AN ENGLISH RELIEF-DECORATED PEWTER CANDLESTICK

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This is the fourth dedicated sale to be held through Christie's for the dispersal of the extraordinary and important Longridge Collection, offering the fruits of a lifetime's passion for its curator the Late Syd Levethan, whose mantra was 'ONLY THE BEST'. The final selection will be held at Christie's Amsterdam in their European Noble House sale on the 13 and 14 December 2011, and will include an important collection of German stoneware, the remaining early base metalwork and other important works of art. This sale represents the last opportunity to obtain English ceramics from this unparalleled collection. The success of this category within the previous sales has been quite extraordinary. The quality has ensured that ceramics from the first three sales have found homes in the prestigious collections of institutions and private collectors throughout the world. The volume of pieces sold and the prices achieved are reflective not only the strength and depth of the Longridge collection itself, but also the appetite the market has for its top drawer content. Amongst the ceramics, and other works of art that feature in this sale is another category that was very close to Syd's heart, and that was of course treen. I was fortunate to have known Syd, and he knew this area was also a passion of mine. He purchased several items of treen from Christie's over the years and it was always fascinating for me to have the opportunity to discuss the lots with him before they came up for sale. I knew when Syd was interested in a lot that it must be really special, because of his mantra of buying only really special objects. As with the ceramics good provenance was of equal importance to Syd, and many pieces of treen in this sale, and the first sale were previously recorded in historical collections or reference works of earlier collectors and authors such as the Owen Evan-Thomas; W.J. Shepherd; Edward Pinto; and Jonathan Levi. Its difficult to single out individual items within this sale such is the overall strength of the selection, suffice to say that this is without question the most important collection comprised of British and Continental treen within this category to ever appear on the auction market. A final facet of the collection I would like to mention is that of the early copper alloy candlesticks included within this sale. It's often a difficult area for a specialist to be accurate on in respect of age and attribution. However as with all great collections, and as is the case here, the curators prowess, knowledge and connoisseurship are evident in his sifting of the wheat from the chaff. The Longridge sales at Christie's are already legendary even before the fall of the gavel on the last lot in the collection. It was Syd's wish that the new guardians of these rare, beautiful and extraordinary objects garner as much pleasure from them as he did in his lifetime. Nicholas McElhatton Chairman Christie's South Kensington

AN ENGLISH RELIEF-DECORATED PEWTER CANDLESTICK

14TH CENTURY

Details

AN ENGLISH RELIEF-DECORATED PEWTER CANDLESTICK
14TH CENTURY
The triangular pierced base decorated with arches and with a central stem and scrolled ribs supporting a pan with relief decoration of bands of roundels and gadrooning and a possibly associated iron pricket
4½ in. (11 cm) to pan

Provenance

With Christopher Bangs, London, 1992.

Literature

Geoff Egan, The Medieval Household: Daily Living c.1150-1450, Medieval Finds from Excavations in London: 6, 1998, pp. 135-6, cat. no. 366, fig 102.

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 20% on the buyer's premium.

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