Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2014/January 2015 | Page 48

ANTIQUES

Warren
Riches:
Ask an expert!

An example of
Kriegsmarine binoculars

HRD

talks antiques

F

rom garage to glory; a tale of history to obscurity, discovery
to pecuniary reward. While this might sound like a story
that begins ‘once upon a time’, it is in fact the account of a
pair of binoculars recently sold in the Brading saleroom, of HRD
Auctions, which illustrates that buried treasure does exist in attics,
garages and sheds across the Island.
A new client arrived at one of our valuation mornings, rather
weighed down by the item he was carrying. We were presented
with a rare and large pair of Kriegsmarine binoculars. The
Kriegsmarine was the navy of Nazi Germany, and this particular
model of binoculars would have been fixed to the deck of a ship
and used to monitor aircraft flying overhead.
Manufactured by Carl Zeiss, the ‘Rolls Royce’ of the genre,
the optics were first class and, following a good clean, as good
today as they would have been on the day they were made. This
particular pair, long separated from active service onboard ship,
had been buried at the back of a garage, gathering dust and
destined for the tip. Fortunately, the owner decided it might
be worth finding out a little more about them. We instantly
recognised them as something special and, following some
detailed research, entered them into a fine art and antique
auction where they successfully sold for £1,800.
Fashion has infiltrated the world of binoculars in the same
way as other antiques and collectables, with the current vogue
entailing stripping the binoculars of all original paint, and highly
polishing the aluminium and brass which lies beneath. The
Kriegsmarine pair will be no exception and, once polished, are
likely to find their way into the stylish home of an avid collector,
prized as much for their appearance as their incredible history.
This story illustrates that there are hidden gems waiting to be
discovered, and also highlights the importance of seeking expert
advice. As an auctioneer, it is a pleasure to be able to surprise a
client by telling them the article they thought to be worthless
rubbish is, in fact, worth thousands of pounds. If we can preserve
a piece of history in the process, so much the better.

The Auction Rooms, Quay Lane, Brading, PO36 0AT
Telephone: [phone]
48

www.visitilife.com

Pottery from Clarice Cliff

T

he Staffordshire born and bred designer Clarice
Cliff made her name with the brightly coloured
range of Art Deco pottery she designed in the
1920s. Her talent was first spotted in 1916 when she
joined Arthur J. Wilkinson, a Burslem maker of standard
transfer-printed earthenwares.
Bizarre pottery was a breath of fresh air when it arrived
on the scene. Redolent of Art Deco and the Jazz Age, it
was hugely popular when it was made, although contrary
to some misconceptions, it was not that cheap at the time.
Shapes and patterns dictate the collecting hierarchy;
scarcity is a key factor. The floral designs, such as
Autumn Crocus pattern, were produced in large volumes,
often for regular domestic use, so while popular with
collectors, these are relatively inexpensive.
At the other end of the spectrum are patterns from
the short-lived Appliqué range, made 1930-31, which
required many more man hours to decorate. There are
patterns such as Sunspots for which only around 20
examples have been located, while wares in unrecorded
experimental patterns continue to be discovered.
Rare pieces are still expensive but prices are
dramatically down on their zenith, so there is a wide
range for the collector to start buying from, and now is
not a bad time to start.

Auction report
It has been a busy period for Island Auction Rooms,
Shanklin, with their Arreton Barns outdoor sale pulling in
over 400 punters for the 530 lots.
The sale saw vehicles making over £2,400 and garden
statues selling for over £400, mixed in with the varied lots
and good humour a good day was had by all. Then three
days later Island Auction Rooms had their usual Antique
and Collectables sale followed by the modern sale the
following day.
Fierce bidding saw a rare Daum Nancy vase fly away
to a French internet bidder for £1,200 while a lovely
tortoiseshell and silver tea caddy sold to a London dealer
for £1,100. With a sold selling rate of 97 per cent, the
auctioneers’ buying clientele is expanding every month,
and with low selling fees compared to the London rooms
the vendor benefits stack up.