An interesting 18th century glass decanter or carafe from one of the earliest and most influential London gentlemen's dining clubs is likely to attract attention in our next auction.
07/02/2025
A Shropshire collector has entered the decanter or carafe, which is engraved 'THE KIT-KAT CLUB at the Fountain Tavern on the Strand' and valued at up to £400, in Halls Fine Art’s British and Continental Ceramics and Glass, Paintings and Prints Auction in Shrewsbury on Wednesday, February 12.
The Kit-Kat Club was a lively gathering of politically minded and literary figures in early 18th-century London. Members, who were staunch supporters of the Whig cause, would discuss politics, literature and the day's issues.
They first met in Shire Lane, just off Fleet Street, at the Trumpet Tavern, an inn run by Christopher Catt. As the group grew in prominence, they moved to grander locations, including the Fountain Tavern on The Strand, where Simpson’s-in-the-Strand now stands and later to a purpose-built meeting room at Barn Elms, residence of secretary, Jacob Tonson.
Notable members included dukes, earls, knights of the realm, writers Joseph Addison, William Congreve and John Locke, as well as artist Sir Godfrey Kneller.
Expected to attract Transatlantic interest is an English slipware baking dish, dating to around 1780, possibly made in Staffordshire or Isleworth, with has a pre-sale estimate of £800 to £1,200.
Halls Fine Art’s ceramics specialist Caroline Dennard said: “We don’t often have English slipware consigned for auction because most of it ended up in North America, as it was made for the export market. I anticipate keen interest in this dish.”
The auction also has a good selection of quality glass, including a rare, large cylinder-knopped baluster wine glass from around 1720, which is valued at up to £700.
A crystal fruit or dessert suite, possibly by Baccarat, valued at up to £800 and an engraved late 18th century Honourable (English East India) Company wine or cordial facet-stem glass valued at up to £500.
A selection of pieces by Caughley, Worcester, Coalport, Moorcroft, H&R Daniel, Royal Crown Derby, Minton, Lorna Bailey and Whitefriars also features in the auction.
The paintings section includes portrait miniature of Lieutenant Thomas North which has been converted into a mourning brooch. The watercolour on ivory is by artist Frederick Buck (1771-1839/40) and valued at up to £500.
North was lieutenant in the 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers), an infantry regiment of the British Army and was mortally wounded during trench duty at the siege of the French garrison of Badajoz on March 21, 1812. He died the following day.
The command of the Anglo-Portuguese army was given to Arthur Wellesley, later to become the Duke of Wellington who famously defeated Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Two early 19th century reverse glass pictures of Roman goddesses Pomona and Flora, holding a vase of fruit whilst seated in a chariot drawn by tigers, has a pre-sale estimate of £300 to £500 while an oil by John Frederick Pasmore (1820-‘81) titled ‘Feeding the Rabbits’, is expected to fetch between £300 and £400.
A ‘Lady Gathering Kindling in a Country Landscape’ an oil painting by Joseph Thors (1835-1920) is valued at between £400 to £600 while an early 19th century watercolour portrait of a man holding an ektara, an Indian musical instrument, carries an estimate of £200 to £300
The Battlefield saleroom will be open for viewing on Monday and Tuesday next week from 10am to 4pm.
07/02/2025
06/01/2025
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