17 amazing interiors pieces to buy at auction in July
1/17A George III bureau plat
Christie's, London, ‘The Exceptional Sale’, July 2
This piece is special because it can truly be a chameleon. More of a traditionalist? Put it behind your sofa with your collection of marble obelisks, Murano glass paperweights, and ormolu picture frames. More of a modernist? Channel the interiors of Leuchie House and see how its clean lines and soft woods give any teak table a run for its money.
Estimate: £50,000 - £80,000
2/17A Roman yellow-green glass shallow bowl circa 4th Century A.D.
Bonhams, London, ‘Antiquities’, July 4
For something so ancient, this piece is still so relevant. Age shouldn’t confine this piece to a stagnant museum existence on a shelf. Place it on a side table where your glamorous grandmother would have placed her Lalique ashtray and enjoy some timeless design courtesy of the Romans.
Estimate: £1,000 - £1,500
4/17A set of four botanical engravings after Johann Weinmann, mid 18th century
5/17A Regency Brighton Pavilion Regency workbox
Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury, ‘Furniture, Works of Art and Clocks’, July 4
All good spaces have an element of layering. Little trinkets here-and-there give a space the “personality” layer. This piece also happens to be functional, as it could house your playing cards in your living room or perhaps your pins and rubber bands on your bedroom dresser.
Estimate: £100 - £150
6/17A pair of 20th-century Italian gilt metal wheatsheaf wall lights
Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury, ‘Furniture, Works of Art and Clocks’, July 4
Brighten your drawing or dining room with these effervescent wall lights. On a dark paint color, they’ll glow and demand attention (rightfully so). On a pale paint colour, they’ll work in harmony with your walls in the same manner as gilded plasterwork. You can’t lose.
Estimate: £150 - £200
7/17Red lacquer bookcase
Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury, ‘Furniture, Works of Art and Clocks’, July 4
For us, this falls into the “you need one anyway, why not get one with intrigue” category. Store books, glassware, collectables—the possibilities are endless with its adjustable shelves. As for the red lacquer? Divine.
Estimate: £1,500 - £2,000
8/17A George III oak and mahogany dresser base
Dore and Rees, Somerset, ‘From The Private Collection of the Late Mrs Henry T Ford II’, 3 July
We love this piece for all of its potential versatility. It could work in a kitchen, it could act as a credenza in a country family room, or it could sit in an entrance hall with an assortment of boots below it.
Estimate: £250 - £350
9/17A trefoil form padded centre stool, late 20th century
10/17A pair of dark green and parcel gilt painted elbow chairs
Dore and Rees, Somerset, ‘From The Private Collection of the Late Mrs Henry T Ford II’, 3 July
These elegant regency-inspired chairs will add an element of sophistication to any room. Flank them on either side of a credenza, put them at your table-for-two in your pied a tere, or just have them floating in your drawing room. Go wild with an animal print fabric, or stay classic with a bright, solid silk or velvet. They’re very Nancy Lancaster.
Estimate: £100 - £150
11/17An x-frame stool
Dore and Rees, Somerset, ‘From The Private Collection of the Late Mrs Henry T Ford II’, 3 July
As is, this X-frame stool would be a perfectly ladylike piece to place in front of a vanity—especially if said vanity is skirted and kidney-shaped. However, if the pale colour palette doesn’t match your aesthetic, you could have it painted, reupholstered, and put it anywhere you want. Might we suggest painting it black and upholstering it in Carlos Garcia’s original ‘Kandili’? What a fabulous addition to a London sitting room that would be.
Estimate: £80 - £140
12/17A Campanian red-figure neck-amphora circa 350-330 B.C.
Bonhams, London, ‘Antiquities’, July 4
This piece is from 350-330 BC, yet it would be the perfect addition to any contemporary home. Greek vases’ deep association with the Grand Tour certainly makes this piece appropriate for a traditional setting, however, it’s just as effortlessly appropriate for the most contemporary of settings with its clean lines and neutral colours.
Estimate: £2,000 - £3,000
13/17A Regency mahogany breakfront bookcase circa 1820
Bonhams, London, ‘Fine Decorative Arts’, July 5
This handsome piece gives us many reasons to love it with its gothic glazing bars, brick red shelves, and ample storage. So you don’t live in a home of grand proportions? Don’t fret about its grand size, as the top designers say it’s always best to size up when it comes to decorating smaller spaces.
Estimate: £4,000 - £6,000
14/17A charming Crewelwork bed curtain, late 17th/early 18th century
Bonhams, London, ‘Fine Decorative Arts’, July 5
This tapestry could truly transform a room. Whether hung behind a bed or above a pier table, it will add texture and act as a source of color to draw from. It’s a piece of art that also feeds the need for getting wallpaper without actually having to wallpaper your space.
Estimate: £3,000 - £4,000
15/17Two Mexican, Puebla de los Angeles, 'Talavera' vases, circa 1700
Bonhams, London, ‘500 Years of European Ceramics including the Twinight Collection’, 4 July
Blue and white vases truly are the pearl earrings of the interiors world—you can dress them up, dress them down, and they go with just about everything. We would certainly say “si” to these Mexican vases with their birds, scrolls, and perfect patina.
Estimate: £2,000 - £3,000
16/17A pair of column lamps from Great Witchingham House
Bonhams, London, ‘The Selected Contents of Great Witchingham House’, 3 July
If you only buy one investment lamp, make it a column lamp, as it’s incredibly versatile and will never go out of style. Whether you give it a shade made of cream silk, a multicoloured Ikat, or a strongly-coloured linen, it can handle it. There is truly no inappropriate room for a column lamp; Robert Kime frequently used them in drawing rooms, while Flora Soames recently used a pair in a bedroom. Lucky for you, Bonham’s has a pair—keep them together or split them up.
Estimate: £600-£800
17/17A Mahal carpet circa 1900
Bonhams, London, ‘The Selected Contents of Great Witchingham House’, 3 July
A layered and storied room is hardly complete without an antique, Persian carpet. What makes this piece so great is that it’s a Mahal, so it lacks a central motif. Designers will frequently look for a rug like this, as a central motif hardly ever aligns with the center of the room they’re decorating. It’s big enough for a generously sized drawing room, and it offers plenty of colours to draw from.
Estimate: £1,500 - £2,500
