The sales at Lyon & Turnbull (25% buyer’s premium) of pieces from Paul Reeves’ collections – given that Reeves was in the first rank of London specialists in 19th-20th century British applied and decorative arts – fell firmly into the latter category.
Having successfully sold one tranche in the Textiles as Art sale at the Edinburgh rooms in 2017, Reeves, now living in the Cotswolds, consigned a broader tranche to the Edinburgh rooms on February 14 for the 414-lot sale titled Paul Reeves An Eye for Design. The range included the Royal Worcester c.1865 wall brackets which made £12,000 (see News, ATG No 2380) and major name furniture by makers such as Bruce James Talbot (1838-81) and George Washington Jack (1855-1931).
A c.1898, 5ft 10in (1.78m) wide, six-shelf mahogany side cabinet inlaid with satinwood and ebony inlaid mahogany made by Washington Jack for Morris & Co took a lower-estimate £12,000.
The Gothic Revival oak wall cabinet above was made by Talbot, c.1867. A similar 3ft 6in (1.07m) tall cabinet was included in Howard & Sons’ stand at the 1889 Paris international exhibition along with an inlaid cabinet now in the V&A. This example at Edinburgh was pitched at £8000-12,000 and sold at £18,000.
