For decades, furniture, in particular, formed the core of the auction business, especially for Martel Maides Auctions as the business started primarily as an adjunct to the estate agency, assisting its clients when moving house and helping to clear large items to facilitate the house sales.
Over the years the scope and range of items offered expanded to include pretty much every form of antiques and collectibles known to man, and it is well known that so-called “brown furniture” went somewhat out of fashion. In 2022 it is fair to say that this trend seems to be reversing, albeit slowly.
In any event, despite the vagaries of fashion, fine pieces, and especially smaller fine pieces, have maintained their allure at our auctions. Accordingly, we are proud to have specialists in furniture and rugs in both Jersey and Guernsey who are well-positioned to provide valuations and advice to clients.
Quality, or a well-known maker, is the key to the best prices. A superb Robert (Mouseman) Thompson refectory table with eight matching chairs was offered in 2018 and sold for £5,200. We have achieved £22,000 for a c1715 George I feather-banded figured and burr walnut cabinet on chest. In 2019 £58,000 was offered for a fine pair of Regency, brass inlaid rosewood, glazed breakfront bookcases with marble tops.
We regularly sell all types of rugs and carpets: Tekke Bokhara, Hamadan, Taimani prayer rugs; rugs from Persia, Turkey, Afghanistan and many others may turn up in our sales, as well as Chinese carpets and indeed vintage 20th-century rugs.
Request an Estimate
