A WEDGWOOD BLACK BASALTES ENCAUSTIC DECORATED FIRST DAY VASE. COURTESY CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LT.D, 2016
A Wedgwood vase made a world record price of £482,500 at Christie’s in London yesterday. The Wedgwood black First Day vase more than doubled its high estimate to make a world record for a piece of English pottery. It was part of Christie’s Exceptional sale which made £5,681,250 and achieved a sell through rate of 89% by value and 80% by lot. A Meissen white model of a great Bustard, attributed to Johann Goetlieb Kirchner, 1732 made £842, 500, a pair of Sevres bleu celeste ice pails, covers and liners made £842,500 and a pair of Japanese inlaid iron vases and covers from the Komai Workshop, Kyoto made £302,500, a world record for the studio.
Robert Copley, Deputy Chairman of Group, International Head of Furniture, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s UK said: “The Exceptional Sale saw international participation from registered bidders in 15 countries across 3 continents. The highlight of the sale was a Wedgwood black ‘First Day’s Vase’, one of only four day vases to have been thrown by Wedgwood himself, and one which has passed through generations of the Wedgwood family before being auctioned at Christie’s”.