SALE NEWS Spring/Summer 2017
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AUCTION CALENDAR APRIL 12th
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
25th & 26th
Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu Including: A Private Collection of Snuff Boxes and Bonbonnières The Arthur Holder Collection (Part III)
27th
Fine Jewellery
Woolley & Wallis Salisbury Salerooms Ltd. 51-61 Castle Street, Salisbury Wiltshire, SP1 3SU T: +44 (0) 1722 424 500 enquiries@woolleyandwallis.co.uk www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk
MAY 16th
Asian Art
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English & European Ceramics & Glass
rd
JUNE 7th
Modern British & 20th Century Art
21st
Arts & Crafts
22nd
A Private Collection of Burmantofts Pottery
JULY 5th
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
18th & 19th
Silver & Objects of Vertu
20
Jewellery & Watches
th
SEPTEMBER 12th
Old Masters, British & European Paintings
20th
Tribal Art & Antiquities
OCTOBER 4th
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
17
Design
18
English & European Ceramics & Glass
24th & 25th
Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu
26
Fine Jewellery
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FREE AUCTION VALUATIONS We offer a free auction valuation service on the first Friday of every month, 10am – 1pm, no appointment necessary. For further information please call 01722 424 509 or visit our website.
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*All sale prices quoted include buyer’s premium at 26.4% inc. VAT @20%
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Front Cover.
John Minton (1917-57) Tropical Fruits Signed and dated 1951, oil on canvas, 101 x 127cm Estimate: £40,000 – 60,000 To be sold 7th June
Opposite.
A massive Chinese Imperial jade boulder carved with figures carrying birthday presents up a mountain side, Qianlong 1736-95, 21cm. Provenance: the collection of Lady Robertson purchased from John Sparks in 1958 for £150, and thence by descent. Estimate: £60,000 – 100,000 To be sold 16th May
Back Cover.
A modern silver model of a crocodile, by Garrard and Co, London 1978, length 20cm. Estimate: £600 – 800 To be sold 26th April
Issue 120
CONTENTS
Those were the days…….. Paul Viney taking a book auction at Phillips London, in the 1970s, with a full house in attendance.
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A Private Collection of Snuff Boxes & Bonbonnières
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Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu
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Fine Jewellery
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Asian Art
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English & European Ceramics & Glass
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Modern British & 20th Century Art
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Arts & Crafts
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A Private Collection of Burmantofts
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Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
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Tribal Art & Antiquities
26
Medals, Coins, Arms & Armour
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Sale Review
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Events & News
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chairman’s introduction
There are many advantages to the ever increasing influence of the internet and one of them is that our client base is now truly global. To give just one example, in 2016 we had registered buyers in 64 different countries including such places as Goa, Greenland and Guyana (and that’s just a few of the Gs!). However there are a few disadvantages as well and one of them is that the opportunity to participate in an auction from a distance – either by internet or telephone – means that these days there tends to be fewer people in the salerooms come the auction. When I first picked up a gavel way back in the mid 1970s, every auction was full
to bursting with trade and private clients and the atmosphere in the salerooms was immediate, vibrant and exciting. Now I feel that some of that magic has gone. Thankfully however this hasn’t affected the results of our auctions and we were delighted when the trade press announced that in 2016 we were the leading regional auction house in the U.K. for the 9th successive year. Our turnover of £22.7 million (a 67% increase on 2015) was helped in no small measure by a substantial seven figure private treaty sale of a spectacular 16th century bronze Benin head of a young oba, or king (see page 24 for further details).
This sale was masterminded by my colleagues John Axford and Will Hobbs with the invaluable assistance of the leading Tribal Art dealers, Entwistle, who are based in London and Paris. You often hear about the supposed animosity between auctioneers and dealers so it’s very satisfying when, as in this instance, we can work with the trade to achieve an outcome that is to everyone’s benefit. Paul Viney
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A PRIVATE COLLECTION OF SNUFF BOXES & BONBONNIÈRES 25th April 2017
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SPECIALISTS: RUPERT SLINGSBY +44 (0) 1722 424 501 rs@woolleyandwallis.co.uk CERAMICS & ENAMELS
CLARE DURHAM +44 (0) 1722 424 507 cd@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
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While handling the sale of any private collection is always a privilege for an auctioneer, this extensive collection of snuff boxes and bonbonnières has also provided a rare opportunity for two of our departments to join forces and create a sale that should appeal to other collectors with a broad spectrum of interests. Snuff-taking reached its peak in Europe during the 18th century and contemporary artists and craftsmen created a myriad of boxes in various forms and materials, in which the distinguished gentleman, or lady, could transport their snuff. The taking of snuff was very much a pastime of the nobility and continued into the 19th century, helping to distinguish its devotees from the common populace. Notable English snuff-takers of the time included George IV, Benjamin Disraeli, the Duke of Wellington and Charles Darwin.
