Antiques & Decorative Arts
Our renowned monthly, market leading auctions include a wide range of periods and styles from antiquities and antiques through to mid-century design. European, English and NZ colonial furnishings accompany the broadest range of collectables, silver, ceramics and decorator’s items curated and catalogued by the leading team of experts in the country. Under this section we offer miscellanea, cameras, glass, Modern Movement, boxes, walking sticks, costume, ephemera, studio pottery and all manner of items.
A very impressive 19thC French monumental bronzed spelter statue of the Greek Goddess Athena mounted with a clock,
she stands on an elaborate base with lions feet, her hands resting upon a shield wrapped around her back, draped in a diaphanous robe and wearing a helmet. Her wings held high and cherub to her head all support the gilded ball clock. One finger absent and one broken, other minor faults. The original clock movement striking on a bell. With plaque detailed 'Horloger Paris 849' enclosing a monogram. H.2360mm. Note: Athena is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and the arts. Provenance: Ex. Kerikeri estate. Large home of a diplomat.
Realised: $13,000
SILVERED WOOD FRAMED LAVISHLY UPHOLSTERED 'WOLFGANG' SOFA BY DURESTA (UK)
with carved rococo style arms and six large; nine medium and five small loose cushions; labelled 'DURESTA HAND MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN'. 2360 x 1130 x 730mm
Realised: $12,000
A very large bronze sculpture of a stag and hind,
the stag with head and antlers raised, the hind with head lowered. Both upon a naturalistic base with wavy edge. 1700 x 1000 x 1520mm. Provenance: Ex. Kerikeri estate. Large home of a diplomat.
Realised: $11,000
A 20thC very large bronze figure group 'Leapfrog',
the two children in late 19thC dress, the girl leaping over the crouching boy, her hands upon his back. Raised on rounded naturalistic base. H.1420mm. Provenance: Ex. Kerikeri estate. Large home of a diplomat.
Realised: $10,500
A large and impressive bronze of a classical woman,
she stands holding an inverted amphora wearing a sleeveless long dress draped to the ground, her long head scarf falling down her back. H.1620mm.
Realised: $9,500
A very large bronze figure group of two children upon a wine barrel,
the standing boy holding and tipping a small barrel, the girl seated upon the large barrel with an entwining swag of grapes. H.1740mm. Provenance: Ex. Kerikeri estate. Large home of a diplomat.
Realised: $9,000
A mid 19thC giltwood forty-six string Gothic ‘Angel’ Harp by Erard,
the top of the decorative hexagonal gilt column carved with angels playing instruments, leading down to an eight-pedal shaped base, featuring two gargoyles, maker's name Sebastian and Pierre Erard and company's London premises 18 Great Marlborough Street, London at the top of harp, painted and gilded finish. Together with a bespoke sturdy wooden crate with iron hinges and handles that was used to transport the harp in 1905 from England to New Zealand for a previous owners grandmother. 920 x 1740mm (harp)
Realised: $8,500
A rare and impressive New Zealand colonial Winks & Hall native timbers wine table
with fine parquetry inlaid top and raised on three turned and fluted legs - a lower tier with inlaid panels framing a removable lidded thread container, the tier with a fluted frieze. All on three splayed legs. Original maker's label. Dia.570mm. H.760mm. Provenance: The Ruth Simon Estate Collection, Sydney. Sold Dunbar Sloane Ltd. November 2013.
Realised: $8,000
An important collection of letters between the acclaimed French writer Colette (Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle)(1873-1954) - Radclyffe Hall (1883-1943); author of the 1928 ground-breaking novel ‘The Well of Loneliness; and Lady Una Troubridge (1887-1963) - English sculptor and translator of the works of Colette into English,
dating from 1928 to 1940. These include letters from Colette to Una and ‘John’ (Hall), some concerning ‘The Well of Loneliness’, as well as a French publisher asking Hall to write about Colette from an English perspective for a book being about her works. In a later letter to Troubridge, she called the book by Claude Chauvière, ‘un outrage aux yeux et à la politesse’. One letter from George Bernard Shaw concerns the upcoming trial in England surrounding the publication of ‘The Well of Loneliness’, he writes, ‘I have sketched the line of defence more fully...but the danger is that counsel will refuse to adopt it.’ Also, a letter from John Gielgud concerning a possible adaption of her novel. Additionally included are: photos, cheques signed by Hall, her passport, tickets and a programme for the opening night of ‘Le Procès d'Oscar Wilde’ (‘The Trial of Oscar Wilde’) at Theatre de L’Oeuvre and many other items. Note: Radclyffe Hall (Marguerite Radclyffe-Hall) was an English writer best known for the groundbreaking lesbian work ‘The Well of Loneliness’ (1928) which was banned in 1928 in Britain as ‘obscene libel’ and not published for 20 years. Lady Una Troubridge (Margot Elena Gertrude Taylor) was an English sculptor and translator – best known for her translation into English, of the works of Colette, who was one of France’s leading writers in the first half of the 20thC. Provenance: [Lady Una Troubridge by bequest to friends Nicola Rossi-Lemeni and his wife Operatic Soprano, Virginia Zeani, 1963, thence by bequest to the vendors in the 1990s. Full inventory of contents available at enquiries@cordys.co.nz
Realised: $7,500
A very large and heavy cast bronze sculpture of a young farming couple seated upon a log bench,
their attention drawn to each other, he has an open book to his lap and legs crossed, she holds a basket. The bench modelled as split logs. 1250 x 900 x 1070mm.
Realised: $6,500