Auction Alert: Country House Attic Sale

A 'God Speed the Plough' earthenware loving cup etc

The Country House Attic Sale (part of the larger Antique and Collectors Sale) is being held by Mellors & Kirk on Thursday 16th March 2023 from 10am. It consists of 99 interesting lots of mainly antique earthenware and transferware.

We have a very small collection of antique creamware, mainly consisting of a few transfer printed nursery mugs and a trio of graduated blue & white meat plates. I’d love to grow our collection – and this sale is a great opportunity to do just that.

It’s a shame that the auction house doesn’t organise postage – however, they recommend a number of companies that offer the service.

Buyers are charged a premium of 24% (plus VAT) in addition to the hammer price. Subject to a minimum charge of £6 per lot plus VAT

Live bidding platforms attract additional costs as detailed below:
mellorsandkirk.com – 1.5% (plus VAT)
Easyliveauction.com – 3% (plus VAT) on the hammer price of all lots purchased, or a flat fee of £3.00 is taken by Easyliveauction. Note: This fee will be taken regardless of whether you bid on or purchase lots.
the-saleroom.com – 4.95% (plus VAT)

A pearl ware baluster jug, possibly Leeds et al

Lot 1105: A pearl ware baluster jug, possibly Leeds, c. 1800
Printed in puce with verse on commerce, strap handle, 14.5cm h, eleven later 19th century earthenwares, transfer-printed with scenes and maxims of agriculture and commerce, comprising a loving cup, mugs and jugs, the largest 20cm high, (12). Pearl ware example with restored spout, some crazing, otherwise good general condition with wear. Others in mixed condition and not individually examined, some wear and light repairs.
Estimate £30 – £50

Miscellaneous ceramics Including a quantity of Spode's

Lot 1107: Miscellaneous ceramics
Including a quantity of Spode’s Italian pattern table ware, etc.
Estimate £40 – £60

A collection of 19th c blue and white transfer-printed wares

Lot 1117: A collection of 19th century blue and white transfer-printed wares
Including a John Meir & Son Korea pattern ash bowl, 32cm diam, a drainer, 38cm w, further bowls, plates, sauce tureens, mugs and other vessels, etc., (approx. 20). Meir & Son bowl cracked. Drainer with riveted repair. The other pieces in mixed condition, not having been examined individually, crazed – at times discoloured, slight wear, occasional chips, etc.
Estimate £30 – £50

Two boxes of 19th c transfer-printed earthenware

Lot 1121: Two boxes of 19th century transfer-printed earthenware
Occasional bone china, comprising jugs, children’s and other mugs and cups, some with didactic messages, Chinese Tree pattern dinner and dessert plates, etc. Mixed condition. Though each piece has not been examined individually, each has expected wear, etc. Some are also crazed, cracked, &/or repaired.
Estimate £30 – £40

A collection of 29 Delft tiles, 18th c and later

Lot 1123: A collection of 29 Delft tiles, 18th century and later
Principally Dutch, including biblical narratives and figural tableaux, painted in underglaze blue or manganese, some framed as groups, mixed sizes. Mixed condition. Some repaired as clearly seen in images. Further surface wear as expected, etc.
Estimate £150 – £200

A collection of 19th century earthenware

Lot 1124: A collection of 19th century earthenware
Including nursery plates, children’s cups and mugs, advertising and colour-printed Victorian pot lids, novelties, agricultural interest, etc., (approx. 20). Mixed condition, some wear, losses, and/or occasional repairs. Please note each piece has not been individually examined.
Estimate £30 – £50

Three mid-19th c earthenware mugs etc

Lot 1126: Three mid-19th century earthenware mugs
Monochrome printed and picked-out in polychrome enamels with railway locomotives, the largest 10cm h, a Staffordshire lustre Bacchus jug, 19th century, 12.5cm h, further earthenware, including mocha and banded wares, an Edge, Malkin, & Co blue and white mug, another, similar, in black, etc., (15). Each of the train mugs with various portions of restoration, one of which is also profoundly cracked, etc. Bacchus jug with discoloured crazing and chipped. Mocha ware with faults. Edge, Malkin, & Co mug cracked and crazed, the handle restored. Further examples not individually examined but all with faults or wear.
Estimate £30 – £50

A Sunderland lustre jug, early-mid 19th c

Lot 1128: A Sunderland lustre jug, early-mid 19th century
Printed with a named-view of the Iron Bridge Wermouth/Sunderland, verse to verso, 18cm h, a similar tub, later, dated 1859 within the print, 14cm w, a Crimean War commemorative plaque, mid-19th century, a Industry Produceth Wealth jug, 14cm h, etc., (12). The jug with faults, multiple cracks, discoloured crazing, chip, etc. The tub chipped, crazed and discoloured, further wear. Crimean plaque with extensive riveted repair. Industry jug generally good with some wear. Further pieces not examined individually, but with surface wear, stains, and/or crazing, etc.
Estimate £30 – £50

