150-Year-Old Mallett Hosts Its First-Ever Independent Auction
- LONDON, United Kingdom
- /
- June 22, 2015
Mallett celebrates 150 years of trading in the finest antiques and objets d’art with their first-ever independent auction. Mallett at Home |1865-2015, will see 375 lots go under the hammer on Tuesday 7th July at Ely House, the retailer's flagship London showrooms.
With all items selected from Mallett’s extensive stock in both London and New York, the sale covers a broad cross-section of 18th to 20th century treasures. Mallett At Home provides collectors and decorators worldwide the opportunity to experience the distinctive taste associated with one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious antique galleries.
The majority of the 375 lots are being offered without reserve and all carry enticing auction estimates: prices range from £80 for a set of 19th century glass bottles, to £80,000 for a fine George II Japanned bureau bookcase attributed to the celebrated cabinet maker Giles Grendey.
The auction will introduce the Mallett brand to a new generation of clients who share the firm’s passion for the craftsmanship employed in the making of traditional furnishings by the masters and makers of past centuries.
All items are presented in ‘home ready’ condition thereby removing the perennial risk of buying unseen over the internet. The auction will be conducted by Mallett’s new owners, Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions, who use four dedicated online-bidding platforms targeting UK, European, American and Asian buyers.
Giles Hutchinson-Smith, Managing Director at Mallett said; “In this our 150th year, and following the acquisition of the company by Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions, now is an ideal time to mark out how we will continue to grow the identity of our unique brand in today’s fast moving art market. The company’s enduring focus has been on a multi-disciplinary object-driven desire for creating the beautifully furnished spaces so appreciated by our clientele. With this auction of specially selected lots from our large reserves of stock, Mallett's unique style will be introduced to a much larger global auction audience. Buyers are being offered an insight to Mallett’s specific taste, carefully honed over these past 150 years, mixing important furniture with objects of fun and fantasy. Mallett will naturally continue to promote connoisseurship with a renewed focus on exceptional pieces from private collections worldwide spanning 17th century masterpieces to ultra-modern design.”
Stephan Ludwig, Chief Executive of Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions said; “Last year's purchase of Mallett compliments our range of disciplines across the full spectrum of the art market. The inclusion of an international gallery business with a strong fairs presence alongside our 250 year old auctions pedigree addresses the quantum change in trading behaviour that has occurred in the art market over recent years. The historically synthetic barriers between auction, retail and private treaty routes to market for fine antiques and works of art have been superseded, and our now seamless service across all these disciplines is configured to best suit the needs of our vendors and buyers as opposed to a corporate agenda.”