Ideal lot for patriotic bidders
PATRIOTIC bidders looking for a special way to celebrate St George’s Day – April 23 – will be waving their bidding cards like flags for a three foot tall sculpture of the saint, which goes under the hammer at the salerooms of Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester on Friday, February 19.
The sculpture was carved in beech by the celebrated local artist Patrick Conoley in 1996. Among his other works are the oak rood above the chancel arch at St Mary’s in Cricklade, and a carving of St Thomas at Fairford church.
Conoley’s St George is a striking figure, with angel’s wings spread behind him and a sword across the chest. The dragon lays slain at his feet. A bid of £80 to £120 should secure the lot.
On the theme of Englishness and local craftsmanship, football might be recognised as the national sport, but it is billiards that is known by the alternative name of The English Game, and one of the stand-out lots of the sale is a dual-purpose billiards table by Sir William Bentley Billiards of Marten in Wiltshire.
The firm is renowned as one of the best makers and restorers of billiards tables in the country. This half-sized example closes up to become a dining table. New, such a table will set you back in the region of £6,000, so the auctioneer’s estimate of £500 to £800 sounds very reasonable.
There are no games hidden within a Victorian mahogany library table, which carries an estimate of £500 to £800. It is what it is – a fine piece of furniture measuring 1.8m by 1.2m and with a smart red leather writing surface and frieze drawers.
It would look lovely reflected in a Liberty & Co style mirror, but where to get one? Luckily, Moore Allen has such a piece – a circa 1900 copper embossed mirror with foliate and flower head decoration, carrying an estimate of £100 to £150.
The sale starts at 9.30am. For a full auction catalogue, log on to www.mooreallen.co.uk
 |
 |
| A beech sculpture of St George |
A circa 1900 copper embossed mirror |
 |
|
A Victorian mahogany library table |
|