A pair of Burgess & Leigh Asiatic Pheasant pattern meat dishes etc

Lot 1132: A pair of Burgess & Leigh Asiatic Pheasant pattern meat dishes
A quantity of Spode’s Italian blue and white dinner ware, etc
Estimate £40 – £60

A 'God Speed the Plough' earthenware loving cup etc

Lot 1152: A ‘God Speed the Plough’ earthenware loving cup, mid-19th century
Transfer-printed in black, 12cm h, five other earthenware loving cups, principally Staffordshire, including three frog examples, plus three further frog mugs, (9). The God Speed the Plough cup with a repaired handle, crazed and unevenly printed. The large blue and white example with restored handles and base, chipped, with further portions of restoration. The others with similar wear. The three frog mugs in various condition, cracked, crazed and worn.
Estimate £30 – £50

Auction Alert: Antiques & Collectors Sale

Two Napoleonic prisoner of war work bone domino boxes

Founded in 1993, the auction house, Mellors & Kirk is based in Nottingham. Their Antiques & Collectors Sale, including The Heath House, Staffordshire is being held in about a week’s time. The 3-day sale dates are as follows:

  • 12th Apr 2022, 10am (lots 1 to 431)
  • 13th Apr 2022, 10am (lots 501 to 1039)
  • 14th Apr 2022, 10am (lots 1040 to 1364)

We do not post fragile items, such as ceramics and glassware, or large items, however we may be able to assist with the packing and postage of small items of jewellery, watches, medals, small pieces of silver, etc. Please contact us for a quotation.

Commission on the hammer price realised for the lot in question is payable to Mellors & Kirk by the buyer at a flat rate of 24% plus VAT, subject to a minimum of £6 per lot plus VAT.

The online bidding fee is an additional charge of 4.95% plus VAT levied on lot(s) bought via the online bidding facility at the-saleroom.com or an additional charge of 3% plus VAT levied on lot(s) bought via the online bidding facility at EasyLiveAuction.com unless the flat fee was selected.

A Napoleonic prisoner of war polychrome bone games box

Lot 1072: A Napoleonic prisoner of war polychrome bone games box
c1800, retaining dominoes dice, two sliding covers and underside painted (the covers recto and verso) with heads or full lengths portraits, including one of “Buonaparte”, 7cm l, 3cm wide; lid 9cm l. Slight wear mainly on upper surface of top most cover, but an exceptionally pleasing example in good preservation
Estimate: £100 – £150

Dinky Toys 533 Leyland cement wagon

Lot 1095: Dinky Toys 533 Leyland cement wagon
Yellow, boxed, paint chipped on cab, box rubbed and Dinky Supertoys 514 Guy Van, Spratts, red and cream, tiny paint chips and scratches (2)
Estimate: £80 – £100

Two Napoleonic prisoner of war work bone domino boxes

Lot 1152: Two Napoleonic prisoner of war work bone domino boxes
With sliding lid, early 19th c, the cover of one pierced for cribbage, the other inset with two naive paintings of a young woman and urn, 14 and 15.5cm l. Some damage and much dirt
Estimate: £50 – £70

Two shop posters - "Bovril" and "Darkaline Stain"

Lot 1222: Advertising. Two shop posters – “Bovril” and “Darkaline Stain”
Both first half 20th c, slightly creased and stained, 47 x 36cm and circa, both framed
Estimate: £50 – £70

An Ercol beech settee and pair of armchairs

Lot 1317: An Ercol beech settee and pair of armchairs
Settee 133cm w. Good condition with a few minor marks, consistent with age
Estimate: £200 – £300

An Ercol armchair and four dining chairs

Lot 1318: An Ercol armchair and four dining chairs
An Ercol armchair and four dining chairs. All with handling wear and scratches/dirt, more extensive on two than the others; One dining chair has small split to top of back rest.
Estimate: £100 – £150

An Edwardian wingback armchair

Lot 1325: An Edwardian wingback armchair
c1905, the serpentine back, wings and stuffed over seat upholstered in olive green leather with brass close studded detail, on square tapered mahogany fore legs fitted metal castors. Front left leg badly cracked, front right leg cracked, extensive wear faults and staining to leather, scuffing, etc
Estimate: £100 – £200

A rosewood sideboard

Lot 1355: A rosewood sideboard
c1970,  fitted with drawer and cutlery tray, enclosed by plain or louvred doors, all in richly figured veneers, on square legs, 77cm h; 46 x 213cm
Estimate: £300 – £500