Exploring The Boodles National Gallery Collection

Posted on November 6, 2024November 11, 2024 by Aurélia Turrall

I was recently privileged enough to handle a very unique piece of jewellery by Boodles: The Boodles National Gallery Collection’s Play of Light Lake Keitele bangle.

In light of one of the nation’s favourite museum’s 200^th anniversary, Boodles has created a special National Gallery Collection of jewellery. The National Gallery is considered one of the world’s greatest art collections and open its doors in 1824, after the British government purchased 38 paintings from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein that same year.

The museum now holds paintings by Botticelli, Caravaggio, Cézanne, Constable, Ingres, Holbein, Seurat, Titian…to name but a few. But it wasn’t always a guarantee that these masterpieces would be remain within the collection, safely. During the Blitz, the collection was distributed in safe houses, until it found its way to a Welsh slate mine, where the artwork stayed between 1941-45. When the bombing was less intense, the museum decided to show one painting a month. This is the origin of the museum’s current Picture of the Month. The picture was taken down every evening for safe storage in the museum’s underground strong room.

Now, 200 years after the museum opened, Boodles have celebrated the extraordinary collection by creating a unique line of high jewellery inspired by the artists and their creations.

The paintings have generated four specific themes around which the jeweller “plays” with: Perspective, Brushstrokes, Motherhood and Play of Light.

Perspective

Inspired by Canaletto’s view of Venice and mastering of perspective, Boodles have created the Perspective Collar set with 12 main Ashoka diamonds weighing 9.04cts total, and 14.29cts of remaining diamonds. A jewelled architectural delight, it is mounted in platinum and reflects the Doge’s palace beautifully.

“The Ashoka cut diamond was perfect for Perspective, the vertical lines and unique cut worked so well with the idea of an architectural landscape” says Boodles Director of Design, Rebecca Hawkins.

Brushstroke

For the Brushstroke collection, “we drew on for inspiration [from] the brushstroke technique used by particular artists. We found that within some paintings, such as Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, 1888, the brushstrokes employed were very visible- you could literally see the way in which the paint had been applied to paper. This in turn inspired our Brushstrokes suites.”

The use of aquamarine in this collection is a statement to the use of blue brushstrokes in Cézanne artwork, along with the feminine rose gold and scintillating diamonds, giving this collection a dynamism echoed in his technique.

Motherhood

In Motherhood collection, there is a clear selection of “soft” gems and colours. The pendants, rings and bracelets all use diamonds, but also pink diamonds, and moonstone, where “pear and oval shaped diamonds [are] nestled together, reflecting the idea of an embrace.”

In the Motherhood Aquamarine pendant, the use of aquamarine reminds me of water and of babies in utero, with the moonstone’s shimmering warm colours, all encompassed within the solid and indestructible diamond frame. But of course, it also echoes the Madonna with child. The interpretation is up to the eye of the beholder. This pendant retails for £15,000, while its counterpart in diamond and pink diamond retails for £29,000.

Play of Light

In the fourth collection, Boodles designers concentrated on colour and how the same colour can have many different tones. Just as a diamond can range from D-Z and fancy colours range from Faint to Fancy Deep.

“In our Play of Light collection for example we used different gradients of the same colour diamond or gemstone to reflect the detailed dabs of colours found in the paintings. We used yellow diamonds, which gradually became lighter until they flowed into white diamonds, or soft pastel blues deepening to a darker blue.”

Four main pictures were the base for inspiration: Seurat’s The Morning Walk, Monet’s Water-Lilies, Pierre-August Renoir’s Moulin Huet Bay, Guernsey, and Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Lake Keitele.

The Play of Light Rose Gold Drop Earrings use a variety of gems, including vari-coloured sapphires, tsavorite garnets (green), vari-cut diamonds and rose gold for added softness and extra shimmer. They retail for £23,500 and are accompanied by a necklace and a bracelet, each retailing at £28,000 and £76,500

The piece in this collection I was lucky enough to discover was inspired Finnish painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Lake Keitele painted in 1905.

“Boodles designers responded to the distinctive zigzag pattern on the water’s surface in Lake Keitele, 1905 by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, now mirrored by rows of marquise cut diamonds.”

In each of the pieces, the reflection of the water is represented with the use of graduated brilliant and marquise-cut diamonds, each serving as a mirror of light, with more or less fire depending on the light. Just as in the painting by Akseli Gallen-Kallela there are white and blue tones but also specs of red and green and yellow. It is the special always varying shimmer of the stones, that make this collection so unique.

The earrings use 2.79cts of marquise-cut diamonds and 1.44cts of round brilliant-cut diamonds. The necklace uses respectively 3.05cts and 0.86cts and the bangle is set with 22 principal marquise-cut diamonds weighing 6.99cts, and 4.59cts of brilliant-cut diamonds. The water’s movement is here “mirrored by rows of marquise cut diamonds to create a mesmerising piece.”

It was also mentioned that the design reminded someone of a DNA chain. Whether you take your inspiration from impressionism art or science, if the result is as beautiful as this collection is then there truly is no limit!

To book your jewellery valuation call us on 01883 722736 or email [email protected]

Limited edition watches – when exclusive just isn’t exclusive enough…

Posted on October 30, 2024November 15, 2024 by Alastair Meiklejon

Why do people buy luxury timepieces? It is a question that many people will ask, but nobody can truly reply with one answer.

Is it to tell the time? Highly unlikely.

Is it a status symbol? Possibly.

Is it to stand out from the crowd? Again, quite possibly.

This is where the allure of a limited edition watch comes into play, lets picture the scene;
You are in your local bar on a Thursday evening (for those that work in London, you will know that this is the post covid night to be seen outside a bar in your gilet and trainers) and every other person in your office has a Submariner, or a GMT…when you arrive with a brand new limited edition watch that catches everyone’s eye. Irregardless of cost, the words that come out your mouth will be;

“Well, they only made 25 of these – and my authorised dealer managed to get me to the front of the queue”

In that very instant you will be launched into the higher echelons of the watch enthusiasts in your office, and demand respect among the other ‘watch guys’ who took the ‘obviously boring route’ into luxury watch ownership by buying a black bezel Submariner.

What is very clear though is that limited edition watches are actually almost an addiction for the hardened watch collector, the possibility of owning a watch that you are very unlikely to see another one of, apart at watch collectors evenings (yes, these things do exist) has such an appeal that many limited editions will be sold out months and years before they ever see the light of day.

