elstob and elstob Archives - The Stray Ferret

Ripon auction to sell paintings of Derby winners found after 180 years

Two miniature paintings of Derby winners are to be auctioned in Ripon next month after lying unnoticed for 180 years.

The oil on metal paintings belonged to John Bowes, founder of the Bowes Museum and one of the greatest-ever racehorse owners.

They make up a set of four identically presented paintings depicting all of Mr Bowes’ Derby winners.

The other two are held by and are on view at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, and until recently art experts knew nothing about the whereabouts of the missing pair.

The two paintings show Mundig and Cotherstone, who won the Derby in 1835 and 1843 respectively.

They are being offered for sale by auction house Elstob & Elstob as part of its pictures and sculpture sale on November 30, together with a portrait of Issac Walker, who was head groomsman at the Streatlam Stud owned by Mr Bowes, who died in 1885.

Head groomsman, Issac Walker, with the two paintings.

Mr Elstob said:

“It is remarkable that these paintings have finally come to light.

“They have come forward from a client in Matlock, Derbyshire, who has had them in the family for as long as can be remembered.

“The family originated from Weardale in County Durham – close to the Bowes Museum – and the client remembers them hanging in his grandparents’ cottage in the village of Howden le Wear. His grandfather was friendly with Issac Walker’s family, which may explain how the paintings came to be in their hands.”

Each painting measures only 12.5cm x 13cm and are presented in horse shoe frames known as racing plates and would almost certainly have come from the Derby winners themselves.

The two paintings, together with the oil on board portrait of Issac Walker, carry a price estimate of £1,000 to £1,500.

It is not known who painted them but they are attributed to the circle of Henry Thomas Alken (1785-1851).

John Bowes and the four Derby winners

The paintings are particularly significant to the equestrian world due to John Bowes’ fame as one of the most successful racehorse owners this country has ever known.

During his career he had four Derby winners, a feat matched by only five other breeders in the history of the race and only exceeded by the Aga Khan III with five

John Bowes earned a fortune from racing, which played a major part in funding the Bowes Museum; built in an elaborate French Chateaux style to house the art collection of John and Josephine Bowes and opened to the public after their deaths in 1892.

Mundig was the first of Bowes’ hugely successful horses. He was foaled in 1832, the year that John Bowes turned 21 and indeed Mundig is German for mature or ‘of age’.

He was in the first batch of horses that Bowes sent to trainer John Scott, known as ‘the wizard of the north’, who had the Whitewall training stables at Malton, near York.

When Mundig won the 1835 Derby, he became the first northern-bred horse ever to do so, despite relatively poor odds.

Cotherstone was another outstanding champion, again trained by John Scott and ridden by his brother William Scott to victory in the 1843 Derby. He won the Two Thousand Guineas and came second in the St Leger in the same year, earning Mr Bowes more than £12,000 (£1.2 million in today’s values), and securing his position as one of the most valuable horses in the country.

Issac Walker was head groomsman at the Streatlam Stud from 1833-1872.

Mr Elstob said:

“These paintings represent a snapshot of one of the most remarkable success stories in racing history and, together with the links to the renowned collection of art in the Bowes Museum, we are expecting them to attract worldwide interest from equestrian enthusiasts and art collectors alike.”

The sale will take place at Elstob & Elstob’s Ripon salerooms on November 30 at 10am, with viewing on November 29 between 10am and 7pm.

For further information, contact Rohan McCulloch on 01765 699200 or email: rohan@elstobandelstob.co.uk

Celebrity antiques expert David Harper to host new game show in Ripon

Celebrity antiques expert David Harper is joining forces with a Ripon auction house for a new antiques game show.

The show will be filmed at Elstob & Elstob‘s saleroom at Ripon Business Park and broadcast online.

Members of the public are invited to join in either as contestants or as part of the audience.

Mr Harper, who has presented programmes such as Antiques Road Trip, Flog It, Cash in the Attic and Bargain Hunt and appeared on numerous other programmes, has own YouTube channel, which will host the new show.

He will work alongside David Elstob, who opened Elstob & Elstob at Ripon three years ago.

Outside Elstob & Elstob in Ripon.

Mr Harper said:

“Much of my career to date has been spent on TV and radio but I am now keen to take the familiar game show format online, for a faster, more informal and interactive feel that will reach even wider audiences.

“I wanted to base the show within an auction house setting and as I already had an excellent working relationship with Elstob & Elstob they were an obvious choice for a media partner.

