The Fabulous Art of Peter Carl Fabergé
Lilies of the Valley Faberge Egg
by Christopher Proudlove It stands just eight inches tall; it represents the fabulous art of Peter Carl Fabergé, jeweller to the last Czars of Imperial Russia and it must be one of the most exclusive Easter eggs imaginable. It is the Lilies of the Valley Egg (pictured) and it was commissioned from Fabergé by Nicholas II as a surprise gift to his mother, the Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna, to mark the Easter of 1898. Peter Carl Fabergé (1846-1920) had taken control of his father's modest St. Petersburg jewellery firm in 1870. Combining innovation with tradition in a refined aesthetic line of impeccable craftsmanship, he became jeweller by appointment to most European courts and suppliers of objets de luxe to the rich and noble. His firm of goldsmiths went on to employ 500 people in workshops of St. Petersbsurg, Moscow, Odessa, Kiev and London. And the young Czar Nicholas was used to giving expensive presents. His father, Alexander III, had started the fashion back in 1885 when he asked Fabergé to dream up something that would remind the Empress Marie of home. (She was a Danish princess, the daughter of King Christian IX). An Easter egg was the obvious choice. Ever since the beginning of time, the egg has symbolised new life and new hope. As early as the 13th century, Europeans were exchanging gifts of painted hens' eggs. The wealthy of the Middle Ages sometimes embellished these eggs with gold and jewells and later they included ingenious "surprises" concealed within the fragile shell. Simplest of these surprise Easter eggs were made in wood in the 19th century by Russian peasants celebrating the Orthodox Church's most important festival. When unscrewed, these eggs revealed smaller and smaller ones, just like the famous Russian dolls. But other surprise eggs were on a more grand scale. Ingenious toys were the delight of European kings of the 18th century. Louis XV, for example, gave his mistress, Madame du Barry, a jewelled egg that contained a porcelain cupid. He, in return, received eggs painted by such masters as Boucher and Watteau. An important egg is in the Danish Royal collection. Made from ivory, it contains surprise after surprise as it is unscrewed until comes the final gift of a diamond ring. This is reputed to have inspired Fabergé who fashioned for the Czarina an egg the same size as that of a hen's in white enamel on gold, the shell of which unscrewed to reveal a gold yolk. That separated in turn to show a golden hen with ruby eyes and a red gold beak and comb. Inside the tiny hen was a diamond studded replica of the Russian Imperial Crown, and inside that was a minute ruby pendant So enchanted was the Czarina that Alexander commissioned an egg from Fabergé every Easter until his death in 1894. Nicholas, the last of the Czars, continued the tradition but ordered two eggs, one for his mother, the other for his Czarina. According to the latest research carried out at the Central State Historical Archives in Leningrad, 54 Imperial eggs were produced by Fabergé. However, even if you could afford one, you're unlikely to find any; of the known surviving eggs, few are in private hands. The new Czar's coronation in 1897 inspired one of the most famous and exotic of all the Imperial Easter eggs in red gold, diamonds and enamels. Just 3½ inches long, the egg was covered with a trelliswork of gold foliage, intersected by black enamelled Imperial eagles. Inside, the egg contained a working model of the Royal Coronation coach, painstakingly crafted in gold which alone took 15 months to make. Fabergé's inspiration came from a number of sources. The Lilies of the Valley Egg, for example, captures the richness of spring after a bitter Russian winter. The deep pink enamel egg is swathed in a bouquet of the flowers made from pearls and diamonds, with the Imperial Crown set in the top. When triggered, a secret mechanism fans out the concealed surprise: finely painted miniatures of Czar Nicholas and his two elder daughters, each in a tiny oval, diamond-set frame. The Cuckoo Egg, is another treasure, the magnificent gold, enamelled and jewelled table clock was crafted in 1900, and was the first of only six automaton eggs ever produced by Fabergé. When a button at the top rear of the egg is depressed, a circular, pierced grille opens and the bird rises on a gold platform, crowing and moving its wings and beak. When the crowing is finished, the bird drops back into the egg and the grille snaps shut. However, the bird is a cockerel and not a cuckoo, although Fabergé's eldest son Eugène (1874-1960) whose honour it was each year to deliver the surprise eggs to the Czarina on Easter morning, reckoned the egg was always referred to as the Cuckoo Egg. The ingenuity of Fabergé's surprises is exceptional. He made quartz snowdrops in a platinum basket in the Winter Egg of 1913; a tiny, gold singing bird in the Orange Tree Egg of 1911; and 12 revolving, miniature Imperial palaces in the Rock Crystal Egg of 1896. In contrast is the Steel Military Egg of 1916, the last to be presented before the Russian Revolution. Fabergé's acknowledged masterpieces, the eggs reflect the wealth and splendour of the Imperial court and of the epoch that ended with the Great War. Easter eggs of such grandeur were made by Fabergé for only a handful of customers apart from the Imperial Court. Among those few was Dr Emanuel Nobel, the Swedish petroleum magnate and nephew of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prizes, while another was an egg made for the Duchess of Marlborough, the former Consuelo Vanderbilt, when she and the Duke visited Russia in 1902. A number of surprise Easter eggs are being made by today's master craftsmen. While none would hope to aspire to Fabergé's magnificence, they are nevertheless all collectables of the future. Why not commission one for your Czarina?