So, why do limited edition watches even exist?

There are many schools of thought in this department and originally, they were formed in order to move old stock – the old adage of ‘How do you make something old more interesting?’ – by making it appear new again. Car manufacturers still use this trick by giving a tired old model that nobody wants to buy any more by putting in some new seats and a slightly different paint job.

Are they a good investment?

Well, given the date of October 2024, they are still a good investment but given the recent cycle of insane watch prices, it’s hard to determine where things might go but if we take one of the most noticeable and ‘mainstream’ limited editions and use this as an example.

The Rolex Submariner 50th Anniversary 16610LV

The Rolex Submariner 50th Anniversary 16610LV
What on earth is that I hear you cry – well like many iconic things on the planet, such as Plato, Voltaire, and Shakira, it goes by a simple one word name of (the) Kermit.
When this watch was released in 2003 it caused a minor stir amongst Rolex aficionados and remember that this was a time when you could consider buying a Rolex after seeing it, as opposed to just being told about it on the phone or email.

The green bezel was not considered to be in keeping with the Rolex ethos, despite the fact that all their boxes were this colour, and nobody considered that the GMT was a little too outlandish – and so this watch was discontinued in 2010, a mere 7 year run, which at the time was considered to be a major failure. Back then I was offered two of this model, with a discount on retail price of £500 a watch, roll on 14 years and the story is very different.

This watch still retails on the secondary market for around £14,000 – I am aware that at the absolute peak of the market some people were paying up to £21,000 for them, but that was ridiculous, as was most of the market around this period.

When compared to a standard black bezel that you will see 35 of every night at The Ned, it has performed better due to its limited run – so much so that Rolex released similar watches following this such as ‘The Starbucks’ and ‘The Hulk’ – FYI, Rolex don’t actually come up with this names, thankfully.

Patek Phillipe Nautilus 5711 40th anniversary

Whether or not this could be considered a ‘Limited Edition’ or not, is a good question – by any definition all luxury watches are ‘limited’ purely down to the fact that creating and manufacturing processes dictate that they cannot pull one off a production line every 30 seconds, considering that Rolex makes around a million watches a year, one could debate if this is down to supply to market rather than ability.

Another very good example of how the smallest detail can change not only the appearance of a watch, but also the heart rate of the collector is the Patek Phillipe Nautilus 5711 40th anniversary. From any distance this watch just looks like a standard 5711, (currently riding high in the top ten of the stockbroker mugging chart) but in fact it’s made from platinum and has an extra detail on the dial to indicate that you are very special, so special in fact that you were allowed to buy this watch. These small details now will tell the great and good that not only did you buy a Nautilus, but you also probably had to have owned a few in order to own this one – and now have to insure this particular watch for around £300,000.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Frosted Gold “Carolina Bucci” Limited Edition 37mm

There are many other watches that are released as ‘Limited Editions’ by the big boys in the horology world and they vary as much as anything else in terms of investment – one simply cannot tell until the market decides, and this means taking the plunge sometimes.

Whether or not history will be kind to the pink dial Tudor Chronograph is a question I have been asked quite a lot, needless to say – I have been diplomatic in most of my conversations about it.

Even in the sales pitch from Tudor, they say ‘It might not be for everyone’…but because it’s a limited edition, you should buy it anyway.

Why pink you may ask, but it’s actually a fairly simple answer – David Beckham. As one of the brands main ambassadors, and staple signature of masculinity, a pink dialled watch to go with his pink shirted football team Inter Miami seems to make sense in the celebrity endorsed watch world. For a price of £4,880, it does seem to be a reasonable outlay if you can live with that dial.

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Pink

The Legacy of Elisabetta Sirani: Art, Fame, and Mystery

Posted on October 22, 2024November 25, 2024 by David Dallas

This week’s female artist is the fascinating Elisabetta Sirani (1638-1665).

She was born in Bologna on January 8^th 1638 to Margherita and Giovanni Andrea Sirani. Fortunately for her, her father Gian’Andrea Sirani was a favourite pupil of Guido Reni and took over his practice as teacher and master in the first Life School in Bologna. Naturally, Elisabetta studied under her father and, therefore, absorbed the technique of Guido. She also studied the paintings of other great Bolognese baroque painters such as Annibale Carracci, Simone Cantarini and Carlo Cignani. She was well educated, liked music and was familiar with the Bible, lives of the Saints and classical mythology, all of which provided subject matter for her paintings.

By 1654, when she was only 16, she took over the running of her father’s workshop, as Giovanni Andrea had become incapacitated by Gout. I am not sure why Gout was so prevalent in previous centuries and caused so much trouble. Joseph Banks in the late 18^th Century, for example, would take to a wheelchair for several months at a time. Enough on Gout!

Elisabetta Sirani Timoclea killing the Captain of Alexander the Great

Elisabetta Sirani – Self Portrait

From this moment on, Elisabetta, the eldest of four children became the family’s main breadwinner by a combination of income from her portraits and other commissions and tuition fees. She had more than a dozen pupils and set up the first lay, as opposed to convent, school for women artists. She was also a prolific painter, as well as celebrated teacher. She produced over 200 paintings, 13 altarpieces, 15 etchings and hundreds of drawings. In fact, she was so prolific that many people accused her of using pupils to paint the pictures, which was, after all, standard studio practice. However, Elisabetta tended to sign her pictures and in order to rebuke the accusations that she did not paint them herself, invited her accusers on May 13^th 1664 to her studio to watch her paint a portrait in a single sitting!

She became a celebrity and anyone of status visiting Bologna would ask to be invited to her studio to watch her at work. Her clientele was made up of Kings, Princes, Dukes, Cardinals, rich merchants and the church, not only from Bologna but across Europe. All of this is surprising, as she was dead by the age of 27. The cause of her death is the subject of mystery and speculation. Some say she was poisoned by a jealous maid, others that she developed ulcers because of her excessive workload.

Elisabetta Sirani – Madonna and Child

Portia wounding her thigh

In any event, the city of Bologna went into mourning at her death and she was given a most elaborate funeral. A massive catafalque was created with a life size sculpture of Elisabetta inside it. There was music composed in her honour by the most famous musicians in Bologna and orations and poems written in honour of the “Lamented Paintbrush”. She was buried in the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna, in the same tomb as Guido Reni, who had been her father’s tutor.

