Professionals in Winchester since 1793

PRESS RELEASE - 22ND FEBRUARY 2006

Precious Jewels sparkle at Andrew Smith & Son

The jewellery section in last weeks Fine Art, Antiques and Decorative Furnishings Auction at Andrew Smith & Son’s Winchester salerooms, surpassed all expectations and drew in jewellery specialists from wide and far, from Bond Street to Canada .  These items together with a further 700 lots of interesting paintings, silver, ceramics, collectables and furniture made for a record sale result and many satisfied vendors and bidders (all prices achieved are plus buyers premium of 15%)

The star items were consigned from a local private estate, having resided in a bank vault for the past few decades and included an emerald and diamond three stone ring, selling for £5,500 against a pre-sale estimate of £2-3,000, a very large central sapphire ring surrounded by old cut diamonds selling for £8,000 (estimate £2-3,000), and an old and rose cut diamond set drop necklace on a platinum chain selling for £6,500. All these were surpassed however by the £11,000  paid for a superb a pair of Art Deco ruby drop earrings, with huge pre-sale interest, these sold to an unidentified telephone bidder, against an estimate of £1600-1800.

         Sold for £12,930                              Sold for £9,410                                      Sold for £940                                     Sold  for £320

Other items of jewellery included a large Etruscan style Victorian pendant set with a banded agate cabochon surrounded by blue and white cloisonné enamel selling for £900, a pair of Georgian drop earring with foiled rubies and rose diamonds, £500, and an emerald and diamond seven stone ring , £900. Only one of the lots in this 100 lot strong section failed to find a buyer!

In the picture section an etching of ‘The Victory breaking the Line’ fore edge signed by W.L. Wyllie made £320, a pair of seascapes attributed to T.G. Hart made £280 and a portrait, reputedly to be Lady Spencer by a painter in the circle of Joshua Reynolds made £600.

The ceramic section was very buoyant and notable results included: a 19th century Chinese famille rose cong with robin’s egg glaze, £950, a Chinese Kangxi period famille verte tea caddy, £380, a pair of Moorcroft ginger jars decorated with pink magnolias, £250, a Troika slab vase, £200, a pair of Georgian diamond cut glass sugar bowls, £160,  a 19th century Meissen saucer dish and associated tea bowl, £380, an 18th century Venice porcelain ecuelle, £400, a quantity of mid 19th century Masons ironstone serving dishes, £420, and four 18th century Caughley plates, £250.

The furniture, clocks and collectables section is always very diverse in content in these sales and the eclectic mix creates much interest, especially with the catalogue being published on various internet sites. Notable results included complete Meccano set No 6, circa 1940, in its original wooden box, selling for £320, a rare if battered Hawaiian ukulele, £480, and a  quantity of 19th century marbles, £320, A 19th century oval basket weave ceramic pill box, handpainted with floral designs made £550, against its estimate of just £20-30, and a Meiji period carved ivory figure of a monkey trainer, £440.

Fashions have moved on in recent years, so the surprise of £1700 paid for an Edwardian Sheraton revival satinwood and painted bonheur-du-jour, set the precedent among the furniture, leading the way a for a stained and inlaid continental chest of drawers requiring restoration, selling for £950, a handsome Georgian mahogany chest on chest £1,600, a 19th century set of mahogany and rosewood crossbanded quartetto tables, always popular but in this case requiring much restoration, £800, a Georgian mahogany rectangular tip top breakfast table, made a more predictable £470 and an  early 19th century mahogany framed cheval mirror, doubled its estimate to sell for £360. The closing surprise of the day saw a  very large but good quality Victorian oval walnut veneered breakfast table, again requiring considerable restoration, leave its estimate of £500-800 in the dark, to sell to the trade at   £2,600, with its matching Victorian walnut flip over card table making £720.

Andrew Smith and Son are currently accepting items for their forthcoming Fine Art, Antiques and Decorative Furnishings auction on Tuesday 25th April.  All auctions items are fully researched, catalogued and publicised taking full advantage of conventional media and the internet, resulting in an international field of successful purchasers.

For further information please contact the Auction Room on 01962 735988.  Email auctions@andrewsmithandson.com