January at Bellmans

Looking back at a successful 2021 with highlights including the auction of Sir Winston Churchill's slippers and cigar butt; the sale of the film archive of Bond and Alfie director Lewis Gilbert; the Charles Finch collection of smoking pipes; several Modern British painters' studio collections and an array of fine paintings, rare books, European and Asian ceramics, jewellery, watches and furniture selling above expectations.

The January auctions will be held from Tuesday, 18th to Thursday, 20th January and highlights include a wonderful George III silver cow creamer. These creamers by John Schuppe, made in London in 1767, are always a bit of a favourite, but this standing cow with engraved hair sports a cast central fly on the hinged lid and otherwise has a floral and scroll foliate border. It is 14.5 cm long and 9.5 cm high and weighs 124 grams. It is estimated at £2,000 - £3,000 (plus Buyer's Premium of 22% plus VAT).

A tortoiseshell Royalist snuff box, decorated on the underside with a portrait of the crowned bust of King Charles I within an oval wreath surround, is offered together with an auction sale catalogue of the contents of The Grange, Levenshulme from May 1904 with an estimate today of £200 - £300.

A large Martin Brothers stoneware face jug, dated 1903, with one side modelled with a merry smiling face, the reverse with a face wearing a more thoughtful expression is also included in the auction. It is 21.5cm high and carries an estimate of £2,500 - £3,500.

A collection of some wonderful scent bottles is also coming up for auction. The rare gilt-metal mounted cut glass openwork crown scent bottles with stoppers were made in the early 19th century and are estimated at £300 - £500 each. One in particular is 10 cm high and has four straps cut with outer panels of raised strawberry diamonds, the two-colour gilt metal collar chased with coronets between roses, thistles and shamrocks with the stopper in the form of a Maltese Cross.

The jewellery part of the auction includes a charming 19ct gold brooch, designed as a standing poodle wearing a diamond set collar and is expected to fetch £500 -£700 and an elegant white gold and platinum diamond brooch, mounted with a row of fifteen cushion shaped diamonds, graduating in size to the centre stone, with an associated Cartier case. A gold and topaz suite of jewellery comprises a necklace formed as a row of nineteen graduated oval topaz, a gold and topaz pendant brooch in a cruciform design and a pair of gold and topaz two stone pendant earrings. It was probably created in the second quarter of the 19th century and is estimated at £2,000 - £3,000.

The auction also includes extensive and unique lots of pictures and prints, furniture and works of art.

OPEN FOR VIEWING:

Friday 14th January | 9am - 5pm

Saturday 15th January | 9am - 12.30pm

Monday 17th January | 9am - 5pm

Tuesday 18th January | 9am - 2pm

Appointments are not currently required but may be subject to change following government COVID guidelines.