Sino-Tibetan Buddha Sells for £16,000 in Country House Sale

A Sino-Tibetan Gilt Bronze Figure of Buddha sold for £16,000 (plus buyer’s premium) in Tennants Auctioneers’ Country House Sale on 22^nd May. International interest was sparked by the figure, which was gilt bronze rather than the more commonly found patinated bronze, and seven telephone bidders competed for the 17^th century style figure.  The figure was sold with a set of eight 19^th century bronze figures of Immortals.

The first sale back with live bidders in the room saw buoyant prices throughout, and the traditional mix of fine art and antiques drew private buyers back into the salerooms. Good lots of period furniture were in demand, with highlights including a William and Mary Walnut Oyster and Marquetry Inlaid Straight Fronted Chest from the late 17^th Century (sold for £4,200), a Rare George III Mahogany Drum Table (sold for £3,000), a Pair of Victorian late 19^th Century Chesterfield Sofas (sold for £2,600 and an Ash Windsor Stick-Back Armchair made circa 1800 (sold for £2,200). The latter came from the John Heaton Cope Collection of Period Oak Furniture.

A large selection of rugs was led by a Massive Ushak or Donegal Carpet made circa 1890. Measuring at just under 8m x 6m, it sold for £5,000. A circa 1900 Ushak Carpet, made in Central/West Anatolia circa 1900 sold well, too, at £4,900.

There has been a much-publicised celebration of female artists recently, with major auctions held focussing solely on the genre. It was works by female artists in the Country House Sale that caught bidders’ eyes and accounted for the top three lots of the sale. Two works were by Joyce Butler (nee Platt); her Portrait of Miss Margaret Lane, who was a transport pilot in World War II and ferried bombers from the USA to the UK sold for £2,500, and her portrait of Miss Florence Rawson, daughter of a Bradford surgeon sold for £1,300. A group of traditional watercolours by Beatrice Emma Parsons of country house gardens was led by her depiction of Abbotswood, Buxted, Surrey, which sold for £1,400.

Further highlights of the sale included a Chinese Jade Libation Cup in the form of a peach that sold for £2,200, a set of Carl Thieme Potschappel Porcelain Menu Holders, sold with a card from Buckingham Palace describing its gift to Lord Lonsdale by the Queen for Christmas 1928 that sold for £1,800, and a Pair of Bohemian White Overlay Green Glass Table Lustres from the late 19^th century that sold for £1,400.

The sale achieved a total hammer price of £261,070 with an 87% sold rate.

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