Discovered by Managing Director & Senior Valuer Greg Bateman during his Valuation visit, it was consigned with a house full of other items, including an impressive cased collection of ten Victorian gold sovereigns, and a Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre octagonal bowl! The family were unaware of the bowl's significance, and whilst Greg had mentioned what he suspected could happen when it came up for auction, even he was mightily surprised by just how much it sold for!

Coming up mid-morning as lot 44 in Batemans' 3rd October Monthly Antiques & Specialist Collectors auction, the simple but accurate catalogue description belied the fireworks that were to be unleashed once bidding was opened by Auctioneer David Palmer!

Dame Lucie Rie (British, Austrian, 1902-1995): a studio pottery bowl, decorated in pale blue speckled glaze, LR mark to base, 13.7 by 6.8cm high.

It was crucially in good condition with no major issues, but with dirt build up and light scratches from use - a perfect 'find' from a private collection that had not been on the open market before, but had been safely resting on a windowsill in the aforementioned Northamptonshire village.

The bowl attracted plenty of interest via the-saleroom.com and it was from that online bidding platform that the winning bidder emerged. Pre-Bids left before the sale had reached £650 already besting the rather too sensible estimates of £300-£500 as it turned out...

Once opened the bidding swiftly surpassed £1,000 and then continued between just two bidders, both London based Private Collectors, fighting it out to take this bowl home. It rocketed up beyond £10,000, and after two and a half minutes of bidding, finally settling at an incredible hammer price of £16,000!

The total price, including Buyers Premium and Fees was £20,790.40 ... a spectacular result for this beautiful little blue bowl made by one of the greatest ceramic artists of the 20th century!

To consign any modern British ceramics and Artworks to one of our upcoming auctions please contact Senior Valuer Greg Bateman at our Main Office on 01780 766466 or valuations@batemans.com and have a look at our SELLING page.