Published: 10/03/2023
Well two of the top sellers of the sale on Thursday 9th March were two lots of practical chests at very different ends of the design spectrum.
First up was the wonderful original Victorian painted chest of drawers, the yellow paint work highlighted with blue and brown decoration, the dark wood handles with mother of pearl buttons and similar feet and an interesting row of three bonnet drawers at the top. Full of character and charm from 150 plus years of a life lived and used, this is a piece that could easily fit in most homes, especially here in the Cotswolds. Unsurprisingly it attracted a great deal of attention with over 60 people adding it to their online wish list, there was plenty of online bidding and phone bidders as well, taking it up to a hammer price of £820.
The other lot attracting interest was a pair of cupboards of similar size and colour – but this is where the similarity ends. Designed by Cees Braakman, these Danish mid-20th Century pieces more usually found on the continent are of simple form made from stained beech and with the fabulous detail of bent plywood feet. Very on trend, the mid-20th Scandinavian look still being popular, they made £950 hammer.
Other highlights of the sale included a very stylish set of four Murano style glass wall lights of palm leaf design at £1300, a Trex advertising collection box as a chef making £130 and a mahogany Classical Revival breakfront sideboard at £680.
A collection of ephemera including various letters from Buckingham Palace officials, on headed paper and a backed letter from Prime Minister Winston Churchill dated November 16 1942 referring to the "unqualified success of the torch landings …." made £4400.
A collection of medals including 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and Victory Medal, miniatures including VC, South Africa 1853 Medal, Legion d Honneur Medal inscribed "Napolean Emp des Francais" and verso "Honneur et patrie" and Crimea 1854-56 Medal with bars for Alma, Inkermann, Sebastapol, white enamel Medal with central crown and wreath motif, George V, Victoria South Africa Medal with bars for Transvaal, Orange Free State and Cape Colony, Edward VII Boer War Medal with bars for South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902, a 1914 Star with bar for 5th Aug - 22nd Nov 1914, George V 1914-18 Medal, Great War for Civilization 1914-19 Medal, K.C.M.G (the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George), a pale blue and red enamel CBE medal, and a Freedom and Honour death plaque for Henry Frederick Hugh Clifford and a cigarette box for the Royal Irish Regiment inscribed "NGH from MCCH 19th June 1920" achieved £3000. Both lots came with excellent provenance of having belonged / been awarded to Henry Frederick Hugh Clifford, thence by descent.