As the year closes, and before you sink into the sofa full of turkey and dissolve into the end-of-year newspapers' reflections, this is the Tavernicus take on 2009. As far as antiques are concerned it has been a story of the best and the rest, more or less across the board. A few eminent dealers shut up shop and the fairs reported mixed outcomes with some signs that traditional furniture was showing signs of revival after a long period of decline. Towards the end of the year, Old Masters showed some stunning auction results with £26m paid for a drawing by Raphael, Head of a Muse. However, the bizarre event of the year in the Old Master world was the revelation of the value of a fingerprint; a new scientific technique has revealed that a Leonardo Da Vinci finger print has been found on an unsigned painting of a lady which sold in 1998 for $19000. The said painting will, if the attribution is confirmed, be worth £100m. Maybe there is a Da Vinci code?
Back to the theme of the "best and the rest"; in December, Bonhams excelled in their offerings of clocks by Knibbs, Tompion, East and Ahasuerus Fromanteel. Sotheby's & Christies must be asking themselves whether it was wise to cease dedicated clock auctions and Bonhams are doing a great job. Their offering of the Fromanteel clock, c.1670 raised £400000, inc premium, for an early pendulum longcase. The Tompion (No440) sold for £288000 and the other great clocks typically sold for between £30-70k. So the trophy clocks are in fine fettle and down the scale the auction was very successful.
Tavern clocks were more numerous in 2009. Tavernicus recorded 18 unrestored clocks offerred at auction with prices ranging from £2.5k to £13.5k, (hammer). An unsigned tavern would have set you back between £2.5-5.5k . A signed tavern clock would have set you back between £4-13.5k with a typical figure being around £6k for a clock which has not been messed up by a friend who said they could paint. As with all antiques, originality and authenticity is key to value. An untouched wreck of a clock is more valuable to the trade than a poorly restored example. The movement has to be correct and this is not always so. Get everything right; the case, the lacquer, the signature and the movement; and the price pushes upwards. Then add a famous maker and the "best" effect takes over. Dealers did not have a great year at selling tavern clocks, even if auction activity was up. These things always go in cycles and owners of such clocks can rest easy that, unlike many asset classes, values are holding or rising.
2010 is going to be a fascinating year in so many respects with a general election, cuts in public spending and the hoped for end of the recession. All eyes are on the politicos but they will not help us, just look at the mess the political class made of Copenhagen. In the antiques world there is a confidence evident in the planned fairs diary which is more bullish than 2009.
My book, "The Tavern Clock", is at the final edit stage and printing will take place in January and then it has to be shipped from India. Expect supplies at the end of February or early March.
So, snowed in as we are, I wish all those who have followed this Blog and those who browse http://www.tavernicus.co.uk/ a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Let indulgence commence!!
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