“They also have a very innovative approach to buying and selling antiques and are always looking to try new things, which is very important for an experimental project such as this.”

Two contestants will attempt to describe items brought in by the audience before antiques expert Mr Elstob awards points based on how accurate they are.

Whoever gets the most points will be invited to choose a prize from the auction house’s collection.

The show’s first six-part series will be shot over three days at Elstob & Elstob on September 15, October 5 and October 19 from 10am to 3pm.

Anyone interested in watching can just turn up on the day at anytime between those hours. You don’t need to book.

Mr Elstob said:

“We hope to welcome as many people to the auction house as possible on the filming days.

“I am sure it will be hugely enjoyable for everyone involved. Just come along and join in the fun.”

Anyone interested in taking part as a contestant is asked to get in touch in advance with the auction house on 01765 699200 for more information or email: info@elstobandelstob.co.uk.

The first series will be screened weekly from Friday 7 October at 7pm and can be viewed here.

Hot Seat: the Ripon auctioneer bringing a modern edge to antiques

Three years ago, David Elstob had the urge to open his own auction house. It was an ambitious idea for a 34-year-old with a large mortgage and a toddler, but he felt it was now or never.

After cutting his teeth at a site in Bedale, he relocated to Ripon Business Park where he now hosts auctions every four weeks, specialising in fine art, antiques, and silver and jewellery.

It has been quite a journey. Mr Elstob opened in Ripon in December 2019 — three months before the first national covid lockdown.

But although covid decimated many start-ups, it has had a more favourable impact on auctions by hastening the transition to online bidding and more modern digital approaches, which suits a man who is considerably younger than many in the trade.

Online auctions attract more bidders, meaning higher prices and more commission, which explains why many auction houses still operate remotely post-covid restrictions.

At 37, David Elstob is younger than most auctioneers.

Elstob and Elstob allows bidders back in on sales days but whereas 100 people may have turned up pre-covid, there’s unlikely to be more than 20 these days. Fortunately this is more than offset by the number of online and telephone bidders.

Mr Elstob says:

“We’d love a room full of people again but I don’t think we will ever go back to that.

“Covid has moved things on 10 years. It’s made us work differently — it’s so easy to bid online now.”

£50,000 brooch

As with many things in life, the thrill of live bidding has moved online.

Mr Elstob recalls with infectious excitement hosting the only online auction in Europe one day during the first lockdown in April 2020, when thousands of bidders worldwide competed for 600 lots. Instead of finishing by mid-afternoon as usual, the bids kept coming long into the night.

“It was a phenomenal sale. I don’t think I will ever experience anything like that again. People in Australia started logging on when it got dark over here. I brought the gavel down on the last lot at 9.45pm.”

A Tiffany orchid brooch sold for £50,000, adding to the frisson.

Like Morphets of Harrogate and Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn, Elstob and Elstob focuses on high-end collectables rather than general items, like Thompsons Auctioneers in Killinghall and Harrogate Auction Centre, which specialise in house clearances.

His most unusual lot? A bull’s scrotum that had been made into a handbag. It fetched £30. Nostalgia-fuelled 1960s and 1970s furniture is currently fetching good money and the market for Chinese porcelain and art remains strong.

Hidden gems

Mr Elstob, who is originally from Bishop Auckland and has a master’s degree in antiques, initially planned to “go down the surveying / estate agent route and quickly realised that wasn’t for me”.

He headed up the sales room team at Addisons of Barnard Castle in County Durham before becoming director at Thomas Watsons in Darlington.

Outside the sales room in Ripon.

A specialist in 20th century design, particularly the work of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson, who was part of the 1920s arts and crafts revival, he is nevertheless a general valuer, who can call on a range of experts for help.

“It’s like being a GP. I might not be able to give you a figure for everything you bring in but I will be able to say if it’s authentic and point you in the right direction.”

Often solicitors get in touch asking him to conduct probate valuations. One such coin collection in Southport was worth £50,000.

Mr Elstob, who enjoys keeping fit and spending time with his daughter, employs five staff. He plans to conduct more specialist sales and online auctions and to run more eBay themed auctions, which appeal to younger people.

At 37, his youthful vigour makes him well placed to capitalise on the changes to auctioneering. But he remains steeped in the traditions of the trade and the thrill of discovering what lurks in the attic:

“My favourite part of the job is being out on the road. You never know what you will find in someone’s home.”

