The August Jewellery & Silver Sale Review
22/08/2018
A warm summer's day brought the bidders out in force for the Jewellery & Silver Sale in Oxford on 22 August. Comprising over 760 lots and with a selling rate of 91.5%, the top lot was a diamond three stone ring, set with over 4 carats of old brilliant-cut diamonds, making £11,200 (plus buyer's premium).
An antique natural pearl and diamond pendant, accompanied by a possibly associated Parisian retailer's case, achieved £9,000, whilst a modern onyx and diamond set necklace and bracelet suite, of geometric design, sold for £4,600.
Other jewellery highlights included a 19th century agate, enamel and gem set cameo brooch, signed for Georges Bissinger. A German-born gem engraver, Bissinger was awarded medals for cameo carving at the Paris International Exhibition of 1867 and the Vienna Exhibition of 1873. This example, carved in the classical style and with a border of rubies, pearls and diamond set enamel scrolls, sold for £4,200 to a telephone bidder.
The front cover lot, a late Victorian enamel and gem set pendant necklace, featured ribbon bow and heart motifs and was accompanied by a fitted Harvey & Gore case. With interchangeable pearl and chain necklace attachments, it made £3,300.
Opening the objets de vertu section, a private collection of Madeira decanter labels included a George III example of sunburst form, selling for £800, swiftly followed by an Edwardian silver-gilt scent bottle, naturalistically modelled as an owl, which made £3,200.
Antique silver also proved very popular during the second half of the sale. A George I silver ale jug by John Gorsuch, hallmarked for London 1826 and with engraved crest, sold for £5,400. A 17th Century Dutch silver beaker, with engraved figural decoration and later presentation inscription, achieved £3,000. From the Queen Anne period, a Britannia standard silver teapot on stand by Richard Green, hallmarked for London 1712, made £5,200.
The concluding section included a collection of Continental silver nefs, from which an early 20th Century German Hanau example, with fully rigged masts, moveable figures and cannon, made £3,800 to a telephone bidder.
The next Jewellery & Silver Sale takes place in Oxford on 14 November 2018.