A word on the Catafalque (temple of honour)

What we are looking at is a design for the catafalque by Matteo Borboni (c.1610-1667) who oversaw the decorations for her funeral. The finished monument was made of wood painted to look like marble and the life-size statue of Elisabetta at her easel was made of wax. This gives you some idea of the scale of the temple and the high regard in which Elisabetta “Gem of Italy” was held.

If you are lucky enough to own one of her paintings, make sure it is properly insured. An average Madonna and Child is worth between £50,000 and £80,000. The top price at auction is $505,000 for “Portia wounding her thigh”, sold at Sotheby’s New York in 2008.

A drawing of Elisabetta’s Catafalque by Matteo Barboni (1610-1667)

Silver’s Time to Shine: How Rising Prices and Unique Pieces are Reviving the Market

Posted on October 17, 2024November 15, 2024 by Jenny Knott

Over the last few years, the silver market has perhaps been viewed as a rather quiet part of the art market, reliable but somewhat disregarded.

You may remember Woody in one of the later Toy Story movies. Silver, like Woody, is proving that you should never write off something just because it isn’t quite as shiny and new as it used to be. It may well prove to be your best bet as a long-term friend.

It is undoubtedly true that some areas have been stagnant. Life-style changes make it unlikely that we are going to see a revival in the taking of tea from an early 20th century silver tea set, or the use of peppers and sugar casters. However, that only paints a partial picture because nothing is ever completely one-dimensional.

I kilo silver bar.

An article in The Antiques Trade Gazette neatly summarised the situation thus:-

‘The increase in bullion prices can influence antique silver prices in several ways. It can make owning silver appear more attractive as an investment, it can create a sense of urgency among collectors and enthusiasts as prices rise and lastly it can raise awareness of the craftsmanship, beauty, and historical significance of antique silver over other tangible assets.’

There has been much made of the increase in precious metal prices over the last few years. The price of these precious metals is usually tagged to global financial and political stability. The turbulence of recent years has seen a huge increase in the price of some metals, particularly gold. However, this should be counterposed against a reduction in the price of other precious metals notably platinum and palladium. This is largely due to the decline in use of these metals, along with rhodium. These are collectively known as the platinum group metals – PGMs. Car manufacturers have turned to battery powered electric vehicles which do not need PGMs in catalytic convertors causing a downturn in demand, and consequently the raw metal price. For many years platinum prices tracked or surpassed the price of 18 carat gold; at present both platinum and palladium are worth less per gram than 9 carat gold.

A 1962 silver owl mustard pot on sale for £2250.

How does this affect silver?

In September 2019 silver was trading at about £15 per ounce, and by August 2020 it was over £21.60, and as of today it is trading at £23.28. There is much speculation that the price of silver has a long way to rise. Unlike the PGM group metals silver is still widely used in industry, in medical technology, cameras and in the electronics sector in the manufacture of machinery requiring electrical contacts such circuit boards and semi-conductors. What, you may well ask, has this to do with the valuation of domestic silver?

As one silver dealer put it to me recently, much domestic silver is now scrapped to be used to make 1 kilogram bars of silver which are sold to ‘stackers’. These are people who believe that the price of silver will soar when the increasing global demand far outstrips the annual output. What is far more optimistic is a flourishing of rare, novel, ancient, esoteric and unusual pieces. This has seen some stunning prices at auction recently including a set of rare Scottish late 17th century provincial trefid spoons which sold for £13,000 , against an estimate of £3,000 – £5,000, and a stunning George III candelabra centrepiece which made £44,000 at Dawsons last month. This piece had been found in a suitcase under a bed where it had lived for the last 45 years. This is particularly relevant as the auction house revealed that the last insurance valuation has been conducted in 1987. Dawson’s research had partnered it with a similar pair of four branch candelabra sold by Sotheby’s in October 2022. This undoubtedly helped the piece achieve over twice the higher end of the estimate.

Thus, you have high prices because of the inherently high price of silver at the moment, offsetting the lack of interest in some areas of domestic silver; coupled with even higher prices for anything that is a little out of the ordinary or even very splendid as above.

In terms of making sure that insurance values are pegged to the current market, it is worth considering whether good pieces are adequately insured and whether more modest silver may be over-insured. Perhaps some pieces might be better sold if they are only gathering dust in drawers and cupboards rather than being used and enjoyed.

Whatever you decide to do with your silver it is always worth ensuring that you have the best up to date information to help you make informed choices that are right for you and your family.

An American novelty stamp box for sale at Peter Cameron for £425

Sotheby’s Pop Culture Sale: A Star-Studded Auction from Music to Film

Posted on October 10, 2024November 25, 2024 by Stephanie Connell

During September, Sotheby’s London held their inaugural ‘Popular Culture’ sale.

The market for memorabilia has been a focus for international auction houses in recent years. Sotheby’s historically was one of the first major players in memorabilia but chose to move away from the field in the early 2000s. Recently, with several highly successful sales internationally and after the unprecedented interest generated by last year’s Freddie Mercury auction, Sotheby’s announced in early 2024 the introduction of their European Popular Culture department.

This first online auction contained 65 lots from across the spectrum of music, television, and film memorabilia. The exhibition preview drew over 1,000 visitors making it clear the appeal of Pop Culture for potential buyers.

The earliest pieces were early 1960s Beatles related memorabilia – while the most modern was a costume from the yet to be release Gladiator II.

One of the most eye-catching pieces was a CyberMaster helmet worn in the 2022 series of Doctor Who! (Lot 61). The CyberMaster’s are villainous characters with a design reminiscent of the iconic Cybermen – instantly recognisable to Sci-Fi fans. The lot had been donated by the BBC to the auction and was one of several items sold to benefit the Film + Television Charity, who support those who working behind the scenes in the industry. The combination of a charitable cause and striking headwear led to the lot exceeding its estimate of £4,000 – 6,000 – fetching £9,600 (inc. BP).

Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 62, Gladiator II: A Screen-used Hero Costume for the Rhino-Riding Gladiator ‘Glyceo’, Paramount Pictures, 2024, £9,600

Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 61, Doctor Who: A CyberMaster Helmet, BBC Studios, 2022, £9,600

Other lots sold on behalf of the Film + Television Charity were the (aforementioned) complete costume used in the highly anticipated Gladiator II (Lot 62). The movie is due for release in November 2024 – the costume providing a sneak preview into production quality and characters. It is rare for a complete outfit to appear at auction prior to the film’s premiere. The costume has been visible in the trailer and will feature as uniform of a gladiator ‘Glyceo’ who can be seen riding a rhinoceros into an arena prior to battle. This lot was an opportunity to acquire a piece from a future classic. Against the estimate of £5,000 – 8,000 it achieved a total of £9,600 (inc. BP).

