Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Collect Call: Little treasures

John Windsor
Tuesday 16 December 1997 00:02 GMT
Comments

An olive oil factory in Marbella discovered that the elegant blue- green 10-litre bottles that it had chucked out were 200-year-old antiques, made by the celebrated glassworks of Gresigne, France. About 40 of them have been snapped up by the London antique dealer Genevieve Weaver, founder of Guinevere Antiques. Their elegance and simplicity is back in fashion. Price pounds 500 each (0171-736 2917).

Dating back to the second millennium BC - this gold and agate Sumerian necklace is priced pounds 1,200 at Pars Antiques, one of 200 dealers at Grays Antique Market, Davies Street, Mayfair, London W1, which opens its doors for an extra day on Saturday (10am-6pm) as well as Monday-Friday (10am-6pm).

The piggy bank dates back farther than you might think. This one, in terracotta - nearly eight inches high - has survived five centuries of annual rattlings and bangings in its native East Java. The Javanese made them as early as the 14th and 15th centuries, about the time that Chinese traders popularised the use of coins. There were terracotta rams, turtles and frogs, too. But pigs are special - they signify prosperity. This one, from a household or village shrine, is on display, priced pounds 3,950, at Spink, 5 King Street, St James's, London (0171-930 7888).

Rich kid's Christmas present: this unique half-scale scratch-built Bugatti Type 59 powered by a 24-volt dry-cell battery. The maker began building it as a toy for his son, but perfectionism overtook him. He spent 1,500 hours on it. Estimate pounds 4,000-pounds 8,000 in Brooks' toy and model auction at the Sheraton Park Tower Hotel, Knightsbridge, London SW1, tomorrow (2pm, information 0171-228 8000).

Snatched by the British photographer David Hurn - Charlton Heston resting on the set of El Cid in 1960. Estimated pounds 300-pounds 400, it is one of 138 prints of the cinema by members of the freelance photographers' collective, Magnum, set up to protect copyright and maintain standards. Bonhams' sale on Thursday (6pm) celebrates Magnum's 50th anniversary. It offers a print of Ingrid Bergman by one of Magnum's founders Robert Capa, and of Marilyn Monroe by Eve Arnold and Dennis Stock. Estimates pounds 200-pounds 1,500 (0171-393 3900).

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in