Charles Eames – Elegance, Function, and Modern Form

Posted on July 24, 2025July 24, 2025 by Alastair Meiklejon

“The details are not the details; they make the design”

Charles Eames is around you, he is almost omnipresent in the western world, and today it is likely that you have encountered some of his work, but you may never realise it or appreciate it – That in many ways is the definition of good design; elegance and function.

Time Magazine, in their infinite wisdom of consumerism once called the Eames designed ‘LCW’ moulded plywood chair, the ‘Chair of The Century’, and whilst I agree with the sentiment, I wonder if they chose the wrong piece – what the stipulations for such an award, I wouldn’t know. In my opinion the very well-known Lounger chair and matching ottoman are as about as iconic as a Cadillac, a Fender Stratocaster, or any other piece of mid century American design.

The lounger chair started life in 1956 when the already well respected designer wanted to create a chair that the encompassing comfort and feel of a baseball glove (see Joe Colombo for more on that!) and to have a piece of furniture that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but practical and comfortable, its construction using plywood and a cast metal base could have been used in almost a utility fashion, but instead it formed one of the most endearing designs of all time, with pieces seen in the homes of style icons, musicians, and in the 1990s being one of the key aspects of the American televisual institution that was ‘Friends’.

The chair was initially produced by Herman Miller in the United States, and Vitra within Europe. Its these original chairs that now command the highest figures with original ‘first generation’ chairs needing to be insured for close to £25,000 – even modern official pieces retail at close to £11,000 so making sure these items are covered correctly is vital. As with many iconic designs, there are licensed pieces, replica versions, and some pretty terrible fakes out there, so it’s very important to know which one you are sitting on.

Whilst the Lounger was of course iconic, there were many other projects that Eames worked on that many people just would not realise, for example; During World War II, Charles and Ray Eames were contracted to design leg splints for casualties – whilst this seems a bizarre connection, their knowledge of design and strength of plywood meant that they excelled at this and were later tasked with creating more items for the war effort including stretchers, pilots seats and even a plywood fuselage for a military aircraft. They were most definitely in their stride during these war year and the necessity to create reliable products, that were not only quick to produce, but cheap to manufacture and easily scalable during an increasing war effort towards the latter part of the war.

The experience they gained during those years mean that their ambition for good design to available to the general public was now even more possible, the facilities and equipment available to them in the booming economy of the United States in the 1950s meant that it wasn’t unreasonable to expect a middle income house in Los Angeles to have many design pieces that were not just designed for style, but accessibility. One such piece was ‘La Chaise’, another iconic piece comprising stunning lines of moulded fibreglass in an almost shell like form, raised upon chrome stilts and an oak cross frame base – inspired by the ‘Floating Figure’ sculpture by Gaston Lachaise (you will notice the nod in the title of the piece) it was designed for the 1948 International competition for low cost furniture, and encompassing as much irony as furniture design possibly can is now retailed for close to £10,000 and originals should be insured for around the £30,000 mark – would this disappoint the Eames powerhouse of design, possibly but then one could say the same about all pieces of good utility design that become iconic; the Rolex Submariner, the Citroen DS, and many more items that appear in auction houses across the country.

The piece that defines Eames design for me though, is the Aluminium series office chair. As a 21 year old student growing up in Regency Cheltenham, I had never been exposed to such revelations as a fabric seated office chair that just oozed style and was incredibly comfortable. My then girlfriend, (herself an award winning furniture designer) bought one back to our apartment in Montpellier and subsequently, the following Christmas was rather lean… however 20 or so years on, she still has it and its escalated in value. Not to the extent of the major players, but still needs to be insured for £2000, with similar new chairs retailing around the same figure.

The devil is always in the detail, and Charles & Ray Eames knew this, with design for the masses being at the forefront of their ethos and target market their appeal has never died, through decades of change and fashion, the designs remain largely unchanged and still perfectly suitable for a modern world for this age, and plenty to come.

Strawberries and Bling: The Watches That Won Wimbledon in 2025

Posted on July 17, 2025July 16, 2025 by Alastair Meiklejon

If, like me you, didn’t get the opportunity to visit the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon this year, I hope you enjoyed the coverage provided on the television. What you may have noticed is that a lot of the images you will have seen at home not only presented a lot of great tennis, but also a lot of celebrities in the royal box – whether or not seeing Hugh Grant taking a quick cat nap is as entertaining as some of the games of this year is debatable. What can’t be denied is the sheer wealth of impressive watches that we saw – some of them completely expected and some nice surprises.

The Princess of Wales – Cartier Ballon Bleu

The Ballon Bleu is quickly becoming her fashion staple, and why not – it’s the perfect size at 33mm and has all the traits of style and understated elegance. Currently retailing for around £6,000, it’s a great watch for all seasons and is as comfortable on centre court at Wimbledon as it is in Annabel’s on a Friday night.

David Beckham – Tudor Black Bay Chronograph Custom

Well, he wasn’t going to wear a , was he?

