The Selected Contents of Bell Hall, Naburn, York

An eclectic and decorative mixture of antiques and contemporary art will be coming under the hammer this autumn, when the Selected Contents of Bell Hall, Naburn, York, will appear in a single-owner sale at Tennants Auctioneers on 15^th November.

The collection was put together over several decades, and draws together good period oak furniture, folk art, 19^th century samplers, and Asian art alongside modern and contemporary paintings, ceramics and works of art, many pieces with an animal theme.

A Late 17^th Century Joined Oak Refectory Dining Table (estimate: £1,000-1,500 all figures exclude buyer’s premium) is one of a number of good period oak pieces in the sale, a genre of furniture that has been much in the demand at auction recently. Other notable pieces on offer include a Late 17^th Century Geometric-Moulded Straight-Front Oak Chest of Drawers (estimate: £500-700), a Late 18^th Century Joined Oak Wainscot Armchair (estimate: £300-500), a Geometric-Moulded Oak Open Low Dresser, Late 17th Century (estimate: £2,000-3,000) and a Joined Oak Wainscot Armchair, late 17^th/early 18^th century (estimate: £300-500). Interesting pieces of vernacular furniture include a Late 18^th/Early 19^th Century Ash and Elm-Seated Stick-Back Windsor Armchair, probably made in the West Country (estimate: £300-500).

Highlights of the English pottery in the sale include a Pair of Staffordshire Pottery Disraeli Greyhounds made circa 1850 (estimate: £200-300), a Spode Pearlware Indian Sporting Series Meat Dish made circa 1810 (estimate: £300-400), and a selection of interesting 18^th century flower bricks, including an English Delft Flower Brick made circa 1750 (estimate: £300-500).

Perhaps some of the most charming pictures in the sale are pieces of English folk art, which include Portrait of a Prize Winning White Bullock in the Manner of John Boultbee, and a 20^th century painting by ‘GPJ’ of “Prize Pig Old Tom, Royal Sussex Show, 1865” (estimate: £50-80). From further afield are numerous decorative Chinese School Pith Paintings of beautifully rendered insects, flowers and spiders, including a set of twenty-two offered with an estimate of £1,500-2,500.

Alongside a good offering of 19^th century samplers is a Mid-17^th Century Stumpwork Picture, depicting a female figure in a cream dress (estimate: £2,000-3,000), and further highlights include a Continental School Portrait of G.Vallotier in the Late 16^th Century Style (estimate: £400-600), a 19^th century British School Portrait of Two Young Children (estimate: £500-800), and a Black Forest Carved Linden Wood Bull, Cow and Calf Group made by Johann Huggler in 1910 (estimate: £400-600).

Amongst the modern and contemporary pictures in the sale are “Christ in the Wilderness”, a pencil sketch by Sir Stanley Spencer (estimate: £250-400), “Back View” by Martin Leman (estimate: £150-250) and Donkey Rides on a Shore by William Norman Gaunt (estimate: £100-150). Contemporary ceramics are also on offer, including a tin-glazed earthenware “Gypsy Bowl” by Alan Caiger-Smith (estimate: £200-300), and raku ceramics by Jennie Hale and Nick Mackman.

Three good examples of the avian creations of Guy Taplin are also on offer. Created from carved and painted driftwood, Taplin’s shorebirds on offer include a Life-Size Painted Wood Figure of a Heron (estimate: £1,500-2,000), and “Dunlin” (estimate: £300-400).

The sale will be on public view from Sunday 10^th November until Thursday 14^th November, and will be displayed alongside the Autumn Fine Sale, the British, European and Sporting Art Sale and the Fine Jewellery, Watches and Silver Sale, which will all be taking place on 16^th November.

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