Vinyl proved popular with collectors during sale – and indicated the ongoing strength of this market.

Lot 28 was an example of a collectable sought by Beatles and vinyl aficionados alike – a sealed 1^st state copy of the controversial ‘Yesterday And Today’ LP. This version of the album has a sleeve dubbed the ‘Butcher Cover’. It was one of the most shocking images of The Beatles and the era. Released by Capitol Records in Canada and the USA in 1966 the cover photograph for ‘Yesterday and Today’ was taken by Robert Whitaker (1939-2011).

Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 39, Freddie Mercury: A Jean-Paul Gaultier Studded Black Leather Jacket, Stage-Worn By Freddie Mercury At The Dominion Theatre, London, 14th April 1988, £72,000

Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 37, Queen: A Rare Set Of Four Autographed Promotional Photographs, circa 1980, £22,800

Lot 33 was a Steinway grand piano, manufactured in 1972 and purchased by EMI for use at their Abbey Road Studios in 1973. The piano, which was installed in Studio 3, was in constant use from 1973 to 2016. The quality of the piano, appreciate by those recording on it.

The Steinway Model A was used on recordings of notable artists including Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Amy Winehouse, Paul McCartney, Kanye West and Lady Gaga amongst others. Pieces used at Abbey Road seldom appear at auction and garner high prices. The estimate of £150,000 – 200,000 proved accurate with the eventual total cost being £192,000.

Queen collectables have been a growth area over the past decade. Lot 39 was a Jean Paul Gautier designed leather jacket. The garment was worn by Freddie Mercury during his final stage singing performance, in April 1988. This jacket had been gifted by Freddie to a close friend, she had subsequently donated it to charity and the provenance stated it had benefited the Angles Aids Orphanage in 2001. Here against the estimate of £20,000 – 30,000 it sold for £72,000.

Lot 37 was a good set of four autographed promotional photographs of the band. Despite the estimate of £6,000 – 8,000 they sold for £22,800. Meanwhile, lot 34 was a varied collection 325 polaroid photographs of stars, obtained during the 1970s – 1980s. The collection not only included the members of Queen, but also The Rolling Stones, The Eurythmics, Status Quo, Bee Gees, Run D.M.C but actors and sports stars such as Muhammed Ali, Michael Caine, and Ben Kingsley. This unique archive sold for £108,000 (*est. £20,000 – 30,000).

Two important musical instruments achieved the highest prices of the auction.

Lot 33, Abbey Road Studios, A Steinway Model A Grand Piano Housed And Used In Studio 3, 1973-2016, £192,000

The image, depicts The Beatles in white lab coats, surrounded by decapitated dolls and butchered meat. It was created as a black humoured, surrealist breakaway from the usual images of the group and apparently inspired by Whitaker’s own reflections on Beatlemania.

So shocking was the image to audiences it was swiftly withdrawn and recalled. To save costs, many of the ‘Butcher Cover’ sleeves were overlayed with a new photograph of the band, known by collectors as the ‘Trunk Cover’ – a rather vanilla image of The Beatles surrounding a steamer trunk.

Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 28, The Beatles: A Rare ‘Yesterday And Today’, First State Sealed Mono Alan Livingston Copy, 1966, £48,000

Lot 36 was a rare, limited edition 7” blue vinyl copy of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody / I’m In Love With My Car’. Only two hundred pressings of this blue vinyl were produced by EMI. They were created as gifts for the attendees of a dinner held at Selfridges in July 1978. Despite Queen not attending the event, they were presented with framed copies – Freddie’s own (numbered 2) appearing in last year’s Freddie Mercury auction and selling for £69,850.

The copy for offered here, numbered 108, was presented to a typist secretary who worked at EMI’s Hayes offices. Included with the lot, were a further gift from the dinner two ‘EMI Records’ branded wine glasses – the lot far exceeded the pre-sale estimate of £5,000 – 7,000 eventually reaching £18,000.

Lot 36, Queen: A Rare Blue Vinyl Pressing Of The Single ‘Bohemian Rhapsody / I’m In Love With My Car’, 1978, £18,000

The version of the LP available here was a rare unopened and sealed copy of the ‘Butcher Cover’ record. The lot had been part of the collection of the former President of Capitol Records. This piece had been intended to be returned to the factory and pasted over, with the ‘Trunk Cover’ image. Instead, it was taken home by the record companies President, and subsequently forgotten – only to be discovered years later, alongside thirteen other LP’s (four stereo and ten mono).

The pre-sale guide of £40,000 – 60,000 reflected the scarcity of the piece, eventually selling for £48,000 (inc. BP).

Timing can be everything with auctions – three guitars contained within the sale had important Oasis provenance. Their sale was announced coincidentally as Oasis revealed their reformation and 2025 reunion tour.

8. Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 43, Oasis: An Epiphone Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar, Owned & Used By Noel Gallagher, £132,000

Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 43, Oasis: An Epiphone Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar, Owned & Used By Noel Gallagher, £132,000

Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 44, Oasis: An Epiphone EA-250 Electric Guitar, Owned & Stage-Played By Noel Gallagher, £48,000

Sotheby’s London, Popular Culture, August/September 2024, Lot 45, Oasis/Johnny Marr: A Gibson Flying V Electric Guitar Formerly Owned By Johnny Marr, Used By Noel Gallagher, £36,000

All these instruments had previously belonged to or been used by Oasis’s, legendary founder, songwriter, and guitarist Noel Gallagher. The most important of these was lot 43 an Epiphone Les Paul Standard – immediately recognisable to fans and a seminal instrument for the group. The guitar was key in the band’s early history (1993/4) when Noel Gallagher owned only a small number of guitars (just two guitars and a bass being available the group). Noel played it on stage, on television, as well as during the recording of the music video for the record breaking single ‘Supersonic’.

With a pre-sale estimate of £60,000 – 80,000 it achieved the second highest price of the auction at £132,000.

The other two instruments offered by Sotheby’s included Lot 44 an Epiphone EA-250, previously owned by Noel Gallagher and again featured on the sleeve of the ‘Supersonic’ single. It was notably played during an early television performance in July 1994. Here, the cherry redburst finished guitar sold for £48,000 (est. £20,000 – £30,000).