Possibly the most talked about watch of this year was an item given as a present from Tudor to celebrate Sir (can we say that yet?) Dave’s 50^th birthday. It’s a dramatic piece with enough diamonds for a royal tiara, but still, in a David Beckham way has a little bit of subtlety to it. You can’t buy one, so any figure would by hypothetical but given its provenance it’s going to be insured for north of £200,000.

Roger Federer and Leonardo DiCaprio – Rolex Land Dweller

I am fairly sure that everyone around Wimbledon was expecting the eight time Wimbledon champion to be wearing a Rolex, and of course he didn’t disappoint. The arguably greatest man to ever play the game (of course this is very debatable) arrived with the new kid on the block, the Land Dweller. Whilst it may sound like the name that a Korean car manufacturer might give to their new SUV, it’s actually a pretty stylish piece of work, just don’t mention the Tissot PRX….

Leonardo DiCaprio also entered Centre Court with the same watch, whilst dressed fairly casually, it proved a point that the Land Dweller can be worn up or down, much in the same way that the ever popular Datejust can. Currently, you have a slightly lower chance of getting hold of a Land Dweller than you do getting said royal box tickets for the men’s final, meaning that the £13,000 (model no.127334) will currently set you back close to £45,000 on the secondary market, which is not surprising.

Russell Crowe – Rolex Daytona Tiffany Dial, AKA – Maximus Blingiest Rolexus

Who would have thought that a turquoise dial with gold case would work anywhere outside of a Swatch launch party, but it does…

On an Oysterflex strap it gives a strange sense of sportiness and refinement that continues the legacy of the Daytona into areas where it has never been before. In typical Rolex style, the chances of owning one of these are less than surviving in the Colosseum, so you will currently pay north of £75,000 to get your hands on one, despite having a retail price of less than half that.

Eddie Redmayne – Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Shades

We couldn’t talk about the watches of this year without mentioning an Omega, a genuinely brilliant brand with all the performance, all the technology, and all the style of its main competitor, just without the Instagram tags and mugging statistics. The ‘Day of The Jackal’ star arrived in a suitably smart cream suit, which really should have been accompanied by a nice cravat – but alas. With a red dial, this Omega steps away from its conservative approach but still gives a nice subtle vibe. As with most Omega watches, you can actually buy this one – with a price of £7,000, it’s not cheap but a lovely thing that will match your strawberries at Wimbledon – if you would risk it in a suit that colour.

Of course, there were many other watches on display – notable mentions include Chris Hemsworth in the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel, which not only sounds like a piece of gym equipment from school, it’s actually the same size too.

Tom Holland wore an Ice blue dial Daytona, which as one of the stars of the 2022 boom, peaked at well into the six figures, but thankfully now is slightly more accessible at just under £100,000 (I did say slightly).

What this year did show is that as well as a fashion show, it’s also a great opportunity for the great and the good to show what they have in the watch box, or what they may have been given at the hotel the night before from a brand representative.

No doubt next year will bring more interesting watches, and hopefully a slightly longer women’s final.

Playing cards – Gambling with Trumps, Suits, and Kings

Posted on April 30, 2025May 1, 2025 by Alastair Meiklejon

Diamonds are forever but so are clubs, hearts, and spades….

The playing of cards must be one of the few things in the world that everyone can connect with – you don’t need to be a poker champion, or go to a casino every night of the week to know what a playing card is, and most likely you know the rules to one or two games, whether that is Blackjack, Gin Rummy, or even just Patience – it’s all part of the same breed of games that utilises one key item a 52 card pack (or deck) of cards. What other pastime can you say that about?

The History

The definition of a playing card, as we know it is a form of card or paper however the first form of ‘cards’ were a completely different kettle of fish. During the Tang dynasty (618-907AD) emerged a game that involved using wooden markers, that were more similar to what we know as dominoes – following the growth of the different games that were played with these cards, they spread around Asia, Persia and further afield.

The first ‘decks’ of card that we can probably identify as looking like a modern pack emerged in Egypt in the 13th century, these were the first to identify what we would refer to as ‘suits’ such as coins, sticks, swords and other such things. Within a century, the popularity of cards and the variation on the games had spread and throughout Europe each country had its own cards and games, with the Latin countries favouring the traditional suits, whereas Germany incorporated Hearts, Bells, Acorns, and Leaves.

The French created a system using Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades which quickly became the universal standard in the 15th century and is still widely recognised as the modern format of playing cards used to this day.

Throughout the following few centuries other refinements took place, for example the printed numerals in each corner was a necessity in gambling games, enabling a player to see their card without having to hold the entirety of it in front of them, causing issues with cheating.

Another potential issue was the marking of cards, with paper and card still being an expensive product to create, there quickly became an issue because of the nature of the material as every card was either easy to mark or accidently spoil, with either wine, beer or just general dirt from the 17th and 18th century gambling dens and pubs, which meant that packs of cards were used up very quickly and discarded, which is why you will see the backs of many individual cards used for other purposes, with artists of the period using them as sketch pads.

In the last few hundred years playing cards have changed little, with a pack from 300 years ago still being completely recognisable, and one from 100 years ago being virtually identical.

