The Antique Marks Blog

The desk where Charles Dickens wrote Great Expectations and the final correspondence he produced hours before his death fetched £433,250 ($894,000) at a Christies auction on Wednesday, 4th June 2008.

The lot which went for about seven times its pre-sale estimate was bought by an Irish busnessman and the sale proceeds went to Great Ormond Street childrens hospital in London.

The Irish buyer thought the desk was a bargain and had expected to pay up to £5,000,000 for it.

The writing desk and chair from the study of Charles Dickens Gads Hill residence near Rochester in Kent, was inherited by Christopher Charles Dickens and his wife Jeanne-Marie Dickens. Who then donated them to Great Ormond Street hospital. An organisation that enjoyed a close association with Charles Dickens.

According to Christies, Dickens wrote Great Expectations and a number of other novels and short stories at the mahogany writing desk and the auctioneer quotes the memoirs of Dickens’s eldest daughter Mamie Dickens saying that, ‘on the evening of June 8, 1870, Dickens wrote letters and arranged some trifling business matters in the library where the desk stood.’

He then went for dinner and collapsed, suffering a stroke and dying the following day, aged just 58.

A fine copy of the most important work from the Kelmscott Press, and arguably the greatest of all Private Press books is offered for auction on 15th May 2008 by Bloomsbury Auctions

Chaucer (Geoffrey) The Works, one of 425 copies on paper, edited by F.S.Ellis, printed in red and black in Chaucer and Troy types, woodcut title, borders and initials by C.E.Keates, W.H.Hooper and W.Spielmeyer after William Morris, 87 woodcut illustrations by W.H.Hooper after Sir Edward Burne-Jones, later blue crushed morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, gilt roll-tool on covers, border and spine compartments within raised bands with gilt rules and fleurons, g.e., spine slightly sunned, preserved in matching morocco-tipped blue cloth slip-case, [Franklin, The Private Press p.192; Sparling 40; Tomkinson p.117 no.40; PMM 367 note], folio [ff. 420 x 280 mm], Kelmscott Press, 1896.

Morris began discussing the project in 1891 and finally in June 1896 issued the book to subscribers a few weeks before his death…. read more on William Morris.

Also, in the same sale is the stunning Nuremberg Chronicle  (Liber Chronicarum ) printed by Anton Koberger, depicting a history of the world from Creation to contemporary times and including a number of blank leaves onto which the books owner can continue the history.

A work remarkable for its illustrations, its design, woodcuts and descriptions of cities.

The woodcut illustrations include events from the Bible, pictures of human monstrosities, portraits of Kings, Queens, saints and martyrs, and allegorical pictures of miracles.

The auction estimate for Chaucer (Geofrey) The Works is £30000 – £40000 and for Liber Chronicarum is £90000 – £110000……. Auction Cataloque

The sale is also listed on eBay’s Live Auctions …. eBay Cataloque

Tennants Auctioneers of North Yorkshire, UK, have secured an entire Mouseman commission for sale in July 2008.

Tennants Summer Catalogue sale (July 17-18), includes the complete fixtures and fittings of the Senior Library at Leeds Girls High School, which was completed by the Kilburn workshop and bears Thompson’s famous carved mouse signature motif.

The Leeds school moving and no preservation order was ever placed on the Mouseman interior. It includes 16 tables and 87 chairs, freestanding and fitted bookcases, an alcove seat, radiator covers and wall panelling.

The schools main door and frame will also be offered for sale, inscribed

The gift of a friend for the benefactor who paid Thompson £1222 for his work in 1934.

Robert Thompson was born in 1876 and dedicated his life to the craft of carving and joinery in English Oak.

He taught himself how to use the traditional tools of the trade and by 1919 he was experimenting with his own ideas and producing furniture based on the English styles of the 17th Century.

The famous mouse symbol, found on every item crafted by Robert Thompson has an uncertain history and the story told by Robert Thompson himself is that one of his craftsmen remarked that,

“We’re all as poor as church mice”

Thompson then immediately carved a mouse on the church screen he was working on.

The ‘mousemans’ creations continually prove popular at auction houses everywhere and the Tennants sale is predicted to raise upwards of £100,000.

Get your bids in early……. Current Tennants Sales

A rare August Bohm goblet set a house record of £64,000 at Wottons auction rooms in the UK Cotswolds.

The glass goblet described as a companion work to an August Bohm masterpiece, was consigned to Wottons by a a local Stroud family and as Wottons researched the glass goblet it emerged that they had a second version of the 19th century Bohemian glass engravers 23in (58cm) goblet currently on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The goblet at Wottons varies slightly in outline and detail but is the same size and featured a panel of a similarly fine engraved battle scene depicting Alexander the Great defeating the Persians. It also carried the same French inscription, La Vertu Surmonte Toute Obstacle, as the V&A’s goblet and Bohm’s engraved signature Gravirt V A Bohm aus Meistersdorf I Bohem im Jahre 1845, indicating that it was produced five years later.