Opposite. A 19th century Austrian jewel-set, agate and enamelled-gold mounted snuff box unmarked apart from later French import marks, 9.5cm. A Mennecy silver-mounted snuff box, circa 1750, the mount with a later Dutch tax mark, 6.7cm. A George III silver-gilt and micromosaic mounted snuff box, by Hockley and Bosworth, London 1815, 7.5cm. Estimates from £1,000 – 3,000
1. A Birmingham or South Staffordshire enamel giltmetal mounted snuff box or bonbonnière, circa 1760, 11cm. Estimate: £2,500 – 3,500
2. A 19th century silvermounted treen fox mask snuff box, unmarked, 7cm. Estimate: £400 – 600
3. A 19th century
tortoiseshell, gold lined and micromosaic mounted snuff box, by Jean-Louis Leferre, Paris circa 1819-22 depicting the Pantheon in Rome, 8.3cm. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000
4. A St James (Charles Gouyn) bonbonnière, circa 1755, 4.5cm. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000
5. A 19th century goldmounted amethyst snuff box, unmarked, 8.7cm. Estimate: £800 – 1,200 6. An 18th century Japanese export sawasa snuff box, with incuse character mark to cover and base, 9cm. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000 7. A fine and rare Meissen
gold-mounted oval snuff box, circa 1750, 8cm. Estimate: £10,000 – 15,000
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Compiled over many years, the collection includes examples in silver, gold, enamel, porcelain, wood and other natural materials, many finely decorated and some relating to important personages of the time. The sale will allow collectors and enthusiasts the chance to explore other areas of production and to swell their own collections with these small reflections of our social history. 5
A P rivate C ollection
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FINE SILVER & OBJECTS OF VERTU 25th & 26th April 2017
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SPECIALISTS: RUPERT SLINGSBY +44 (0) 1722 424 501
3 rs@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
LUCY CHALMERS +44 (0) 1722 424 594 lc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. A Victorian silver
presentation racing trophy by John Samuel Hunt, London 1851, height 72cm. Estimate: £15,000 – 25,000
1. A rare Victorian Irish
silver ‘castle-top’ card case, Dun Laoghaire harbour, by John Schriber, Dublin 1863, 10cm. Estimate: £3,000 – 4,000
2. A Victorian 10ct gold
4. A George III novelty silver
3. A rare mid 18th century
5. A pair of Charles I silver
pencil, by S. Mordan and Co, retailed by Leuchars and Son, length 5.7cm approx. Estimate: £700 – 900
Battersea enamel wine label, circa 1755, below the title ‘CAPE’, 7.1cm. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000
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Our Fine Silver and Vertu sale includes over individual private collections. Part III of the Arthur Holder Collection comprises 200 lots and the emphasis is again on card cases, with embossed and engraved ‘castletop’ examples leading the field. The rarest is probably an Irish card case with a view of the harbour at Dun Laoghaire (image 1). We also have two further private collections of card cases and a rare embossed scene of St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall. We are delighted to be selling a large private collection of wine and sauce labels which totals over 3000 examples. These will be sold in a number of sales, with the April sale offering around 200 lots. An extremely rare label in the collection is a Battersea enamel one of circa 1755, estimate £2,000-3,000 (image 3).
toothpick holder, maker’s mark lost in decoration, London 1819, 8.3cm. Estimate: £1,000 – 1,500
Apostle spoons, probably St. Matthew and St. Paul, by Edward Hole, London 1635, ‘B’ over ‘EG’, 18.8cm. Estimate: £7,000 – 9,000
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The collection of toothpick holders to be included in this sale is an extremely comprehensive one. It covers a number of countries of origin, and shows the variety of materials that were used to make these functional objects. Another highlight as well as the pig illustrated here (image 4), is a 16th century gilt bronze toothpick stand, probably German circa 1580, estimate £1,200-1,500.
One of the collections comprises a very fine group of Apostle spoons, all purchased in the 1950s from Tessiers. The condition of the bowls and the gauge of the spoons is particularly good, and the pair illustrated here shows this (image 5). We also have 60 lots of caddy spoons from a private collection, and there are over 40 examples of Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and modern examples.
We are also including a collection of pencils showing the wonderful imagination the Victorians had for making novelty items, and again combines silver and gold with an assortment of other materials.
The sale will also offer our normal good selection of antique and modern hollow ware, foreign silver, flatware and collector’s items. 5
The sale also has four private collections of early spoons, and is the best offering we have had of spoons since the How Collection in 2007.
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F ine S ilver & O bject s
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FINE JEWELLERY 27th April 2017
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SPECIALISTS: JONATHAN EDWARDS FGAA +44 (0) 1722 424 504 je@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
MARIELLE WHITING FGA +44 (0) 1722 424 595 mw@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. A four row natural
1. A late George III rivière
3. A pair of early 20th
This is one of two multi-row natural pearl necklaces in the sale. The other is a five row pearl necklace with an estimate of £40,000 – 60,000.
2. An Edwardian diamond heart-shaped pendant, 3.2cm wide. Estimate: £5,000 – 7,000
4. A Belle Époque pink
saltwater pearl necklace. SSEF certification. Estimate: £30,000 – 40,000
necklace and pendant, set with coloured gem stones. Estimate: £25,000 – 30,000
century coral and diamond earrings, 5.5cm. Estimate: £3,000 – 4,000
topaz and diamond brooch, 5cm. Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000
5. A French Art Deco gemset giardinetto brooch, 3cm. Estimate: £9,000 – 12,000
6. An early 20th century light pink diamond pendant, the pear-shaped diamond weighs 2.77cts. GIA certification. Estimate: £40,000 – 60,000 7. A Victorian diamond tiara.
Naturalistically designed as ginkgo leaves. Estimate: £10,000 – 15,000
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The closed back mounts of each of the gem stones are engraved to the reverse with the name of the stone and its individual weight. This includes sapphires, rubies and emeralds and has the effect of a chromatic explosion.
