John Bromley bust of Winston Churchill
by Mrs Owen
(UK)
I read that someone asked you about a John Bromley bust of Winston Churchill which was part of a limited edition. I also have one of these but didn't realise it would be worth anything. Is it worth me getting in touch with an auction house or would it be better to sell it privately - and is it really worth selling at this time?
Regards
Mrs Owen
reply by Peter (admin) below - just scroll down...
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Reply by Peter (admin)
Dear Mrs Owen
Many thanks for writing in about the bust of Winston Churchill by John Bromley.
I am not sure of the likely value of this item. If you go to my page all about how to value china wares, you will find there a form which you can fill in to enquire about getting a valuation from an expert auctioneer.
The things an expert valuation expert generally looks for in valuing an item are as follows:-
- Age - antiques fetch more than non-antiques. The definition of 'antique' is in a constant state of flux and depends upon the category of goods, but a general rule of thumb with china is an item is can be comfortably defined as 'antique' rather than 'vintage' when it is over 100 years old (in the US the US Customs/Tariff Schedule uses the 100 years definition). Antique shops may use a shorter time period. The BBC Antiques Roadshow has a much looser description for the goods they include in their show as "an older object valued because of its aesthetic or historical significance". In general terms, 100 years for china and furniture seems to be the accepted norm. The Roadshow includes not only antique items (over 100 years old) but also 'collectible'
Collectability - a non-antique can fetch high prices if either the subject matter or the artist/designer/brand have become popular or sought after with collectors. A vintage item is not necessarily a 'collectable' item. A collectable item can be either less than 100 years old or more than 100 years old. Auctioneers talk much about whether or not an item is 'collectable' or not. In this sense, "collectable" (or in the US "collectible") means "fetches high prices at auction".
Rarity - the more readily available something is, the lower the valuation will be. For example, Walter Bosse, German Bauhaus ceramic artist of the 1920's made one off sculptures from his own studio in Kufstein, Austria. These are regarded as highly "collectable". However, the same designs made under license by German porcelain manufacturers are merely vintage (neither 'antique' nor 'collectible' in the way auctioneers use that term). The difference in price may be that a 'collectible' Bosse would fetch £1000, whereas a 'vintage' would cost £100.
Quality - high quality values in design & development and production lead to higher secondary market value. Royal Worcester is known for quality of make over 250 years, so therefore their items would be at a premium.
The more of the above boxes the item ticks, the more valuable it will be. Then, the final factor is you need two or more collectors bidding on the same item. If there is only one serious collector who has spotted the auction, then they will bag themselves a bargain.
Hope this helps
Peter (admin)
>www.figurinecollect.com (These pages show our new English made bone china figurine collection)
www.figurines-sculpture.com (This is my bigger site covering all aspects of fine china making)
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