The vendor stated the vase had been in their family since the inter-War period and before offering it for sale it had stood, filled with ping-pong balls, on a sideboard.

Wottons Auction Rooms catalogue entry stating :

A very fine quality 19th century Bohemian glass vase and cover with central relief engraved panels of a battle scene after Lebrun’s painting depicting Alexander The Great defeating the Persians, with etched inscription “La Vertu Surmonte Tout Obstacle ” to reverse and with further inscription below panel “Gravirt V A Bohm aus Meistersdorf I Bohmen im Jahre 1845, 58cm total height (the vase believed to be a version of the example in the Victoria and Albert Museum, hitherto in the Broadfield House Glass Museum) £2000-3000

During the sale interest in the room stalled at a few thousand pounds, but a prolonged battle began between two telephone bidders, one a London dealer and one a local dealer. The London buyer eventually took the final price to £64,000, a house record for Wottons.

August Bohm (c.1812-90) died in poverty, but was considered the best exponent of his craft in his day.

The goblet in the V&A was once owned by the 19th century English glass maker and writer Apsley Pellatt, who pictured it on the frontispiece of his key 1849 publication Curiosities of Glass Making and described it and its creator as:

“A most beautifully engraved vase by a Bohemian artist is in the possession of the author; the workmanship is even more elaborate than that of the Portland Vase; the subject is from Le Brun’s painting of the conquest and final overthrow of the Persians at the battle of Arbela, by Alexander the Great. For depth of workmanship and artistic execution, as a modern intaglio engraving, this vase is unrivalled.”

Pellatt’s praise was mirrored by others and the V&A goblet was so highly rated that plaster casts were taken from it and kept in Bohemia to encourage other engravers.

Morphy Auctions Spring Sale contains 10, yes 10 beautiful Tiffany lamps, including an extremely rare Nasturtium Trellis chandelier.

“The lamps were sourced from three brand new consignors,” says Morphy, “and there are some very rare and exceptional designs in the group, like the Nasturtium Trellis chandelier.” Morphy referred to the profusely decorated 26-inch conically shaped shade as “a killer … It’s not a standard Nasturtium pattern; there are blossoms and leaves all over striated Favrile sunset glass.

Three different experts who inspected the lamp said it’s exquisite, that the glass is topnotch and very special. It has been in one family’s home, untouched, since the mid-20th century, so it’s completely fresh to the market. Collectors are going to love this one. We think it will bring $125,000-$150,000.”

Another stunner consigned to the sale is a Tiffany Studios leaded-glass and bronze floor lamp executed in a sophisticated, Impressionistic botanical pattern. When illuminated, the 24-inch early Favrile-glass shade of blue and emerald tones introduces a rainbow of color from selenium to orange.

The lamp is illustrated in Alistair Duncan’s book Masterworks of Louis Comfort Tiffany and is offered with provenance that includes prior sale through Christie’s New York. The Morphy Auctions estimate is $90,000-$140,000.

Morphys Spring Sale is on 29-31 May 2008, contact and location info in the auctions calendar entry.

Click for more info on Louis Comfort Tiffany and his stunning glass work.

Royal Worcester porcelain is a particular favourite of ours, but uk auction prices appear to be climbing higher and higher.

Recent antique sales held in Yorkshire auction houses in early 2008, saw avid collectors paying excellent prices for some of the most beautiful pieces by well known artists. Worcester fruit painted porcelain is still a definite favourite but pieces by any member of the Stinton family are highly desirable and bidding can be ferocious.

A particularly beautiful pair of Oriental vases by Worcesters Harry Stinton depicted Monarch of the Glen type stags and determined to have them, we set aside £5000, double the auctioneers estimate, just for them.

But, as often happens two local collectors with deep pockets took the bidding to almost ten times the auctioneers estimate and they eventually sold for £24,500 plus commission.

It seems Yorkshire farmers aren’t quite in the poor house yet.

Monroe County antiques dealer Norm Sauer is offering a group of Civil War mementoes that he hopes to sell at this weekend’s Antiques in April show at Monroe County Community College. The items belonged to Maine soldier John Renshaw, whose family kept them together for 143 years before deciding to sell them.

The collection includes the soldiers Civil War musket, his Union cap, a bullet mold, his portrait, a congratulatory certificate signed by Col. Joshua Chamberlain and a picture taken at the 25th reunion of the Battle of Little Round Top at Gettysburg.

Mr. Sauer said it’s unusual for all these items to stay together; usually they are split up among family members. He is selling the group as a whole for $2,850. Sold separately, the items could total more than $3,000.

“You’ll never see another collection like this for sale.” he said.

Although the items have no local connection, Mr. Sauer expects strong interest from Civil War collectors. He acquired the collection from a college friend who got to the know the family in Maine. When they were ready to sell it, they offered it to Mr. Sauer’s friend.

This is the eighth year for Antiques in April. About 60 dealers are expected to be on hand for the show and sale Saturday and Sunday.

If you’re interested see full details on the Antiques Auction Calendar …….