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Burne-Jones head study.
Our monthly Decorative Interiors sales still account for the majority of lots that arrive for sale; our specialist catalogued sales, however, grow in strength and quality, resulting in our being able to place more and better items into the regular sale. This has the advantage of bringing more and more buyers to these sales, as they see the quality and frequency of good lots turning up in the monthly sales, and our being able to give more room to show and describe the top tier of what we offer for sale. The next sale is 24th/25th March.
Portrait of Miss Elizabeth Williamson.
There have been some high calibre lots consigned already this year, which include a splendid example of the Victorian Pre-Raphaelite master Sir Edward Coley Burne Jones - Head Study of Frances, Lady Horner (daughter of Burne Jones's patron), that has come to us through the executors of a local Cambridge estate, and a beautifully executed oil painting of a young girl 'Miss Elizabeth Williamson, aged 12' by the renowned Italian society painter Antonio Mancini, from a west Cambridge collection. These will both carry estimates of £15,000 to £25,000.
Further strong entries have been received in the fields of Antiquarian Books and Old Master Drawings. Some of the more diverse consignments to appear in our March 4th catalogued sale were a fascinating travel journal, penned by Able Seaman Charles Woods circa 1830-40, who delights in relating his exploits on board ship (and on land). It sold for around £6,500. Hopes were high for this item, following as it did the exceptional result achieved for a ship's log of 1814 that included an entry noting the important rediscovery of Pitcairn Island and the remaining 'Mutinous' crew of the Bounty. This unique piece of history caused great interest from as far afield as Australia, and sold for a colossal total hammer price of £40,000.
A Titanic related telegram sold at our March sale for well over estimate
at nearly £2,300 including premium.
Antique furniture performed well
Antique furniture performed well last year, showing an increase in demand and competition from the previous year, and we believe this trend will carry on in 2010. Buyers come to sales armed with tape measures (and often partners) who between them decide whether to bid or not. This level of private buying has seen an increase year on year for some little time now, as buying clients strive to compete directly with established trade buyers. Condition becomes more and more relevant in making a bid, with the ever increasing costs of professional restoration playing a bigger role in the level of bidding.
Some of the 'shipping' trade has started to trickle back, though this is closely linked with currency exchange rates.
Internet marketing is a vital tool
The internet too becomes an ever more vital tool for both the marketing and actual sale of an item. All lots offered at our auctions now carry illustrations along with descriptions on both our own and related Auction web sites linked with us, aimed at supplying virtual catalogues to customers the world over. Many of the higher value lots sold so far to internet bidders have been Chinese works of art, particularly ceramics, with many four figure sums being paid. This will no doubt continue through 2010.
Sourcing such highly specialist lots becomes ever more challenging, as with the passing of years the supply of suitable and rare pieces naturally tends to shrink, with collectors having, as a consequence, to find new themes to collect.
The economic climate remains uncertain and this continues to cause investors to move back into once out-dated fields of collecting (for example postage stamps). A good collection that will appear in our March sale no doubt will attract new and strong attention. Gold and silver articles no doubt will also see strong interest this year, a collection of gold Krugerrand coins that appeared in our November 2009 sale saw strong investment bidding, at around 10% over bullion prices.
Above all, 2010 will be a year to watch; the jury is still out on what (if anything) will again become fashionable that is currently slow to sell, or on the other hand what will tail off. Above all, the demand or saleability of any lot has much to do with provenance, quality and condition, coupled with the 'market-freshness' factor. Nothing is more attractive than a lot that has these qualities, and this mantra will not change in the time to come.
For further information please contact Charles Ashton on 01223 271948
A Review of the Fine Art Market
After the constant and high volume of business that stretched throughout 2009, 2010 took a little longer to really get going, with the bad weather making for a slightly slower start in January compared to 12 months ago, reports Charles Ashton MRICS. Burne-Jones head study.
Portrait of Miss Elizabeth Williamson.
Further strong entries have been received in the fields of Antiquarian Books and Old Master Drawings. Some of the more diverse consignments to appear in our March 4th catalogued sale were a fascinating travel journal, penned by Able Seaman Charles Woods circa 1830-40, who delights in relating his exploits on board ship (and on land). It sold for around £6,500. Hopes were high for this item, following as it did the exceptional result achieved for a ship's log of 1814 that included an entry noting the important rediscovery of Pitcairn Island and the remaining 'Mutinous' crew of the Bounty. This unique piece of history caused great interest from as far afield as Australia, and sold for a colossal total hammer price of £40,000.
A Titanic related telegram sold at our March sale for well over estimate
at nearly £2,300 including premium.
Antique furniture performed well
Antique furniture performed well last year, showing an increase in demand and competition from the previous year, and we believe this trend will carry on in 2010. Buyers come to sales armed with tape measures (and often partners) who between them decide whether to bid or not. This level of private buying has seen an increase year on year for some little time now, as buying clients strive to compete directly with established trade buyers. Condition becomes more and more relevant in making a bid, with the ever increasing costs of professional restoration playing a bigger role in the level of bidding.
Some of the 'shipping' trade has started to trickle back, though this is closely linked with currency exchange rates.
Internet marketing is a vital tool
The internet too becomes an ever more vital tool for both the marketing and actual sale of an item. All lots offered at our auctions now carry illustrations along with descriptions on both our own and related Auction web sites linked with us, aimed at supplying virtual catalogues to customers the world over. Many of the higher value lots sold so far to internet bidders have been Chinese works of art, particularly ceramics, with many four figure sums being paid. This will no doubt continue through 2010.
Sourcing such highly specialist lots becomes ever more challenging, as with the passing of years the supply of suitable and rare pieces naturally tends to shrink, with collectors having, as a consequence, to find new themes to collect.
The economic climate remains uncertain and this continues to cause investors to move back into once out-dated fields of collecting (for example postage stamps). A good collection that will appear in our March sale no doubt will attract new and strong attention. Gold and silver articles no doubt will also see strong interest this year, a collection of gold Krugerrand coins that appeared in our November 2009 sale saw strong investment bidding, at around 10% over bullion prices.
Above all, 2010 will be a year to watch; the jury is still out on what (if anything) will again become fashionable that is currently slow to sell, or on the other hand what will tail off. Above all, the demand or saleability of any lot has much to do with provenance, quality and condition, coupled with the 'market-freshness' factor. Nothing is more attractive than a lot that has these qualities, and this mantra will not change in the time to come.
For further information please contact Charles Ashton on 01223 271948
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