Large Collection Of Well Known Studio Pottery Turns Up In Cheam Probate Valuation

Well Known Studio Potters Work Make Up Significant Cheam Pottery Collection

My latest house contents valuation for probate took me to a property in Cheam where a gentleman had decided to have his collection of studio pottery valued in advance, so as to make it easy for IHT calculations and to ease distribution of the collection as well as the residual contents to his children.

The house contents were as you expect to find in a average family home and amounted to around £1200 in total, but the collection of studio pottery added up quite quickly to around £15,000.
I was informed during my visit that the collection of pottery was the remainder after selling the major part of the collection previously at auction for nearly £40,000.
The more valuable pieces achieved good prices in the sale rooms but never the less there remained a significant collection by some good potters of this century, pieces by John Leach, Bernard Leach, Kate Malone, Gabriella Kock, Ken Matsuzaki, Walter Keeler, Svend Bayer, Phil Rogers and more. All in all an important collection to say the least.
Just for good measure I noted an impressive pewter arts and crafts clock by Archibald Knox which I valued at £2500 along with a Renee Lalique “Actinia” glass vase, another Lalique “Druides” vase valued at £2500 and £600 respectively. The best studio pot being a “Fennel” vase by Kate Malone at £1000. Kate enjoys creating pottery with a vegetable theme.
Its always enjoyable valuing house contents for probate and you can never know what interesting collectables and works of art can be waiting inside what can look like a very ordinary home from the outside.
Valuer and author – Jeffrey Avery – 09/03/2018