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The concept of a wreath of leaves demonstrates victory or rank, stretching back to antiquity. This tiara shows a more recent Victorian fascination with nature but the symbolic meaning lives on. Ginkgo or Maidenhair trees can live for 2000 years and represent longevity, hope, resilience and peace. This tiara is one of six in the sale, offering an exceptional selection. Fine Jewellery | 9
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ASIAN ART 16th May 2017
The poems read The clouds loom after the snow, among ten thousand miles of silence a loud noise hits the ground. I can hear the female deity pushing the vehicle of thunder and the rain starts pouring down. Fan Li travels on lake Tai, the snow covers the bank, the sky is clear and the lake tranquil. The three scholars are no longer present and the senior official is wise and reliable.
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SPECIALIST: JOHN AXFORD +44 (0) 1722 424 506 jea@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
A Dated Imperial Rarity in Glass This little glass bottle (opposite) imitating the mineral turquoise last appeared at auction 56 years ago in 1961. It was then offered by Sotheby’s who were dispersing items from the famous collection of Sir Percival and Lady David and it was purchased by the London dealership Spink and Son for £68. It caused something of a stir at the time to the extent that in 1963 it was published by the Oriental Ceramic Society in their Transactions, and exhibited the following year by the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Oriental Ceramic Society in their joint exhibition, The Arts of the Ch’ing Dynasty. It was then published again by Soame Jenyns in 1965 when he served as Assistant Keeper of Oriental Antiquities at the British Museum.
Opposite. An exceptionally rare Chinese Imperial turquoise glass bottle inscribed with two poems, the base with a Qianlong seal mark and dated 1757, 20cm. Provenance: Formerly the collection of Sir Percival and Lady David, sold by Sotheby’s in 1961 to Spink and Son. Estimate: £100,000 – 150,000
1. A large Chinese jade archaistic fang gui, Ming Dynasty, 23.5cm. Provenance: Formerly in the Rutherston collection and later sold by Bluett & Son 1st March 1948. Estimate: £30,000 – 50,000
2. A Chinese snuff bottle modelled as a courtesan, Qing Dynasty, 11cm. Provenance: From the late Robert Kleiner and later the Bentley Collection. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,500
3. A Japanese namban
lacquer casket, Momoyama 1573-1615, 22.4cm. Provenance: From the collection of Lady Ottoline Morrell. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000
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The interest in this bottle is due to the two poems composed by the Qianlong Emperor, each with a commentary and with the date ding chou, corresponding to 1757, inscribed on the body; no other vase like it is known.
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The Rutherston Collection catalogue, Bluett & Sons 1938, illustrating image 1
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ENGLISH & EUROPEAN CERAMICS & GLASS 23rd May 2017
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SPECIALIST: CLARE DURHAM +44 (0) 1722 424 507 cd@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Opposite. A small selection of items from the Doug Godden Collection of Mason’s China. Various estimates.
1. Two Chamberlain’s
Worcester plates from the Carnatic Service, circa 1823. Made for His Highness the Nabob of the Carnatic, 25.6cm. Estimate: £300 – 500
2. A Russian porcelain model of a dog, 19th century, Popov manufactory, 19.5cm high. Estimate: £800 – 1,200
4. A Bow sweetmeat stand or pickle dish, circa 1760, 13cm. Estimate: £400 – 600.
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Among the many collectors with whom we deal on a daily basis are those who focus on collecting particular shapes, those who collect one special pattern, and those who have a keen interest in one factory or designer. The late Doug Godden was among the latter, spending his collecting years in amassing one of the most extensive and comprehensive collections of Mason’s China ever to come onto the market. The Mason’s factory is best known for its patented Ironstone China, introduced in 1813, and, to the ceramics cognoscenti, the term “Mason’s” immediately summons up images of heavy, durable dinner services usually decorated in the red, blue and gilt Oriental designs of
3. A Worcester octagonal teabowl and saucer, circa 1755, painted with the Romantic Rocks pattern, 12.4cm. From the John Pinnick Collection Estimate: £600 – 800
the Imari palette. However, the factory also produced finer porcelain, a broad range of teawares and decorative items (both in porcelain and stone china) painted and printed with more European subjects. The collection being sold on 23rd May covers the broad spectrum of production from the company’s early years in the late 18th century, right through the 19th century in its various partnerships and guises. It’s hoped that the catalogue and view will provide a rare opportunity to discover hidden gems from a factory that suffers a reputation of producing merely “serviceable goods”.
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We are also fortunate to feature in the sale the collection of the late John Pinnick, a keen member of the English Ceramic Circle and a long-standing client of Woolley and Wallis. John’s focus was on 18th century English blue and white porcelain, and whilst the wares of Worcester predominate the collection, John’s academic thirst led him to acquire comparable pieces by other factories including Lowestoft, Caughley, Liverpool and Vauxhall, as well some Chinese pieces from where the English designs originated. There are many rare shapes and patterns from which to choose and no doubt lovers of blue and white will be hard-pushed to pick their favourite!
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MODERN BRITISH & 20TH CENTURY ART 7th June 2017
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SPECIALISTS: VICTOR FAUVELLE +44 (0) 1722 424 503 vf@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
JO BUTLER +44 (0) 1722 424 592 jb@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Front Cover & 1.