The Market for Collectible Cards

When we look at values, there are two specific markets – the antique and the collectible – with the latter being modern cards that may have been used for a certain event or by a certain person, or even in a certain film. As with most items of this nature, condition is paramount.

Back in 2023, a pack of 17th Century English cards were sold by a provincial auction house that belonged to MP Jeffery Amherst of Riverhead in Kent, these were left with a note detailing the fact that these were used by King Charles II and Queen Catherine, which is quite a bold statement, but following research, it is very likely to be true. Whilst these cards sold at auction for £10,700 – it wouldn’t be unreasonable for them to achieve three of four times that, possibly even £50,000 to the right buyer in a private sale.

When we look at the Mamluk cards of the 15th and 16th century, what is very clear to see is just how decorative they really – all hand painted and with gilt floriate and scroll work, cards such as the ones illustrated have sold for well in excess of £10,000, with insurable values being considerably more, ranging from £20,000 – £30,000.

As discussed earlier, The French were the forerunners in establishing a universal playing card and so any part of that history is incredibly valuable to card collectors, with early sets making well into five figures with more decorative cards, or complete sheets (uncut cards) making even more.

So, whilst collecting anything for profit is always a bit of a gamble – with playing cards, you can be sure that you are collecting an item that constitutes not only one of the world’s oldest games, but the fabric of many of the world’s oldest and most important pastimes.

General Contents – The invisible problem

Posted on February 26, 2025March 20, 2025 by Alastair Meiklejon

Back in 2022, I wrote an article that quickly became one of the most read pieces that I had created up to that point and it focussed on what I believed to be a hidden problem in the world of insurance – the things that clients and brokers overlook – the hidden general contents.

In the three years since then, you would be amazed how many conversations I have had with brokers about washing machines and carpets – it is not what I would describe as the glamorous end of what we do as valuers, but it is of such importance that it really needs to be at the forefront of people’s minds when correctly insuring a property and its contents.

Back in 2022 we saw what can only be described as an astonishing increase in the cost of goods and services, and according to the office of national statistics a 16% increase in the cost of furniture over the 12 months previously – meaning that a £10,000 settee bought in 2021, would now be £11,600 just 12 months later.

This surge in furniture costs was driven by a combination of factors that all collided at once. Supply chain disruptions from the pandemic were still causing delays, raw material prices were climbing, and labour shortages meant longer lead times and higher production costs. On top of that, a shift in consumer behaviour saw people investing more in their homes, with demand for larger, more comfortable furniture increasing as remote working and home entertainment became the norm. Retailers, faced with rising expenses and strong demand, passed these costs onto consumers, resulting in the sharp 16% rise. While inflation has eased slightly since then, the cumulative effect means replacement costs today are far higher than most people realise.

Where we are at in 2025 isn’t quite as bad, but cumulatively that same settee would be close to £15,000 now after the past few years increases reducing to around 2.5%. However, there was a peak at the end of 2024 – so it is unknown where this could head.

The forgotten items are always the same pieces, from 2022 – to now. Whilst we all remember the £5,000 painting that we bought, the name of the gallery and we have probably tracked the increase in value of the artist – maybe in a little file of ‘important things’. What most of us have not done is looked at a similarly priced pair of curtains and thought about what they would cost to replace….to be fair it isn’t on a list of ‘exciting things to do at the weekend’ is it?

One of the major misconceptions that many clients still have is that they don’t need to have a valuation, because they last purchased anything new in 2003 and they would do things completely differently now if they had to redecorate…..however….whilst this may be true, it is in fact the exact reason why they need to have an up to date valuation completed.

In the years since the end of lockdown, so many new standard ways of living have emerged. For example, the first year encompassed the “I must not let go of my lockdown hobbies and ways” period, meaning that £2,000 bread maker was still being used weekly, as was the kiln for your newly found love of studio pottery, but most likely it was the newly built summer house where one of the family spent a significant amount of the year, usually with a very large television, and a bar. It’s actually quite frightening how common it is for these additional parts of the property to be excluded from the schedule and usually at best there is a small amount on the policy included for their general contents.

In addition, the shift to remote work has brought an increase in home office setups, which often involve high-end furniture, equipment, and technology. These items are frequently overlooked when it comes to valuations but can significantly affect the overall value of your contents. As more people continue to work from home, ensuring these assets are properly covered is essential.

There has of course been “Cluttercore” which, don’t laugh was an actual thing…..Walking into someone’s house where a single wall may have had 30 pictures all intricately squeezed in isn’t uncommon, and suddenly a grandmothers antique frog collection from the 1920s needs to go on display.

Whilst the future of TikTok has been in jeopardy of late, the one place where it has always been at the forefront is convincing people that they should paint their own furniture, stain their own curtains and generally create many houses full of unfinished projects – (don’t ask my wife about the outhouse full of chairs, it’s a work in progress) which in turn has created houses of ‘things’ which has been a big change to the ‘minimalist’ ways of living for the last decade or so, and personally I am a fan, I like to know that I can find a pasta pan without having to drive to the storage container.

