It had been estimated at £50,000-80,000 in the July 22 sale but took £131,313 including premium.
Meissen pair of tortoise boxes and covers – £80,000 at Bonhams.
Among the other stand-out lots, an extremely rare pair of tortoise boxes and covers in excellent condition were estimated at £25,000-35,000.
According to Bonhams, they are described in the factory archives as ‘butterboxes shaped as tortoises’, and there is only one known comparable example which was in the collection of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, and is now kept in their former home, the Palazzo Pitti in Florence.
They sold for £80,000 (£100,063 with fees).
Meissen silver-gilt-mounted tankard, c.1725-30 – £65,000 at Bonhams.
An important Meissen silver-gilt-mounted tankard c.1725-30 made £65,000.
The banners on the sides of the cartouche on this tankard bearing the Electoral crossed swords of Saxony and the Polish Eagle, respectively, suggest – together with the exceptional quality of the decoration – that it may have been made for a member of the court or as a gift from the Elector.
Including the premium, the price was £81,313 (estimate £30,000-50,000).
Meissen figure of Augustus the Strong made c.1720 – £55,000 at Bonhams.
A figure of Augustus the Strong made c.1720 took £55,000 (£81,313 with fees) against an estimate of £40,000-60,000.
Bonhams said it was a “small, elegant piece and exceedingly rare; no other has come to auction in 30 years”. The gold decoration was probably applied in the Funcke Workshop in Dresden. The Dresden court-goldsmith Georg Funcke decorated porcelain of the Meissen manufactory from 1713 and worked in enamel colours as well as silver and gold.