Opposite & 2.
John Minton (1917-57) Tropical Fruits Signed and dated 1951, oil on canvas, 101 x 127cm Estimate: £40,000 – 60,000
Keith Vaughan (1912-77) Sunbathers Signed and dated 48, oil on canvas, 50 x 76cm Estimate: £30,000 – 50,000
3. Christopher Wood
(1901-30) On the Mediterranean coast,1924 Oil on board, 25.5 x 33.5cm Estimate: £15,000 – 20,000
4. Christopher Wood (1901-30) Vence, France Oil on canvas, 18 x 26cm Estimate: £12,000 – 18,000
Closing date for entries, 21st April
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Works from a Private Collection, Sold on Behalf of the Executors of the Estate This collection focused on Modern British artists, with many astute acquisitions made in the 1970s and later, when these artists were not the household names they have become today. The painting by Keith Vaughan (opposite and 2) is a key work, dating from 1948. In 1946 he turned more to painting male figures, both single and couples, as in the present picture. The figure in the landscape was a recurring theme and in this work he focusses on the interaction between the figures. He was captivated by the exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the winter of 1945 of 25 works by Picasso and 30 by Matisse and his style changed course as a result, moving away from the influence of Graham Sutherland and towards Paul Klee and the cubists. 3
John Minton, who shared a studio with Keith Vaughan at the time he painted this Jamaican scene in 1951 (front cover & image 1), visited Jamaica in 1950 and was captivated by the light and the lifestyle on the island. On his return he painted a series of works inspired by his time there, which are, perhaps, the liveliest and most colourful pictures of his career.
Like Minton the intensity of his personality is strongly transmitted in his work and the desire to succeed and be creative took an emotional toll on both artists. This was exacerbated by the complications of their private lives and in Minton’s case depression was brought on by declining professional success. Minton committed suicide in 1957 and Wood in 1930 by throwing himself under a train at Salisbury Station.
Christopher Wood (images 3 & 4) was born in Liverpool but by the 1920s his family was living in Broad Chalke in Wiltshire. He trained in Paris at the Académie Julian in 1921, meeting Picasso and other artists of the day. He enjoyed early success and after meeting Ben and Winifred Nicholson exhibited at the Beaux Arts Gallery in 1927.
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MODERN BRITISH & 20TH CENTURY ART
1. John Bratby RA
(1928-1992) Portrait of Julian Lloyd Webber (b.1951) Signed, oil on canvas, 91 x 61cm Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000 One of five in the sale.
INCLUDING SCULPTURE
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John Duncan Fergusson (image 4) first visited Paris in the 1890s having tired of the constrained tuition he received at the Trustees Academy art school in Edinburgh. Paris made a profound impression on him and when he met up with Samuel Peploe, another of the group who would become known as the Scottish Colourists, they radically changed their styles, injecting Scottish art with a new vitality. He trained at the Académie Colarossi and the Académie Julian at this time. It was in this period that he painted this work, choosing to paint in small format, preferring panel and therefore retaining the spontaneity of the piece. His work has often been described as sculptural in quality and his thick application of paint creates movement and light, hallmarks of the Scottish Colourist 4
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2. Sir John Lavery R.A.
(1856-1941) Portrait of Lady Morvyth Ward (1896-1959), Signed, titled verso, oil on canvas, 45.5 x 35cm Estimate: £6,000 – 8,000
4. John Duncan Fergusson (Scottish 1874-1961) L’avenue de L’Observatoire Signed and dated 1906 verso, oil on panel, 19 x 24cm Estimate: £30,000 – 50,000
3. Adelsteen Normann (Norwegian 1848-1918) View of a Norwegian fjord Signed, oil on canvas, 70 x 104cm Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000 One of four in the sale.
5. Craigie Aitchison R.A. (1926-2009) Crucifixion Titled and dated 1984 verso, oil on canvas, 46 x 35.5cm Estimate: £15,000 – 20,000
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movement. In 1907 he moved to Paris on a more permanent basis and became part of the avant garde Paris scene. Lady Morvyth Ward, stylishly depicted here by Sir John Lavery (image 2), was born in 1898 and was the third child of William Humble Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley. With 30,000 acres of mineral rights and 200 coal and steel mines in the Black Country he was one of the richest industrialists in Britain and they lived a life far removed from the working people of this deprived area. When once asked what he painted, Craigie Aitchison (image 5) replied ‘I do mostly black people, dogs, religious subjects and still lifes’, this
was typical of his straightforward approach to art and the simplicity of his painting. He created a unique style, placing cherished subjects on very powerful coloured backgrounds. The crucifixion was an especially personal subject for him, to which he returned frequently throughout his career. Adelsteen Normann (image 3) was a contemporary and friend of Edvard Munch and was responsible for Munch exhibiting in Berlin in a move that split the German art societies. One of the Dusseldorf school of painting, he specialised in Norwegian landscape, especially fjords, injecting them with vibrant colour and detail as can be seen in the four examples in the sale.
