04/07/2026 General News
Three times a year the eyes of collectors, not just throughout the UK but across the globe, turn to Norfolk for an undoubted highlight of the auction world year – the Keys Fine Sales, writes Tim Blyth.
The second of these takes place later this month, when across three days some 672 lots, comprising the very best in ceramics and glass, silver and watches, jewellery, furniture, books and ephemera, paintings and watercolours, go under the hammer at our Aylsham salerooms – and live online for bidders right around the world.
A full online catalogue will be available very shortly on our website, but I thought I would give you a whistlestop tour of some of my favourite lots.
My personal favourite lot is an Art Deco Oriental Dancer figure made of painted bronze and carved tinted ivory on an octagonal marble base, which was created by Gustav Schmidt-Cassel (1867-1954). Standing an impressive 43.8 cm tall, it has a pre-sale estimate of £5,000-£8,000.
One of the most exquisite pieces is an Art Nouveau iridescent Favrile glass vase made in 1910, decorated with vines on an iridescent gold coloured ground. Made by the legendary Louis C Tiffany, its estimate is £900-£1,200.
Ceramics always play a big part in our Fine Sales, and alongside examples of pieces by the ‘big name’ European manufacturers is once again a strong section of Lowestoft porcelain, which has a big following amongst our bidders. Difficult to pick a highlight here, but I have gone with a rare porcelain tureen, cover and matching stand, which came from the Philip and Maurice Asprey Collection, and which has an estimate of £1,500-£2,000.
Anything connected to Winston Churchill is always in demand in the saleroom – in the past we have sold cigars which were half-smoked by him and, famously, even his false teeth. Churchill fans will revel in four lots from the collection of dermatologist Dr McKenna, who treated Churchill in the 1950s. They include signed copies of various of the great man’s books, as well as a small collection of Christmas cards signed by his wife Clementine.
Silver and watches always feature large in the Fine Sales, and this time is no different. An unusual piece is by Japanese visual artist Junko Mori (born 1974) called ‘Textured Silver Organism’, made in 2009 of fine silver 999 (99.9% pure silver); it has an estimate of £1,500-£2,000. Meanwhile, the watch section includes a vintage 14ct gold Rolex pre-Cellini, complete with box, which is estimated at £4,000-£5,000.
The third day of the Fine Sale is given over to pictures, ranging from 16th century pen and ink drawings to contemporary masterpieces. Horse racing fans will be drawn to two watercolours by Lionel Edwards (1878-1966), depicting racing scenes at Epsom and Goodwood; each has an estimate of £5,000-£8,000.
Keys’ East Anglian Art Sales, which also take place three times a year, are renowned as the most important auctions of works by artists from the region. The second such sale takes place the same week as the Summer Fine Sale, and features over 100 pictures by artists as diverse as Colin Burns, Henry Bright, Jack Cox, Campbell Archibald Mellon, Geoffrey Chatten and Ian Houston.
The star lots are two wonderful still lifes by Eloise Harriet Stannard, dating from 1887 and 1915 respectively. Featuring her distinctive vibrant colours and luminous composition, they are sure to attract collectors from around the world.