Rare items including a Rubens masterpiece from ancestral home of Diana to be sold at UK auction
A Commander Being Armed for Battle
Rare antiques from the ancestral home of Diana, Princess of Wales — including a 12 million pound Rubens portrait from the 17th Century — will be offered for sale this summer. Christie's auction house said it will sell about 20 million pounds worth of artifacts from Althorp House, in Northamptonshire, central England. Althorp — Diana's childhood home and the site of her burial following her 1997 death — is now occupied by Diana's brother Earl Charles Spencer. He recently announced his engagement to Lady Bianca Eliot, who will become his third wife. The auction house said the Spencer family hoped to sell off a variety of valuables to invest the funds raised and protect the long-term future of the stately home. While none of the lots were purchased by Diana, many have been in her family for centuries — including the Rubens portrait, "Commander Being Armed for Battle," owned by the Spencer family since 1802. The portrait was painted in 1613 and 1614 and depicts a bearded man, believed to be the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, being fitted with his armor. "This magnificent work by Rubens is one of the most important works by the artist to remain in private hands in the U.K.," said Richard Knight, of Christie's. "It is a museum-quality masterpiece and will have wide international appeal." Other lots include English and French furniture, a mid-17th Century painting by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri and 19th Century horse-drawn carriages. Christie's said three auctions will take place in London during the summer. Source: www.Dailymail.co.uk
JACK JONES – THE WELSH LOWRY
Jack Jones artist (1922-1993) is a Welsh national treasure. Often referred to as the ‘Welsh Lowy’ because of his inspiration from the industrial surroundings of his childhood home, Swansea. A self-taught artist he preferred to describe himself as the ‘Leonardo of the slag heap’. His paintings have a certain quality that while depicting the poverty from his childhood memories, (he once said the slag heap was his playground) they have a huge sense of community and the figures appear as strong individuals. He held solo shows in both London and Swansea and his work is now avidly collected by celebrities such as Sir Anthony Hopkins. A collection of works by Jack Jones is being offered for auction by UK auction Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield on 25th March. The 25 Lot consignment includes some interesting crowd scene studies, abstract compositions, sketch books, self portraits, some of his famous street scenes and an oil painting of a slag heap. Pre-sale estimates range from £180 to £600. For further detail contact the Auctioneers on 01543 251081 
Collecting Clarice Cliff
Selection of Clarice Cliff
The name Clarice Cliff conjures up bright coloured pottery typical of the 1930's style design known as Art Deco. Clarice Cliff was born on the 20th January 1899 in Meir Street, Tunstall, Staffordshire. The most northerly of the six pottery towns in the Midlands of England. She was the daughter of Ann and Harry Cliff and had two brothers and five sisters. She left school at the age of thirteen and started an apprenticeship with local potters learning her trade. At the age of sixteen she began working for theA.J. Wilkinson Company in Burslem, where she had grown up. The Managing Director of the Company, Colley Shorter was informed of her talent by her decorating manager Jack Walker, and soon sent her to the, Royal School of Art in London to further develop her skills.
