This silver epergne was the top lot at the Mount Congreve sale in London.
The Hampden Epergne, A George III Silver Epergne, mark of Thomas Pitts, London, 1763 was the top lot at the sale of 116 lots from Mount Congreve at Christie’s on May 23. It sold for £343,250. The sale brought in £3,447,275, selling 91% and 78% by lot. It had been estimated to bring in around £2.5 million.
A second sale of contents from Mount Congreve by Christie’s and Mealy’s takes place at Mount Congreve on July 10-11. Another 900 lots will be auctioned, including fine furniture, mirrors, chandeliers and even a Rolls Royce.
After the auction Charles Cator, deputy chairman, Christie’s International and Amelia Elborne, Private Collections & Country House Sales department issued the following statement: “The strong results achieved for the auction of ‘Mount Congreve: The London Sale’ are a testament to the discerning taste, connoisseurship and care with which the collection at Mount Congreve was formed over six decades. The collection attracted interest from around the world and there was fierce bidding on the internet, on the phones and in the room for the best pieces. We are extremely pleased with the prices realised for the wonderful Hampden Epergne – £343,250 – over three times the low estimate, the beautiful George II overmantel mirror made by William Linnell for the Earl of Coventry, and the pair of George III pier-tables designed by Robert Adam for Robert Child, which each realised £313,250, all demonstrating the importance of quality, provenance, and design to today’s collector market. We look forward to ‘Mount Congreve: The House Sale’ to be held on the premises in Ireland on 10-11 July by Mealy’s of Kilkenny, in association with Christie’s.”
See post on antiquesandartireland.com for Monday April 16, 2012.