Around the Houses Antique Collecting rounds up recent highlights from the UK’s auction rooms

ANDERSON AND GARLAND, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

A collection of glasses built up over a lifetime by a Northumberland farmer sold for almost twice its estimate on the first day of the Newcastle auctioneer’s fine art sale on June 16. The Logan Collection – named after collector George Logan who amassed the rare glassware over decades – made £15,500 at a saleroom to which collectors from Yorkshire, Hampshire, London, Kent and even Australia had flocked. George Logan’s son James, said: “My father started collecting cranberry glasses after a twist-stem glass tickled his interest.As with his farming, he had a good judgement, he identified his subjects and had great taste. He and my mother would travel to UK to find pieces. He also found a lot around Newcastle where there was quite a bit of Beilby.”

A highlight from the Logan Collection of glasses

HARTLEYS, ILKLEY

This unusual and pretty walnut and marquetry chest of drawers of c.1700 featured in the West Yorkshire auctioneer’s sale of June 17. It came from a disposal of probate house contents and was described in the original catalogue as ‘walnut, mulberry and marquetry’, which may have caused some raised eyebrows due to the assertion by Adam

Bowett in his book English Furniture 1660 – 1714 From Charles II to Queen Anne, (published by the Antique Collectors’ Club, 2002) that there is no evidence of the use of mulberry in fine cabinet making.

Maple, ash or elm stained with nitric acid and lampblack were used to produce a mottled or tortoiseshell effect. By the time the chest was reported sold, a change to maple modified the description.The estimate of £1,500 - £2,500 was exceeded at the sale, for the chest realised £5,800 (including a buyer’s premium of 15 percent) despite the replacement bun feet and slightly subdued top veneering, both the result of the chest having probably originally been mounted on a stand.The exceptional crossbanding and panelling made it a remarkable piece, which sold at what might be called a transitional sum; in retail circumstances a much higher figure could be expected.

The walnut and marquetry chest of drawers realized £5,800

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