Lot 45 had a dual Smiths / Oasis provenance. The 1980 Gibson Flying V was acquired by The Smith’s iconic guitarist and songwriter, Johnny Marr in 1989. Marr loaned it to Noel Gallagher – who subsequently used it on the 1994 recording of Oasis’s debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’. This guitar, a baton in British and Manchester music history sold for £36,000 (est. £20,000 – 30,000).

Overall, the sale achieved a total of just under £1 million.

Celebrating breast cancer awareness with pink ribbon jewellery

Posted on October 4, 2024November 25, 2024 by Aurélia Turrall

As we come to October, I wanted to focus on pink ribbon jewellery to celebrate breast cancer awareness month which runs from 1st – 31st October.

One particular jeweller has created pieces with the aim to wear beautiful, original jewellery with a strong message. David Yurman. This New York jeweller partnered with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in 2008 and the total of his sale contribution, possible with the sale of such jewels, surpasses the $2.5 million, which equates to over 55,000 hours of funded research.

His collection “Cable Collectibles” ranges from $20 to $1,450. The $20 bracelet is made of pink rubber with a reeded design.

The jeweller has promised on his website that 100% of the net profits from every pink rubber bracelet sold during the month of October will go to BCRF, and David Yurman will also donate $16 of the $20 purchase price from every pink rubber bracelet sold through July 31, 2025.

At the other end of the collection is the Cable Collectibles® Ribbon Chain Bracelet, mounted in rose gold, the chain with lobster clasp, decorated with a reeded bow, pavé-set with 0.09ct of circular-cut pink sapphires. It retails for $1,450.

The matching design is also available as a necklace

Though these sapphires are most likely treated to enhance the colour and perhaps durability, it does not take away from the valuable message and David Yurman’s extraordinary commitment.

Other items of the collection include a pin, and bracelet and necklace mounted in silver, which therefore means are less costly but still set with pink sapphires.

Whilst not many jewellers, if any other than David Yurman, create lines of jewellery with the pink ribbon motif, pink is nonetheless available in a wide range of collections sold by the top brands.

De Beers, for example, sells its Enchanted Lotus pendant in rose gold, diamond and pink enamel for £2,575. It is set with 0.21ct of diamonds, the reverse being almost as pretty as the front.

But if the purse can stretch… quite a bit, a De Beers ring set with a 0.44ct Vivid pink diamond ring within a surround of pink diamonds is also available, for just under £100,000.

If £100,000 is simply not in the budget, then why not choose a pink sapphire ring instead? Tiffany & Co. currently sell a pink sapphire and silver bracelet for £350!

Color by the Yard by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co.

The sapphire weighs 0.08ct and just as with David Yurman’s gems, have most likely has some enhancement. But for that price… Does it matter?

What matters is showing support, in any way shape or form, whether it’s holding a Macmillan coffee morning on the 27th September, or wearing pink rubber bracelets, sapphires, diamonds or enamel, the choice is endless and all are rewarded one way or another.

To find out more about our valuation services, visit www.doerrvaluations.co.uk or call us on 01883 722736.

Coining it in: How a Routine Valuation Unearthed a Six-Figure Treasure

Posted on October 2, 2024November 25, 2024 by Alastair Meiklejon

A recent discovery by one of our experienced valuers, Alastair Meiklejon during a Walk-Through Valuation, led to an exceptional financial opportunity for our client, highlighting the crucial importance of the need for everyone to have a valuation and greater understanding of their assets.

The item, part of an inherited collection, had never been insured and was presented to Alastair alongside several other pieces during the assessment. The owner, unaware of its true value, had initially dismissed it as insignificant.

However, due to Alastair’s sharp attention to detail, this valuable asset was uncovered, turning what could have been an overlooked piece into an exciting opportunity, weeks of discovery and a big decision for our client.

Read on to discover Alastair’s account of this remarkable find.

“If there is a specific thing that fills me with an equal mix of terror and expectation it’s an unchecked or unloved box/bag of coins….

While the market for coin collecting seems to have become less popular over the last few years, it is clear that amongst the higher echelons of the hobby – it has boomed – with the rarest of coins hitting the highest prices ever known.

This brings me to one of my favourite encounters with coins, or in fact for any items I have dealt with – and it happened earlier this year.

It happened during a Walk Through Valuation – a brilliant product that presents a great option for clients to get a good overview of the items they have in their property, without needing to have a full valuation. While it doesn’t offer such an in-depth report, it does cover a lot within the three or so hours needed to complete it, and this was one such valuation that was worth its weight in gold.

And, as I was to discover, this was worth far more than that…

The client presented me with a box containing a few gold coins, and whilst this isn’t unusual, there was a good collection of American Double Eagles. These are usually considered to be a pretty good find in most valuations, however there was more at the bottom of the box.

There in an unassuming taped-up box, with ‘Polish Money’ scribbled on the tape, was what could well be one of the biggest numismatic discoveries of the last decade.

King Sigismund III of Poland and Lithuania ruled from 1587-1632, and like all good leaders, autocrats and despots – he loved a gold coin with his face on it, usually to commemorate a battle or something along those lines.

One of these such coins was a 10 ducat piece, one of the most valuable pieces of its time and usually given as an award to dignitaries or important people to the crown. This specific coin has been described as commemorating ‘The Siege of Moscow’ and ‘Treaty of Dywilino’ and was minted in 1618.

So, if you can picture the racing heart and brain overload when before me, in a small brown box was one of these coins. The client was from a Polish family who had to come to Britain in the 1930s following Nazi persecution, and sat me down to tell me the history of the coin, and the family.

Whilst I cannot give too much away, the heart-wrenching story of something that was all too common less than a hundred years ago is still fresh in my mind to this very day, and in my mind adds to the historical value, if not the financial value.

So, what happened next?

After discussion with the client and authentication from one of the most knowledgeable coin academics in the world, it was decided that for them to keep the coin would be too much of a risk and the part it could play in changing the lives of the owners was too much to ignore.

The coin was featured as the final lot in Spink’s Coinex auction in London on September 26th. With nearly 700 items up for sale, it was a lengthy auction, but this coin stole the spotlight. Bidding opened robustly at £85,000 online, even before the live auction kicked off. However, what followed exceeded all expectations. Not only did the final bid shatter the top estimate, but it also set a new world record; it was the most valuable Polish coin to sell at auction! The coin ultimately sold for an astounding £130,000, delivering an unforgettable result for the client.”