Clarice Cliff Bizarre bonjour shaped teapot, cream jug and sugar bowl, hand painted with melon pattern
The result was that the company set up a separate studio from which she could experiment with new designs. Clarice was a skilled potter; and it wasn't until 1925 when she was exposed to the Exposition Internationale of Arts Decoratifs et Industrialies Modernes in Paris that her creativity came into full bloom. This was the international exhibition during which the Art Deco and "modern" style burst onto the international design scene, and Clarice was fascinated by the geometrically grounded modern designs being introduced for all the necessary amenities of daily life. Wilkinson had always encouraged Clarice to design her own lines, and she was offered an even greater opportunity to create when Wilkinson purchased the Newport Pottery. Clarice took Newport "blanks" and began decorating her own unique and whimsical designs.
Clarice Cliff Fantasque circular plate
In 1927 Clarice Cliff's employer arranged for her to study sculpture for a few months at the Royal College of Art, London. 1928 she began producing one of her most favoured lines "BIZARRE WARE" which she continued until around 1937. She had an all female group of potters known as the "Bizarre Girls" who travelled to country trade fairs to promote the lines. Clarice used the geometric shapes of Art Deco, but she also worked in shapes of figures as well as abstract shapes. During the depression of the 1930's she managed to produce bright cheery designs of couples dancing with vibrant colours and shapes so collectable today. Additional artists were hired to produce Clarice Cliff designs by hand on the company's products, and the "Crocus" pattern became one of her all time best sellers. The success of Clarice Cliff ceramic designs during this period gave her great success and prominent recognition in the arts world, still unusual for a woman during the 1930s.
Clarice Cliff Fantastique Bizarre conical sugar sifter in the Chintz pattern
With the outbreak of the Second World War all pottery manufacturers were faced with restrictions and shortages, which effectively put an end to the colourful hand-painted pottery of the Thirties. Clarice Cliff and Colley Shorter were married in 1940, soon after the death of his first wife, who had been an invalid for many years. The Newport pottery was taken over as a government store and by the time the War ended Clarice discovered that tastes had changed and mass production methods pushed out hand painted pottery.Colley Shorter died in 1963, after which Clarice Cliff left the business world, selling the two firms to Midwinters in 1964 and living quietly in retirement in the suburb of Clayton, south of Stoke-on-Trent. She died on 23 October 1972 after a brief illness. Midwinters was merged with J & G Meakin in 1968 and became part of the Wedgwood Group in 1970. Since then Clarice Cliff wares have become highly collectable, with prices running into thousands of pounds for exceptional pieces. Clarice Cliff designed over 500 shapes and 2000 patterns. Shape pattern and condition determine collectability. Sought after shapes include the "Conical" range with cone-shaped bowls, vases and teaware with triangular handles or feet, as well as the "Bonjour" and "Stamford" ranges. Rare, desirable patterns include "May Avenue", "Appliqué", "Inspiration", "Sunray", "Mountain" and "Solitude". Novelties, such as the sought after "Age of Jazz" figures and her facemasks are very desirable.
Clarice Cliff for Wilkinson "Chloris" pattern lithograph coffee service
Look out for collectable pieces at UK auctions and antiques fairs with deep, luminous colours and obvious brush marks. Check condition by looking and feeling for chips on delicate areas like rims, handles and spouts. Fakes are common. Tell tale signs include washed out colours, an uneven, slightly "honey coloured" glaze, and a deliberately "aged" glaze around the mark on the base. With thanks to: http://www.aw-antiques-collectibles.co.uk/ For more information click on www.claricecliff.com
George’s Dock, Liverpool in 1895
George Cockram's watercolour captures a bustling George's Dock.
A watercolour by Birkenhead-born Victorian artist George Cockram of the bustling George's Dock in Liverpool in the 19th century is expected to fetch up to £1,000 a sale of fine paintings, silver and jewellery at UK auction Halls’ Welsh Bridge saleroom in Shrewsbury on March 24. "The painting captures a fascinating view of sailing ships in George's Dock in 1895," said William Lacey, Halls' paintings and books expert. George's Dock, built by Henry Berry and opened in 1771, is now home to luxury penthouse apartments in one of the city's most exclusive River Mersey developments. In 1899, the dock and the adjoining George's Basin were filled in to create what is now the Pier Head to provide one central place for Liverpool Docks' offices. George Cockram (1861-1950) is best known for his landscape and countryside paintings. He exhibited at the Royal Academy and was a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy.