One of the biggest things that I have seen a rise in is subscriptions. Whilst most people reading this will have enjoyed Netflix for a few years before 2020, what one couldn’t envisage was the template of subscriptions to be copied over into many more areas; books, food, plants, clothes and many more which of course have not been included in recent valuations or schedules.

One of the biggest areas that have changed is the “massive settee that you can fit nine people on” trend that seems to be occupying the country, before when a quiet farmhouse in Wiltshire was happy with the three red leather Chesterfields that had been there since the 1980s, it was clearly the right time to replace with a corner unit where a family could literally eat, sleep, and watch previously mentioned Netflix subscriptions.

Meanwhile, another often-overlooked asset class is memorabilia. With memorabilia auctions on the rise, the value of collectibles – from sports items to historical artifacts – has seen dramatic increases over the past 12 months. We’ve seen the auctions of Freddie Mercury, Vivienne Westwood, Mark Knopfler and Nigel Mansell, to name a few in the past 18 months. If you have any memorabilia, now is the time to review its current worth, as it may have appreciated substantially in a short time.

So hopefully a few of these examples might convince you that you or your clients are long overdue a valuation – we won’t judge, unless that corner unit has a built in fridge and drinks holders, that is.

To arrange a valuation of your house contents, call us on 01883 722736 or email us on [email protected].

Luxury or Lie? A Guide to Identifying Replica Watches

Posted on February 13, 2025March 20, 2025 by Alastair Meiklejon

If you speak to any one of the valuers at Doerr Dallas, you will know that one of our biggest fears is having to confront a client when we believe that an item ‘is not right’ whether that be a diamond, a Picasso, a Birkin, or in some circumstances – a watch.

Without any doubt it has always been a case of addressing the issue of whether or not they know its fake, or if in the worst circumstances, they have purchased it thinking it was genuine.

The market for fake watches, or as some kind people refer to them, ‘replica’ watches is booming, the desire to own a luxury timepiece as a status symbol is possibly the highest it’s ever been and with technology advancing at such a high rate, the availability of these items is incredible.

So, where do these items come from?

30 years ago, when I first became interested in watches, fakes were something you saw on a towel in Puerto Banus, terrible quality and instantly recognisable from the real thing from about 200 metres, and generally TAG Heuer watches – possibly because they generally all had quartz movements and lots of plastic in the 90s, so a lot easier then dealing with an automatic movement.

Today, the Chinese replica industry is huge, probably dealing with 90% of all the replicas that you see available – they have the technology, the skill set, and the lapse enforcement on prosecuting the factories that make the watches – despite what many people may think about the law in China, they are still illegal, they just don’t enforce the law.

Other places such as Turkey seem to be taking a lot of heat recently as well, possibly because of the tourist industry and many well-made replicas are seen from this area.

Vietnam, is the last place that you would expect to see such a commercial symbol come from, but in the last 5 years there has been a huge influx of exceptionally good replica dials, cases, and hands for vintage watches with even some of the best experts in the world being fooled.

Who buys fake watches?

This is a question that I get asked quite a lot, and it couldn’t be more of a polarising answer.

Of course, there are people that aspire to own a Rolex for example and will never be able to justify the thousands of pounds that it costs to own one so this might be as close as it gets, if they want the style or the kudos then perhaps this is the only option?

There are also the collectors….People are fascinated by horology and the believe it or not some people purposely collect replica watches in order to see just how close they are to the real thing – they modify and tinker and enjoy the hobby.

Finally, there are the people that purchase a replica after buying the real thing, they wear the fake in the knowledge that they own the real thing, so perhaps it gives them some authority to wear a dodgy copy in public, I won’t pass comment on that however!

The problem with fake watches

Well, the problem first of all is that replica and counterfeit goods are illegal, by purchasing them you are breaking the law, and whilst you may not think that it harms anyone – there are many problems associated with counterfeit items and organised crime, sweatshops, and other nasty things that owning watches shouldn’t be related to – but it doesn’t stop people from buying them.

So what are the tell tale signs?

In the last 20 years, the market for replicas has increased so much that the pieces that you see now are nothing like the terrible forgeries of old, in some circumstances you cannot tell without disassembling the watches, and looking at all the component parts, but as a rough guide, here are a few things that the forgers still get wrong on a regular basis, and for this example we will use probably the most counterfeited watch in the world – the Rolex Submariner.

Boxes and paperwork

It seems a strange one to start on, but this is still where a lot of replicas fall down within the first 30 seconds, the forgers still struggle to get this right – often the boxes are either the wrong colour or the wrong proportions, or there may be a certain smell to the glue that’s used and often its done badly – something that would never leave a Swiss factory. The paperwork is often not stamped or dated by a retailer, of it is, it’s usually by a Chinese chain of jewellers or similar – if these things don’t add up just walk away. Another thing in recent times, especially with Rolex cards is the colour and the font of the logo, it can be very close, but just not the right texture – admittedly, it’s difficult to tell if you haven’t got a genuine article to compare it to but it should be quite obvious.

