Stoneware Grotesque Tobacco Jar and Cover by Martin Brothers

A recent consignment, and in no doubt the star of the show, is this rare stoneware grotesque tobacco jar and cover by Robert Wallace Martin (1843-1923) for Martin Brothers. Estimated at £30,000-50,000 (+ fees) it is something of a rare survivor dating from March 1900. The seated grotesque is modelled with eyes narrowed above a grimace, grasping its protruding chest with its long bony fingers and pointed nails. The rim of the lid is then incised with ‘R W Martin & Bros, London & Southall 3-1900’.

Grotesque figures were a characteristic design of the firm and were something of an obsession for Robert Wallace Martin. The rarity of this piece is also due to the fact that the Martin Brothers had an idiosyncratic way of working, with only lighting the kiln once a year and without protective saggars, leading to a high rate of losses and therefore a small output – it was even reported that one year, only one work survived!

Monart Glass

We also have three lovely items of Monart glass, dating from the second quarter 20th century. These pieces will be sold together with the book YSART GLASS by Blench, Turner, et al.

Monart glass is Scottish glass from the North British Glassworks of John Moncrieff Ltd. The product name 'Monart' takes its name from the first three letters of Moncrieff and the last three of the designer, Salvador Ysart. Head of the Ysart family of glass blowers, originally from Spain, he came to Scotland via France at the start of the First World War. An early piece of the Ysarts' glass was spotted by Mrs Moncrieff, the wife of the owner of the factory, when Salvador had made a piece to be donated as a raffle prize for the local kirk and so this was added as a product line away from the factory's usual output of laboratory glass.

Lalique Glassware

Dreweatts has vast experience of offering items from the workshops of René Lalique, with them being common features of the Decorative Arts and Modern Design specialist sections. This auction is no exception and will offer a lovely variety of Lalique pieces. Here we have Reverie, a pair of Lalique clear and frosted glass figural bookends. 

The bookends here carry an estimate of £800-1,200 (+ fees). They come to auction in very good condition and in their original fitted box, thereby adding to their value.

Lalique was founded by renowned glassmaker and jeweller René Lalique in 1888 and is considered one of the leading names in the French Decorative Art movement. 

Lalique is best remembered for producing glass art, including perfume bottles, vases, and hood ornaments during the early twentieth century. Following the death of René Lalique, the firm transitioned to producing lead glass works of art during the 1950s under the direction of his son, Marc Lalique.

AUCTION DETAILS
Tuesday 26 October | 10.30am
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

We are still welcoming entries. The consignment deadline is 6 September 2021. For a free auction valuation, please contact our Interiors department: +44 (0) 1635 553 553 | interiors@dreweatts.com

Alternatively, you can also complete our online valuation form, here.

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