You can watch the moment the gavel went down here:

World’s Second Largest Gem-Quality Diamond Unearthed in Historic Find

Posted on September 26, 2024November 25, 2024 by Liz Bailey

What will happen to the stone that has dominated international headlines for the last month?

The discovery of a 2,492 carat diamond from the Karowe Mine, Botswana in August of 2024 will come as news to very few. This incredible discovery was publicised across every major international news channel following the announcement from Canadian owned corporation Lucara on 21^st August.

Images of the rough diamond filling the palm of a hand, positioned alongside a diminutive golf ball for size reference, as well as videos of the stone being inspected and admired by Botswana’s president Mokgweetsi Masisi have filled news feeds worldwide. Rightly so, this incredible find is the largest gem-quality diamond uncovered since the discovery of the 3,106 carat Cullinan diamond from the Premier No. 2 Mine in Cullinan, South Africa in 1905.

The Cullinan Diamond – a Precedent?

When the largest ever diamond was unearthed nearly 100 years ago, South Africa was still a British colony. The Cullinan was offered for sale in London in 1905 and failed to sell initially. It was purchased in 1907 by the Transvaal Colony government and was subsequently presented as a gift to King Edward VII by Prime Minister Louis Botha.

The 3,106 carat rough stone was sent to Amsterdam to be cut by Joseph Asscher & Co (famed for creating the Asscher cut in 1902). It purportedly took Joseph Asscher four days to prepare the stone to cleave, and eight months to polish the original rough stone into nine large principal stones and ninety-seven small brilliant cuts.

Clockwise from top left: II, I, III, IX, VII, V, IV, VI, VIII.

The yield of the nine largest stones are detailed in size order and the entirety of the collection is housed within the collection of the Crown Jewels as follows:

Cullinan I – otherwise known as the Star of Africa –530.20 carat pear-cut stone. Set in the Sovereign’s Royal Sceptre.

Cullinan II – 317.40 carat cushion-cut stone. Set into the band of the Imperial State Crown.

Cullinan III – 94.40 carat pear-cut stone. Set into Queen Mary’s Crown.

Cullinan IV – 63.60 carat cushion-cut stone. Set into Queen Mary’s Crown.

Cullinan V – 18.80 carat pear-triangular cut stone. Set into Queen Mary’s Crown.

Cullinan VI – 11.50 carat marquise-cut stone. Set into a diamond and emerald necklace, Crown Jewels.

Cullinan VII – 8.80 carat marquise-cut stone. Set into a brooch alongside the Cullinan XIII, Crown Jewels.

Cullinan VIII – 6.80 carat oblong-cut stone. Set into Queen Mary’s Delhi Durbar parure.

Cullinan IX – 4.39 carat pear-cut stone. Set into the Cullinan IX ring, Crown Jewels.

A fair comparison? The Lucara Diamond vs. the Cullinan Diamond

As of January 2024, the Cullinan I diamond alone was purportedly valued at $430 million. However, there are notable differences in these discoveries aside from their size, and the context in which they were unearthed.

Location and Diamond Type: The Lucara Diamond hails from Botswana – featured in Lucara’s press release is a reference to Type IIa diamonds from this source. Type IIa diamonds are incredibly rare, with no measurable impurities such as nitrogen or boron. This lack of impurities results in an exceptional colour and clarity that has long been prized and intrinsically far more valuable than other colourless diamond types. Similarly, the Cullinan diamond was mined from a source known to yield Type IIa diamonds. In both cases, there is no confirmation of diamond type, merely speculation at this stage.

Cutting Techniques – Brilliantly recorded in Matthew Hart’s Diamond: A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession (2002), Joseph Asscher hand polished and faceted the Cullinan diamond, purporting “that when he prepared to cleave the largest diamond ever known … he had a doctor and nurse standing by and when he finally struck the diamond … he fainted dead away”. Advances in technology since the Cullinan’s time have ensured a CAD mapping of possible diamond cuts, and precision laser cutting that remove any chance of human error and also maximise the yield from a crystal.

Different times – It goes without saying that politics and customs are incredibly different nowadays, it is highly likely the diamond will be offered for sale and not be presented to a monarchy! Potential buyers of the stone include the LVMH group, who purchased a 1,758 carat stone from Lucara in 2019 for an undisclosed sum, or Laurence Graff of Graff Diamonds, who purchased the ‘Lesedi La Rona’ 1,109 carat stone from the same mine in 2017 for $53 million.

A contemporary comparison – the Graff ‘Lesedi La Rona’

Above: Laurence Graff inspecting the 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona

Discovered in November 2015 at the same location as the 2,942 carat diamond in question, the ‘Lesedi La Rona’ weighed 1,109 carats and was named “Our Light” in the Tswana language. At the time, this remarkable find was also the world’s second largest gem-quality diamond to ever have been discovered. Similarly to the Cullinan, the Lesedi La Rona was initially offered for sale at Sothebys in 2016, failing to sell with a reserve of $70 million.

Nevertheless, the Lesedi La Rona piqued the interest of Laurence Graff of the prestigious eponymous Graff diamonds and was purchased in 2017 for $53 million. Speaking of his purchase, Graff said “This was the first time in over 100 years that the chance to cut such a historic stone had presented itself, which was tremendously exciting,..We had an immense duty to cut the very, very best diamond imaginable from the Lesedi La Rona. We had to do justice to its impeccable natural beauty.”

The planning for cutting the Lesedi La Rona was meticulous. The diamond was so large that the team at Graff could not analyse the stone with their existing equipment. A new scanner was built specifically for this stone with custom software to cater for its size and scale. After months of analysis, the plan for cutting and polishing the diamond was agreed, and the cutting of the stone could begin.

It took two years to cut the Lesedi La Rona. The diamond was cut with state-of-the-art lasers and required hundreds of hours for the table facet of the principal stone alone. Polished by Graff’s team, the Lesedi La Rona finally yielded 67 diamonds, including a double record-breaking 302.37 carat square emerald cut – the world’s largest square emerald cut diamond.

