On Wednesday 18 February, we held our first Fine Furniture, Sculpture, Carpets, Ceramics and Works of Art auction of the year. Marking a strong start to the department’s calendar, the sale totalled £843,347, achieving 130% of its pre-sale estimate. The auction featured an exceptional selection of pieces, offering a compelling survey of craftsmanship and provenance, telling a rich story of evolving taste across the centuries.

Highlights included a reunited pair of Louis XV Beauvais tapestries after Jean-Baptiste Oudry which sold for £44,300; a rare Sèvres 'vase hollandois', once owned by Amelia Bischoffsheim, selling for £13,970; and an 18th century Louis XV bois satine and Chinese lacquer mounted press cupboard from a private Norfolk collection, which achieved £88,400.

Commenting on the results, Head of Furniture, Ben Brown said, “We were highly gratified by the results, which achieved a number of exceptionally strong prices. It was a notably diverse sale, and we were particularly encouraged to see it draw such robust and competitive interest from collectors across the globe.”

Here we take a look at some of the highlights.