The Crystal

For those of you that don’t know, the crystal is the piece of glass that covers the dial, protecting it, this can be made of plastic, glass, sapphire, with or without coatings – make sure you know what type the specific watch should have and if it’s different, start asking questions.

The Cyclops lens is a magnifier that you will see on many Rolex watches, and this is regularly incorrect in terms of magnification and alignment, it should always be 2.5x magnified, and whilst we are talking about the date wheel – be sure to check that every number is the correct font as well!

In recent years Rolex have started etching a coronet to the six o’clock position to their watches as an anti-counterfeit measure – but of course, this has now been copied. Firstly, if you can see it without a loupe of magnifying glass, its fake. Now, when looking under magnification it should almost appear to be floating, this is creating by Rolex engraving it at different heights throughout the cipher, and whilst the forgers are almost there, it’s still not quite perfect and is a give-away.

The Bevel

No, not the bezel, the bevel.
The inner ring surrounding the dial has always been a difficult thing for the forgers to get right, either the depth or the angle – it has never quite worked, but in recent years Rolex having introduced an engraving to the interior of the bevel and unless the font and spacing is totally 100% spot on, then – you guessed it, its fake.

The Dial

Possibly the biggest give away on the Rolex Submariner is the dial, so many things can be ascertained by this and with so many aftermarket dials it’s an absolute minefield, so obvious things include the setting of the markers – are they straight? Is there any lume on the surrounds? Are they the right shape? All of these things will be obvious from looking under a loupe, but one of the most bizarre ones is actually the presence of dust or dirt. Remember these items are made in sweatshops, where a lab coat and gloves may not have even been heard of.

The Case

The key to fishing out a dodgy case is to look at the proportions first, does it look too thick? This is usually a situation with Rolex where the forgers will use the same case for a GMT, Submariner, Explorer, Yachtmaster and others and merely change their markings and bezel. The other major giveaway is material markings – The forgers don’t have the funds to change all the cases for each model of watch so there are specific fakes for the yellow gold, rose gold, white gold and stainless steel, so they will use the same case for each…now just in the past few weeks I have seen a very good fake, but with 750 markings (meaning 18ct Gold) on a stainless steel watch – this again means 100% that you are dealing with a replica.

The Bracelet

One of my favourite go to things before looking at anything else in a suspected watch is the bracelet – if this is wrong it is usually a very good indicator, not always but 90% of the time. Look at the screws that hold it together, do they have a chamfered edge? Do they turn easily, are they all the same? Look at the end links where they meet the case, do they slot in perfectly?

The Movement

This used to to be the point where all arguments were settled, as soon as you took the case back off (which also contains serial numbers btw) you could see whether the movement was right or not, usually because it was marked, but in 2024 and the advent of 3D printing, scanning and manufacture, we now see what are known as clone movements in the back of these watches and basically they are exactly the same but for a few details, and the details are what makes it genuine – look at the brushing, what’s the quality like? Look at the wording, does it look off or not clear? Look at the jewels and the retainers, do they look right? And finally, look at the screws – again a brilliant give away.

And finally….

Always buy the seller, not the watch.

If you really are in doubt about a watch, walk away – a good seller will understand your questions and know that he can sell it another day, some passing off a fake will not.

Whilst a person working in a jewellery chain or a large watch retailer may have a lot of knowledge about certain things and usually a lot of bravado, they will not and should not tell you a watch is fake or genuine upon merely a first glance – When in doubt always have a watch appraised by a professional valuer/authenticator.

To arrange a watch valuation call us on 01883 722736 or email us on [email protected]. We offer a desktop watch valuation service that is charged at £50 per watch plus VAT. To find out more about it, visit our service page here.

Download our handy one page guide which highlights the different areas of the watch to look at when checking for replicas.

Under the Tree: What our team are hoping for this Christmas

Posted on December 18, 2024December 18, 2024 by Rachel Doerr

We’ve asked our fabulous team of valuers and admin staff, what they would like to find under the christmas tree if money were no object. Find out what they picked below…

Rachel Doerr, Managing Director

“After a visit to Boodles in Knightsbridge, I couldn’t stop thinking about this Knot White Gold Diamond Ring – it really caught my eye. The design is just stunning, and the diamonds have such a gorgeous sparkle. It’s the kind of piece that feels timeless, and I’d love to find it under the tree. Another thing I’d be happy with is a pair of single-stone diamond earrings. They’re simple, classic, and would go with pretty much anything. And if I’m being really wishful, I’d also be thrilled with two black labrador puppies. They’d bring so much joy and energy to the house – definitely the best kind of Christmas surprise!”

David Dallas, Old Master Specialist

“I have taken this question rather literally! Dressing the Christmas tree with the children and now grandchildren is a seasonal tradition not only in the Dallas household, but almost everywhere in the Christian world.
Whenever I am in New York in December, I go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where there is a 20ft Christmas tree underneath which is grouped a nativity scene made of beautiful 18th Century Neapolitan Creche Figures and animals, which have been loaned by Loretta Howard and her family since 1957.
I’m not sure if one could ever find figures the quality of Loretta Howard’s, but even 19th Century Crib Figures can be in excess of £600 each, so they would cost a small fortune. Please be generous Santa!”

