a garniture of three 1760s Chelsea vases and covers which made £2,800, and a first period Worcester ‘Blind Earl’ pattern dish, bearing the ‘Albert Amor’ label made £1,800. Oriental Pottery & Porcelain was very strong throughout: a late 19th century Cantagalli dish, 49.5cm, fetched £2,400, a Chinese decorative monochrome vase, 29.5cm high, made £4,000, and a late-19th century Chinese garden seat, 21cm high, made £2,000. Excellent prices were achieved for a Chinese Famille Verte brush pot, 15cm high, which made £13,000 and a pair of late-19th Century Chinese moon flasks, which made £3,800.

A painting previously only known from a photograph at the Tate of a lithograph from 1852 generated great interest. The watercolour painting, by Turner, titled The ruins of Hatfield Castle, and measuring 23 x 33cm, achieved £30,000 after keen bidding. Another painting, lot 791 an enamel portrait miniature of a lady by Johann Heinrich Hurter (1734-1799) dated 1773 made £4,200, while an early-19th Century portrait miniature of a brown haired gentleman wearing a blue coat also sold well at £2,000.

Furniture highlights included an ebonised circular wall mirror in the Arts & Crafts style. The mirror, set with blue and white Chinoiserie porcelain panels, brought £9,000. A Howard & Sons sofa and easy armchair made £4,800 and £1,900 respectively. An eye- catching George II walnut folding couch, circa 1730, made £7,500, while a George III mahogany Carlton House desk, circa 1795, achieved £15,000.

Visit LiveAuctioneers.com to preview upcoming Cheffins’ catalogues.