Sale Report

BOHEMIAN GLASS BREAKS (ONLY THE HOUSE RECORD!)

A large company of buyers at Wotton Auction Room’s sale on Wednesday 26^th March enjoyed the unique experience of watching five telephone lines battling to secure the top-selling individual lot in the saleroom’s history – a 19^th century engraved glass vase and cover which sold for £64,000 plus buyers’ premium.

The vase dates from 1845 and is by the noted Bohemian glass engraver, August Bohm.  The vase belonged to a family in the Stroud area and had been in their possession for several generations.  Having had the vase valued at £2,000-£3,000 by another, larger, firm of auctioneers, the family decided to entrust it to their local saleroom at Wotton-under-Edge.  Having carried out some research, the auctioneers discovered that the vase was another version of one in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.   Both vases have a remarkably detailed and technically brilliant central engraved panel depicting a classical battle scene with Alexander the Great defeating the Persians.  The scene was copied by Bohm from Lebrun’s painting in the Louvre.  The vase in the Victoria and Albert Museum is dated 1840, whereas the example sold at Wotton was dated five years later.  Both are signed and inscribed by August Bohm.

The Auctioneers became aware, after discussions with specialists in the field of 19^th century Bohemian glassware, that the vase in their keeping was likely to be the only example not in a museum.  Huge interest was generated once the vase had been advertised in a national antiques trade newspaper and had appeared on the Wotton Auction Room’s website.  Five telephone lines were booked by interested bidders, but on the day there were just two main contenders who battled it out to a remarkable winning bid of £64,000.  When the hammer finally fell after ten minutes of determined bidding, there was a spontaneous round of applause from those present in the room.  The owner, who was also present, was delighted and overwhelmed by the result.  The successful bidder is based in London. However the rest of the sale was not without its highlights.

Amongst the ceramics a rare Beswick model of a rearing horse in a rocking horse colour way sold for £2,200, followed shortly by eight Beswick bulls, two calves and two pigs which sold for a total of £1,600.

Amongst the silver a fine quality modern stirrup cup in the form of a German Pointer made £1,000.

Best of the paintings this month included a watercolour sketch by Walter Osborne selling at £2,200 and an oil by the Irish painter Estella Frances Solomons – a foreshore scene, at £1,650.

The steadily increasing demand for good quality books increased further this month and included a large number of Art Reference works this section totalled almost £8,000.

The best of the outdoor effects included a weathered stone cherub, probably representing autumn, who sold at £960 and a small figure of St Frances at £420.

Highest price amongst the furniture was £4,600 taken for a truly massive oak extending table -16 feet long and enclosing eight original leaves.  £1,050 was paid for an 18^th century oak dresser base, £1,550 for a Regency mahogany serving table, £1,050 for the better of the two chests-on-chests, while £1,550 bought the best of the longcase clocks – an example by Wasbrough & Duggan of Bristol.

The next sale on April 22^nd/23^rd includes a fine selection of Edwardian and later jewellery principally diamond and sapphire encrusted including rings, brooches, bracelets and necklaces, principally from two private collections the majority of the 20 or so lots have cautious estimates in the £500 - £4,000 bracket.  Ladies should alert their husbands or partners to this rare opportunity without delay!

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