This principal diamond was named the Lesedi La Rona, and also holds the world’s record as the largest diamond with the highest colour and clarity ever certified by the GIA, with D colour, and “high clarity.” This stone was unveiled in November 2019, and is still owned by Laurence Graff

The Lesedi La Rona’s sister stone is also a record-breaking diamond. Named ‘The Infinity Diamond’ this stone is a 157.80 carat D colour heart-shaped diamond. It’s the world’s largest heart-shaped diamond of this quality.

Set into Graff’s Twombly tiara, the Infinity Diamond is still in the possession of Graff. The remaining 65 diamonds were offered for sale to Graff’s clientele in 2019, and prices for these pieces have not been published. Ranging from 1 to 26 carats, these stones all bear a GIA report number and ‘Lesedi La Rona’ laser inscription to the girdle.

The fate and value of the 2,942 carat Lucara diamond remains unclear. Speculations in the Financial Times have reported that the stone could be worth upwards of $40 million in today’s market. Who will be the buyer of the stone? And what record breaking and yield maximising configuration of faceted diamonds will be revealed? Perhaps the largest ever pear cut diamond (this would have to beat ‘The Rock’ at 228.31 carats – selling at Christies in 2019 for £17.7 million) or perhaps it will supersede the world records already set by the Lesedi La Rona, with a 303 carat + square emerald cut, or a 158 carat + heart cut. No further information has been released at this time, so we will wait to see the impressive yield that this crystal will produce!

Jewels from the ‘Earl of Abergavenny’ Shipwreck Spark New Fascination

Posted on September 18, 2024November 25, 2024 by Liz Bailey

The infamous Earl of Abergavenny cargo ship sunk in 1805 off the coast of Weymouth with William Wordsworth’s brother John Wordsworth as the captain of the vessel. Known as one of the UK’s most horrific maritime disasters, the wreck involved the loss of 250 lives. Reaching the headlines 219 years later, the wreckage has now been granted protected status as of 14^th August 2024.

The ship’s cargo, estimated at around £70,000 at the time, is said to be worth £7.5 million today. The Earl of Abergavenny was transporting over 60 chests of silver bullion as well as countless artefacts that were excavated in 1980 and now housed in the Portland Museum, Dorset. One such find was a single gold cufflink, bearing the initials J.W., and so widely assumed to be the possession of Captain John Wordsworth.

Titanic Relics – Waltham Pocket Watch Sets Auction Record

Captain John Wordsworth’s cufflink is not the only shipwrecked jewel to hit the headlines this year. In April, a gold pocket watch worn and recovered from Titanic passenger John Jacob Astor broke auction records with a hammer price of £900,000 at Henry Aldridge & Son. This auction result marks the highest price achieved for any single artefact recovered from the Titanic.

Waltham Pocket Watch — The 14ct gold Waltham pocket watch originally owned by John Jacob Astor. Sold in April 2024 for £1.1 million inclusive of fees. For reference, unassociated 14ct Waltham pocket watches are available to buy from £1,300-£6,500 on Chrono24.

The General Abbatucci ArtefactsThe staggering uplift in value for these remarkable survivors of unthinkable disasters is ever increasing. Historic Shipwreck sales include Christie’s 2009 sale of ‘The General Abbatucci Cargo’ which saw a sale total of over £280,000.

The General Abbatucci sank on 7 May 1869, sailing from Marseilles, France, to Civitavecchia in Italy. Believed to be carrying cargo destined for The Vatican, the wreck was found nearly 127 years later and much of the cargo sold through Christie’s South Kensington in a 270 lot sale featuring bullion, chains, watch cases and jewellery, mainly presented in group lots.

In the last couple of years, pieces from this remarkable 2009 sale have resurfaced, accompanied by their provenance and certificate of authenticity. Below is a fine Victorian watch chain, available to purchase from Bentley & Skinner for £7,750.

A Victorian gold watch chain from the General Abbatucci Shipwreck. Bentley & Skinner £7,750.

Two further lots to re-appear at auction in the last couple of years featured at Woolley & Wallis sales. These lots were catalogued together with their original lot numbers from the 2009 Christie’s sale, and can demonstrate a rise in value, even from an auction standpoint.

A mid-19th century gold cruciform pendant, set with a cushion-shaped diamond, the cross decorated with layered and textured gold ivy leaves, 2.9cm wide. Sold for £551. Previously part of a group lot 28 in The Abbatucci Cargo Sale 7th October 1997, selling for £748 (both figures inclusive of fees).

A mid-19th century gold necklace, of tubular construction, entwined in coiled wire, in yellow gold, 41cm long. Sold for £2,624. Previously lot 180 in The Abbatucci Cargo Sale 7th October 1997, selling for £863 (both figures inclusive of fees).

With the clear uplift in value and an enduring, timeless fascination with these surviving relics both in the auction and retail worlds, it will be highly interesting to see the long-term trajectory for these pieces. With such tales remaining at the forefront of the news this year, values and desirability of these rare historic pieces are set to rise even further, particularly for those items with clear provenance and traceability to historic sales such as the Abbatucci Cargo Sale. For an up-to-date auction valuation of your own treasures, do get in contact with our nationwide team of specialists.

To find out more about our jewellery valuation services, call us on 01883 722736 or read more here.

Artist Spotlight: The work of Dame Magdalene Odundo

Posted on September 12, 2024November 25, 2024 by Stephanie Connell

Dame Magdalene Odundo (Kenyan/ British, b. 1950) is arguably one of the most important artists working in Britain today and the definitive contemporary ceramicist of the modern era.

Odundo’s oeuvre typically consist of sculpture in clay and on occasion in glass. These forms simultaneously traditional and modern – equally unpretentious and layered with meaning. Her work is almost timeless – galleries exhibiting her pieces often choosing to display them alongside historical artifacts and objects from societies which she has taken inspiration from.

The creation of her work is a complicated process. The sculptural vessels are predominantly hand-built coiled pots, formed in terracotta, using a traditional technique learned in Nigeria. They are typically decorated in slip, multi-fired and polished. Her work is recognisable by the strength of the form and glazes – usually either almost metallic in burnished brown/ black or orange/ red oxide.

Odundo, has discussed the closeness the shapes of her work take to the human form – and that naming terms for pottery vessels such as ‘neck’ and ‘body’ make pots anthropomorphic – vessels have the exterior on show, whilst the interior is hidden, as individuals do.

