Dreweatts and Christie’s are pleased to announce the sale of The Stanley F Goldfein Collection which comprises 142 works that will be offered over two sales across both auction houses in 2024. A tribute to the eye of this passionate connoisseur, this standalone collaboration celebrates one of the foremost collections of notable English ceramics assembled over a lifetime. Christie’s will hold a Highlights Exhibition at Christie’s London from 29 May to 4 June presenting 15 of the works which will then be offered by Dreweatts on 27 June – a rich group totalling 127 lots with estimates from £800 to £10,000, all offered with no reserve – alongside a further 15 highlights from the collection which will be auctioned at Christie’s in London this Autumn, collectively highlighting the breadth and depth of this collector’s vision, across price levels.

Dreweatts Managing Director, Vicki Wonfor commented: “Dreweatts are delighted to be offering this remarkable collection in association with Christie’s. This collaboration provides the owners of The Stanley F Goldfein Collection a uniquely multifaceted route to market, drawing on the breadth of expertise and reach at both firms, with a live auction at our flagship Donnington Priory salerooms and further highlights offered by Christie’s in London.”

Christie's Global Managing Director, Classic Art Group, Nick Sims commented: "We are pleased to be partnering with Dreweatts on the inspiring Stanley F Goldfein collection. A timely example of collaboration in the art market, this highlights Christie’s dynamic commitment to celebrating the importance, relevance and beauty of the Decorative Arts - in this case notable English ceramics - creatively anticipating and meeting the needs of our clients across price levels to provide the best possible service."

About the Collector

Stanley F Goldfein was a member of The Wedgwood Society of New York, he was instrumental in seeing that The Buten Collection of Wedgwood was placed with The Birmingham Museum of Art, joining the Beeson Collection to make the museum’s holdings in that category one of the best in the world. Having given pieces to museums during his lifetime, it was his wish that the bulk of his collection be sold on the open market, allowing a new generation of collectors to find the same joy he had in owning and learning about these extraordinary works, from Wedgwood and Staffordshire pottery to early eighteenth-century English porcelain including rare pieces dating to the beginnings of the Chelsea and Bow factories.

Dreweatts Sale | 27 June 2024

Best represented in the auction is Wedgwood. Featured is a piece from possibly the greatest commission of Josiah Wedgwood’s lifetime, a ‘Queen’s Ware’ plate from the famous Catherine the Great Service, commissioned by the Empress for the Chesme Palace, it cost a total of £2,700 and was completed in 1774.

Four examples of Wedgwood’s copy of the Portland or Barberini vase. This celebrated Roman cameo glass vase was lent to Josiah Wedgwood to study and ultimately copy in dry-bodied stoneware, achieving this in 1790 after nearly five years of obsession with thousands of experiments to create the perfect copy. Josiah’s version proved to be so accurate a copy it was used to help piece back together the original Barberini Vase that was smashed whilst on display at the British Museum.

Also within the collection are some exceptional examples from the early years of porcelain production in Britain, from both the Chelsea Porcelain Factory and Staffordshire, including porcelain, salt-glazed stoneware and creamware figures and teapots from the mid eighteenth century.

Christie's Sale | Autumn 2024

Highlights from the collection which will be offered by Christie’s London in the Autumn include a Chelsea Porcelain model of Hogarth’s dog ‘Trump’, circa 1745-1747, after the model by L.F. Roubiliac (estimate: £30,000-50,000), a Chelsea Porcelain model of an owl, circa 1745-1749 (estimate: £20,000-30,000), and a Chelsea Porcelain bust of a young boy, circa 1750 (estimate: £15,000-20,000). Further details will be available closer to the sale. 

Dreweatts Auction Details:
Thursday 27 June, 1pm BST
Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE
Browse auction!

Bidding:
Bidding is available online, in person, by telephone or you can leave commission (absentee) bids.  To learn more including details on registering to bid, payment and shipping, click here. To register to bid, click here.  

On View:
Viewing at Christie's London (highlights): Christie's, 8 King St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6QT
Wednesday 29 May - Tuesday 4 June
Visit Christies.com for viewing times and further information.

Newbury (full sale): Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE
Friday 21 - Thursday 27 June

Further information:

Dreweatts: + 44 (0) 1635 553 553 | ceramics@dreweatts.com
Christie's:+ 44 (0) 207 752 3026 | mburn@christies.com
Press: smalyor@dreweatts.com 

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