Stray Jewels: Christmas Stocking Fillers

Stray Jewels is a monthly column written by BBC Antiques Roadshow jewellery specialist, Susan Rumfitt. Susan started her career working for Christie’s auctioneers in Glasgow before establishing her own jewellery department, The Gallery in Harrogate. In 2006, she joined the Antiques Roadshow and has since built up an extensive knowledge of and passion for fine jewellery.

I was talking about the jewellery of Elizabeth Taylor recently. Her whole collection made over $100 million when it came up for auction ten years ago. From pearls to diamonds, sapphires to emeralds, she knew how to collect jewellery. Married eight times to seven different men, Taylor was never going to be short of jewellery, be it engagement rings or for Christmas presents.

Rubies featured heavily in her collection and in her 1968 Christmas stocking was a gorgeous ruby and diamond ring. Richard Burton had always said to her, “One day I’m going to find you the most perfect ruby in the world”. The ring in question featured an 8.24 carat ruby and was known as the ‘Puertas ruby, diamond and gold ring‘. It sold for over $4 million at the sale. Ruby is the stone of passion and perfect as a Christmas gift.

If you have a passion for rubies you certainly don’t need to pay over $4 million for one. Whether your budget is a couple of hundred or a few thousand, always look for a bright and lively stone that doesn’t have surface scratches. As with the late Victorian ring illustrated, a few coloured stones give a real impact to the design.

A Late Victorian Ruby and Diamond Ring

On one occasion Taylor received a pair of Georgian earrings as a Christmas stocking gift. She had spotted them on a shopping trip months before with Mike Todd, but had decided against them because they were set with paste and not diamonds. Todd secretly bought the earrings and had all the paste stones replaced with diamonds – now that is a thoughtful gesture.

Diamond earrings are a perfect gift at Christmas and even more gorgeous when paired with pearls. At Elstob & Elstob auctioneers early this year, there were a pair of beautiful pearl and diamond ear pendants in the form of acorns, pictured top. The acorn is a symbol of life, fertility, and immortality. As the seed of the great Oak tree, the acorn symbolizes potential and strength. What a perfect gift to receive at Christmas as we head into the New Year.

Mistletoe Costume Jewellery Brooch

For those true romantics, jewellery themed around mistletoe is a must. Mistletoe has a great history. It is associated with ancient Rome which had many different festivals to celebrate the gods. One of them was the Saturnalia held from 17-23 December. This festival was in honour of Saturn, the god of agriculture, seedtime and harvest. The mistletoe was hung up during the Saturnalia festival and it was traditional to kiss under the mistletoe as it was seen as a symbol of fertility. Each fruit on the mistletoe branch has a cross symbol and this has become associated with a kiss. Gifts would be given on 23 December, unlike our traditional 25th.

Jewellery doesn’t always have to be made of precious gems and metals. The image above is of a pretty costume piece of mistletoe jewellery set with faux pearls. Lovely condition and many costume pieces can be a little as £10-20.

If Christmas jumpers aren’t your thing then maybe a Christmas jewel is!

Merry Christmas.

Stray Jewels: Jewels with the James Bond seal of approval

The jewellery scene is really great at the moment. Jewellery specialists in shops, auction houses and antiques fairs across our county are getting into pre-Christmas swing and of course, the new series of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow is now being aired, which helps to fuel excitement.

There are lots of lovely jewels to share with you on a monthly basis and inspire you to browse our local shops, fairs and auction houses for inspiration.

What we all need when buying jewellery is a bit of luck. I adored the clover brooch, lot 1444, that sold for £400 (plus buyers premium), on the 17th September at Elstob & Elstob Auctioneers. It wasn’t the most expensive item in the sale, but it was absolutely my favourite.

By the time this article is published many of you will have seen the new Bond Film ‘No Time To Die’ and witnessed the magnificent jewels that are featured in the film. Having viewed the Elstob & Elstob Jewellery sale there are a number of jewels that can find an association (and I know, a rather tenuous association), with previous Bond Films! Never the less they are, for me, the other picks of the sale.

Make sure you read to the end of the article as you could seriously have a piece of jewellery, by a brand that did supply to a number of Bond films. The firm David Morris, adorned a number of leading ladies in various Bond Movies…but I think you might need to be quick to snap up this particular lot – so read on!

Lots 1521 and 1524 were two moonstone and diamond rings

I love moonstones and you guessed it, the tenuous link is “Moonraker” (1979). Lots 1521 and 1524 in the sale were two gorgeous moonstone and diamond rings both sold for £1,000. Moonstones are magical and romantic and are the gemstone representing the 3rd wedding anniversary. The ancient Romans and Greeks associated moonstones with their lunar deities and the Romans believed that moonstone were solidified rays of the moon. Moonstones have a beautiful luminescence and it isn’t surprising that they are associated with inspiring passion, creativity and most importantly bringing good fortune.