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SPECIALISTS: VICTOR FAUVELLE +44 (0) 1722 424 503 vf@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
JO BUTLER +44 (0) 1722 424 592 jb@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Closing date for entries, 21st April
1. Sophie Ryder (b.1963) Standing dog, 1988 Wire, 80 (high) x 66cm (long) Estimate: £1,000 – 1,500
2. Alexandra Nechita (American/Romanian b.1985) My guitar and your music Signed, dated 2003-04 and numbered 24/60, bronze, 42cm high Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000
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An interesting personal collection of sculpture and paintings is included in the sale. Assembled over many years, it reflects the owner’s strong affinity with nature and in particular bird life. The core of the collection consists of nine sculptures by the renowned wildlife sculptor Geoffrey Dashwood (image 5). Dashwood refined his sculptural style, becoming increasingly minimalist and concentrating on the essential aesthetic form. 3
3. Guy Taplin (b.1939)
Sanderlings Five birds on a stand. Painted wood on metal pins, 26cm high Estimate: £1,000 – 1,500
4. Geoffrey Dashwood (b.1947) Heron standing on a circular base, 1989 Signed and numbered 10/12 Green patinated bronze 72cm high Estimate: £3,000 – 4,000
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He focusses on the compact aerodynamic properties of the body through which he celebrates the spirit and character of the bird or animal. Also from the same collection there are sculptures by Guy Taplin (image 3), Sally Arnup, Sophie Ryder (image 1) and Mark Coreth as well as paintings by Fred Yates and Emma Faull amongst others.
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ARTS & CRAFTS 21st June 2017
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Opposite. A repoussé silver
SPECIALIST: MICHAEL JEFFERY +44 (0) 1722 424 505
plate by John Pearson, dated 1894, 26cm diameter. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000
mj@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
1. A Doulton Lambeth
Closing date for entries, 26th April
stoneware model of a mouse musician by George Tinworth, dated 1885, 10.5cm. Estimate: £150 – 200
2. A Shapland & Petter oak hallstand, 66cm high. Estimate: £300 – 500
3. Anteros, a bronze cast from a model by Alfred Gilbert, 8.5cm high. Estimate: £300 – 500
4. A pastel design by James Egan (one of three in the lot), 75 x 24cm. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000
5. A Liberty & Co Cymric silver four piece tea set designed by Archibald Knox, 17cm high. Estimate: £2,000 – 3,000 6. A ewer designed by Dr Christopher Dresser, 31.5cm high. Estimate: £300 – 500
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The sale encompasses all aspects of Arts and Crafts design from glass and ceramics to metal ware, silver and jewellery, furniture and works on paper. Highlights already consigned are a selection of repoussé hammered copper and silver chargers designed and made by John Pearson in the 1880s and 1890s including a rare copper charger featuring Adam & Eve and heralding the arrival of springtime. The strong furniture section includes a good collection of Liberty Anglo-Moorish furniture, pieces by Shapland & Petter, Eric Sharpe, Stanley Webb Davies and Edward Barnsley. The sale will conclude with a selection of silver and pewter designs made for retail by Liberty & Co. including the illustrated four piece silver tea set designed by Archibald Knox (image 5), dated Birmingham 1913.
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A PRIVATE COLLECTION OF BURMANTOFTS FAIENCE POTTERY 22nd June 2017
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SPECIALIST: MICHAEL JEFFERY +44 (0) 1722 424 505 mj@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Highlights will be on view in our London Office on the 7th & 8th June. Second Floor, 17 Clifford Street, Mayfair, W1S 3RQ.
Opposite. Two large Burmantofts Faience Anglo Persian vases by Leonard King. Peacock vase 36cm high. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000, Fish vase 39cm high. Estimate: £1,000 – 2,000
1. A large Burmantofts
Faience jardinière and stand, 95cm high. Estimate: £4,000 – 6,000
2. A Burmantofts Faience Veritas Oil stove, covered in a sang de boeuf glaze, 97cm high. Estimate: £400 – 600
3. Four Burmantofts
Faience Barbotine vases by Harold Leach, tallest 25cm high. Estimate: £150 – 250
4. Four Burmantofts Faience mantel clocks, tallest 34cm high. Estimate: £300 – 500
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The 1 sale of Burmantofts Faience Pottery on 22nd June features the finest and most extensive private collection ever to come to market. Burmantofts pottery does not typically come up at auction in any great volume and so this is an opportunity to see a remarkably comprehensive overview of the firm’s production. Amongst the three hundred lots there are many rare and exceptional items and the sale displays the incredible range of design and technical excellence of the Leeds based Victorian art pottery. Coal and clay were the solid industrial foundation for Burmantofts Art Pottery; mining, a brick works and the production of sanitary ware formed the backbone of the company which had existed since 1842. When James Holroyd took charge he decided to use the easy proximity of key materials to pursue his own artistic interests and enter the contemporary field of art pottery. Distinctive decoration for the home had become increasingly popular and the talented and ambitious Holroyd had identified the potential offered by the exceptional quality of the company’s clay. He developed Burmantofts Faience, a new type of architectural tile and in 1881 he launched his first range of decorative ceramics. Burmantofts began the production of innovatively designed and technically
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accomplished hand-made pottery. 2 They explored the grotesque with a series of modelled fancies based on historical Chinese examples. The sale includes an incredible range of these and other modelled sculptures of creatures in the signature monochrome turquoise, yellow and red glazes and some extremely rare lustre glazes. These monochrome glazes are also displayed to advantage in several stunning ceramic mantel clocks decorated with finely modelled naturalistic animals. Other vases and jardinières are also hand painted with animal designs. In addition to a series of impressive jardinières, the sale features some unusual Burmantofts ceramics which were made for functional as well as decorative purposes, including rare oil heaters, stick stands, tall wrought iron mounted floor vases and even a draft board complete with drafts. AngloPersian, launched by Burmantofts in 1887, was clearly inspired by the work of William De Morgan and ambitious in scope. Artist designer Leonard King used the Turkish “Isnik” pottery palette of turquoise, dark blue, deep purple and sage green for his flat patterned wares and also many of the design motifs of Eastern pottery including flora and foliage. The collection features several large Anglo-Persian vases and chargers, good examples of this high quality range.
