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Oak Furniture Leads Country House Sale

21st May 2024.

Period oak and pieces of vernacular furniture was much in demand at Tennants Auctioneers’ Country House Sale on 18^th May, with well patinated examples achieving well above pre-sale estimates. Notable prices were achieved for the likes of a Primitive Oak Stick-Back Armchair with three legs, which was likely made in the West Country in the late 18^th or early 19^th century, sold for £2,700 (all figures exclude buyer’s premium). A further West Country chair from the same era, which had an ash comb back, sold well, too, at £1,800.

On offer in the sale, too, was the David and Hilary Hide Collection of Treen and Metalware, which achieved a total hammer price of £8,610 for the 49 lots. Highlights of the collection included a group of Sail and Ropemaking Tools, which sold for £200, and a Pair of George III Carved and Turned Mahogany Candlesticks and a Pair of Olive Wood ‘Brighton Bun’ Travelling Candlesticks, which sold for £380.

A Primitive Oak Stick Back Armchair, late 18th/early 19th century
A Late 18th/Early 19th Century Ash Comb Back Armchair
Sail and Ropemaking Tools, 19th Century
A Pair of George III Carved and Turned Mahogany Candlesticks, with a pair of Olive Wood Brighton Bun Travelling Candlesticks
A Northern European Polychromed Bureau, late 19th/early 20th century
A Brass Mounted Coopered oak Naval Rum Tub
A Pair of Victorian Glass Pharmacy Shop Display Jars and Covers
A Chinese Porcelain Vase, late Qing Dynasty
A pair of Chinese Porcelain Bowls, Qianlong reign marks but not period
A Dutch Delft Lobed Dish or Buckelplatte, early 18th century
Mauritius Lowe (1746 1793), Mythological Work
“Sunday Afternoon” by William Henry Hunt (1790 1864)
Allegory of Poetry by M Cordazzi after Carlo Dolci

Good decorative furnishing pieces attracted good levels of bidding, with highlights such as a Northern European Polychromed Bureau from the late 19^th or early 20th century (sold for £1,400), a Brass-Mounted Coopered Oak Naval Rum Tub (sold for £1,900), a Ship-Type Bulk Head Striking Wall Clock, made circa 1890 by J Dimmick of West Cowes (sold for £1,700), and a Pair of Victorian Glass Pharmacy Shop Display Jars and Covers (sold for £1,100).

Amongst the Asian Ceramics in the sale, strong prices were achieved for a Chinese Porcelain Vase from the late Qing Dynasty (sold for £3,000), a Chinese Porcelain Dish from the Kangxi Dynasty (sold for £1,700), and a Pair of Chinese Porcelain Bowls, with Qianlong reign marks but not of the period (sold for £1,300). Good European Ceramics included a Spode Pearlware Comport made circa 1820 and decorated with the “Hunting a Buffalo” pattern (sold for £650), a Worcester Spoon Tray made circa 1770 (sold for £400), and a Dutch Delft Lobed Dish or ‘Buckelplatte’ from the early 18^th century (sold for £400).

Finally, Pictures sold well throughout, with top prices achieved for the likes of a mythological work on paper by Mauritius Lowe (1746-1793), which sold for £4,200, “Sunday Afternoon” by William Henry Hunt (1790-1864), which sold for £2,000, and an 19^th century Allegory of Poetry by M Cordazzi after Carlo Dolci, which sold for £1,700.

The sale achieved a total hammer price of £288,970 with an 84% sold rate for 848 lots.

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