Auction Lots

The Country House Sale On 23/06/2023

The Country House Sale

23/06/2023

One of our most anticipated sales of the year, the summer delivery of our bi-annual curated Country House auction features a wide variety of items you would expect from a traditional country estate, with a collection of lots from noble houses, too.

Including a range of impressive 18th & 19th century furniture and soft furnishings, as well as an array of smaller antiques and collectibles, jewellery, silver and our pick of outdoor and architectural lots, this sale promises to be an eclectic lineup of truly striking pieces.

Curator’s Highlights in Furniture...

LOT 6182: A Howard & Sons late 19th Century easy armchair, upholstered in stunning kilim fabric, with sprung back and seat and ring turned tapering supports with brass cups and castors. This certainly is an example of Howard & Sons’ unprecedented international reputation as makers of fine, bespoke furniture.

LOT 6209: A late 18th century Dutch leather six panel screen. Exquisitely hand-painted, each panel depicts four ‘Fete Galante’ scenes, in the style of French Rococo painter Antoine Watteau. Each scene a work of art in itself, this screen is truly something special for art-lovers and collectors of fine furniture alike.

LOT 6177: An elegant pair of 19th century mahogany entrance tables with top surface marbling and applied gilt lining, as well as LOT 6336: an 18th century oak refectory table, with carved cartouche lined with scrolling foliate and berries. Two highly desirable lots.

A real favourite is LOT 6226: a truly unique George I walnut cabinet on chest of drawers. As well as being a fine example of Georgian craftsmanship, this piece of furniture certainly holds more than meets the eye. Cabinet doors open to reveal a fitted interior comprising eleven assorted drawers, a central cupboard with lock and four pigeonholes concealing further secret drawers. This really is an intriguing item that would make a stand-out piece of furniture in the right home.

Finally, LOT 6362: a large 19th century French Country House Aubusson carpet makes for one of our most stunning items. The design comprises a central floral bouquet in a cartouche medallion surrounded by scallop shells, rose garlands and fuschia scrolls with pale teal rinceaux. Take a look at this item to see the full extent of detail in this outstanding design.

Of course, all the furniture in this sale has been exclusively picked, so make sure you take a look at our full catalogue. Our range of Yorkshire Oak furniture certainly shouldn’t be missed, including a number of Robert Thompson’s Mouseman items - a brand internationally recognised for using only the finest seasoned English oak and the signature carved mouse you can find on each piece.


Curator’s Highlights in Smaller Pieces...

The auction launches with LOT 6000: a beautiful Daum Summer Landscape glass vase, produced by the world renowned French glassmaker circa 1900. The ornately designed lake scene with birch trees & grasses in the foreground features cameo techniques to create a captivating finish, making this vase a truly sought-after and collectable piece.

When it comes to dining, LOT 6022: an exquisite Grainger Lee & Co. Worcester porcelain part dinner service, circa 1825 is a show-stopper. Designed in the ‘Old Indian’ style, with gilt borders and gadroon rims, this is a very elegant set.

Another of our favourites from the dining room is LOT 6007: a delightful set of six Art Nouveau silver and enamel pastry forks, designed for Liberty & Co. by the highly esteemed Archibald Knox, pioneer of modern 20th century design and one of Liberty’s primary designers at the height of their influence. With stylized turquoise & blue shaded terminals, this set would make a unique addition to anyone’s collection.

A really interesting find are two large Burmantofts Faience architectural tile plaques, LOT 6059: ‘The Maide at the Inne’ and LOT 6060: ‘The Stayble Man’, both designed and signed by William James Neatby. Neatby was one of Burmantofts most notable artists, and was also well known for his work at Doulton, including the 1902 murals in Harrods’ food hall. Relatively few signed pieces are known, making these two lots a wonderful addition to the auction.

Our last featured item is certainly not least. LOT 6062: A 19th century Grand Tour micro mosaic bracelet, composed of six oval panels depicting St Peter’s Square, The Colosseum, The Pantheon, The Tomb of Cecilia Metella, Castel Sant’Angelo & The Temple of ‘Vesta’/Hercules. Each oval mosaic is placed in an onyx setting with white metal surrounds, each joined by two embossed metal flowerheads. This really is a charming piece of jewellery.

Lot 6114

Taxidermy: Cased Barn Owl (Tito alba), circa 1900, by Alfred Thomas, Taxidermist, 9 College Street, ...

