EN ROUTE to the recycling centre, the owner of this Victorian armchair called in at his local saleroom to ask if it might be worth saving from the skip. He was told by Andrew Smith of Itchen Stoke, near Winchester, that the chair, in store for some years, might bring £80-120. It was consigned for sale on February 7.
In fact, word quickly reached the auctioneers that the sturdy chair, with its ebonised and gilt decoration of Vitruvian scrolls, eight-pointed stars, Greek-key pattern and other geometric motifs, may be attributable to a giant of Victorian design. By sale day it was catalogued as “in the manner of Dr Christopher Dresser (1834-1904)” with bidding opening at £1000. Ultimately it sold on the phone for £11,400 (plus 19% buyer’s premium).