The highlight of the December sale was a Victorian Birds Eye Maple Cabinet by William Watt, in the aesthetic manner of Edward William Godwin. Godwin was a Victorian architect and designer with anglo-japanese influences. The cabinet was bought by the Vendor from a sale of contents of Caythorpe Hall, a Grade II listed building just north of Grantham, Lincolnshire. It had remained in the family until the time of the sale.
Principal Auctioneer Colin Young stated: "There was a lot of interest in the Cabinet which was estimated at £2,000-£3000 before the sale. There was fierce bidding on the day and the lot eventually sold for £6,500."
Elsewhere, the sale kicked off with Lot 1, a champlevé casket by Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810 - 1892). A 19th century casket in gilt bronze with gadrooned edges on bun feet, the casket was decorated in the Persian style with a mix of blues, green and purples that was suggestive of flowers and birds in flight. Lot 1 was a lovely example of his work and sold for £2000 on the day.
Silver proved to be hot in the December sale with various lots doing well. Lot 12 was a George III silver sweet meat dish by Hester Bateman and was engraved with the initials 'RM'. It featured a pierced and floral engraved decoration, which was typical of Bateman's style. The dish came with a blue glass liner and achieved £480. Lot 41, an Art Deco diamond and sapphire set ring reached £1250 in the sale room, showing the continued interest in the period. Lot 16, a pair of mid Victorian pierced and waisted silver wine coasters bearing a bird crest and motto 'Serva base Jugnum' sold for £1300. Lot 130, an Omar Ramsden silver salt, of fluted square shaped design and with rising scrolls to each corner on a stepped square foot sold for £420.
Lot 147, a 19th Century ivory miniature banana with part of the skin peeled back exposing the flesh underneath and Lot 148, a Chinese carved ivory lychee with secondary fruit, proved popular with bidders and sold for £600 and £650 respectively.
Also within the sale was an impressive collection of Royal Doulton whisky flasks. The collection of Kingsware and Dewars flagons was put together by a local family and featured the characters 'George the Guard', 'The MacNab', 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' and 'Mr McCawber' to name a few. The collection sold for over £1400.
