Musical Box Hits a High Note in Silver Auction...
4th July 2019
Lawrences began their week of Summer Fine Art sales with over 470 lots of silver and vertu.
Prices were buoyant throughout the sale with rather under 8% left unsold. Early highlights included £1875 paid for a Commonwealth Puritan spoon by Stephen Venables (1657) and £2870 for an Elizabethan spoon probably by Francis Jackson (1565). A lot comprising over 230 items of flatware in the `fiddle, thread and shell` pattern, made by George Adams principally between 1857-1861, exceeded its top estimate to make £10,750. A fine quality pair of naturalistic Victorian candelabra by Alexander Macrae lit up two buyers to make £3000 and an elegant George III two-handled cup by Daniel Smith and Robert Sharp (1786) made £3750. Three small novelty items sold very well: a cast scent atomiser by William Leuchars (1880) in the form of a terrier dispenses fragrant scent through an organ more commonly associated with urination. This made £1500. A mother of pearl fan decorated with a wedding scene on vellum made £1180 and a small (9.75cm) Victorian musical box in a gilt brass case with a singing bird movement chirruped its way to £3250.