Passion and creativity are definitely seen in the works of Fabergé the Russian master of jewellery. There is an exhibition of Fabergé opening at the Victorian & Albert Museum, London, in November this year.

In the Bond film ‘Octopussy’ (1983), a ‘ Fabergé egg’ (obviously not an original), was featured, (“lot 48”, in the film’s auction – “an enamelled egg with blue sapphires”).

In Elstob’s sale a Russian enamelled egg, lot 1107, sold for £110, against an estimate of £100-150. It was a miniature egg and it was Russian…how lovely!

A Russian enamelled egg

But obviously it is not just auctions and our fabulous Yorkshire regional antique shops, galleries and markets that get us excited about jewels… films do too.

When it comes to jewels and fashion, James Bond and his leading ladies really epitomise glamour and ultimate style. At the Premiere, The Duchess of Cambridge shone in a stunning dress by Jenny Packham and a pair of earrings by O’nitaa. Other brands were showcased, fabulous jewels by Chopard, Tiffany, Ana Khouri, Sean Leane, Ara Vartanian and Jessica McCormack – what a sparkling display.

At Elstob & Elstob’s on line sale (ends 3rd October at 6pm), you still have the chance to have a taste of that James Bond glamour style. Lot 1559, estimated at £1,000-1500, is a diamond ring by David Morris, an exceptional contemporary jeweller. David Morris supplied jewels for numerous Bond films, including ‘Diamonds Are Forever’, ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’, ‘The World is Not Enough’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’.

Still unsure what jewels to buy? Slight hint…’Diamonds are Forever’ (1971). Happy jewellery hunting.

Stray Jewels with Susan Rumfitt: the timeless allure of pearls

In 2006, she joined the Antiques Roadshow and has since built up an extensive knowledge of and passion for fine jewellery.

Many feel that pearls are old fashioned, but they have been worn by many style icons, including Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Michelle Obama and sale results continue to show pearls are very much in vogue.

De Vrooman; A Cultured Pearl Sapphire and Diamond Necklace. Sold for £2,200.

In 2011 Elizabeth Taylor’s Collection of jewellery came up for auction. The price of one necklace shocked the world. It contained a pearl that had once belonged to Mary I of England, known as ‘La Peregrina’. Richard Burton had bought the pearl at auction in 1969 for $37,000 as a Valentine Day’s gift for Elizabeth. She had it remounted by Cartier. In 2011 against a pre-sale estimate of $2,000,000 – $3,000,000 , it sold for just over $11 million. This sent the pearl world into a frenzy! From auction houses to the high street, pearls became highly prized and highly priced. The market has settled down over the last few years but premium prices can still be achieved for the finest examples, especially when they are accompanied by certificates to state that they are natural pearls or if made by important designers. In their sale Elstob & Elstob had a pearl, sapphire and diamond necklace by the award winning jewellery designers De Vrooman which sold for £2,200. A sophisticated look with exceptional cultured pearls.

What are pearls?

A natural pearl forms when a parasite or some other foreign matter enters the oyster or mussel shell. The mollusc then deposits layers of nacre around the intruder to soothe the irritation. Nacre is made up of a combination of calcium carbonate, conchiolin and water. Cultured pearls are farmed and the irritation is started by introducing a piece of shell (or mantle) into the pearl – hence the name ‘cultured’. Natural can pearls still command an exceptionally high price but I’ve not heard of anyone exchanging pearls for property recently, as the jewellers Cartier did in 1916, in New York. The necklace in question was valued at over $1 million. Masie and Morton Plant saw the necklace in the window and agreed to swap their mansion on Fifth Avenue for the necklace. The introduction of cultured pearls by Kokichi Mikimoto made pearls available to the masses and as a result natural pearl market suffered and in 1956 when Maisey’s necklace came up for auction it made $150,000!

An Edwardian Natural Pearl, Diamond and Enamel Pendant. Sold for £3,200.

Cultured pearls today

There are an abundance of cultured pearls available today. Saltwater Akoya pearls remain popular, mainly from Japan and China. South Sea and Tahitian pearls are all popular but can be quite expensive. Cultured pearls from Japan have made larger pearls more accessible and more affordable than the warm water varieties.