In recent years Odundo’s status has been reflected by a significant number of dedicated exhibitions of her work. These exhibitions have included Magdalene Odundo: The Journey of Things held at The Hepworth Wakefield (February 2019 – June 2019) and Sainsbury Centre (August 2019 – December 2019); Magdalene Odundo in Cambridge at the Fitzwilliam Museum (December 2021 – June 2022); Magdalene Odundo: A Dialogue with Objects held at the Gardiner Museum, Canada (October 2023 – April 2024) and the exhibition currently being held at Houghton Hall, Norfolk (* until 29^th September 2024).

Dame Magdalene Anyango Odundo was born in Nairobi in 1950 and spent her childhood in India, Nairobi, and Mombasa. She was primarily educated in Kenya by Irish nuns – and according to the artist had little knowledge of ceramics. The colonial education system invariably overlooking the chiefly female tradition of making pots for food preparation.

She initially trained in Kenya as a Commercial and Graphic Artist. She travelled to the UK in 1971 to continue her studies – she has lived and worked in England since this time.

Between 1971 – 1973 Odundo was a student at Cambridge College of Art. It was here she first discovered her passion for ceramics. As she revealed in a 2021 interview

“The first time I actually encountered clay I just literally fell in love with it”.

Magdalene Odundo has discussed the importance of clay to her work, considering the connection between pottery and the earth – to quote “you come from it, and you go back to it”. She has referenced how ceramics have been used to produce vessels throughout human history and across civilisations. The corelation between the shapes she creates – the human form and therefore condition – are also pivotal.

She achieved a BA in Ceramics at West Surrey College of Art and Design (renamed University of Creative Arts) between 1973 – 6. Odundo became a University Professor at this institution in 2001 and Emirta Professor in 2016 and Chancellor of the institution. Magdalene Odundo is closely linked with Surrey and is based in Farnham.

During the early part of her career, Odundo, visited Kenya, Nigeria, and the Pueblo people in New Mexico to learn pottery building and glazing techniques. In 1976 The Hepworth Wakefield made the first acquisition on of her work by a UK institution – ‘Eniasulo (Water Carrier)’ (1974-6). She was awarded a Masters in Ceramics from the Royal College of Art in 1982. It was after her exhibition in the early 1980s that appreciation of her work became more widespread.

The Magdalene Odundo exhibition currently being displayed at Houghton Hall, Norfolk brings together several of Odundo’s important works in both ceramics and more unusually glass. The show is the first at Houghton dedicated to the work of a female artist and additionally a black artist. The exhibition aims to create a juxtaposition and a dialogue between the opulent interiors of the Palladian house and Odundo’s contemporary sculptures.

One of the most impactful pieces is a new work displayed as a dining table centrepiece in Houghton Hall’s Marble Parlour. The work was produced during Dame Odundo’s yearlong residency at Wedgwood, Stoke on Trent. The piece reflects upon Wedgwood founder Josiah Wedgwood’s campaigning for the abolition of slavery and work as a ceramicist. This large multi-tiered sculpture is atypical of Magdalene Odundo’s work.

To quote the artist

“It is the first time I’ve used narrative and figure and ornament in my work, because my own work is very paired down, very plain. The discovery of all the ornaments and the figures within the Wedgwood tradition gave me a platform to use narrative and storytelling”.

Odundo uses Jasperware – instantly recognisable as Wedgwood in Black and Cane colours, first used in the 1770s. The lower two-tiers feature horrifying symbols of slavery, and figures, akin to of those depicted in the shocking 18^th century Brook’s slave ship illustration. The upper tier has images of recent protest in Nairobi. Odundo was able to refer to the design in the Wedgwood archive, including the anti-slavery medallions.

For the Houghton Hall exhibition, her modern objects are placed in contrast with the antique and historic pieces, within interiors designed by William Kent for Robert Walpole.

In the Green Velvet Bedchamber where typically a pair of Chinese porcelain cranes are on display – one has been replaced by Magdalene Odundo’s ‘Untitled’ (1995) – these two ceramic pieces seem to be in a direct dialogue with one another. The shape of Odundo’s vessel and black glaze complimented by the chinoiserie cabinet it sits upon.

In the Stone Hall seven objects are on display – five in the centre of the room raised on plinths – and a pair in orange glaze set within alcoves. Against the bright white stone, the black and orange glazed sculptures are shown to their best advantage.

The Magdalene Odundo exhibition is currently being held in parallel with one-hundred Anthony Gormley iron sculptures – installed around the estate.

The market for Dame Magdalene Odundo’s work has been very buoyant this century. In recent years demand and prices have increased dramatically.

To illustrate, it is worth looking at pieces which have appeared on the open market historically and have been offered again this decade. In September 2006 Bonhams London offered ‘A rare Vase Form’ executed by Odundo in 1986. (Lot 220, Bonhams, International Contemporary Ceramics, 19^th September 2006) At that time the piece sold for £27,600 (including BP).

The same work described as ‘Untitled’ was offered in June 2021 at Sotheby’s London (Lot 32, British Art Evening Sale Modern/ Contemporary, 29^th June 2021). This time the vessel sold for £378,000.

Notably, ‘Untitled’ (1984) was sold by Sotheby’s in June 2022. (Lot 2, British Art: The Jubilee Auction, Sotheby’s London, 29^th June 2022). When first going under the hammer 15 years earlier at Bonhams NY the lot had been titled ‘Mixed Colour Flat-Topped Winged’ – achieving $45,000 (Lot 90, International Post-War and Contemporary Ceramic Art, Bonhams NY, 5^th June 2007). In 2022 this work sold for a second time reaching £302,400!

In July 2021 Somerset auctioneers Lawrences of Crewkerne sold a ‘Terracotta Vessel’ produced by Magdalene Odundo in 1985. The work sold for a hammer price of £94,000 (Lot 27, 19^th/ 20^th Century Design, Ceramics…, Lawrences of Crewkerne, 19^th July 2021). The same piece appeared at Sotheby’s less than three years later in June 2024. This time reaching a total of £240,000!

Over the past 18 months records for the artist work have been broken. In June 2023 Sotheby’s sold one of the most striking of her vessels ever offered at auction – Dame Magdalene Odundo’s ‘Untitled’ (1999). Against an estimate of £100,000 – 150,000, it reached £533,400.

For those wishing to view her work in person, it can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, Pallant House Gallery in Chichester and The British Museum, London.

The ‘Magdalene Odundo’ exhibition continues at Houghton Hall until late September. A solo exhibition of her work will open at the Thomas Dane Gallery, London on 9^th October 2024 and displayed until 14^th December 2024.