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Lot 584
Lyle Sopel , a green nephrite carving of a Chinese horse Lyle Sopel (Canadian, b. 1952), a green nephrite carving of a Chinese horse, on a rock crystal boulder base, signed Sopel F314 , 48.5cm high overall, 48.5cm long From the bronze pacing horse poised on a swallow with wings outstretched. From a tomb at Lei-t'ai, Kansu, Eastern Han Dynasty, 2nd century AD.
Lot 12
Garden Statue: After the Antique: A bronze figure of a seated MercuryItalian, circa 1900on carved limestone base, weathered green patina127cm.; 50ins high by 122cm.; 48ins longThe seated Mercury was discovered on 3rd August 1758 at Herculaneum in the Peristyle of the Villa dei Papiri and kept in the royal palace of Portica. Although it was possibly among the antiquities removed to Palermo in December 1798 to escape the French, it was recorded at Portici again in 1816. In 1943 it was removed to Monte Cassino to escape the Germans, who, however, captured it and took it to Germany. In transit it was damaged and the head had to be extensively restored after its return to Naples in 1947.It was probably the most celebrated work of art discovered at Herculaneum and Pompeii in the 18th Century and was reproduced in a number of mediums.
Lot 38
Sundial: An extremely large Georgian sundial plateinscribed made by Dudley Adam Charing Cross London indistinctly dated 178* and with engraved armorialthe dial 61cm.; 24ins diameter; 74cm.; 29ins diameterThe arms appear to be that of Thomas Neville of Borrismore House, Country Kilkenny Ireland, whose coat of arms recorded as a bulls head beneath a Ducal coronet with the motto Ne vile velis (don’t wish anything bad)Dudley Adams is recorded as working between 1788 and 1817 and operating from 53 Charing Cross London between 1788 and 1796. He is recorded as making a number of scientific instruments including barometers microscopes as well as sundials. Unusually, this particularly plate also incorporates a bronze surround and may well have originally incorporating a rotating mechanism.Literature: Directory of British Scientific Instruments Makers 1550-1851 by Gloria Clifton, published by The National Maritime Museum, 1996, p2
Lot 41
Sundial: A rare Compton Pottery Peacock terracotta sundiallate 19th/early 20th century with small makers mark and 6ins bronze dial130cm.; 51ins highThe Compton Potters Art Guild was started by Mary Watts, the wife of G.F. Watts the Victorian allegorical painter. In 1895 work began on the Watts Mortuary Chapel. Designed by Mary Watts, it was to be built from local clay by the villagers of Compton, near Godalming, Surrey. Mr and Mrs Watts were dedicated supporters of the growing Home Arts and Industries Association, a voluntary movement launched by Earl Brownlow in 1885 to revive the dying art of handicraft among the working classes. The idea was that young uneducated artisans should have their eyes opened to the wonders of art. They would be rescued from idleness, gambling and drinking -so the notion ran- during long winter evenings. Uplifted and taught how to use their hands with skill they would acquire a hobby to be proud of and develop this hitherto unknown talent, where possible to professional standards. The Pottery Art Guild continued from strength to strength, winning medals at the Royal Botanical Society and the Home Arts’ highest award, the gold cross. The Peacock sundial was one of the earliest pieces produced by the pottery in 1898. Modelled by Thomas Steadman, his intention was to represent the three steps of the sun; for the morning a cockerel; an early Christian symbol for watchfulness, for noon a peacock; Buddhist and Brahmin symbol of immortality, and for the evening, an owl symbolising truth and wisdom. Exotic terracotta garden pottery, designed by both Archibald Knox, who was Liberty’s chief designer and Mary Watts of the Compton Pottery were offered for sale in Liberty and Co’s Yuletide Gifts catalogue of 1903-4 in which this model sundial was described as the Owl sundial.Literature: Archibald Knox and Mary Seton Watts, Modern Celtic Art Garden Pottery, by Veronica Franklin Gould, in which this sundial model is illustrated on page 15
Lot 76
Scientific Instrument: A rare, early torpedo guidance gyroscope, by the Whitehead Torpedo Workscast bronze and steel, in original mahogany case, with Admiralty mark and serial number 817 suggesting a date of 1896-716cm.; 6ins high by 19cm.; 7½ins wideRobert Whitehead was a British engineer who was instrumental in the development of the torpedo. He worked for the Austro-Hungarian Navy before establishing his British works. The idea of a torpedo was first thought of in the early 19th Century and was developed by Captain Luppis of the Austrian marine artillery as a boat packed with explosives, it was Whitehead who first designed an underwater torpedo and he had established working models by 1866 either powered by compressed air or steam engine. The lack of accuracy effectively limited the torpedo’s range as their guidance was by pendulum and hydrostat control and it wasn’t until Ludwig Obry used a gyroscope that they became much more precise. Whitehead bought Obry’s patent in 1896 and the very low serial number of this piece suggests it was from the first years of production as most navies had adopted Whiteheads torpedos, usually under license after his famed dinner in 1878 where representatives of 18 navies were invited to tender for business at his Rijeka headquarters.
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