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A P rivate C ollection
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FURNITURE, WORKS OF ART & CLOCKS 5th July 2017
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Opposite. A rare mid 18th century American ‘map’ powder horn, 21.7cm long. Estimate: £800 – 1,200
SPECIALIST: MARK RICHARDS +44 (0) 1722 411 854 mr@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
1. A late Victorian
Closing date for entries, 28th April
Serio-Comic map by Fred Rose, 43 x 57cm. Estimate: £300 – 500
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Our quarterly sales have traditionally majored on furniture but over the last five to six years in keeping with market trends we have been offering more works of art and collectable items for sale. The July 5th auction is no exception with some rare items featured on these pages. One of the rarest lots is the mid 18th century American Pre-Revolutionary powder horn (opposite). It is scrimshaw decorated with a ‘map’ and shows a harbour with sailing ships, New York and Albany and shows routes with settlements leading north to the Canadian lakes, including the ‘HudsonLake Champlain’ route. It is also decorated with a compass and the British Royal Coat of Arms. In Colonial and Revolutionary times soldiers and hunters had to travel through 3
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2. A late 19th century Italian Grand Tour specimen marble and micromosaic plaque, 28cm diameter. Estimate: £200 – 300
3. An 18th century
German carved ivory tankards, 44.5cm high. From a private collection. Estimates: £6,000 – 8,000 each.
Bohemian gilt metal chamberlain’s key, 19.5cm long. Estimate: £500 – 800
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unfamiliar lands and much of the region was uncharted. So it became common practice for well-known trade routes to be engraved on cow or ox horns. The powder horn, such an important companion, then served a dual-purpose, to carry gunpowder and to act as a guide. The unusual scroll map (image 1) titled ‘Serio-Comic War Map for the Year 1877’ was brought in recently to one of our monthly valuation mornings. It was designed by Fred Rose and is a satirical commentary on the ‘Eastern Question’ and the geo-political situation of 1877. It depicts a fanciful map of Europe with each country represented by an appropriate figure. The main protagonist is Russia in the form of a giant octopus with
its tentacles outstretched to symbolise the threat it posed to the Ottoman Empire. Turkey aims a pistol at the octopus and one can see a skull inscribed ‘Bulgaria’ on the shoulder of the Turkish figure which symbolises the bloody war crimes the Bulgarians suffered at the hand of the Turks. Britain in the form of Gladstone is a keen but distant observer, Germany is a neutral observer, whilst Austria holds back its new ally Hungary from joining the conflict.
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F urniture , W orks
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4. Three fine 19th century
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TRIBAL ART & ANTIQUITIES 20th September 2017
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Opposite. A Benin
SPECIALIST: WILL HOBBS +44 (0) 1722 339 752
memorial head, circa 16th century.
wh@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
1. The Niger Delta showing ancient cities.
Closing date for entries, 7th July
2. An Egyptian faience shabti Late Period, circa 664 - 332BC, 18.6cm high. Sold for £10,745 March 2017
A Benin Memorial Head Sold by private treaty for a world record price. 1
A black and white illustration in a book and a cursory question about value was the beginning of a journey that was to prove most rewarding. The printed photograph was of this fabulous bronze head (opposite), which dates from the 15th to early 16th century and represents one of the finest commemorative royal sculptures from the Edo people (now referred to as Benin). A month later in a Mayfair bank office, the small black and white illustration became a life size three- dimensional reality, a truly magnificent object. Following thorough research and a joint presentation with Lance Entwistle, the vendors instructed us to find a suitable buyer. A private treaty sale was secured for what we believe to be a world record price for a work of tribal art. Two hundred years before this object was made, Benin was an established powerful kingdom covering a fluctuating area on the left bank of the Niger River, its shifting boundaries dictated by conflicts and succeeding rulers. The oba (kings) from this period to the time of our Benin head, had the resources and craftsmanship amongst their people to create exceptional bronze and brass sculptures to furnish the royal court. These highly skilled craftsmen employed metal casting techniques with such stunning results, European art scholars believed for centuries that these works of art from Africa must have been overseen by a European master, despite some works dating earlier than the first Portuguese contact with the Benin people.
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A Dutch chronicler later described Benin city in 1668 “as large as the town of Haarlem, and entirely surrounded by a special wall…It is divided into many magnificent palaces, houses and apartment of the courtiers, and comprises beautiful and long square galleries, about as large as the Exchange at Amsterdam, but one larger than another, resting on wooden pillars covered in cast copper, on which are engraved the pictures of their war exploits and battles, and kept very clean…” The casting technique used in the making of this head and other Benin metal work, was the ‘lost wax process’. This would have involved modelling the head in wax over a clay core, then another layer of clay would be carefully applied over the worked wax surface. The whole would then be fired, to harden the clay and to remove the wax, thus leaving a mould. Molten metal alloy would then be poured into the mould and allowed to cool. This universal technique of casting was used by the Benin people from their early beginnings, but it is castings from the period in which this head was made that has given us a far better understanding of the significance attached to these memorial homages. This head, fashioned with a high coral collar, scarifications to the forehead, and a neat layered coiffure with a long necked calabash to the crown, places this object among a rare small group of three dimensional royal portraits.