Taxidermy: Cased Barn Owl (Tito alba), circa 1900, by Alfred Thomas, Taxidermist, 9 College Street, Gloucester, full mount perched atop a lichen encrusted faux rock, amidst ferns and tall grasses, set against a wash painted backboard, enclosed within a modern framed four-glass display case with gilded moulding, H55cm, W39cm, D15cm, taxidermist's paper trade label to interior lower right

10057

SOLD £460

Lot 6115

Taxidermy: Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), full mount adult sat atop a tree stump, enclosed beneath a glass...

Taxidermy: Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), full mount adult sat atop a tree stump, enclosed beneath a glass dome with ebonised base, H53cm with CITES A10 (non transferable) licence no -291810/01

10057

SOLD £380

Lot 6116

Taxidermy: Victorian cased Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), full male mount stood atop a wooden ...

Taxidermy: Victorian cased Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), full male mount stood atop a wooden post in a naturalistic ground, enclosed beneath a period oval glass dome with ebonised base, raised upon four bun feet, H54cm D22cm W36cm

10057

SOLD £300

Lot 6117

Taxidermy: Cased diorama of a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) full mount standing with a Pheasant kill, amid...

Taxidermy: Cased diorama of a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) full mount standing with a Pheasant kill, amidst faux painted rockwork, fauna, grasses and ferns, set against a sky painted backdrop, enclosed within a three-glass pine display case, L129cm, D29cm, H67cm

B38950

SOLD £280

Lot 6118

Taxidermy: Cased diorama of a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) full mount standing with a Pheasant kill, natu...

Taxidermy: Cased diorama of a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) full mount standing with a Pheasant kill, naturalistic set upon a rocky modelled base with grasses and ferns, set against a sky painted backdrop, enclosed within a glazed ebonised display case, H88cm, W108cm, D36cm

B38950

SOLD £240

Lot 6119

Taxidermy - Fox mask (Vulpes vulpes) by E Allen of York, looking straight ahead, mouth agape bearing...

Taxidermy - Fox mask (Vulpes vulpes) by E Allen of York, looking straight ahead, mouth agape bearing teeth, on an oak wall shield with trade label to the reverse H25cm

B38950

SOLD £190

Lot 6125

Antlers / Horns: Collection of Alpine Chamois horns on upper skulls mounted on shields (10)...

Antlers / Horns: Collection of Alpine Chamois horns on upper skulls mounted on shields (10)

9051

SOLD £200

Lot 6128

Taxidermy: Chub (Squalius cephalus), mid 20th century, preserved and mounted within a naturalistic s...

Taxidermy: Chub (Squalius cephalus), mid 20th century, preserved and mounted within a naturalistic setting amidst reeds and grasses, set above a pebbled river bed, mounted against painted back drop, enclosed within an ebonised bow-front display case with verre eglomise border, bearing gilt legend to front glass 'Chubb, Caught by Ian Weber, Little Ouse, 1954 Sept., Weight 5lb 3ozs', W68cm, H37cm, D15cm

10029

SOLD £280

Lot 6129

Taxidermy: Perch (Perca fluviatilis), early 20th century, a skin mount preserved and mounted within ...

Taxidermy: Perch (Perca fluviatilis), early 20th century, a skin mount preserved and mounted within a naturalistic setting amidst reeds and grasses, set above a pebbled river bed, mounted against painted back drop, enclosed within an ebonised bow-front display case with verre eglomise border, W50cm, H32cm, D14cm

10029

SOLD £260

Lot 6133

Antlers / Horns: Pair of Cape Greater Kudu Horns (Strepsiceros strepsiceros) on uppser skull mounted...

Antlers / Horns: Pair of Cape Greater Kudu Horns (Strepsiceros strepsiceros) on uppser skull mounted on oak shield H115cm

9051

SOLD £150

Lot 6135

Taxidermy: Early 20th century Polar Bear Skin (Ursus maritimus), adult skin rug with head mount mout...

Taxidermy: Early 20th century Polar Bear Skin (Ursus maritimus), adult skin rug with head mount mouth agape, limbs outstretched, back with black material nose to tail 274cm

10037

SOLD £340

Lot 6213

Entomology: 20th century twenty-four drawer collectors cabinet containing an assortment of beetle, I...

Entomology: 20th century twenty-four drawer collectors cabinet containing an assortment of beetle, Insect, shell and leaf specimens including Rhinoceros Beetle (Dynastinae), Red-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda germanica), White Witch Moth (thysania Agrippina), Titan Beetle (Titanus giganteus), Giant Water Bug (lethocerus), Giant Cave Roach (Blaberus giganteus), Long Horn Beetles (callipogon Relictus), Buprestid Beetle (euchroma gigantea) and other specimens, mostly fitted with protective glass covers, H80cm, W76cm, D36cm

10096

SOLD £190