A Pair of Edwardian Natural Saltwater Pearl and Diamond Earrings. Sold for £1,200.

What to look for when buying pearls

When buying natural pearls it is very important that they are accompanied by a laboratory certificate Elstob & Elstob sold two lovely pairs of natural saltwater pearl earrings. Both had good a lustre (shine) and surface condition. The Pearls also matched well in each pair. Whether natural or cultured uniformity in size and shape is key. This will help to maintain value. Smaller pearls are also popular especially when set in pretty pendants such as the enamel and diamond example illustrated. This dates from the Edwardian period and the central pearl was also accompanied by a certificate. This helped it reach its sale value of £3,200.

A Pair of Natural Saltwater Pearl and Diamond Pendant Earrings. Sold for £2,800.

Looking after pearls

The oils in our skin help the pearls to look shiny and enhance the lustre when we wear them, but at the same time the oils are destructive to the pearls. Once you have worn pearls its is really important to wipe them before you put them back in the box. Pearls don’t have the hardness or durability of many gemstones, so we really do need to treat them gently.

Stray Jewels with Susan Rumfitt: Christmas sparkle

In 2006, she joined the Antiques Roadshow and has since built up an extensive knowledge of and passion for fine jewellery.

A bit of sparkle is a must at Christmas. Elizabeth Taylor was surprised to find a pair of Georgian diamond ear pendants in her stocking one Christmas morning – a present from Mike Todd. Elizabeth had spotted the earrings in an antique shop but didn’t want them as they were set with paste (a fantastic Georgian invention to imitate diamonds, but not quite sparkly enough for Elizabeth!). Todd bought them, had a jeweller unset the paste and set the mounts with diamonds, and Elizabeth was naturally very happy!

With Christmas stockings in mind, I looked back through various local jewellery auctions this year and considered what I might like to appear in my stocking on Christmas Day. There were lots of pieces, but I have to narrow it down – so here are my top three…

Enamel Tiger Orchid Brooch

Enamel Tiger Orchid Brooch, by Tiffany & Co.

Without doubt I wouldn’t reject the fantastic Enamel Tiger Orchid Brooch by Tiffany & Co, which featured in Elstob & Elstob‘s sale back in April. Tiffany is undoubtedly a name that shouts style, elegance and sophistication. They were the first to introduce ‘catalogue shopping’, with their ‘Blue Book’. Today we are used to catalogue and online shopping but back in the C19th century this was a first. Today their ‘Blue Book’ is a show case for exclusive jewellery. So why the Orchid Brooch in my top three? A limited number were produced for Tiffany by the renowned jeweller Paulding Farnham and such brooches were exhibited at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle, one of the most important exhibitions at the time. The skill of the jeweller to create the amazing detail shown in the flower just cannot be beaten. Enamelling is a specialised skill and this brooch is one to admire. Only 25 of these brooches were produced and this one made £50,000 – a record breaking price…

Pink Sapphire and Diamond Brooch

Pink Sapphire and Diamond Brooch.

At a Tennants Auctioneers jewellery sale in November I particularly liked a Pink Sapphire and Diamond Brooch circa 1925. The pink sapphires have a great liveliness to them and as a stone that represents devotion, this is a brooch that I would adore to have in my collection. The 1920’s is Art Deco era – a time of fun, contrasts of colour in fashion and jewellery design. This was a period to express new ideas but at times the style still drew on the elegance of the Edwardian Period. This can be really appreciated in this brooch. Many say brooches are out of fashion – I say definitely not! The hammer came down at £3,200 on this beautiful brooch and I think worth every penny.

Enamel Owl Brooch

Enamel Owl Brooch, by David Anderson.

Last week Elstob & Elstob had a lovely sale of jewellery and amongst many great pieces the one I would like to make an appearance in my Christmas stocking is the enamel owl brooch by David Anderson, a renowned jeweller from Norway. Early 20th Century Scandinavian jewellery appeals to many. George Jensen is perhaps a more popular name, but David Anderson is becoming highly collectible. His enamel work is fun and exciting. His work is a must in any jewellery collection and a wise owl as part of a collection is a winner. Although big in character the hammer price for the owl brooch was modest £130.

My next column will be on 2 January when I will look forward to sharing my top tips for jewellery collecting and what to look out for in 2021.

Read more:

John Bowes and the four Derby winners

Read more:

£50,000 brooch

Read more:

Hidden gems

Read More:

Read more:

What are pearls?

Cultured pearls today

What to look for when buying pearls

Looking after pearls

Read More: