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[January 2002]
Sale of the Centuries - Hundreds of Minton Lots to Go Under the Hammer
Bonhams has been chosen to sell the prestigious Minton Museum Collection of ceramics presently owned by Royal Doulton. The collection contains Minton porcelain and pottery of unsurpassed quality which has never before been available at auction. The sale is entitled 'Masterpieces of Minton' and a first selection of 400 lots will be auctioned at Bonhams in New Bond Street, London on 30 April 2002. The highlight is rare majolica peacock which is expected to fetch around £100,000. A follow-up auction is scheduled for later in the year.The sale encompasses the entire period of the factory's production from 1793 to the present day. The collection is made up both of examples that were retained as reference and particularly fine exhibition pieces, which were held by the company for display. Many pieces are trials which never went into full production. The total value is still being assessed.
Record prices are expected for individual pieces and included in the collection are fine examples of pate-sur-pate vases by the master of the technique, Louis Solon, whose best pieces regularly fetch £15,000 to £20,000 at auction. Rare Minton Majolica ware life-sized models of animals and birds are expected to sell for sums in excess of £20,000 to £30,000.
Bonhams' Mark Oliver commented: "We are delighted to be selling this Minton collection of truly unsurpassed provenance. Design was of utmost importance to the Minton factory and works by some of the leading innovators of the 19th century, such as AWN Pugin, Dr Christopher Dresser, Louis Solon and WS Coleman, will be featured prominently amongst the collection".
ENDS