Downsizing on a grand scale and the brilliance of late 17th and early 18th century English cabinet-making
John Parry pictured in 1997 with one of his favourite pieces, a Welsh spoon rack
By Christopher ProudloveInvariably, there comes a time when a collection of antiques has to be sold. Aside from the “no pockets in a shroud” scenario, it’s usually a case of downsizing to a smaller home, or else liquidating one group of objects either to afford something better, or to raise funds for purchases in an entirely new area of collecting. With the exception of the former, early English furniture collectors John Parry and his wife, Norma, have had more experience of selling their prized possessions than most. In 1997, the Wrexham couple sold their first collection of walnut and oak at Christie’s in London. It surprised everyone – including Mr and Mrs Parry – selling for not much short of £2 million and setting a new benchmark in the UK auction market. Among the many world auction records was that for a walnut bachelor's chest which sold for £265,500. This was downsizing on a grand scale. But there were three pieces that the now retired house builder could not bear to part with: a George II burr walnut writing chestchest; another George II example with the rare feature of having a veneered back and a Queen Anne burr walnut dressing table or lowboy “the best I’ve ever seen”. These three gems formed the nucleus of a second highly important collection and now that too is for sale in a second downsizing operation. Described by Christie’s furniture specialist Rufus Bird as “a joyful celebration of the richness, variety and quality found in these magnificent pieces, showing the brilliance of late 17th and early 18th century English cabinet-making,” it is expected to realise around £1.2 million. Expectations are that that figure might prove conservative. With such a nest egg, one might think the collector would set his sights on going after pieces even more rare and special than the last. But not at all. Now aged 74, the entirely self-taught connoisseur says he intends to seek out furniture in lower price brackets and he has already started to taste success. He spotted a “lovely George II kneehole desk” in a provincial saleroom with an estimate of £600-800, which the auctioneers had described as “burrwood”. “I knew straight away that it was walnut and I paid £1,400 for it. It’s easily a £3,000-4,000 piece in London,” he said. “I don’t mean to boast, but I had some fabulous things, but I got to thinking and realised what a huge responsibility they are. I’ve loved sharing the collection with others, such as the Arts Fund, but you never know when your time is going to come.
Lot 18 A George II walnut dressing table or lowboy. circa 1730. Estimate: £30,000-50,000
Lot 38 A George II walnut and burr walnut chest with rare veneered back, circa 1730-40. Estimate: £60,000-90,000
A George II burr walnut writing chest, circa 1730. Estimate £60,000-90,000
The late 17th century Charles II Wilby House Casket silkwork casket. Estimate: £40,000-60,000
“I’ve always collected things because I love them, not because of what they’re worth. That’s not my mantra. I find collecting to be a wonderfully satisfying hobby. It is extremely rewarding to find a new treasure, which perhaps displays a style and form previously unknown to me. “Early examples, particularly of walnut, which comprise the three essential qualities: colour, condition and patination, are very difficult to find. I am convinced that many items were undoubtedly bespoke. This is an attribute which I find quite irresistible.” Titled Three Woods: A Passion for Walnut, Oak and Yew, the Parrys’ second sale comprises 120 works, pick of which is a charming early 18th Century Queen Anne walnut kneehole bachelor's chest (estimate: £100,000-150,000). That impressive George II burr walnut writing chest saved from the first sale is estimated at £60,000-90,000, while a George I burr-walnut bachelor’s chest is in at £70,000-£100,000. John places importance not only on the aesthetic beauty and quality of craftsmanship of the furniture he has collected, but also the usefulness of pieces which has enabled them to be used and enjoyed as part of the home. This is demonstrated by a Welsh oak dresser from the early 18th century (estimate: £10,000-15,000); a George II walnut and elm Windsor armchair, circa 1740 (estimate: £10,000-15,000) and a George III brown oak and oak tripod table, circa 1760 (estimate: £3,000- 5,000). In contrast, a stunning late 17th Century Charles II silkwork casket, known as The Wilby House Casket, which is in remarkable condition, is estimated at £40,000-60,000, while smaller, delightfully quirky lots include 15 fruit-shaped tea-caddies from the late 18th century with estimates ranging from £3,000 to £9,000.
Some of the George III fruitwood tea caddies shaped like fruit. Estimates range from £3,000-9,000
The John Parry Collection is at UK auction Christie’s in King Street, London, on Thursday March 25. Viewing is from March 21-24 and cataloguing can be found on the Internet at www.christies.com.
