European Ceramics
Charterhouse were very pleased to sell an Italian maiolica istoriato pottery charger for a staggering £460,000 plus premium and VAT, despite having a chip.
We visited the client in a Somerset cottage who wanted to downsize and move near to her family. Amazingly, this pottery charger, which dates to 1540, was mounted in a coat hanger wire frame and hung on a wall behind the kitchen door. Having removed the charger from the wall, it was taken back to our salerooms where research started to properly identify the charger. After several months of research, the charger was entered into an auction dedicated to it, such was the importance of this one lot.
Viewing for this Italian charger, which tells the story of King Herod and Salome, was by appointment only, with many dealers, academics and collectors making the journey to our salerooms. On the auction day, there was not much standing room and even our Town Mayor made an appearance. The hammer finally fell at £460,000 to a Bond Street dealer bidding on the telephone.
All of our auctions use live internet bidding platforms to ensure that every lot, whether it is worth £20 or £500,000, reaches the widest possible market and sells for the best price possible. In the run-up to an auction, we receive 100s of emails requesting further information for lots in the sale. Attached to these email replies, we regularly send well over 1,000 digital images, such is the huge interest generated in our auctions.
For further information regarding European ceramics at auction, or any other special items you wish us to value or auction, please contact Richard S J Bromell ASFAV, Director at the office on 01935 812277 or rb@charterhouse-auction.com
Wonderful Wally Birds Come to Charterhouse
Two Wally birds, and a small group of vases made by the Martin Brothers, are estimated to sell for £40,000 when they go under the Charterhouse auction gavel in their specialist auction of Mid-Century & Decorative Arts in Sherborne Thursday 25th June.
“Over the past 40 years of working in auctioneering I have only come across a couple of the Martin Brothers Wally birds before such is their rarity, and on this occasion with rarity comes value.” Commented Richard Bromell.
The Martin Brothers, Wallace, Walter, Charles and Edwin, set their studio up in Fulham in 1873 before outgrowing this and moving to Southall before the pottery closed in 1914.
The small group of Martin Brothers pottery come to Charterhouse from a West Country deceased estate. The family collected the pottery many years ago as they once had a close connection with Southall.
In the collection there is a rare Martin Brothers double Wally bird tobacco jar and covers estimated at £15,000-20,000 and a single Wally bird tobacco jar and cover estimated at £10,000-15,000.
You can see Wally birds and all the other lots on charterhouse-auction.com where you also follow the auction live on Thursday 25th June.
Richard Bromell and the team at Charterhouse, The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne are available for valuations on single items, collections and complete house contents on 01935 812277 or via rb@charterhouse-auction.com
Rare Martin Brothers double Wally bird Charterhouse in Sherborne on Thursday 25th June £15,000-20,000
Martin Brothers Wally bird £10,000-15,000
The collection of Martin Brother pottery in the Charterhouse auction estimated at £40,000