Antiquities have had a long-standing appeal to collectors, much driven by the understanding of our ancient civilisations. Howard Carter’s remarkable discovery of the intact tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, sparked the public’s imagination and opened up the legitimate market for all things Egyptian. Many of these pieces are appearing back on the market and have remained very affordable, dependent of various factors including condition, material and rarity. One lot in the last sale was this faience Shabti, dating to the Late Period, circa 664 – 332BC and standing 18.6cm high, had exceptional definition with crisp features and clear bands of hieroglyphs, selling for £10,745.
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MEDALS, COINS, ARMS & ARMOUR 22nd November 2017
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SPECIALIST: NED COWELL +44 (0) 1722 341 469 nc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Closing date for entries, 13th October
Opposite. The historic
Operation Nimrod group of medals and memorabilia to S.A.S. Corporal Ian White, who stormed the Iranian Embassy during the siege of 1980. Estimate available on request
1. A British .303 S.M.L.E. service rifle by B.S.A., manufactured in 1914.
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The Ian White Medals The reader needs little introduction to the Special Air Service. Formed in the crucible of the Second World War, it is now arguably the most famous, and without doubt one of the most respected of the world’s special forces. It is revered for its prowess and gallantry; but it only became a household name after a contingent of S.A.S. men broke the siege of the Iranian Embassy in London, on live television, in May 1980. Our 22nd November auction will include the medals to one of those men, together with a fascinating archive of associated memorabilia. Corporal Ian White was part of the group that entered the embassy through the roof. Proceeding down a stairway, he paused, at the instinctive injunction of the man behind him, only for the space that he had almost stepped into to be raked by sub-machinegun fire. His full story will be told in the November catalogue.
The long and complex evolution of the British Army’s family of .303 chambered Lee actioned service rifles could, indeed does, fill many books. We confine ourselves here to consideration of a single step in its development, the point at which the Rifle Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (S.M.L.E.) made the transition from its comparatively sophisticated Mk III incarnation, to the simplified Mk III* version. Superficially insignificant, this step has important historical resonances; for it took place in 1915, and was a direct consequence of the most devastating episode of warfare that the world had ever witnessed. The small, highly trained British army of August 1914 had marched to war armed
Magazine Cut Off: this prevented cartridges from feeding from the magazine, restricting the soldier to loading one round at a time, and preserving the full capacity of his 10-round magazine for rapid fire at the sudden onrush of ferocious ‘native’ adversaries. A manufacturing extravagance that found no justification in the trenches; and a potential liability, should an inexperienced man accidentally push it shut. Interestingly the Admiralty never relinquished this facility. Volley Sights: fitted to the side of the rifle, and incremented for ranges up to a staggering 2,800 yards, these produced exaggerated elevation of the barrel, allowing a body of soldiers to attack far distant targets with plunging fire. Of possibly utility in colonial warfare, and consistent with
with the type of S.M.L.E. illustrated here – the Mk III. It embodied refinements that complimented the professionalism of the British infantryman, and that reflected the tactical doctrines of a passing age. In the months that followed, the army was decimated, the old world expired under the weight of the new, and the sparse Mk III* specification was introduced to allow production to keep pace with an ever-increasing force of ‘new men’, at the expense of facilities that were of little use in the new kind of warfare. It must be borne in mind that the changes took effect over a period, while parts were used up. Here are two examples:
Closed
Open
19th Century expectations of long range small arms engagements; these were a costly irrelevance when your enemy was often a few hundred yards away at most, and when long range indirect fire was the province of machine guns and artillery.
Front
Rear
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SALES RE VIEW JANUARY
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
Silver & Vertu
Jewellery & Watches
A South Sea Bubble satirical painting depicting Sir Robert Knight, the chief cashier of the South Sea Company. Sold for £30,340
A 19th century Austro-Hungarian gilded electro-type cup and cover, by Hass, Vienna circa 1870. Sold for £2,780
An emerald and diamond bracelet by Cartier, 18cm. Sold for £25,280
The sale commenced with an extensive private collection of ceramics pertaining to ViceAdmiral Lord Nelson, totalling £24,790 and included a rare Doulton Lambeth stoneware portrait flagon of the naval captain, which sold for £1,640. Elsewhere, the market for 18th century English porcelain figures demonstrated its continuing strength with high prices attained for a pair
of Chelsea Imperial Shepherds selling for £6,950, a previously unrecorded Bow figure group realising £6,067 (middle image), and a miniature Bow figure of a hare fetching £5,310 (image right). The sale closed with an 86% sold rate and a total of £243,890.
FEBRUARY
Fine Porcelain & Pottery Political and maritime history brought forward some of the most hotly contested lots in the sale. An extremely rare creamware mug (image left) decorated with a portrait of radical journalist and politician, John Wilkes, sold to an American buyer for £12,640, being underbid by an English collector in the room, as the top lot of the day.
