New Website/blog

I am still a relative beginner to the blogging and tweeting world, but we have now updated our website to the extent that any new postings on the site are effectively bloggs- at least that is my understanding of the system!

To that end I am going to stop using wordpress and ask you all to review the News/Blog section of www.corfieldmorris.com. If you would like to you can click on the RSS feed button of explorer so that you will get all blogs as the are posted.

My tweet is at http://twitter.com/antiques_hunter if any of you want to follow that!

The year of the Tiger

This weekend was Chinese new year- Happy New Year! It is the year of the Tiger which sounds very exciting. Just in case you really want to get into the spirit of the year there is a Tiger skin in this weeks Christies South Ken sale. I went and stood on it on Friday, and he really is handsome beast in pretty good order. Apparently he was dispatched by one Captain Gage of the Royal Horse Artillery in the 1920's. Those were the days! It seems like Army officers had little to do except go hunting back then. I wonder what the taliban were up to.

Todays bit of excitement is this fabulous little Chevret (a little piece of furniture that late 18th century ladies used for 'pass times'). I dont think I have ever seen quite such a lady like example!! It is supremely elegant, almost Kate Moss proportions, and decorated with original penwork of the finest design. The upper part of it lifts off so that madam could cary her books to different parts of the room.

Anyway it is lovely, and happens to belong to a 'Lady of title' who wants us to find a new home for it. Anyone in love with it as much as I am?

January 8, 2010

This is a picture of a good aok refecory table from the middle of the 17th century- or is it??

I spent a long time crawling all over it today in good antiques roadshow style. the top lifts off and simply rests on the base so off it came and we were able to look at its construction. On close inspection it is a bit of a mess. i think the top is probably made of lovely old floor boards, and the legs, whilst they are period in the middle, have new blocks at the top and the bottom. I think the stretchers and the side rails are probably original….

So at some stage in its long life it has suffered greatly and about 100 years ago someone took pity on it and rebuilt it.

So what does that mean for its value. An interesting question. if it was totally original it would be a rare survivor indeed- worth perhaps £10-15000, even if it just had a little justifiable restoration it would be valuable, say £6-8000. But in its current state, where frankly one can’t be sure just what has been done over the years, I think it is about £1500-2000.

Sad for the owner, but what a bargain for the new owner! A piece full of character and history, albeit chequered for less than Ikea equivalent!

Well today I was off to a saleroom in Salisbury, not very exciting, there was a nice mahogany chest on chest or tallboy, needing as little work, but otherwise a dreadful load of junque (my word for antiques not worth having!). About the only pieces that did grab me were this pair of lapis and ormolu candlesticks.

They are very stylish so I took them to pieces to check them out- they are actually mid 19th century and super quality with very good gilding and castings. All the elements are in good condtion, and the lapis is not damaged. They are actually stamped with a makers mark- T Millet of Paris who was working from about 1850. I thought very smart. The estimate in the catalogue is only £4-600, but I expect they will make £1500 or so and even then be well worth it!

I was planning to go further but snow stopped play today.

Returning from New York

This lovely little table has been in New york for the last 15 years, it has done Sterling work as a hall table alongside a good pair of Chippendale chairs and superb bur walnut longcase clock, and underneath some contemporary art! The poor little thing has just been upstaged by an almost identical model in bur walnut, which I have to admit is trully spectacular, but it means that this little beauty must return to the UK and try to find itself a new owner.

It has a great provenance having previously been in the collection of John Keil, and went through Sothebys in the 1990's. It is all original including handles, and the beautifully shaped Queen Anne legs have very well carved knees.

In terms of decorative appeal it has everything so hopefully it wont be without an owner to love and cherish it for long! Let me know if you fall for her charms.