Alastair Meiklejon, Senior Valuer

‘When Christmas comes each year it is a time for not only giving presents, but writing cards and getting in touch with people that you may not have spoken to throughout the year – whilst modern times dictate that you can email, or message – there is still something special about receiving a letter from a loved one, and what better way to do it than with a Montblanc pen. Whilst many people look at the ultra valuable fountain pens that they are well known for – I would opt for the entry level roller ball. With all the style and class of the bigger relations, but with a fraction of the cost”

Ben Hanly, Impressionist, Post-War & Contemporary Art Specialist

Alas, what I really, really want under the tree this Christmas is not going to happen…
Although I am a picture man through and through, what people might not know, is that I adore antiquities and early sculpture…. I suppose as dark secrets go, it’s not that bad!
What I saw in an auction in November was a superb Khmer stone figure of a standing Goddess from Cambodia, dated to the 11th-12th AD – estimated at £5,000-8,000. I know this is not a small amount of money (it’s Christmas so who cares about reality!) – but the sculpture was amazing, and a perfect example of art from this period when the Cambodian civilisation was at its peak (anyone been to Angkor Wat?).
The sculpture is so simple and elegant, and the condition is excellent – discounting the missing arms and head! Unfortunately, I was not the only one with good taste – the work was bought by someone else with more money than myself for £8,000 plus fees. All I can hope for is that the buyer was in fact my wife who bought it as my surprise Christmas treat! Fingers crossed!

Jonathan Horwich, Modern & Contemporary Art Specialist

“I would like to see a watercolour or two by Eric Ravilious (British, 1903-1942) under the tree, his work is sublime and uniquely English, his skill with watercolour is second to none and he faithfully follows in the footsteps of the great Masters of 19th Century watercolour painting tradition such as JMW Turner – Around £80 to 120,000 for something like this…”

Jenny Knott, Silver & Jewellery Specialist

“I have always loved Christmas and all the traditions that go with it. When I first worked at Bonhams Knightsbridge fresh out of university and earned a pittance, I would cross the road to Harrods once a week and buy a single decoration from their Christmas shop. Since then, I have bought Christmas tree decorations from all over the world and clever Father Christmas has given my children a decoration every year since they were born, so that they now have enough to decorate Christmas trees of their own. I would love therefore to have another decoration to add to my collection, perhaps something from the Georg Jensen range, always stylish and classy. The Scandinavians really do know how to do Christmas. However, if I am really allowed to indulge myself, I would love a delicate Edwardian natural pearl and diamond necklace. Something that could be worn everyday or with evening dress. This would give me great joy, transcend the vagaries of passing fashion and be something to pass on to my daughter in due course. I’ll have to wait and see if I’ve been naughty or nice and what Father Christmas has in store for me!”

Annabell Parry, Jewellery Specialist

“They are a variation on the classic chandelier earrings but were popular in the 1800’s and often have rose cut, old mine cut and old European cut diamonds which were cut for candlelight and worn by beautiful wealthy women who had daytime and nighttime versions. Nowadays I would happily settle with a pair glittering in the winter evenings at a snug private dinner.
Surviving pairs of these earrings are rare as they were so decadent they have often been broken down during tough times. Therefore, because of their rarity, the value of a good pair is considerable so should any ever come up at auction there is always fierce international bidding and could be argued to be a savvy purchase and investment. I’ve sourced my ball gown, carriage and Prince just waiting for the finishing touch …..at a rough guess £80 – £100k”

Aurélia Turrall, Jewellery Specialist

“I’d like to find a diamond-set Trinity ring by Cartier. Cartier’s reputation needs no explaining. Their craftmanship remains unique, stylish and guarantees longevity. The Trinity ring is the perfect gift as it comprises the three gold colours, ready to suit any skin tone, and the diamonds add sparkle which is what Christmas is all about when it comes to the ladies’ gifts! It is ingenious of the brand to offer this ring in so many different options. The ring that I would like only has one band pavé-set with diamonds, and can be small or classic.”

Francesca Orme, Jewellery Specialist

“I would love to see a small wrapped parcel with a red box!!! And inside this striking incredible ring by Cartier. It’s not very old- 1970’s but I just love the design and how wearable it is! It makes a real statement but the fact that it’s made up of lots of small graduated pieces, with lapis lazuli floral top and diamond highlights, makes it delicate at the same time. £25,000- a steal!!!!

Richard Fattorini, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Historical Photographs and Maps Consultant Specialist

“Under the Christmas tree I’d be thrilled to discover a signed or inscribed copy of Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale which introduced the world to the now legendary British spy James Bond. The book was first published in 1953 with a dust-jacket devised by the author, and with a modest first print run of 4,728 copies. The book was an enormous success and Ian Fleming went on to write a further 13 novels in the series, which have sold more than 100 million copies to date. A first edition in a dust-jacket will cost from £10,000-30,000 depending on condition, and a signed or inscribed copy from £30,000-125,000 depending on the inscription.”

