1. A Venetian travel poster
Renowned commercial graphic designer AM Cassandre (1901-68) produced this poster promoting the Italian city of Venice in 1951. The scene of a gondolier gliding his boat through one of the canals was published for the Venezia Graphic Design Conference and used by the Italian Tourist Office (ENIT).
This 3ft 3in x 2ft 1in (1m x 63cm) example was among more than 530 lots of vintage posters offered online by poster specialist Antikbar of King’s Road, Chelsea, on August 3. It soared over its estimate of £1200-1400 to make a hammer price of £4800.
2. Silver Russian tankard
Topped with the figure of a seated Russian artisan to the finial, this 19th century tankard drew competitive bidding during the August 7 auction at Adam Partridge. The Victorian Russian hallmarked silver-gilt piece was the work of Eduard Fyodorovich Brandenburg of St Petersburg, 1850-66. Measuring 10in (25.5cm) tall, it bore lattice work and floral chased decoration. It also featured an unusually designed thumb piece.
It surpassed its £350-450 estimate to be knocked down for £5000.
3. Bucherer diamond clutch bag
Carl Bucherer is best known for the manufacture of luxury watches and by 1968 had produced an estimated 15,000 precision chronometers. However, the firm has occasionally released other items, including this lavish diamond-set evening clutch, c.1965, of closed basket-weave design.
The bag, 7in (17cm) long, has a snap-shut clasp decorated with 26 round, brilliant-cut diamonds as well as 18 in baguette cut, and the flap is edged with a further 72 single-cut diamonds. It opens with a piano hinge to reveal a mirror.
It was offered at Cheffins’ August 1 sale of Jewellery, Silver & Watches where it went for a mid-estimate £8000.
4. John Bellany painting
A framed painting of a lady with a puffin by Scottish artist John Bellany (1942-2013) surpassed expectations of £2500-3500 to make a £5500 hammer price at the Bushey auction on August 1.
Bellany specialised in surreal and strange scenes. Born into a line of fisherman, he went on to study at Edinburgh College of Art in the 1960s, working with his classmates on ideas for a renaissance in Scottish arts. He was well-regarded throughout his career and his paintings are held in collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Britain among others.
The picture offered at Bushey had Bass Rock in the background, an island in the Firth of Forth.
