Rosebery’s final Fine & Decorative sale of the year (7 December 2023) was led by an exceptional, personal collection of items relating to the Lady of the Lamp, Florence Nightingale. The group had been passed down through four generations of the vendors family from Eliza ‘Fanny’ Pettit, Florence Nightingale’s lady companion between 1906-7. In an exciting bidding battle between an absentee bidder and a client in the room, the lot was hammered down for £25,584.
Anna Evans, Head of Sale, commented: “In a carefully curated auction, it was a pleasure to offer for sale a large number of privately consigned and rare works of art. Collectors, connoisseurs and dealers responded with an exciting day of competitive bidding across all categories.”
Lot 281: A rare personal collection of items relating to Florence Nightingale,
originally belonging to Eliza Francis “Fanny” Pettit
A group of over sixty highly anticipated pieces of sculpture from the Collection of the Late Reverend Watson produced a number of notable prices for important late 19th and 20th century sculptors, including a bronze Standing Figure by Leslie Thornton for £7,872 and a beautiful marble bust of Corrina by William Brodie, R. S. A. for £6,298.
Lot 306: William Brodie R.S.A. a marble bust of Corrina
The Continental ceramics section was led by Meissen porcelain, with a pair of beakers and covers making ten times the low estimate at £6,560 and a rococo clock case and stand achieving £4,198 (lot 232).
Lot 231: A pair of Meissen porcelain beakers and covers,
The outstanding highlight of the English ceramics was a rare Nantgarw cabinet plate decorated by Thomas Pardoe. Consigned locally by a charity shop, this type of plate is rarely seen on the market and was purchased for £2,493 by a private collector.
Lot 211: A rare Nantgarw porcelain cabinet plate
decorated by Thomas Pardoe, c.1821-23
English furniture provided further noteworthy prices, including a William and Mary walnut and marquetry chest making over double its high estimate at £11,152. An undeniable highlight of a group of Regency painted faux bamboo furniture was a four posterbed achieving £6,560 (lot 453).
Lot 377: A William and Mary walnut and marquetry chest,
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