Stephanie Connell, Senior Valuer & Collectors Specialist

“If i were to find one special piece under the Christmas tree it would be a Cecil Beaton design for the stage production of ‘Coco’ starring Katherine Hepburn. These designs are a combination of three 20th century legends – Cecil Beaton was at the height of his powers as an artist and costume designer. The musical starred the all time leading multi Academy Award winning actress Katherine Hepburn as Coco Chanel. Chanel in turn is the most influential fashion designer of the 20th century! Bonhams recently sold a very good example created for the 1969 production which would be a very special gift.”

Liz Bailey, Jewellery, Silver & Watch Specialist

“I would just love to receive some vintage Elsa Peretti under the tree! This year has really shone a light on her wonderful designs in the fashion world, I have well and truly been ‘influenced,’ seeing celebrities such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley stacking up their Peretti bone cuffs over simple and stylised outfits. I personally could see myself wearing one of her lovely vase pendants, a vintage one of course would be preferable but I would be thrilled with this one currently retailing at £4,100.
… If Santa is feeling flush this year, I would definitely love to add to my watch collection! A Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 101 collection wristwatch would be a dream Christmas present! This 1970s example was set throughout with nine carats of baguette cut diamonds – the perfect blend of fine jewellery and watchmaking innovation – the 101 movement was created in 1929 and is renowned for being, still to this day, the world’s smallest mechanical movement ever made – weighing just one gram!

Fiona Hamilton, Silver Specialist

“Chinchillas normally cost between £80 and £200 and make excellent pets! Originating from the rocky slopes of The Andes they live together in large colonies, so cute!

Or I’d also love to see an Art Deco Day and Night ring from the 1920s, multiple rings in one! £3,315.51- 1st Dibs”

Ashley Crawford, Asian Art Specialist

“If I could receive any gift this holiday season, I would choose this terracotta figure of a court lady from the Tang Dynasty that I was fortunate enough to view in person at Sotheby’s New York during Asia Week this year. The Tang Dynasty has always been one of my favorite periods of Chinese history, not only from an art historical standpoint, but also because of the freedoms that court women enjoyed compared to in the surrounding dynasties. Terracotta sculptures of such women shed insight into their daily lives and interests, such as riding horses, playing music or dancing in women-only ensembles, or displaying the latest fashion trends. Tang court ladies are either portrayed as very thin or round, with the latter shown here in this 8th-century example. Her large zhuimaji (“falling off the horse”) hairstyle is modeled after the concubine Yang Guifei and is characteristic of the period, as are her long sleeves extending well beyond her hands.There is no shortage of Tang ladies in the Asian art market, meaning that unusual or high-quality examples perform significantly better at auction. This Tang lady is notable for her size, condition, and provenance.”

Jane Vann, Valuations & Private Client Services Administrator

“A few years ago, 2016 to be precise, Adele headlined on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury. As always, her performance was exceptional in her typically down-to-earth way, complete with her ‘potty’ mouth as she calls it! But apart from her singing and language, another thing stood out for me – her bracelet! Her outfit that night was a lovely Boho style dress, complemented with this lovely bracelet that I had to Google to find out what it was, as I’d never seen one before! Since then, everyone is wearing them, including Queen Camilla, who can regularly be seen wearing her turquoise example! I’m quite sure that Queen Camilla’s will not be fake, which probably can’t be said for all the women and girls I see wearing them now! It is of course the Vintage Alhambra bracelet with 5 motifs.”

Kristin Panagiotou, Administration Manager

“As a massive Prince fan, I would love to receive a copy of the new book Prince: Icon. Prince: Icon is a photography book curated by Steve Parke, former art director at Paisley Park, and contributions from those close to him, with new and rarely seen images of the artist, from album covers, performances, candid snapshots and portraits to name a few. I was fortunate to attend a Prince concert when I was in high school and his music, art and creativity has continued to inspire me since then. This book would be a perfect addition to my Prince music and memorabilia collection. ”

Jenny Serra, Marketing Manager

“I am a big kid at heart and love the magic of Christmas each year. What I would really love is to visit Lapland and pretend for a few days that it’s all real – completely immerse myself in all the Christmassy goodness. I would visit Father Christmas, feed the reindeer, travel by sleigh, play in the snow and drink cocoa by a roaring fire. I can’t think of anything I’d enjoy more!”

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

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:

Getting to the root of it – woods in furniture

Posted on June 25, 2024August 9, 2024 by Alastair Meiklejon

Wood is one of the greatest resources that mother nature has ever given us, from buildings, ships, cars, paper, its uses are pretty much universal. There is nothing involved in our everyday lives that doesn’t involve wood, and that may well be a unique quality.

In our world, and fairly low on the food chain in terms of global importance, is furniture. We all know that wood has been used since the dawn of time for making chairs, benches and many other items that make us more comfortable, but what woods have been used, and why?

