The external temperature was not the only thing getting bidders hot under the collar on Wednesday, as a Martin Brothers piece sold for a record price in Salisbury.
The stoneware spoon warmer, modelled as an angry rodent-type creature, sold to a private UK collector for a hammer price of £26,000 – the highest price ever achieved for a Martin spoon warmer. The lot was part of a good selection of 34 lots of Martin Brothers pottery, which included a variety of vases, mugs, figures and jugs, as well as two other spoon warmers. Only one of the lots failed to find a buyer, and the whole section sold for a total of £85,000.
20th Century Design specialist, Michael Jeffery, has previously held successful sales exclusively of Martin Brothers pottery, which had previously made Salisbury epicentre for the collecting field. “Most of the pieces in this sale came from private UK collectors, and that has brought some rare and good pieces onto the market. This particular spoon warmer was in excellent condition and that, coupled with its rarity as an object, will have attributed to its astonishing price.”
Michael has already got another private collection of Martin consigned for his specialist Art Pottery sale in November, which he hopes will prove just as successful.