The fetching subject, relatively good condition (only minor damage to one finger) and large size of the131/3in (34cm) wide dish, ensured it was well contested at the 1300-lot outing.
Consigned from a private Derby source and valued three years ago at £1500-1800 by the Antiques Roadshow team, it provided
evidence of the current demand for such quality examples when it was pursued to £5600.“It was bought by a dealer who collects Lenci,” said Bamfords specialist Annabel Bramner. “It was one of the figures he hadn’t got.” Other notable entries included a large Black Forest softwood mantel clock and a Victorian yew Windsor chair. The c.1880 clock, in a 2ft 2in x 2ft 81/2in (66cm x 83cm) case carved with two rutting stags (their antlers damaged), brought a UK trade bid of £3150. The colour of the Windsor chair was the key factor in it bringing a winning £1800 bid from an East Midlands dealer. With jewellery adding to the day – an Edwardian choker made £5000 – the sale totalled £215,000 and was 75 per cent sold by lot.
A real dish for a lover of Lenci
Although a £12,000 oil by Arthur Spooner (1873-1962) was the most expensive entry in the sale at Derby held by Bamfords (15% buyer’s premium) on December 9-10, perhaps the most eye-catching lot was this Lenci dish, right.