Mahogany

Possibly the term that you will see the most when it comes to antique furniture, for the most part of the 18th and 19th centuries, it really was the most popular material for quality furniture. Mahogany is actually a term for three types of wood in the Swietenia variety of trees, comprising the San Domingo, Cuban, and Honduras, with a significant amount of this wood originally coming from Jamaica and the South Americas. Many of the pedigree woods are now covered by CITES regulations and subsequently modern items are made from crossbred trees that create very similar woods. Identifying mahogany is slightly tricky as there are so many variations, but the general appearance is that of a reddish brown material with fine grains, and next to no voids or pockets.

Walnut

Before mahogany and the ability to transport wood across the seas, walnut was one of the most valuable woods used for furniture construction. Elizabethan documents indicate that walnut wood, specifically from France, was regularly used in the construction of the most majestic pieces across the land. Following a particularly bad winter in 1709, the French actually blocked any exportation of the wood in order to protect it from foreign hands, which is where we start to see an influx of walnut veneers upon lesser quality wood bases, it is also where the very attractive polished burr varieties became popular. In some ways it is a similar wood to mahogany put with a more buttery colour, and with a swirling grain. The burr varieties can be found with an even more pronounced colouration, spots and pockets.

Oak

Possibly the most symbolically English tree in existence, the oak has been used since the middle ages in furniture making and one of the only woods on this list not originally used for its appearance, but its sheer practicality and useability. The wood itself was always considered more of a working wood with items made in the material known as ‘Country pieces’ with 18th century items often made in different woods, the oak being the cheapest. However, in the 20th century a resurgence in popularity in oak caused many reproduction pieces to be made, and also interesting pieces made by new designers such as Mouseman of Kilburn. Identifying oak is a lot easier than most woods, considering the nature of the wood, it is usually seen in more simple items with a heavy grain and uniform colour.

Rosewood

One of the true superstars of antique furniture, rosewood has been used for elaborate pieces of furniture for centuries and as such some of the most expensive pieces of furniture from certain periods, often seen as an upgrade from a standard mahogany piece, its rich deep brown hues really do capture the style of certain pieces. Also, some of the best Scandinavian mid-century pieces are made in rosewood, which leads to a certain problem that the industry has recently had to deal with. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has declared certain type of rosewood as an ‘Endangered Species’, meaning that certification may be needed in order to sell, or even insure some pieces.

Exotic & other woods

Of course, there are as many different types of woods as there are trees – we see many pieces of 19th century continental furniture in fruitwoods, which generally are a lovely rich orangey colour, but with a lot of grain and inconstancies.

Pine, which is without any doubt the best material for a kitchen table ever thought of, with red wine stains and children’s pen marks always adding to the patina.

Ash, Beech, Maple, Yew, Teak, Elm… the list goes on with many woods being exclusive to certain types of furniture or locations, but with so many different types to explore.

While some furniture values in the last twenty years may not have proven to be an escalating asset, the top levels of antique furniture continue to soar in value to the right client.

Montblanc – Elegance in writing through a digital age

Posted on June 18, 2024September 5, 2024 by Alastair Meiklejon

If anyone has watched the recent interpretation of The Talented Mr Ripley on Netflix, the originally titled ‘Ripley’, you will have seen such a plethora of stylish items, from Salvatore Ferragamo shoes to Alfa Romeos, and one of the most focused items appears to be Dickie Greenleaf’s pen. The Montblanc Meisterstuck 149 almost playing a starring role in the series.

Whilst there are many brands that create stunning pens, there really is only one choice when it comes to the real top level writing instruments that people long for. In the same way that Omega might actually make a better diving watch than Rolex, 99% of people still dream of owning a Submariner.

The brand started life in Germany in 1906, producing luxury writing instruments under various different names until 1909 when the name Montblanc became the famous brand that we know today. Inspired by one of the most famous mountains in the world, the emblem that is still used today is their representation of a snow-capped mountain, and features heavily in their products and publicity. Later on, the nibs of all Meisterstuck (German for Masterpiece) pens would be engraved with the number 4810, to represent the height in metres of the mountain the brand is named after.

During World War II, the factory that produced their range was destroyed and they had to rely on a facility in Denmark to produce their instruments, however post war they managed to shine with many new ranges being released and slowly becoming the brand that most people know them as.

During the 1960s and 1970s, and after being taken over by Alfred Dunhill, they became even more exclusive, abandoning the less expensive models and producing even more exquisite and elaborate examples of fantastic writing instruments with celebrities all queuing up to buy them. By the 1980s, if you were a rock star signing a contract, or a world leader signing a negotiation, you would be doing it with a Montblanc.

In the last 40 years, Montblanc has become synonymous with the art collaboration pens that they have embraced with items retailing for around the £8,000 mark, but with their jewelled collaborations have broken records The Montblanc Boheme Royal selling for a staggering £1.1 million. The Collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels ‘Mystery masterpiece’ selling for just short of £550,000 and numerous other watches within their collections selling for astonishing figures.

The good news is, if you just want to write and enjoy a quality pen, Montblanc still have you covered in 2024 with a lovely ballpoint pen, the Pix available for £240… so if writing is your passion, and even if you aren’t signing multi million pound deals, one can still enjoy the elegance that a good pen brings.