UK Auction etiquette and bidding tips from an antiques expert
Have you always fancied going to an auction, but don’t want to make a fool of yourself? Auctioneer Anita Manning takes the hassle out of bidding some fool-proof advice. Click here for rest of story and videoAgatha Christie Fortune ‘Sold By Accident’ at UK auction
An auction house is fighting for the return of a collection of treasures which belonged to Agatha Christie after mistakenly selling it inside a trunk for a thousand times less than its value.
Agatha Christie
The items are believed to have belonged to the mystery writer Agatha Christie A fan of the writer bought the leather trunk, thought to have belonged to the author, for £100 at an auction by Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood in 2006. But the buyer, Jennifer Grant, recently discovered a locked box inside had been secretly hiding jewellery and coins worth up to £100,000. The chest which bears the initials 'C.M.M' - those of Agatha Christie's mother - was sold following the death of the author's only daughter, Clara Margaret Miller. Ms Grant had not tried to open the small locked box inside the trunk until recently. It was a talking point at dinner parties for years but I never thought there might be anything in it, Jennifer Grant, winning bidder of Agatha Christie's trunk She said: "When I received it, I realised it contained a locked strongbox, but the auctioneer had no knowledge of a key. "It was a talking point at dinner parties for years but I never thought there might be anything in it." Eventually, curiosity got the better of her and she asked a builder who was working on her house to prise it open with a crow bar. Inside lay 35 gold coins in a small bag, a diamond engagement ring and a buckle-shaped jewelled brooch. "I was thrilled that I had something that touched Agatha Christie's life," Ms Grant said. However, Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood auction house is not so thrilled. Senior consultant at the company, Andrew Thomas told Sky News Online that he plans to fight to see the treasure returned to the auctioneers. "The question of good title has been raised and we are currently taking legal advice. "What was offered in the auction sale was the leather chest, not the items of jewellery or coins later discovered. "As these newly-found items were not described in the catalogue list, I believe we have a case." Mr Thomas says there is a precedent for this case and that a similar incident had resulted in a victory for the auctioneers. "There was a case in September 2007 in which drawings were discovered in a bureau after it had been auctioned. "Because the art was not listed at the time of sale, and there was no intention of selling it, we could reclaim the sketches."
UK auctioneer faces hefty fine for selling bird eggs
A Northumberland auctioneer faces a hefty fine after trying to sell a cabinet containing bird eggs. Police arrested Jim Railton, from Chatton, after a member of the public saw the cabinet in a sales catalogue. The cabinet contained 54 eggs of species including kestrels, guillemots and razorbills. Mr Railton was charged with exposing or publishing for sale bird eggs, which carries a maximum six-month jail term or a £5,000 fine for each item. He told magistrates he was ignorant of the law surrounding the sale of bird eggs and was trying to sell the cabinet and its contents on behalf of a client. The hearing was adjourned until a later date for sentencing.
It did reach minus 15 degrees in this part of Cheshire in January and now we’ve got polar bears!
Royal Worcester vase and cover made £8600 at Patrick Cheyne’s sale in Hale
OF all the many subjects painted by Harry Davis 1898-1970 during his long tenure at the Royal Worcester factory, among the rarest and most desirable are polar bears in an Arctic landscape. Only a handful of pieces carry this striking decoration – so there was great interest in this 9in (22cm) high vase and cover offered by Patrick Cheyne of Hale, near Altrincham on February 27. Dated 1905, and signed by the Master himself H. Davis, it had been consigned for sale by a local lady who, having cleared out her mother-in-law’s house, had been pleased with the valuation of £200. “Mea culpa,” commented the auctioneer after it sold in the room to a Southport dealer against nine telephone bids for £8600 (plus 15 per cent buyer’s premium). Over the years Royal Worcester and all of its many incarnations have employed or been associated with some of the best and most innovate ceramics artists. Although Worcester pieces take a great many skilled hands to manufacture, from around the year 1900 Royal Worcester allowed the painters to mark the work produced. The painters being the most notable member of the workforce as seen from the publics perspective and Royal Worcester allowed them to sign the work on the front face rather than include a monogram in the base marks. In addition most painters were encouraged to specialise in a particular theme and Harry was best known for his fish, sheep, landscapes and architecture. Source ATG Media and Patrick Cheyne Auctioneers