Welsh Art News
WINTER 2006

The Gyrn Castle Sale.

Over two days on 17th and 18th Christies disposed of the contents of Gyrn Castle, Flintshire together with the residual contents of Nantlys near Denbigh, some surplus items from Mostyn Hall, Flintshire and also Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire. The weather was extremely hot which kept attendance down on the sale days although it was well viewed and had the feel of a good old-fashioned house sale. Much of what was on offer was in ‘country house’ if not ‘country house attic’ condition which kept prices reasonable for many of the lesser lots but there were some good prices in all categories. A suite of late 18thc. white-painted furniture from Nantlys, which had been at Brynbella, did exceptionally well realising nearly £40,000 for the three lots against a lower estimate of only £4,300. A rare set of eighteen mid-18thc pewter plates, with the crest of the Vaughans of Corsygedol in Merioneth, made £6000 against an estimate of £800-£1200 and an interesting, but badly damaged, view of Bodysgallen (a Mostyn seat near Llandudno) made £1900 against an estimate of £500-£1,000.
For anyone furnishing a house and wanting large pieces of honest antique brown furniture with an interesting provenance there were definitely bargains to be had. It is always very sad to see an old family collection sold from a country house and the number of such places in Wales retaining their original contents has just been reduced by two. There is perhaps some small consolation in some of the items being bought by those who will take pleasure in remembering where they came from.

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Welsh Art selling exhibitions in Wales

We exhibited at the Rhuthun Antiques Fair on 16th & 17th September. This was only the second staging of the fair and there was a good attendance on both days. The fair has dealers, mostly from Wales, showing oak furniture, glass, ceramics, carpets and paintings. Sales were quite reasonable for most dealers and certainly good enough for us to make a return next year a distinct probability.

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Obituaries .

The death has recently been reported of Maurice Jones-Mortimer Esq, of Hartsheath near Mold. This Gentleman was an enthusiastic collector of Welsh watercolours and had formed a fine collection, following on from his father, at Hartsheath. Somewhat reclusive, he was nonetheless a generous hearted and scholarly man who will be much missed.

Also recently departed is Cecil Williams of Dolgellau. Mr Williams had returned to his native country in the last few years where he ran an antiques business specialising in oak furniture. He had recently restored the historic Roberts Ironmongers shop in Dolgellau as an Antiques Centre. He was a charming man and a real enthusiast and his passing will be a considerable loss to the town and to the antiques trade in North Wales.