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*All sale prices quoted include buyer’s premium at 26.4% inc. VAT @20%
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SALES RE VIEW MARCH
Tribal Art & Antiquities The 1st March Tribal Art and Antiquities sale included six different collections, attracting bidders from around the world. Many buyers travelled from the continent and stayed for the sale, proving to be most advantageous in keeping the prices buoyant, with a sale total of £467,035 and 91% of the lots sold. A collection of pre-Columbian Mexican ceramics acquired by Sir Peter Hope KCMG, a former British Intelligence Officer and later the Ambassador to Mexico, 1968–72, recently discovered in an attic saw an increased interest in this particular area of
collecting with a charming Colima vessel modelled as a plump dog selling for £1,645 (image 3).
semi-precious stones and shells into bangles, torques, knife blades and hoes sold to collectors and interior designers.
The next collection consisted of 202 lots from the estate of Seward Kennedy, with all finding buyers. From Egyptian, Roman, pre-Columbian, African, American and Oceanic, the collection reflected Mr Kennedy’s passion and his continuous search for the curious, magnificent and a presence that his discerning eye had captured. The collection had an interesting selection of tribal currency, formed from bronze, stone, iron, brass, aluminium, glass,
The remainder of the sale included a strong Oceanic section with a good array of clubs, shields and everyday artefacts. The highlight was a stunning feather currency roll (image 1 & 2) from Santa Cruz, Solomon Islands, illustrated on the cover of the catalogue, with two determined telephone bidders battling to a remarkable price of £22,750.
Old Masters, British & European Paintings Richard Karlovich Zommer (Russian 1866-1939) At the door to the mosque Signed, oil on canvas, 58 x 86cm Provenance: Captain Henry Herbert DouglasWithers, purchased from artist in Tbilisi in 1915/16. Sold for £46,770
*All sale prices quoted include buyer’s premium at 26.4% inc. VAT @20%
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EVENTS The Chalke Valley History Festival Koh-i Noor: The History of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond. Saturday 1st July 9pm The Chalke Valley History Festival is now entering its 7th year and in that time, it has grown to be the largest and leading history festival in the country. This year sees the festival at a new venue. Described as a ‘hidden gem, lying amidst ancient chalk pasture and narrow coombes’, it will be closer to Salisbury and benefits from different access points. Our chosen sponsored event is titled Koh-I-Noor: The History of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond. The lecture will be given by Anita Anand and William Dalrymple. Dalrymple is a writer and historian, whos books include City of Djinns, White Mughals, The Last Mughal, Nine Lives and Return of the King. He has won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, the Wolfson Prize for History and numerous other awards.
Anita Anand has been a radio and television journalist in Britain for over 20 years, presenting programmes on the BBC and is also a published author. Together these two have produced a book giving the full story of the provocative diamond and how, on the 29 March 1849, the ten-year-old Maharajah of the Punjab was ushered into the magnificent Mirrored Hall at the centre of the great fort in Lahore. There, in a public ceremony, the frightened but dignified child handed over the diamond to the British East India Company in a formal Act of Submission to Queen Victoria. Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light), ‘retains a fame and celebrity unmatched by any of its larger or more perfect rivals’ even though there are 89 diamonds larger than it.
The diamond’s history is one of greed, murder, torture, colonialism and appropriation through an impressive slice of south and central Asian history. It ends with the jewel in its current setting: in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
For more information please visit www.cvhf.org.uk
NEWS We are pleased to welcome Suzy Becsy to the staff. Having grown up in Budapest, Suzy spent time visiting the exhibitions and museums there where her interest in art and antiques first started. After settling in Salisbury in 2009 Suzy worked in different administrative roles and joined as administrator to Mark Richards and James Gale in the Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks department.
We also welcome Hollie Grubb to the reception staff. Hollie joins us from her previous position as a barrister’s clerk in Southampton.
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SPECIALIST DEPART MENTS
Chairman
Insurance & Probate Valuations
Paul Viney ASFAV T: +44 (0) 1722 424 502
pslv@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Deputy Chairman
Managing Director
John Axford MRICS ASFAV
Clive Stewart-Lockhart FRICS FRSA
Victor Fauvelle
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 506
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 598
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 503
jea@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
csl@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
vf@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Paintings
Asian Art
English & European Ceramics & Glass
Jo Butler
Alexandra Aguilar DomĂŠracki
Clare Durham
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 592
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 583
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 507
jb@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
aad@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
cd@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
20th Century Design
Asian Art
Jewellery
Michael Jeffery
Freya Yuan
Jonathan Edwards FGAA
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 505
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 589
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 504
mj@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
fy@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
je@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Jewellery
Tribal Art & Antiquities
Silver
Marielle Whiting FGA
Will Hobbs
Rupert Slingsby
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 595
T: +44 (0) 1722 339 752
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 501
mw@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
wh@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
rs@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Silver
Furniture, Works of Art & Clocks
Asian Art
Lucy Chalmers
Mark Richards
Marta Olszewska
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 594
T: +44 (0) 1722 411 854
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 591
lc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
mr@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
mo@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Arms, Armour, Medals, Coins & Militaria
PA to the Directors
Marketing
Ned Cowell
Amanda Lawrence
Tamzin Corbett
T: +44 (0) 1722 341 469
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 509
T: +44 (0) 1722 424 590
nc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
al@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
tc@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
Asian Art
Paintings
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woolleyandwallis.co.uk
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